[Evy]

Well, I'll start out buy saying that I've wanted an M14/M1A for some time now and my research into getting one has taken me to these boards where I have learned some valuable tips in the last couple of weeks I've been lurking here. What I've learned so for has convined me away form the SA,inc M1A standard I was thinking of buying to spending the extra time and money and build my own from scratch. I've read on these boards that if one has the money, and I do, building an M14 based on an LRB reciever with USGI parts is the prefered way to go. At the moment I've only bought the stock metal from Fred's and a new GI contour walnut stock form Fulton armory. I figured the next step should be to save up for a barreled action from LRB.

Anyway, to get right to the purpose of this thread. I've been thinking I should start early in my quest to find the hard-to-find items like the gas cylinder and operation rod and have noticed that the TRW brand seems to be very popular and in demand for some reason. I was wondering why someone would spend over $150 on ebay for a TRW trigger assembly, op rod, or bolt assembly when other USGI brands can be had for less money. Why is TRW more popular? Are they more rare, or are they of better quality or what? At first, I figured any USGI part in good to as new condition would be good, but now Im wondering If I should be looking into certiain brands of USGI. Is this nessessary? Also, should I be trying to buy parts from the same manufacurer so the gunmetal color matches? My goal really isn't to have a collectors item that looks like it was just plucked from Vietnam but to simply look like a new walnut M14 that was built in 2004 that shoots very well. Any advise for me?

 

[Hawk]

TRW parts are at a premium usually as they are known to be about the best USGI parts made.....HOWEVER.... all USGI parts had to be made to specific standards and one is most likely about as good as another. It might have to do with the number of TRW rifles made in comparrison to the other three receiver/parts makers. I would suggest that you try to put together a one manufacturer rifle as best as you can as this would in my opinion elevate the basic value of the rifle. Just in case for some unlikely reason that you wish to sell it later on. I have a Springfield (M1A) with all USGI Springfield parts and a Smith Ltd with all Winchester parts.... I'm working on a nother build using all TRW parts and will eventually build one with H&R parts. When LRB gets to manufacturing LRB parts I will build a complete LRB rifle also.... May take awhile, but at least I have some realistic goals in life :mrgreen: For your initial build you might want to get a LRB receiver with one of his barrels. Gather whatever USGI parts you can find as you can always replace parts with specific maker parts as you go later on. Don't rule out a Springfield receiver as they are good also. JMHO Hawk

 

[TEA]

TRW also was the only company to make one piece op-rods. All other makers welded the handles to the op-rod cylinder. TRW and SAK barrels tend to be a bit better than other USGI barrels, as well, which is why they were chosen to make the first match grade M14 barrels. As for other parts, I think they're all pretty much the same.

 

[psychomark]

I have a Springfield (M1A) with all USGI Springfield parts and a Smith Ltd with all Winchester parts.... I'm working on a nother build using all TRW parts and will eventually build one with H&R parts. When LRB gets to manufacturing LRB parts I will build a complete LRB rifle also.... May take awhile, but at least I have some realistic goals in life :mrgreen:

There must be something in the local drinking water. Cuz I have an all HRA/HRT Springfield Inc. M1A, All TRW parts LRB M14SA, Mostly Winchester LRB M14SA, and a partial USGI Springfield parts SA inc. M1A in the works.
Great minds think alike.

 

[Different]

"The TRW Mystique" section of the free online book M14 Rifle History and Development at www.imageseek.com/m1a

The TRW Mystique
TRW rifles and parts have a long-standing reputation as better made than the other three M14 manufacturers. This was evident as early as 1963. Roy E. Rayle was an Army Ordnance Corps officer in charge of the Small Arms Research and Development Division at Springfield Armory in 1961. He writes,
“The first TRW rifles were delivered in October, 1962 were a month ahead of schedule . . .. Their production record and the quality of their rifles drew enthusiastic praise from the Department of Defense and from the press. TRW was ahead of Winchester and H and R in several ways, and had a wider and more sophisticated production experience.” (14)
This is borne out by the American Rifleman interview of S. C. Pace, Electro-Mechanical Group Vice President. Mr. Pace explains how they applied their jet engine manufacturing experience to production of M14 rifles. They settled on making what parts they could make well and economically based on their expertise and subcontracted the rest. They made one piece operating rods. Barrel interiors were formed using a new cold swaging process. This German designed process entailed swaging the barrel blank over a mandrel to form the bore and rifling. Barrel exterior contours were formed in two turning passes versus four passes at Winchester. Their automatic barrel installation machine was similar to the other makers but had “some differences in design based on experience.” (15) There is a second hand report from a very credible source, indicating a roughly 10 % longer service life with TRW receivers (16). Later on, TRW became the only commercial contractor to ever produce the USGI M14 NM rifle.
The M14 failure rate was 5 % to 12 % from all causes among Springfield Armory, Winchester and Harrington & Richardson as of August 1961. TRW had assembled and tested their first M14 rifle in August 1962. By November 1962 TRW M14 production was 100 per day and they had had no rejections to date. The largest five shot group of any TRW rifle up to November 1961 was 5.5 “ out of a maximum allowable 6.1 “ at 100 meters. The average five shot group size for TRW rifles until November 1962 was 2.5 “ to 3.0 “ in factory testing.
With very few exceptions, e.g., Winchester barrels in their second contract, all four manufacturers were required to use the same material and meet the same specifications. The TRW mystique is further strengthened by the growing pains suffered by Winchester and Harrington & Richardson in 1960 and 1961. Overall, it is fair to say that TRW had the most trouble free production record of the four manufacturers. Sometimes it pays to be last but it always pays to plan well.

 

[thomjb]

Great Info, thanks Different

 

[ShootingSight]

TRW - Good or Bad?

I have seen several post where people talked about USGI parts all 'meeting US specs'. Consider, though, did manufacturers just barely meet the specs, or did they surpass them. Granted, it is often economically uninteresting to go beyond the required specs, but if your engineering and production capabilities (perhaps paid for by NASA, or other big contracts) can exceed a spec with no additional cost to you, you will make a superior product.

Net, it is possible that TRW not only meets USGI specs, but goes beyond.

JMHO,

Art

 

[m14dan]

The only thing "better" about TRW is that they contain some magical juju mojo magic powers that the others don't. They reach into your mind and say "BUY ME AND PAY MORE THAN I'M WORTH"
There is nothing special about them other than that!

 

[RED DOT]

TRW in the early 60's had high tech machining capabilities and top -notch QC in place,more so than the other M14 manufacture's, .....so in a sense you pay a little more for their reputation and confidance in a quality part.even tho the others had to meet the same spec's, its all in the name...but i gotta say i prefer the TRW finish and the cool tricorn like logo on the receiver heel.


RED DOT

 

[MsgtMaze]

Making of the M14 Rifle