Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle

Mk.14 EBR
Mk 14 Mod 0 Rifle
Type	Battle rifle, designated marksman rifle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	2004–Present
Used by	United States
Wars	War in Afghanistan War in Iraq
Production history
Designer	Mike Rock and Jim Ribordy (Original) Smith Enterprise Inc. (Current)
Designed	2001
Manufacturer	Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division Smith Enterprise Inc. CheyTac Firearms(US), COLT DEFENSE SYSTEMS, (Supplying parts) Sage International (For the stock)
Specifications
Mass	11.24 lb (5.1 kg)
Length	35 in (889 mm)
Barrel length	18 in (457 mm) (Mod 0) 22 in (558.8 mm) (Mod 1) (EBR-RI)
Cartridge	7.62x51mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	Shooter Dependent
Muzzle velocity	853 m/s (2,800 ft/s)
Effective firing range	500 m (547 yd) 800+ m (875 yd) (with optics)
Maximum firing range	2.5 miles (4.23 kilometers) (Confirmed/Point Target); 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) (Unconfirmed/Area Target)
Feed system	10 or 20-round detachable box magazine
Sights	Modified M14 iron sights, normally used with a magnifying scope.

The United States Navy Mark 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) is an American selective fire military designated marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. It is a variant of the M14 battle rifle and was originally built for use with units of the United States Special Operations Command, such as the United States Navy SEALs, Delta Force, and task specific ODA units.

The EBRs are made with the intention of carrying out both designated marksman and CQB roles in combat. Since 2010, the U.S. Army has made available two M14EBR-RI rifles per infantry platoon for units deploying to Afghanistan. The M14EBR-RI has a standard weight 22.0" barrel and lugged GI flash hider; it is not to be confused with the Mark 14 Mod 0 or Mod 1.

History

The creation of the Mark 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) began in 2000 after a request by United States Navy SEALs for the creation of a more compact M14 battle rifle. In 2001, Mike Rock Rifle Barrels, Inc. was the only rifle barrel maker asked by United States Special Operations Command to participate in a SOPMOD conference to create what would be the Mark 14 Mod 0 EBR, with details that include a collapsible stock that was requested for the new rifle and with aluminum body with telescopic rails. Mike Rock collaborated with engineer Jim Ribordy to make the new rifle. Tests showed that their rifle was effective, but has excessive noise problems.

US Army service in Afghanistan, September 2010.

In 2003, Ron Smith and Smith Enterprise Inc. created its own version of the M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (MK14 Mod 0 type SEI), which used a medium heavy weight 18.0" barrel and was more widely favored than the rifle made by Rock and Ribordy. The Smith Enterprise-based MK14 was then used as a basis to eventually create the Mark 14 Mod 0 with Springfield Armory, Inc. being tasked to supply the necessary machinery needed to create the weapon in cooperation with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.

United States Navy SEALs were the first forces to be armed with the EBR in 2004, followed by the US Coast Guard. The United States Army is also being armed with the M14EBR-RI, being created and updated by the Weapons Product Support Integration Directorate of the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command at the Keith L. Ware Test Facility in Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois; having fielded approximately 5,000 units by mid-2010. United States Marine Corps units were also considering the EBR, but wound up instead developing the M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle.

Design

The weapon takes the standard M14 action and replaces the standard 22.0" barrel with an 18.0" barrel, The barreled action is then bolted into a telescoping chassis stock system, with a pistol grip, a different front sight, Harris bipod, four Picatinny accessory rails (which surround the barrel), and a more effective flash hider in place of the standard lugged USGI flash suppressor. A paddle-type bolt stop similar to that of the M4 carbine is used on the rifle. The EBR chassis system stock is made up entirely of lightweight aircraft alloy.

A Kydex hand guard and M68 CCO are also added as standard external accessories, though they are almost always replaced with a vertical foregrip and magnifying scope for better handling and for use in a designated marksman role. A Wind Talker suppressor can be mounted on the DC Vortex flash hider, though the U.S. military did not adopt one to active service.

Sage International had some involvement in the decision of whether to invest approximately $120,000 in an injection mold incorporating into the design the rail attachments or machine the replacement stock from a solid billet of aluminum with the latter being selected, which was then shown at the SHOT Show in Orlando in 2003.

Configurations

Several configurations are allowed on the Mark 14 Mod 0 EBR, among them include the attachment of the AN/PVS-4 night vision scope. Others had included the capability of adding two different scopes/sights on the Picatinny rails, for more precision or zoom level.

Variants

Following the development of the Mark 14 Mod 0 EBR, several variants of the M14 rifle utilizing the Sage Chassis System have been developed and fielded by various branches of the US Military. A summary of variants, and the components utilized in each, are as follows:

	Mk 14 Mod 0	Mk 14 Mod 0 / Mk 14 SEI	Mk 14 Mod 1	Mk 14 Mod 2	M39 EMR	M14 EBR-RI	M14 EBR-RI NM	M14 T
Branch of Service	US Navy and US Air Force	US Air Force	US Navy	US Navy	US Marine Corps	US Army	US Army	US Coast Guard
Years Built	2004 – 2005	2004 – 2008	2006	2011	2007	2008 – 2011	2010	2005
Builder	NSWC Crane	Smith Enterprise, Inc.	NSWC Crane	NSWC Crane	PWS Quantico	Rock Island Armory – TACOM	Rock Island Armory – TACOM	NSWC Crane
Quantity Built	1000	125 (rebuilt Mk 14 Mod 0 rifles)	500	~ 250	700	6200	not available	500
Chassis	Sage M14ALCS	Sage M14ALCS (Milled Rail)	Sage M14ALCS/CV	Sage M14ALCS/PMRI-HB	Sage M14ALCS (Milled Rail)	Sage M14ALCS	Sage M14ALCS/PMRI	Sage M14ALCS
Color	NSG	NSG	Tan	NSG	NSG	Black (NSG – rare)	Black	NSG
Pistol Grip	Sage 90905	Sage 90905	TangoDown BG-16 FDE	Sage M14ERGO	Sage 90905	Sage M14ERGO	Sage M14ERGO	Sage 90905
Handguard	Black Full	Black Full	Tan Short	Black Full	Tan Full (Black Full - rare)	Black Full	Black Full	Black Full
Vertical Fore Grip	Sage M14VFG (90906)	Sage M14VFG (90906)	TangoDown BGV-MK46 FDE	-	-	Sage M14VFG (90906)	-	Sage M14VFG (90906)
Butt Stock	Sage M14ALCS-BS	Sage M14ALCS-BS	Sage M14ALCS/CV-BS	Sage M14ALCS/PMRI-BS	Sage M14ALCS-BS	Sage M14ALCS-BS	Sage M14ALCS/PMRI-BS	Sage M14ALCS-BS
Butt Stock Extension	-	-	-	Sage M14VABEK/PMRI	Sage M14BEK (90911)	-	-	-
Selector Switch/Lock	Switch	Switch	Lock	Lock	Lock	Lock	Lock	Switch
Barrel	SAI 18" Std. 1-11 ("Bush")	SEI 18" Std./Med. 1-10	SAI 18" Std. 1-11 ("Bush")	22" Heavy 1-10	Kreiger 22" Med. 1-12 (DMR)	USGI 22" Std.	SEI 22" Med. 1-10	USGI 22" Std.
Flash Hider	SEI 2000V	SEI 2000V	SureFire FH762KM14	SEI 2000V	USGI (NM)	USGI (NM)	USGI (NM)	SEI 2001
Suppressor	M14 Direct Connect sound suppressor	M14 Direct Connect sound suppressor	SureFire 762K-DE	Wind Talker sound suppressor	-	-	-	-
Front Sight	XS USN2 (11-2166-580-1)	XS USN2 (11-2166-580-1)	XS USN2 (11-2166-580-1)	-	USGI (NM .062)	USGI (NM - rare)	USGI (NM - rare)	XS USN2 (11-2166-580-1)
Rear Sight	XS Large Aperture (0.125")	XS Large Aperture (0.125")	XS Large Aperture (0.125")	-	USGI (NM - rare)	USGI (NM - rare)	USGI (NM - rare)	XS Large Aperture (0.125")
Gas Lock	SEI 2013 (GLFS-D-18)	SEI 2013 (GLFS-D-18)	SEI 2013 (GLFS-D-18)	USGI	USGI	USGI	USGI	USGI
Gas System	USGI	SEI 2071, 2075, 2076	USGI	SEI 2071, 2075, 2076	USGI	USGI	SEI 2071, 2075, 2076	USGI
Op Rod Spring Guide	USGI	USGI	USGI	USGI (NM)	USGI (NM)	USGI	USGI	USGI
Bolt Stop/Release	SEI 2003	SEI 2003	SEI 2003	SEI 2003	USGI	USGI	USGI	SEI 2003
Optic	Leupold Mk 4 1.5-5x (67905)	Leupold Mk 4 3.5-10x (67940)	Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x24mm FC-2 w/ZeroStop	Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50mm MIL-DOT w/ZeroStop	S&B 3-12x50mm (M8541)	Leupold Mk 4 3.5-10x (51850)	Leupold Mk 4 3.5-10x (51850)	S&B 1.1-4x PM ShortDot
	Leupold Mk 4 3.5-10x (51850)			AN/PVS-27 Night Vision (MUNS)
Scope Rings	Badger 306-29 (30mm)	SEI 7008 (30mm)	Nightforce A118 (30mm)	Nightforce A107 (30mm)	Badger 306-75 (34mm)	Leupold 61049 (30mm)	Leupold 61049 (30mm)	LaRue LT-139 (30mm – Lever)
Scope Mount	Sage M14SCSB	SEI 2006	Larue LT-608	NSWC Crane	SEI 2006	Sage M14DCSB	Sage M14DCSB	LaRue LT-139 (30mm – Lever)
Bipod	Harris 1A2-BRM	Harris 1A2-BRM	Tangodown ACB-4 FDE	Atlas BT10 or BT10-LW17	Harris S-BRM	Harris 1A2-L	Harris 1A2-L	Harris S-BR or S-BRM
Bipod Adapter	KAC 98060	KAC 98060	-	-	KAC 98060	KAC 98060	KAC 98060	LaRue LT-130 (Lever)
Sling	Buffer Tech. TAS-M14	Buffer Tech. TAS-M14	Eagle Ind. FNH-ESS 1.25-DEB	M60 Sling (1005-00-312-7177)				Buffer Tech. TAS-M14
Magazine Count	2			2	5	6		7
Transport Case	Eagle DC-M14			Pelican iM3300-X0000 and Eagle DC-M14-EBR-KH	Pelican 1750-000-110
Multi-Tool	Bondhus 67255281	Bondhus 67255281		Bondhus 853485 (and 736540?)	Bondhus 784285	Bondhus 13026063	Bondhus 13026063	Bondhus 67255281
Other Components	Falcon/ERGO 4373CB	Falcon/ERGO 4373CB	Trijicon RMR 4MOA	X-Treme V2 EBR Trigger Shoe	SPA Defense SIMRAD B0634			Sage M14SCSB
		SEI Trigger Parts Kit (2060)	Wilcox Red-Dot Mount (35101P01)	BFG RMFL-125 Sling Mount (2)	KMW Pod-Loc (875)			Falcon/ERGO 4373CB
		SEI Op Rod Spring	Magpul CTR FDE	Sage PMRI-FR
			Magpul PTS CTR 1.25" Riser FDE	Falcon/ERGO 4373BK
			Tangodown BP-4 FDE (2)	Caldwell Blind Bag (247261)
			Tangodown BP-4K 2PANEL FDE

Contractors

Military

While the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division creates the military Mark 14 Mod 0 and Mark 14 Mod 1 rifles, Sage International was contracted to provide the weapon's chassis-type stock.

Civilian

The civilian version created by Smith Enterprise Inc. is also known as the MK14 Mod 0 type SEI The Sage EBR chassis stock is available in a carbine variant known as the M14ALCS/CV. The carbine variant is also known as the MK14 Mod 1.

Others include Fulton Armory, firing in semi-automatic mode instead of fully automatic.

Troy Industries has created a replica of the EBR's modular system made by Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division called the Troy Modular Chassis System, which can be used by mounting any functioning M1A or M14 rifle on the MCS. Philippine arms company Ferfrans has created their version of the Mark 14 Mod 0 called the Ferfrans Enhanced Battle Rifle.

Reception

Users have praised the weapon to be user friendly due to it being ergonomic, having low recoil and an effective low-cost platform to change all "surplus M14s into modern battle rifles", as well as having the option of various optics and accessories left to the user's preference.

See also

• List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces