NM Barrels at Camp Perry
Krieger Medium CM Contour Weight Barrel 18" (Top)
Krieger Heavy CM Contour Weight Barrel 22" (Bottom)
Krieger Standard National Match Barrels. Two 1-11 twist (Top/Middle) and 1-12 twist (Bottom).
In 1980 we were shooting M14 rifles with the old standard weight National Match barrels. Civilians, on the other hand, had the option of heavier barrels. This was determined to be one of the reasons the M1A was outperforming our military M14. Gene Barnett was making excellent barrels from Douglas Premium Grade barrel blanks (still does) and the National Guard MTU took notice. Not long after, the Guard purchased enough Barnett heavy barrels to equip each State Team with six. These were typically 1:12” twist six groove barrels. At the time, we were not being issued M852 ammunition. It was still XM852 Special Match. All we had available was the good old M118. We immediately found that the six groove heavy barrels didn’t particularly like the 173 grain M118 bullet. Accuracy was disappointing to say the least. Typical 100 yard groups would run around 1 ½ inches. I was issued several boxes of Sierra 168 grain Match King bullets which we had purchased with state funds. You couldn’t order them through the system. I loaded these “Mexican Match” in M118 cartridges and tested them in the new barrels. All I could say was WOW! The Sierra bullets cut the group size in half. We were now getting ¾” groups with the Barnett barrels.
The problem was we couldn’t get any more heavy barrels through the MTU. The State didn’t want to buy them either. Only half the team would be equipped with these wonderful barrels. I ended up buying my own and installing it on a personal M1A to use in the matches. This allowed me to use my issue M14NM for practice. By 1983 and 84 we were getting the new medium weight National Match barrels through the system. Most of the barrels we got were from Saco-Lowell. They were 1:12” twist with four grooves and they would shoot anything well. Sierra bullets were best of course and we were getting the new M852 by then. This is when the military rifle teams started winning again at Camp Perry. In the Mid to late 1980’s many teams were using Krieger, Snyder, and other top grade barrels. By 1988 I made Master and earned my Distinguished Rifleman Badge (USAF No. 214). I’d say 1984 to 1993 was the panicle of M14 National Match rifles in competition. 1994 brought the change to the M16 as the primary competition rifle in the military.
By Ted Brown
Shooters Den
Comments