Isikhali sisasetshenziswa amasosha aseMelika eminyakeni engama-50 emva kokuthuthukiswa kwawo.
Isibhamu se-M14 sihlala esinye sezikhali ezindala kunazo zonke ezisasenkonzweni yase-US.
I-Battle Rifle
I-M14 ibizwa ngokuthi "impi yokulwa." Leli gama linikezwe izikhali ezivutha umlilo ezigcwele izibhamu. I-M14 yangena inkonzo yokuqala nebutho lase-US ngo-1957. Isikhali sasiyimpikiswano evamile yase-US kusukela ngo-1959 kuze kube ngo-1970. I-M14 nayo yayiyisibhamu esasetshenziselwa ukuqeqeshwa okuyisisekelo yi-US Army no-Marine Corps ngaleso sikhathi.
I-M14 ishintshwe kakhulu yi-M16 isibhamu. Kodwa-ke, i-M14 isasetshenziselwa phambili yi-US Army, i-Marine Corps ne-Coast Guard. Ibuye isetshenziswe kabanzi njengesikhali somkhosi amasosha ase-US. I-M14 isihlinzekele isisekelo sezimbuzi ze-M21 ne-M25 sniper.
Ukuthuthukiswa nokusetshenziswa
Ukuthuthukiswa kwesibhamu sikaM14 kwaqala ngemva nje kweMpi Yezwe Yesibili futhi kwaqhubeka yonke impi yaseKorea ngawo-1950. Isibhamu sakhiwe ngomzamo wokufaka esikhundleni sezinhlelo ezine zezikhali ezahlukene - iM1 Garand, i-M1 Carbine, i-M3 Grease Gun, ne-M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. Izikhulu zezempi zase-United States zazifuna isibhamu esasizohlala ezindaweni ezinonya futhi sinikeza ngokunemba okubulalayo.
Isibhamu se-M14 sasetshenziswa kabanzi ngesikhathi seMpiyane yaseVietnam yama-1960. Ngemuva kokuthi isibhamu se-M16 sithinteka ngo-1970, i-M14 yathatha indima entsha ebusweni be-US njengesibhamu se-sniper. Ukunemba kwesibhamu sikaM14 phezu kwezigaba ezide kwenza kube yisikhali esihle kakhulu sabamaki.
Izinguquko ezishintshiwe zesibhamu se-M14 zisetshenziswe ngabashayeli be-Afghanistan nase-Iraq. Lezi izibhamu ze-M14 zishintshiwe ukuze zifake ama-scopes nama-fiberglass stocks. Isibhamu se-M14 siphinde siboniswe njalo emingcwabeni yempi, iminyango neminye imikhosi.