I love these old Army training videos. Started pre World-War II, used in earnest during the war and perfected post-war, these videos are a fantastic look into the implementation and usage of weapons at the time. The sing-song voice, matter-of-fact explanations, and animated drawings all combined to what I might actually call “entertainment training.”

In this entry, video TF9-2970 from the National Archives, covers the M14, specifically:

• DESIGN AND CAPABILITIES –
• FIELD STRIPPING PROVISIONS –
• CYCLE OF FUNCTIONING –
• FEEDING, CHAMBERING, LOCKING, FIRING, ETC. –
• SEMIAUTOMATIC AND AUTOMATIC OPERATION.

The M14 was designed and developed by the Army and deployed during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Versions of the weapon still serve today in Designated Marksman roles, though new AR-based weapons are slowly replacing it. The semi-automatic version, the M1A is still popular with target shooters, especially those in CMP competitions.

Sometimes, I wish these videos were still readily produced for the modern military. During my time in the Corps, little training was given on the detailed functions of the weapon system and only if one studied (or knew it prior to entry into the service) did they truly understand their weapon.

The video is broken into two parts aptly named “Part 1” and “Part 2” with both videos available to view below.