M14 / Springfield M1A

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Press the magazine release and rock the magazine forward and out.
   Removed at this step: Magazine
3. Pull the operating rod handle fully to the rear and lock the bolt open with the bolt lock.
4. Inspect the chamber and magazine well with a light and physically confirm the chamber is empty.
5. Push the safety — the tab at the front of the trigger guard — rearward into the trigger guard, and remove all ammunition from the work area.

Three groups, much like the M1 Garand it descends from.

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure. Put the safety on and remove the magazine before you begin.
2. Close the bolt: pull back on the operating rod handle and let the bolt run forward.
3. Place the rifle upside down with the barrel pointing away from you. Grasp the fore-end with your left hand, grasp the rear of the trigger guard with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, and pull upward and outward until the mechanism releases. Lift out the trigger housing group.
   Removed at this step: Trigger housing group
4. To separate the barrelled receiver from the stock, lay the rifle on a flat surface with the sights down and the muzzle to the left. Grip the top of the fore-end grip with your left hand, grasp the rear sight and receiver with your right, and pull down.
   TipOn a standard rifle the stock separates easily. On a match rifle, or a stubborn one, raise the buttstock and strike down firmly against a hard surface on the stock's cheek surface while pulling the receiver down.
   Removed at this step: Stock group
5. Place the barrel and receiver group on a flat surface, sights down, muzzle to the left. With your left hand pull the operating rod spring and spring guide toward the muzzle to relieve pressure on the connector lock, and with your right forefinger slide the connector lock toward the operating rod handle side of the rifle.
   WarningThis is the dangerous step. If the spring is not properly held it will eject the spring guide hard enough to injure you or a bystander. Wear eye protection.
6. Let the operating rod spring expand slowly, then disconnect and remove the spring and spring guide and separate the two parts.
   Removed at this step: Operating rod spring Operating rod spring guide
7. Turn the group so the sights are up and the muzzle points away from you. Pull the operating rod handle back until the guide lug on its inside surface aligns with the disassembly notch on the right side of the receiver. Rotate the operating rod upward and outward, then pull it to the rear to disengage it from the operating rod guide.
   Removed at this step: Operating rod
8. Grasp the bolt by its roller and, while sliding it forward, lift it upward and outward to the right front with a slight counter-clockwise rotating motion.
   Removed at this step: Bolt
9. Stop here. The manual is explicit that disassembly frequency should be kept to a minimum, and asks you not to field strip a match rifle at all unless it is absolutely necessary — the glass bedding is what the accuracy depends on.

Strips the firing mechanism (trigger housing group) in the order of the numbered disassembly arrows in TM 9-1005-223-20 figs. 3-7 and 3-8: trigger pin, trigger and sear assembly with hammer spring group, hammer pin, hammer, safety, then trigger guard and safety spring. The manual gives only figure captions, no hand positions. TM 9-1005-223-20 places this disassembly at organizational (unit armorer) maintenance (para 3-15); FM 23-8 Chart I and its note to para 16 say the individual soldier will not disassemble the bolt, rear sight or firing mechanism.

Follows TM 9-1005-223-20, Organizational Maintenance Manual, Rifles, 7.62-MM, M14 and M14A1, and Bipod, Rifle, M2 (19 May 1967), archive.org item TM9-1005-223-20 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 3-16, p. 3-13; figs. 3-7 and 3-8, p archive.org [2]

1. Remove the trigger pin.
   Removed at this step: Trigger pin
2. Remove the trigger and sear assembly, hammer spring housing, hammer spring and hammer spring plunger.
   Removed at this step: Trigger and sear assembly Hammer spring housing Hammer spring Hammer spring plunger
3. Remove the hammer pin.
   Removed at this step: Hammer pin
4. Remove the hammer.
   Removed at this step: Hammer
5. Remove the safety.
   Removed at this step: Safety
6. Remove the trigger guard and safety spring.
   Removed at this step: Trigger guard Safety spring

Removes the extractor with the combination tool, then the extractor spring and plunger, ejector and firing pin (TM 9-1005-223-20 fig. 3-9). The bolt roller is not removed at this level. TM 9-1005-223-20 places this disassembly at organizational (unit armorer) maintenance (para 3-15); FM 23-8 Chart I and its note to para 16 say the individual soldier will not disassemble the bolt, rear sight or firing mechanism.

Follows TM 9-1005-223-20, Organizational Maintenance Manual, Rifles, 7.62-MM, M14 and M14A1, and Bipod, Rifle, M2 (19 May 1967), archive.org item TM9-1005-223-20 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 3-19 and fig. 3-9, p. 3-15 archive.org [2]

1. Remove the cartridge extractor from the bolt with the combination tool.
   Removed at this step: Extractor
2. Remove the extractor spring and plunger, the ejector and the firing pin from the bolt.
   Removed at this step: Extractor spring and plunger Ejector Firing pin

Removes the windage knob retaining nut, windage knob and pinion assembly, and the aperture, base and cover (TM 9-1005-223-20 fig. 3-10, steps 1-4). The same figure goes on to remove selector parts, which are left out here. TM 9-1005-223-20 places this disassembly at organizational (unit armorer) maintenance (para 3-15); FM 23-8 Chart I and its note to para 16 say the individual soldier will not disassemble the bolt, rear sight or firing mechanism.

Follows TM 9-1005-223-20, Organizational Maintenance Manual, Rifles, 7.62-MM, M14 and M14A1, and Bipod, Rifle, M2 (19 May 1967), archive.org item TM9-1005-223-20 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 3-20 and fig. 3-10, p. 3-16 archive.org [2]

1. Run the aperture all the way down and record the reading for use when assembling.
2. Loosen the windage knob retaining nut.
3. Remove the windage knob and pinion assembly.
   Removed at this step: Windage knob Pinion assembly
4. Push upward on the aperture to release the cover, and remove the rear sight components.
5. Separate the sight aperture, rear sight base and rear sight cover.
   Removed at this step: Sight aperture Rear sight base Rear sight cover

Removes the gas cylinder plug and gas piston, slides the gas cylinder lock and cylinder forward, and removes the front band and handguard (FM 23-8 para 11). FM 23-8 teaches this to the individual soldier; it says the gas cylinder should not be disassembled under normal usage as long as the piston slides freely when the barrel is tilted end for end with the bolt locked to the rear.

Follows FM 23-8 U.S. Rifle 7.62MM, M14 and M14E2 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 11, p. 13 archive.org [4]

1. Loosen and remove the gas cylinder plug with the wrench of the combination tool.
   WarningTM 9-1005-223-20 fig. 3-11 cautions: when loosening or tightening the gas cylinder plug, do not hold the rifle with a hand on the hand guards.
   Removed at this step: Gas cylinder plug
2. Tilt the muzzle down and remove the gas piston from the gas cylinder.
   Removed at this step: Gas piston
3. Unscrew the gas cylinder lock.
4. Slide the lock and cylinder forward so that the gas port is exposed.
5. Slip the front band forward toward the front sight.
6. Push the handguard toward the front sight and lift it from the barrel.
   Removed at this step: Handguard

Removes the magazine base, spring and follower (FM 23-8 para 15). Individual soldier level (FM 23-8 Chart I).

Follows FM 23-8 U.S. Rifle 7.62MM, M14 and M14E2 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 15, p. 14 archive.org [4]

1. Use a pointed object to raise the rear of the magazine base until the indentation on the base is clear of the magazine.
2. Grasp the magazine with either hand, with one finger of that hand covering the base.
   WarningThe spring is under tension; keep a finger over the base.
3. Remove the base.
   Removed at this step: Magazine base
4. Guide the spring out one coil at a time to clear the retaining lips of the magazine.
5. Remove the magazine spring and follower and separate them.
   Removed at this step: Magazine spring Magazine follower

Reassembles the firing mechanism in the order of the numbered assembly arrows in TM 9-1005-223-20 figs. 3-7 and 3-8, the reverse of disassembly, with the manual's notes on the safety spring and the hammer pin. TM 9-1005-223-20 places this disassembly at organizational (unit armorer) maintenance (para 3-15); FM 23-8 Chart I and its note to para 16 say the individual soldier will not disassemble the bolt, rear sight or firing mechanism.

Follows TM 9-1005-223-20, Organizational Maintenance Manual, Rifles, 7.62-MM, M14 and M14A1, and Bipod, Rifle, M2 (19 May 1967), archive.org item TM9-1005-223-20 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, p. figs. 3-8 and 3-7, pp. 3-15 and 3-14 archive.org [2]

1. Install the trigger guard and safety spring, inserting the safety spring at a 90-degree angle and then rotating it down.
2. Check that the safety spring sits in the position shown in figure 3-8 after installation.
3. Install the safety.
4. Install the hammer and install the hammer pin with the tapered portion of the pin entering from the bottom of the housing.
5. Install the trigger and sear assembly, hammer spring housing, hammer spring and hammer spring plunger.
6. Install the trigger pin.

Installs the firing pin, ejector and extractor spring and plunger, then seats the extractor with the combination tool (TM 9-1005-223-20 fig. 3-9). TM 9-1005-223-20 places this disassembly at organizational (unit armorer) maintenance (para 3-15); FM 23-8 Chart I and its note to para 16 say the individual soldier will not disassemble the bolt, rear sight or firing mechanism.

Follows TM 9-1005-223-20, Organizational Maintenance Manual, Rifles, 7.62-MM, M14 and M14A1, and Bipod, Rifle, M2 (19 May 1967), archive.org item TM9-1005-223-20 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, p. fig. 3-9, p. 3-15 archive.org [2]

1. Install the firing pin, ejector, and extractor spring and plunger in the bolt.
2. Place the extractor in position and align the flat recess in the face of the combination tool with the end of the ejector.
3. Press in on the ejector and at the same time push down on the extractor, securing all parts within the bolt.

Reassembles the aperture, base and cover, installs them, then the windage knob and pinion assembly and the retaining nut (TM 9-1005-223-20 fig. 3-10, assembly arrows 5-8). TM 9-1005-223-20 places this disassembly at organizational (unit armorer) maintenance (para 3-15); FM 23-8 Chart I and its note to para 16 say the individual soldier will not disassemble the bolt, rear sight or firing mechanism.

Follows TM 9-1005-223-20, Organizational Maintenance Manual, Rifles, 7.62-MM, M14 and M14A1, and Bipod, Rifle, M2 (19 May 1967), archive.org item TM9-1005-223-20 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, p. fig. 3-10, p. 3-16 archive.org [2]

1. Assemble the sight aperture, rear sight base and rear sight cover.
2. Install the rear sight components on the receiver.
3. Push downward on the base to secure the cover, then snap the front.
4. Install the windage knob and pinion assembly.
   TipUse the elevation reading recorded at disassembly.
5. Tighten the windage knob retaining nut.

Installs the handguard and front band, then sets the gas cylinder lock, gas piston and gas cylinder plug (FM 23-8 para 12). Individual soldier level.

Follows FM 23-8 U.S. Rifle 7.62MM, M14 and M14E2 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 12, pp. 13-14 archive.org [4]

1. Place the rifle on a flat surface, sights up and muzzle to the right.
2. Engage the ends of the band on the handguard with the front (muzzle) end of the slots on the rear of the barrel and slide the handguard rearward.
   WarningDo not snap or force the handguard into its installed position.
3. Replace the front band.
4. Slide the gas cylinder rearward through the front band.
5. Tighten the gas cylinder lock by hand to its fully assembled position, then back it off until the loop is aligned with the gas cylinder.
6. Replace the gas piston with the flat part toward the barrel and the open end toward the muzzle.
   WarningTM 9-1005-223-20 fig. 3-11: make certain the gas cylinder, piston and plug are thoroughly dried before installing the piston.
   TipWhen properly seated the piston protrudes one and one-half inches below the gas cylinder.
7. Replace the gas cylinder plug and tighten it securely with the wrench of the combination tool.

Refits the spring to the follower, installs them and replaces the base (FM 23-8 para 16). Individual soldier level.

Follows FM 23-8 U.S. Rifle 7.62MM, M14 and M14E2 — Headquarters, Department of the Army, para 16, p. 14 archive.org [4]

1. Reposition the spring inside the follower with the rectangular-shaped end of the spring against the rear of the follower.
2. Replace the follower and spring inside the magazine and fully seat the follower.
3. Replace the magazine base.

1. Place the barrel and receiver group sights up, muzzle away from you. Hold the bolt by the roller and locking lug and set the rear of the bolt on the bridge of the receiver with the firing pin tang pointing down, turn it slightly counter-clockwise until the tang clears the bridge, guide the left locking lug into its groove, lower the right locking lug onto its bearing surface, and slide the bolt halfway to the rear.
2. Engage the operating rod's guide lug at the dismount notch, rotate it into its track, and slide it forward so it engages the bolt roller and the gas piston.
3. Insert the operating rod spring and guide into the operating rod, compress them, and engage the connector lock.
   WarningControl the spring throughout.
4. Set the barreled action into the stock, seated fully forward and square.
5. Set the trigger group into the stock and receiver, then swing the trigger guard closed and latch it fully.
   WarningIf the trigger guard will not close with hand pressure, the trigger group is not seated. Do not force it — you will crack the stock.
6. Cycle the action several times and perform the function check.

These are reproduced from government technical manuals, which are not subject to copyright. Manufacturer manual diagrams are not reproduced here — the entry links to the manual instead.