By Steve Long, slong@cbs4qc.com
The name sounds top secret: The M14EBR Project. So What is it? It's a sort of rifle recycling program. The work goes on behind closed doors. The finished product: is anything but quiet. We hear the sound of a gunshot.
They're like old rifles on steroids.
Debuting in the 1950's, the M14 is a weapon with attitude, finally mothballed in the 80's."It has a stronger ammunition that's capable of longer range and in the mountains of Afghanistan we needed more power and more range, "said Jim Bartels, the Lead for the M14EBR Project.
So thousands of M14's were transformed, becoming enhanced battle rifles, and sent to war."We have seen these come back packed full of sand and still functioning properly," Bartels says.
If these guns were hot rods, these guys would be the pit crew, fixing M14's sent home for repair. Bartels says, "Disassemble them, clean them, inspect and gauge them. If they pass that then they will be reassembled."
But before going back to the battlefield, they must meet meticulous standards. "I test fire every rifle," says Test Technician Chad McDaniel. To qualify, a group of 3 shots needs to hit within a one and half inch diameter. "It's important because this rifle is meant to reach out and touch the enemy, not to scare the enemy," McDaniel tells us.
McDaniel fires shot after shot after shot. Because after serving in Iraq himself, he understands why precision is key. "When soldiers are over there, sometimes someone is firing at them. With this rifle they can find the enemy, accurately target the enemy and take out the enemy," McDaniel says.
Which in the business of war, is the ultimate bottom line.
Each rifle goes to the designated marksman in an Army platoon, but they're so popular that the troops keep clamoring for more.
