CMP authorized to sell over 100,000 surplus M14 rifles to civilians

Published Aug 10, 01:48 PM UTC

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), a federally chartered non-profit, has received special authorization to sell more than 100,000 surplus M14 rifles to civilians. This marks the first time the historic rifle, which has been out of U.S. military service for nearly 60 years, will be sold as surplus. The rifles were originally serialized as fully automatic firearms, so CMP worked with federal partners to convert them permanently to semi-automatic to comply with regulations. CMP Chairman Jerry O'Keefe stated that sales will likely begin in early 2027 after building sufficient inventory. The M14 served as the standard U.S. service rifle from 1957 until it was replaced by the M16 in 1967, making it the shortest-serving standard-issue rifle in U.S. history. Despite its brief military service, the M14 remains popular among firearms enthusiasts and saw later use as a designated marksman rifle in Afghanistan and Iraq.