re: #74 Targetpractice

They “trialed” in the sense that they put a FAL prototype chambered in 7.62x51mm against a prototype M14 (T44) and another prototype (T25) in a series of trials that were designed to favor the T44, came away with all three rifles giving similar results, and then coming up with petty excuses for why the T44 was “better” and adopting it instead.

The biggest lie in the whole mess was Springfield promising they could use most of the M1 tooling to produce the M14 so it could be built at significant savings (this is outlined in General Hatcher’s book “Hatcher’s Notebook”. He loved the M1 & there is insane levels of pro-M14 propaganda & anti FAL, AK, STG, & M-16 in his writings.) that of course was false & known by Springfield to be false. The costs of this was one of the biggest single causes of the closure of the armory.