That is about as early as you can get for a ser no. Good find and well worth bringing home. Gun envy fully kicks in with that one. Worth finding out who and where it was made, I think that at that point it was still more of a labor of love by some gun lovers who wouldn't let the M1 die, and less a company out to make money. May well have some bragging rights with that one.
No stock cartouche, as it resides in a hideous black plastic stock. My Google-fu tells me that she was made in either April or May of 1975. (Soon she will be dressed in walnut or birch, which ever I find first that grabs me.
yes, Dee has seen it too. It's in Lee Emerson's data bank and on all the M14 forums. Surprising how many Experts there are on these rifles, especially ones that can't find their ass with both hands. There were 8 of these X-rifles made, from what I've been told. I know where X001,2,3,4,6,and 8 are located. It is all TRW except for the Winchester marked barrel, and a few Sadlak parts gifted to me by a dear friend, including maybe the very first one of their titanium scope mounts holding a genuine Leupold MKIV. Little rifle is a tack-driver.
What??? That old beater probably can't hit the side of a red barn, Say when and I'll ride over and take it off your hands !!!
point... as I recall the front metal piece where it connects with the stock requires bending... just a tad... so there is right at 24 pounds? of down force on the barrel... if you want repeatable accuracy... not real sure about the amount of down force... but recall the armory had this odd tool and when I think back... was for bending that front metal piece to get the required down force on the barrel... if you do NOT set it up that way seem it will string up and down on ya... during quals we were told to NOT disassemble or M14's I now understand why... the required down force on that front metal piece where the barrel meets the stock... can't remember the nomenclature just now... had a picture of a M1A disassembly/assembly cleaning mat that showed that... M14 - Springfield M1A