M14 Springer - Availability, Reliability etc .............
Ever on the hunt for a cheap single shot WW2-type rifle, I've been looking at M14 springers.
With a short mag, the front end altering a little and wood/wood effect they would stand more than a passing glance as P14/P17's.
Looking at the usual suspects, Action Hobbies and Airsoft World don't seem to have them and RSOV says 'discontinued'. Amazon.com have a version listed but don't send to the UK. The only UK store which I can see sells one is PatrolStore @ £60 but that seems expesive compared to the mark-up that AH & AW put on their imported guns.
So -
* Has anyone got one ? What are they like / are they worth sourcing ?
* Can they be upgraded / do they need upgrading ?
* Are they reasonably sturdy, as per the £25 ACM Mossberg, or just cheap, low grade tat.
* Any suggestions as to a cheap UK supplier ?
Cheers 
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Terms & Conditions of Sales :
Payment by Paypal only > Cleared funds must be available when deal is agreed - no e-Cheques.
Possible Swaps/Parts-Exs (with regular forum members only) -
* British BD Trousers & Blouse, to fit 48"-50" chest, 40"+ waist, tall fitting/long leg
* British Gaiters/Anklets, not blanco'd, largest size available
Josh @ gunman had some IIRC, they're ok ish but not really a skirmish piece.
I had a Cyma springer AK which was surprisingly good, only used it for back garden plinking so I didn`t have to charge a battery. Only thing I could do to it was make the air seal a bit better. The body was plastic so a stronger spring would have probably overstressed it. It chronoed at about 320 fps and accuracy was on a par with my TM AK. I think I paid about £29 on uk amazon for it. Airsoft Scotland used to do the M14 for about £40 I believe, so £60 is frankly ridiculous for that type of gun. Unfortunately I haven`t seen the M14 springer advertised in the UK at a reasonable price for quite some time. 
It was the tidy job that you made of the Nagant and Lee Enfield, Slick, and Heide's Mossberg/Trench Gun conversion that has put me on this track
Previously I wouldn't have considered 'a springer !?' 
but having seen what can be done, relatively easily and cheaply, to produce a passable, serviceable period looking weapon, coupled with the lack of dependence on batts and gas, both of which can be affected by the cold, it's got to be a winning formula !
As you say, a spring upgrade is probably not a good plan due to the plastic bodies, but then if it's already producing 330+fps, why upgrade ? If a better barrel can be fitted, and the hop made as good as poss. that should give enough range and accuracy to make most of these springer gubbins very workable.
The Mossberg/Trench Gun looks a good bet @ £25 + carriage, and I could mod the front end to rack with a 'bolt' as you have done, but these M14's already have it up and running. Specs seem to be around the same, and a simple front end mod. with a 'wood' upper foregrip and a wood paint effect could be all that's needed ................ I just can't find any at a sensible price !! 
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Terms & Conditions of Sales :
Payment by Paypal only > Cleared funds must be available when deal is agreed - no e-Cheques.
Possible Swaps/Parts-Exs (with regular forum members only) -
* British BD Trousers & Blouse, to fit 48"-50" chest, 40"+ waist, tall fitting/long leg
* British Gaiters/Anklets, not blanco'd, largest size available
Thats the joy of living in the UK buddy, in the US they have them for sale at $35 
