I would argue that the M-14 Rifle, while a workable design, represents everything that was wrong with the U.S. Military at the time. It is basically an improved M-1 Garand Rifle, first designed in the 1920's.

The FN FAL rifle submitted as the T-48 was a far superior rifle. The FN design was adopted by over 70 nations and was known as, "The Right Arm of the Free World".

For political reasons, the M-14 was adopted instead of the superior T-48; U.S. Government design, submitted by a U.S. Government arsenal = political decision. Although the M-14 was used by the United States in various roles, it has the distinction of being the shortest lived service rifle in modern U.S. History.

It should be noted that the United States Army was in possession of several captured German MP44 Assault Rifles and tested them extensively after World War 2. They gun appeared to be looked upon as a curiosity, despite their revolutionary design and outstanding combat performance in the hands of enemy troops.

The Russians had the opposite reaction and had also captured German Engineer and Genius, Hugo Schmeisser, the designer of the MP44 Assault Rifle.

The Russians quickly sent him to their country and put him to work designing a new weapon. The completed design was named after a former Russian Tank Officer who was placed in charge of the project, Mikhail Kalashnikov and its year of adoption 1947, known as the AK47 Assault Rifle.

Hugo Schmeisser was allowed to return home to Germany and died soon after.