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REVIEW
American Sniper with M14
c5flies
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 02:20 PM UTC
Mario Matijasic provides a review of an American Sniper with M14, a 1/35 resin figure from Nato in Miniatures. This review was originally published on Historicus Forma, so thanks to both HF and Mario for sharing this.

Link to Item



If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
2IDsecondtonone
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 04:55 PM UTC
The gas port/piston on the M14 barrel is upside down. Resembles more like an AK gas port/piston. Should require some modification to correct but other than that, the figure looks great.
lestweforget
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 06:40 PM UTC
Hyun the M14 is accurate, barrel is over and gas piston is under.
Reference photo.



Figure looks good, will definitely be useful in an Iraq/Afghanistan Dio!
Petition2God
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 06:48 PM UTC
Mario,
Great review! Happy to see some great resin modern U.S. figures out in the market.
2IDsecondtonone
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 06:58 PM UTC
Sorry I forgot to state that the M14 in the painted display photo/box cover is correct but if you follow the link and look at the assembled figure and the resin blocks, the M14 barrel/gas piston is upside down.

Maki
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 08:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

but if you follow the link and look at the assembled figure and the resin blocks, the M14 barrel/gas piston is upside down.


Oops, I missed that one completely. Thanks for pointing it out!

But it is interesting to note at what point the issue appeared? From the correctly sculpted boxart to a flawed castings... why did the sculptor change the barrel in the process? I guess a weapon "surgery" will have to be performed to correct the problem.

Mario
2IDsecondtonone
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Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 08:58 PM UTC
I'm guessing the sculptor initially made the error and didn't notice until assembling/painting for the display photo and now all the production figures have the problem. The barrel seems slightly bent upwards in the finished figure, so probably indicates they've done some modifications to rectify the problem. Shouldn't be much of an issue to fix. Other than that the figure is fantastic, another great addition to any OIF/Afghanistan scenes. Great review Mario!
grimmo
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Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 - 03:06 AM UTC
I just recieved one of these figs. Dissapointingly the rilfes barels are just like the pic above. I cut the rifle in front of the magazine and replaced this section with the same from blast models M-14 sniper rifle. I thought that most of the M-14's are now done up with bipods and accessory rails and such, they could update the riles as well. It's still a good figure!
Maki
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Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 - 03:34 AM UTC
I edited the review article and included the info on M14 problem. Thanks guys for noticing the problem I missed.


Quoted Text

I thought that most of the M-14's are now done up with bipods and accessory rails and such, they could update the riles as well


Some M14 were issued to soldiers as they were, some were modified with the gizmos you mentioned. The most extreme modification is definitely Mk.14 Mod. 0 Enchanced Battle rifle which was developed for US SF:



Mario
lestweforget
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Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 - 03:57 PM UTC
While we are still on the M14, though im sure i won't get an answer from the sculpter may i just take a moment to ask how in the hell, in the age of google, can you get it incorrect...
I mean, people are paying money for this, Nato obviously commisioned the job, so at what point can something so simple and obvious be overlooked?

Poor research or lazyness?
grimmo
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Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 02:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I edited the review article and included the info on M14 problem. Thanks guys for noticing the problem I missed.


Quoted Text

I thought that most of the M-14's are now done up with bipods and accessory rails and such, they could update the riles as well


Some M14 were issued to soldiers as they were, some were modified with the gizmos you mentioned. The most extreme modification is definitely Mk.14 Mod. 0 Enchanced Battle rifle which was developed for US SF:



Mario


Thats a nice looking rifle. Our Special Air Service and Commando's are using this rifle now.
Maki
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Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 02:53 AM UTC
OK, here's what I got from Dmitri regarding the M14 issue:

"We have changed an error in table М14. Someone has broken the end of a trunk and has wrongly pasted it when did forms for duplicating of figures. Now the figure is completed with the correct weapon."

So I guess the problem is solved on new figure castings.

Mario
2IDsecondtonone
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Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 04:39 AM UTC
Great to see NATO in miniatures actually respond to modelers feedback and rectify the problem. Shame for the customers who bought this figure before the casts got fixed, however this problem should not have come up in the first place.
Maki
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Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 05:18 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Great to see NATO in miniatures actually respond to modelers feedback and rectify the problem. Shame for the customers who bought this figure before the casts got fixed, however this problem should not have come up in the first place.


Yes, I was pretty happy to hear the M14 issue is solved so fast.

I think the customers who bought the figure before the casts got fixed could contact Dmitri and I'm sure he'll think of a way to solve the problem. I haven't bought from Soga Miniatures, but from what I've heard the service is top notch.

Mario
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