Review: Smith Enterprise Custom Mk 14 EBR Mod 0 SEI

December 26th, 2023

3:58 runtime

As I began my career in the industry and I had the opportunity to learn more about a wide range of firearms, my love for the M14 and its variants only grew. I have been a fan of this design since childhood, and that has not diminished any over the years.

smith enterprise custom mk14 ebr mod o sei rifle review — The author worked with Smith Enterprises to convert his M1A SOCOM into a civilian-legal version of the Mk 14 EBR Mod 0.

Then, in 2020, I had the opportunity to write my first article for The Armory Life. Naturally, I chose the Springfield Armory M1A Loaded Precision to write about. Since that article, I have written 10 articles involving M1A rifles, three of which deal with the legendary team at Smith Enterprise LLC.

smith enterprises mk14 custom 308 rifle review — The author’s rifle after receiving a full Mk 14 EBR Mod 0 SEI treatment from the experts at Smith Enterprise, Inc.

I had the honor of working with Ron and Andy over at Smith Enterprise, Inc. (SEI) to build out an M21A5 Crazy Horse rifle as well as a SOCOM variant. Through the process, I was blown away by their commitment to craftsmanship as well as the history of the shop. I decided to hand them over my beloved M1A SOCOM with a Sage Int. EBR chassis. My goal was to have them turn that rifle into a Mk 14 EBR Mod 0 SEI similar to the one that they delivered to the Navy SEALs.

us army soldier with smith enterprises ebr rifle in afghanistan — Pfc. Carlos Rivera, a squad designated marksman, scans his sector while providing security in the district of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan on July 30, 2012. Image: Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie/U.S. Army

The history of that rifle is quite interesting, to say the least. In the year 2000, the United States Special Operations Command requested a more compact version of the M14 that could be used for close-quarters combat as well as long-range engagements. This new version required a telescoping stock, adjustable cheek comb, pistol grip, picatinny rails on the handguard, and a Picatinny rail for a magnified optic.

shooting an enhanced battle rifle 308 us army afghanistan — Sgt. Charles Hyatt provides security with the Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle in the Puli Khumri area of Afghanistan. Image: 1st Lt. Cory Titus/U.S. Army

Over the next few years after the tragic attack on 9/11, the U.S. Military began to realize the majority of their engagements were 500+ yards. The current M16s and M4s weren’t as effective at those distances, so the pressure was on to deliver firepower at those distances. The timing was perfect for the Mk14 EBR to shine. In 2003, Smith Enterprise created its own version of the Mk 14 EBR (Mk 14 SEI) that used a medium-weight 18” barrel and their Vortex flash hider.

My Own

Ron and Andy got to work on my M1A and, over the next few months, I would get updates with sneak peeks on the progress. I’ve never been so antsy to get a rifle back from a craftsman as I was for this one. This was my dream build coming to life. I provided Smith Enterprise with an M1A SOCOM, Sage EBR Chassis, Eotech Vudu 3.5-18×50 and an Atlas Bipod. Below is a list of the work that I had done for my M1A via Smith Enterprise, Inc.

smith with ebr enhanced battle rifle mk 14 mod 0 — Ron Smith shows off the completed Mk 14 SEI rifle. It was made for the author using a Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM and the below-listed parts and work.

Medium Weight 18” SEI barrel Salt Bath Nitride
Vortex Flash Hider
Warfighter Gas System with improved piston
Gas Lock with Dovetail
SEI Extended Bolt Stop
SEI Trigger Job
Polished and Salt Bath Nitride Op Rod
Tactical Sniper Mount M14
Bolt Engraved with M14 Mod 0

Andy and Ron over at SEI pored over my rifle until everything was perfectly dialed in. A few weeks ago, I got a text with a grouping from the range showing off the sub-MOA capability of the rifle. I was down at their shop the next sunrise to pick up my rifle, and boy was it worth the wait. Bucket list rifle number one complete.

Range Time

The next day, I took my newly built Mk14 EBR Mod 0 clone out to the range to send some lead downrange. This build is an absolute beast weighing in around 14 lbs. when fully loaded. Shooting the EBR always brings a huge smile to my face. You can just feel the power of the .308 rifle cartridge thumping out of this beauty. There’s also nothing like the sound of the mechanics in the M1A as it cycles a round — it’s just so satisfying.

shooting the smith enterprises mk 14 mod 0 ebr — Using Remington’s 168-gr. Premier Match load, the author tested his Mk 14 SEI for reliability and accuracy.

A range day without accuracy testing this venerable legend would be a crime, so I set up for a five-shot group to see what she was capable of. The ammo I used for these precise groups was 168-gr. Remington Premier Match .308. I’ve had fantastic results with this ammo before, so I wanted to see if my M1A would like it.

shooting ebr from prone — From a prone position, the author managed 0.75″ 5-shot groups with the Remington Premier Match .308 ammunition.

I pulled the very first shot, and I felt it immediately. Settling back in and getting a better feel for the trigger, I restarted the group. Five shots later and I was sitting at about .75” MOA with a few shots going through the same holes. Call me impressed. This is exactly the kind of results I was hoping to get out of this newly refreshed M1A from Smith Enterprise.

Conclusion

For the purists out there, you will notice the lack of foregrip and my choice of bipod and optic. For me, I appreciate having this platforms with my personal spin on it. This isn’t a safe pony, but rather a usable, viable platform worthy of training and usage.

mk 14 enhanced battle rifle in afghanistan — Spc. Joe Sears, a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard, serving with the Zabul Agribusiness Development Team, scans for threats in Shah Joy, Afghanistan. Image: Lt. Col. Daniel Bohmer/U.S. Army

I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have friends such as the team at Smith Enterprise to work with creating iconic rifles like this, and then telling those stories on The Armory Life to readers like yourself.

If you own an M1A, give Smith Enterprise a close look. You can order parts from their website ala carte, or you can send your rifle in for the full treatment. Either way, you will breathe new life into your venerable rifle that continues to show its strength and stand the test of time.

Editor’s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the “Go To Forum Thread” link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more!

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Springfield Armory® recommends you seek qualified and competent training from a certified instructor prior to handling any firearm and be sure to read your owner’s manual. These articles and videos are considered to be suggestions and not recommendations from Springfield Armory. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Springfield Armory.

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Jeremy Tremp

Jeremy Tremp is a filmmaker/photographer who turned his passion for the firearms industry into a dream job. Having identified a need in the 2A space, he and some like-minded friends started Offensive Marketing Group to help bring their unique skillsets to an industry in dire need of "outside of the box" marketing approaches. One of the perks is getting access to some of the best gear and training in the industry. In his spare time, he loves to be at the range testing gear and learning to be a better shooter, firearms advocate and content creator.

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