--- title: "CMP boss says M14s will be under $2,000. They have trench shotguns too." date: "2026-08-08" modified: "2026-08-08" authors: - name: "Miguel Ortiz" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/miguelortiz/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/tactical/cmp-says-m14s-will-be-under-2000-they-have-trench-shotguns-too/" categories: - "Tactical" - "Weapons" tags: - "Weapons" --- # CMP boss says M14s will be under $2,000. They have trench shotguns too. ![cmp m14 afghanistan]() *(Department of Defense)* On July 24, 2026, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) [announced the future sale of military M14 rifles](), converted to semi-auto only, to eligible civilian customers. This extraordinary news electrified the firearms market, but rumors of a $4,000+ price tag quickly circulated. After all, the more numerous M1 Garands sell for around $1,000 and M14 reproductions go for about twice that. In an interview with [Shooting USA]() at the National Matches, CMP Chairman and CEO Gerald O'Keefe dropped a [daisy cutter]() of a bombshell: CMP M14s will cost under $2,000. **Also Read: [The Civilian Marksmanship Program sells M1 Garand rifles, M1911 pistols, and soon M14s]()** With that, every gun show boomer selling a repro M14, no lowballs I know what I got, died a bit inside. Genuine military surplus M14s for under $2,000 are going to tame the market, providing collectors and shooters with a more affordable rifle and unrivaled provenance. I say "more affordable" because that's still a lot of money. However, you'll have time to save up because the CMP is getting the bulk of the military's surplus M14s. "The government is going to keep some for ceremonial purposes and some for operational reasons, but they're going to transfer the overwhelming majority of them to us," O'Keefe told Shooting USA. "It's going to be well over 100,000." ![CMP m14 vietnam]() *Despite the adoption of and replacement by the M16, the M14 continued to see service in Vietnam. (National Archives & Records Administration)* O'Keefe noted that the final price point has not yet been decided, nor has the purchase limit. To prevent scalping and allow everyone who wants one to buy one, the CMP limits the number of M1911 pistols that a customer can purchase in a lifetime. Originally capped at two, the limit was increased to four. In January 2027, the lifetime limit will be scrapped and replaced with a two per person, per year policy. "Our initial thought is that...the limit is gonna be two M14s per person, per year," O'Keefe noted. "We'll see how that goes, but we think that's the right number to start with. It's still pretty constrained, but we want to get these out to as many eligible U.S. citizens that want them." Aside from citizenship, eligibility for a CMP purchase includes membership in a CMP-affiliated organization, proof of marksmanship activity, and passing a background check. A current/retired military ID satisfies the affiliation and marksmanship requirements, even though a lot of you need Jesus to take the trigger at the qual range. The CMP announcement noted that sales would begin in late 2026/early 2027, O'Keefe estimated that first sales would begin in January 2027. With the M14 news settled, he also revealed the upcoming sale of surplus military shotguns by the CMP. By law, the CMP is allowed to receive from the military and sell to eligible U.S. citizens, surplus .30 and .22 caliber rifles. This was expanded to include .45 caliber pistols, allowing for the transfer and sale of surplus M1911s. In the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress allowed for the one-time transfer of pump-action shotguns from the military to the CMP. ![CMP m14 A U.S. Marine with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) 19.2, fires a Mossberg 590A1 12-gauge shotgun during a non-lethal weapons training exercise, Jan. 18, 2020. The SPMAGTF-CR-CC is a multiple force provider designed to employ ground, logistics and air capabilities throughout the Central Command area of responsibility. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Branden J. Bourque)]() *A U.S. Marine with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) 19.2, fires a Mossberg 590A1 12-gauge shotgun during a non-lethal weapons training exercise, Jan. 18, 2020. (U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Branden J. Bourque) Sgt. Branden Bourque* The pump-action specification dashes any hopes of surplus Benelli M1014s out of the Marine Corps. Unfortunately, the NDAA also excludes shotguns that can be attached to a rifle. No [masterkeys](), sorry. While the list of military pump-action shotguns includes modern platforms used during the Global War on Terror like the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590, it also reaches back to World Wars I and II with Winchester 1893, 1897, and 1912 shotguns. While these scatterguns were largely acquired in the riot, long-barrel configuration, O'Keefe dropped another bombshell. "We're expecting between two and 3,000 shotguns from the Army. We expect them, probably in the fall of this year (2026)," he said. "438 of those are the [1897 Winchester trench shotguns]()." Yes, the Browning boomstick that makes Germans cry "warcrime" is coming to the CMP for civilian sale. O'Keefe provided no further details on shotgun pricing or timelines, but noted that the other branches aren't as far along as the Army in their CMP transfer process. With Congress allowing only a one-time transfer, we'll gladly wait for that pool of pump-actions to fill up from across the services. After all, it'll take time to save up after the M14, or else I'm never gonna financially recover from this. **Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty** **• [This might be the best EDC handgun for troops who carried the M9]()** **• [The President’s Hundred tab is more rare than Sapper, Ranger, or even Special Forces]()** **• [The SIG Sauer M7 is dead. How long does the XM8 have?]()** ## Author Miguel Ortiz is a Senior Contributor for We Are The Mighty covering primarily military news and history with an emphasis on weapons technology. He is a former active duty Army officer and remains a member of the Army IRR. After commissioning through San Diego State University Army ROTC, Miguel served with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. He has written for We Are The Mighty since 2020, drawing from his passion for the military community and history. Miguel’s work has also been seen on Business Insider and The Blast. He remains an avid shooter, competing in local USPSA matches. Miguel’s other hobbies are traveling and watch collecting. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()