I think that there are a few things that you can do to have the M14/something relatively like the M14 be adopted by most, if not all of NATO through basically wanking the M14...
First, have the M1 Garand be produced in wartime-level production past the end of WWII (and possibly improve the rate of production further), either through bureaucratic mixups, general incompetence in the US government in not cancelling orders, ect. As many as you can; like say, eight million or more by the late 1940s? So many so that it's way more than even the US could possibly use.
Secondly, then have the US government then realize that they have a major surplus of Garands, and give them out like candy as foreign aid to other friendly nations, definitely including European ones. Have them start handing out Garands to even countries like the UK when the Korean War starts; basically, all the UN forces in Korea should be armed with the M1 Garand as their primary rifle.
Thirdly, have the M14 be designed earlier; early enough so that it can serve in Korea at least in limited quantities; the effect of real-world experience on the battlefield cannot be understated. It should come out at the same time that the FN FAL does, in 1951; if at all possible have it be introduced to the world even earlier.
Fourthly, don't have the M14 be the OTL M14; the OTL M14 was supposed to be able to be produced on the same machinery as the M1 Garand; instead have the Ordinance Board go a step further and decree that the ITTL M14 has to be able to be converted from existing Garands, or at the very least be able to take a lot of the parts from it. (you know, since they have so many of them) Have more modifications as well, like possibly the automatically compensating gas system from the M14. And make sure that it's designed in metric, not imperial units to start with. (The British might grumble, but eh, they'll just change the design to imperial units when they produce it like the L1A1)
Fifthly, continue to modify the design of the ITTL M14 (but when it's originally designed so that it's still available in Korea- so that the design can be modified still further due to wartime experience); add things from the FAL like a pistol grip, ability to use synthetic furniture, whatever you can do to reduce recoil, (through recoil springs, better muzzle breaks that can still be used to fire rifle grenades, ect- it should be comparable if not superior to the FAL in terms of recoil) possibly using the adjustable gas system from the FAL, variants with folding stocks, ect.
Maybe even possibly add additional features from future rifles, like the straight-line barrel stock system from the AR-10/M16 and maybe even developing Picatinny rails, placing them on the top of the M14 and possibly under the barrel to provide more advantages for adopting the altM14.
Sixthly, if you can design a LMG based on the altM14 with a heavier barrel and stock, bipod, quick-change barrel, ect, and make sure that it actually works as a LMG; it's fine if it's a lot heavier, in fact that's a bonus as it reduces the recoil. (Say, closer to the weight of the Bren than the heavy-barrel FAL or the M15 variant of the OTL M14) Develop a thirty-round curved box magazine (possibly made from aluminum to reduce weight; look into developing lighter 20 round box magazines as well) for the LMG variant that is interchangeable with the 20-round box magazines from the standard altM14, possibly similar to the OTL ones developed for the L2A1 support weapon version of the L1A1. (though hopefully curved ones that don't have feeding difficulties) Having this adopted isn't probably as important and shouldn't really be pushed for too hard, but it'll provide an additional point in favor for the altM14 as the LMG variant will share parts and design with the base rifle.
Seventhly, un-screw up US weapons procurement so that the altM14 can be produced in large quantities fast enough, unlike OTL, both in conversions from the M1 and in new production. And with much higher quality than OTL. (Possibly allow American reequipping with the M14 to be slowed down to at least partially prioritize foreign orders so that other countries don't have to wait too long to get their M14s which would drive them towards the FAL)
Once the members of NATO are looking for a new rifle to replace their old WWII era rifles, one that is firing the new .308 cartridge, offer them this altM14; tell them that if they standardize on the altM14 they'll be able to license-produce it for free, as standardizing equipment between NATO members is more important than money from licensing. (And to equalize the playing field with the FAL which was also allowed to be licensed out for free to most NATO members.) Maybe even to sweeten the deal, agree that if a country agrees to adopt the altM14 the US will send them a (decent) quantity of even more surplus M1 Garands from their stocks that they can convert into M14s for only the cost of shipping them there.
That should be enough to get almost all of the rest of NATO to accept the altM14 as their primary service rifle; by making the altM14 good enough so that it is superior to the FAL, having it able to be converted from existing M1 Garand stocks that are much above what they have OTL so the M14 can be made cheaply, being generous with licensing requirements, sending out more M1 Garands, and through having enough production so that everyone in NATO can get a M14 if they want one, and finally through having the M14 be available earlier so that the design is given enough time to mature, so that its efficacy is proven in real-world combat conditions, and so that it's available when the FAL is (or maybe even before) instead of being left in the dust like OTL.
One more thing: Like you said, make a deal with the Belgians to adopt the FN MAG if they stop campaigning for the FN FAL and start producing the altM14, give them free licenses to produce the altM14, and also send them a boatload (or ten) of extra surplus M1 Garands that FN can cheaply convert to altM14s. And possibly bring in Belgian designers from FN to help create/improve the altM14 so that they have even more of a foot in the door, so to speak, as well as allowing them to create their own variants. Combined with the rest of NATO adopting the altM14, that should be enough to get the Belgians to adopt it as well- as long as the Americans actually adopt the FN MAG instead of going "screw the agreement, NIH" and blowing them off, like what happened OTL with the UK and the US over the .280 British cartridge, the American .308 cartridge, the FN FAL and the M14. (To get the British to accept both the altM14 and the .308 cartridge, make a deal so that as long as they do both then the Americans will send them a very large amount of M1 Garands that they can cheaply convert into altM14s, which should be quite attractive to cash-strapped Britain as it'll save a lot of money. (Well, not too much, but every little bit helps...) And maybe other concessions as well, like an understanding that the US would explicitly support British interests in the Suez Canal, after the overthrow of the Egyptian monarchy in 1952? Or maybe slightly more favorable terms for a portion of Britain's war debt.)
All this probably isn't really what you want, (especially making the M14 be not the OTL M14) but eh, it'll work, and it'd probably be better in the long run than NATO adopting the OTL M14. (Or maybe even better than if the US adopted the FAL if the altM14 is good enough)
Also, if you want an earlier POD to make adoption of the altM14 even more likely, have the US adopt the Pedersen rifle/Garand in .276 Pedersen with a ten-round clip (or a slightly different version of it that doesn't use waxed ammunition :/) instead of the OTL .30-06 Garand with an eight-round clip, and have them adopt a shortened and lightened carbine version of the Pedersen/Garand with a 533mm barrel instead of the M1 Carbine. (Should be somewhat longer and heavier than the M1 Carbine, but as it has the same ammunition and shares a very high percentage of parts with the Pedersen/Garand it would be very attractive logistically and training wise- after all, they're the vast majority the same weapon) That would cause even more Garands to be available to give away to other countries after the war and once it's time for the altM14, and would also probably mean that the US would push for (thus NATO would adopt) standardizing on the same .276 Pedersen/7x51mm cartridge as used in the Pedersen/Garand instead of the OTL .308 (which would be better overall besides!) which means that the barrels from the Garands and even more parts could be reused in the altM14s, as well as making the altM14s more controllable in fully automatic fire, which was a major problem with most .308 battle rifles OTL but especially the OTL M14. (And it would head off a lot of complaints that happened OTL due to the adoption of .308, as .276 is a proven cartridge due to being used in WWII, has a lot of ammunition in stock left over from the war (even if the condition of said ammunition is dubious), is less powerful than .308 so is better for automatic fire, and is already available.)
To adopt the M1911... well, if the US overproduces M1911s during and after WWII then sends out decent quantities to NATO as aid I can see the M1911 being widely adopted through (almost) all of NATO, though as only for use by special forces with a suppressor for silenced use as standard .45ACP rounds are already subsonic. I'm pretty sure 9mm Parabellum is already too entrenched by this time to be replaced by something else; and it's honestly better in my opinion than .45ACP. Maybe if the US gives everyone in NATO enough M1911s to equip every single one of their soldiers and then some with one, along with more ammunition than the collective barrel life of all of the M1911s they have combined, but otherwise don't really see that happening. (okay, definitely an exaggeration, but still.)
First, have the M1 Garand be produced in wartime-level production past the end of WWII (and possibly improve the rate of production further), either through bureaucratic mixups, general incompetence in the US government in not cancelling orders, ect. As many as you can; like say, eight million or more by the late 1940s? So many so that it's way more than even the US could possibly use.
Secondly, then have the US government then realize that they have a major surplus of Garands, and give them out like candy as foreign aid to other friendly nations, definitely including European ones. Have them start handing out Garands to even countries like the UK when the Korean War starts; basically, all the UN forces in Korea should be armed with the M1 Garand as their primary rifle.
Thirdly, have the M14 be designed earlier; early enough so that it can serve in Korea at least in limited quantities; the effect of real-world experience on the battlefield cannot be understated. It should come out at the same time that the FN FAL does, in 1951; if at all possible have it be introduced to the world even earlier.
Fourthly, don't have the M14 be the OTL M14; the OTL M14 was supposed to be able to be produced on the same machinery as the M1 Garand; instead have the Ordinance Board go a step further and decree that the ITTL M14 has to be able to be converted from existing Garands, or at the very least be able to take a lot of the parts from it. (you know, since they have so many of them) Have more modifications as well, like possibly the automatically compensating gas system from the M14. And make sure that it's designed in metric, not imperial units to start with. (The British might grumble, but eh, they'll just change the design to imperial units when they produce it like the L1A1)
Fifthly, continue to modify the design of the ITTL M14 (but when it's originally designed so that it's still available in Korea- so that the design can be modified still further due to wartime experience); add things from the FAL like a pistol grip, ability to use synthetic furniture, whatever you can do to reduce recoil, (through recoil springs, better muzzle breaks that can still be used to fire rifle grenades, ect- it should be comparable if not superior to the FAL in terms of recoil) possibly using the adjustable gas system from the FAL, variants with folding stocks, ect.
Maybe even possibly add additional features from future rifles, like the straight-line barrel stock system from the AR-10/M16 and maybe even developing Picatinny rails, placing them on the top of the M14 and possibly under the barrel to provide more advantages for adopting the altM14.
Sixthly, if you can design a LMG based on the altM14 with a heavier barrel and stock, bipod, quick-change barrel, ect, and make sure that it actually works as a LMG; it's fine if it's a lot heavier, in fact that's a bonus as it reduces the recoil. (Say, closer to the weight of the Bren than the heavy-barrel FAL or the M15 variant of the OTL M14) Develop a thirty-round curved box magazine (possibly made from aluminum to reduce weight; look into developing lighter 20 round box magazines as well) for the LMG variant that is interchangeable with the 20-round box magazines from the standard altM14, possibly similar to the OTL ones developed for the L2A1 support weapon version of the L1A1. (though hopefully curved ones that don't have feeding difficulties) Having this adopted isn't probably as important and shouldn't really be pushed for too hard, but it'll provide an additional point in favor for the altM14 as the LMG variant will share parts and design with the base rifle.
Seventhly, un-screw up US weapons procurement so that the altM14 can be produced in large quantities fast enough, unlike OTL, both in conversions from the M1 and in new production. And with much higher quality than OTL. (Possibly allow American reequipping with the M14 to be slowed down to at least partially prioritize foreign orders so that other countries don't have to wait too long to get their M14s which would drive them towards the FAL)
Once the members of NATO are looking for a new rifle to replace their old WWII era rifles, one that is firing the new .308 cartridge, offer them this altM14; tell them that if they standardize on the altM14 they'll be able to license-produce it for free, as standardizing equipment between NATO members is more important than money from licensing. (And to equalize the playing field with the FAL which was also allowed to be licensed out for free to most NATO members.) Maybe even to sweeten the deal, agree that if a country agrees to adopt the altM14 the US will send them a (decent) quantity of even more surplus M1 Garands from their stocks that they can convert into M14s for only the cost of shipping them there.
That should be enough to get almost all of the rest of NATO to accept the altM14 as their primary service rifle; by making the altM14 good enough so that it is superior to the FAL, having it able to be converted from existing M1 Garand stocks that are much above what they have OTL so the M14 can be made cheaply, being generous with licensing requirements, sending out more M1 Garands, and through having enough production so that everyone in NATO can get a M14 if they want one, and finally through having the M14 be available earlier so that the design is given enough time to mature, so that its efficacy is proven in real-world combat conditions, and so that it's available when the FAL is (or maybe even before) instead of being left in the dust like OTL.
One more thing: Like you said, make a deal with the Belgians to adopt the FN MAG if they stop campaigning for the FN FAL and start producing the altM14, give them free licenses to produce the altM14, and also send them a boatload (or ten) of extra surplus M1 Garands that FN can cheaply convert to altM14s. And possibly bring in Belgian designers from FN to help create/improve the altM14 so that they have even more of a foot in the door, so to speak, as well as allowing them to create their own variants. Combined with the rest of NATO adopting the altM14, that should be enough to get the Belgians to adopt it as well- as long as the Americans actually adopt the FN MAG instead of going "screw the agreement, NIH" and blowing them off, like what happened OTL with the UK and the US over the .280 British cartridge, the American .308 cartridge, the FN FAL and the M14. (To get the British to accept both the altM14 and the .308 cartridge, make a deal so that as long as they do both then the Americans will send them a very large amount of M1 Garands that they can cheaply convert into altM14s, which should be quite attractive to cash-strapped Britain as it'll save a lot of money. (Well, not too much, but every little bit helps...) And maybe other concessions as well, like an understanding that the US would explicitly support British interests in the Suez Canal, after the overthrow of the Egyptian monarchy in 1952? Or maybe slightly more favorable terms for a portion of Britain's war debt.)
All this probably isn't really what you want, (especially making the M14 be not the OTL M14) but eh, it'll work, and it'd probably be better in the long run than NATO adopting the OTL M14. (Or maybe even better than if the US adopted the FAL if the altM14 is good enough)
Also, if you want an earlier POD to make adoption of the altM14 even more likely, have the US adopt the Pedersen rifle/Garand in .276 Pedersen with a ten-round clip (or a slightly different version of it that doesn't use waxed ammunition :/) instead of the OTL .30-06 Garand with an eight-round clip, and have them adopt a shortened and lightened carbine version of the Pedersen/Garand with a 533mm barrel instead of the M1 Carbine. (Should be somewhat longer and heavier than the M1 Carbine, but as it has the same ammunition and shares a very high percentage of parts with the Pedersen/Garand it would be very attractive logistically and training wise- after all, they're the vast majority the same weapon) That would cause even more Garands to be available to give away to other countries after the war and once it's time for the altM14, and would also probably mean that the US would push for (thus NATO would adopt) standardizing on the same .276 Pedersen/7x51mm cartridge as used in the Pedersen/Garand instead of the OTL .308 (which would be better overall besides!) which means that the barrels from the Garands and even more parts could be reused in the altM14s, as well as making the altM14s more controllable in fully automatic fire, which was a major problem with most .308 battle rifles OTL but especially the OTL M14. (And it would head off a lot of complaints that happened OTL due to the adoption of .308, as .276 is a proven cartridge due to being used in WWII, has a lot of ammunition in stock left over from the war (even if the condition of said ammunition is dubious), is less powerful than .308 so is better for automatic fire, and is already available.)
To adopt the M1911... well, if the US overproduces M1911s during and after WWII then sends out decent quantities to NATO as aid I can see the M1911 being widely adopted through (almost) all of NATO, though as only for use by special forces with a suppressor for silenced use as standard .45ACP rounds are already subsonic. I'm pretty sure 9mm Parabellum is already too entrenched by this time to be replaced by something else; and it's honestly better in my opinion than .45ACP. Maybe if the US gives everyone in NATO enough M1911s to equip every single one of their soldiers and then some with one, along with more ammunition than the collective barrel life of all of the M1911s they have combined, but otherwise don't really see that happening. (okay, definitely an exaggeration, but still.)
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