Norinco M14 gas cylinder crooked but works...

[sushix2]

So I got this m305 norc shorty version a while ago, and it shoots fine, never really had a single failure, the barrel is indexed property and everything, but I just can't shake the fact that the gas cylinder is a few degrees canted to the left.. It's like they forged the cylinder crooked.

Does anyone know where I can get a proper, straight SEI cylinder?

 

[chalkriver2]

So I got this m305 norc shorty version a while ago, and it shoots fine, never really had a single failure, the barrel is indexed property and everything, but I just can't shake the fact that the gas cylinder is a few degrees canted to the left.. It's like they forged the cylinder crooked.

Does anyone know where I can get a proper, straight SEI cylinder?

Are you sure the barrel is indexed properly ? Did you use a straight edge on the front sight and heel of the receiver method to confirm barrel indexing ?

 

[m14medic.ca]

95% of the Chinese FHs I see are out of index a little bit, usually under 3*. I have seen some out as much as 11*. Chinese FHs that are 100% true are so rare, I never assume they can be used on rifles I sell. Hens teeth is an apt description!

Gas Cylinders are also, quite often, out a touch as well, but generally not as bad as FHs as a general rule. They are also a whole lot harder to measure! The calibrated MK-I eyeball is usually the most accurate tool for the job.

So the barrel could appear to be perfectly indexed, when it really isn't..... or it could be the Gas Cylinder. I'd bet a Tims DD it's the Flashider/ Frontsight base that's actually out.....

John

 

[TacticalTeacher]

I'm with John and Morgan on this one... having seen hundreds of Zhinese flash suppressors over the past 15 years at all my clinics, they can be out of whack depending on which high school shop class forged them FS and gas cylinder units. For the most part, they work; but they sure look goofy.

Quite often the position/indexing/clocking/timing of the op rod guide (figure 8 thingy under your barrel and handguard) is not properly at bottom dead center position and it appears to present the op rod slightly / grossly off center of the piston. No big deal. Take a wooden block / ball peen hammer/ rubber mallet/plastic hammer and give it a love tap/strike/whack/shot towards the correct position. If it's loose (1/8" x 3/4" pin) then we can knurl it for you like this:





And the remainder of the barrel needs to be knurled, so a couple of passes wide...






And then we drive/pound/hammer/strike/beat/ whack that op rod guide back into position and you will notice that there is an indexing notch on the bottom of the barrel that aligns that op rod guide nicely (look through the hole into the light) Then drive the pin home with your 1/8" (Home Depot/Cambodian Tire/Princess Auto/Home Hardware/ Rona/Lowes) pin punch.




Not a big deal when you got the tools. Lots of expert help here on CGNutz... PM me if your OCD Condition keeps you up all night thinking about these diamonds-in-the-rough!

Cheers,

Barney

 

[Curtis264]

So I got this m305 norc shorty version a while ago, and it shoots fine, never really had a single failure, the barrel is indexed property and everything, but I just can't shake the fact that the gas cylinder is a few degrees canted to the left.. It's like they forged the cylinder crooked.

Does anyone know where I can get a proper, straight SEI cylinder?

My rifle was the same as you described, sent it to John at M14Medic and now it's perfect, John said my flash hider was off by 2.5 degrees so John had to properly index my barrel

 

[sushix2]

Hi Guys, thanks for the advice,

I'm attaching some pics to show what I mean.

 

[brutus460]

Without seeing the whole rifle almost looks like barrel is under indexed and you have out of spec flash hider
Can you post a picture of the feed ramp.

 

[chalkriver2]

Its not just the front sights on the flashiders that get milled incorrectly .
This is a pic of the gas locking ring and front sight that came on my Socom 18 .

I had a friend of mine check it out and he said it looked fine ...

 

[P0WERWAGON]

Its not just the front sights on the flashiders that get milled incorrectly .
This is a pic of the gas locking ring and front sight that came on my Socom 18 .

I had a friend of mine check it out and he said it looked fine ...

my socom18 is the same way/ looking from above, i can see the indexing line in the barrel at 12, and the sight is slightly off.

 

[m14medic.ca]

Hi Guys, thanks for the advice,

I'm attaching some pics to show what I mean.

I'm gunna go out on a limb and say it's your barrel index as well as a FH that's 1-2 degrees out.... it's tough to say exactly what's going on with that unit with out a dial indicator on the rear sight block and the Front Sight base, but it's safe to say "it ain't perfect"!

If the rifle functions, and your op-rod guide (the figure 8 thing Barney mentioned) is not terribly loose, it's not really that big of a deal, unless your OCD is keeping you awake, or you really want to squeeze the last .xx" out of the group size....

John

 

[TacticalTeacher]

ha ha ha You guys fzcking crack me up! I love you guyz (well, you know what I mean....)

Didn't I tell you , them high school shop class kids in Zhina need more supervising??


On a side note:

A client just left from his 3 hour private session ... He brought a new unfired, out of the box Norinco M305 with a 2014###. serial number. I was impressed. Let me rhyme off some observations:

* TIGHT op rod guide (figure 8 thingy under barrel)
* Minor bolt slop
* and USGI bolt almost, almost closes on that 22" barrel
* Gas cylinder lock contacts at 4 o'clock and strong hand/fingers to reach bottom dead center (lottery ticket)
* Flash suppressor knocked off 4 hits (Monday morning, before noon lunch hour gun assembled)
* I was gonna offer to buy this rifle off the owner

Now he's gonna group it and see what kind of potential it's got... oh yeah, he is a National level PR competitor so he's anxious to scope and see what kind of inherent accuracy it's got...


Cheers,

Barney