So I visited the local shop today and saw a brand new current import M14 clone on the rack. I got a chance to field strip it and check it out in detail, I think these pics will speak for themselves. It's one of the new 7.62x39 rifles and M@rstar was the importer, though I suspect that doesn't much matter - they are all coming form the same place.
We know that virtually all the M14 receivers we have seen up until at least the 2014 import batches were still being built on 1990's era receivers originall made for the US market. The alphabet numbers on the receiver below the wood line contained 1990's date codes, even if the assembly date above the wood line was 2013 or 2014.
These excellent forged, machined and geometrically correct receivers look to have now officially been used up.
Take a look at this 2016-made receiver imported this year:
Yes, that's a big casting sprue mark just in front of the bolt stop, and yes, all the left side of the receiver is as-cast. Looks to me like an investment casting with no attempt to machine the surface smooth post-pour.
Who knows if it's dimensionally correct - that's doubtful given it's left as-cast, including the scope mounting splines and given probable mould shrinkage. SA Inc. gets around this by casting their receivers over-sized and then machining every surface to correct dimension, just like a forging. The Chinese, to cut costs, are casting non-critical surfaces to final dimension, more or less, then just sandblasting and parkerizing.
Here you can see they machined a cleaner flat on the side of the heel to accept their manufacturer's markings, but the cut wasn't deep enough to clean up all the casting surfaces. Notice the 2016 assembly date.
Now look how crude the receiver heel is. There's even a visible mould line they didn't bother to clean up:
There were no alphabet codes on the left side under the wood line, but there is a manufacture CNC engraving on the RIGHT side:
This looks to be a new-made 2016 production receiver.
Now what I don't know is if they are using these cheaper receivers only on the lower-pressure 7.62x39 guns, or if this is the new normal for imports moving forward. What I suspect is that like with the MIM bolts, older and better made parts are drying up and the Chinese are switching the cheaper alternatives to try and stay at the same price point for dealers that aren't willing to import a more expensive M14 variant.
Interesting times...
We know that virtually all the M14 receivers we have seen up until at least the 2014 import batches were still being built on 1990's era receivers originall made for the US market. The alphabet numbers on the receiver below the wood line contained 1990's date codes, even if the assembly date above the wood line was 2013 or 2014.
These excellent forged, machined and geometrically correct receivers look to have now officially been used up.
Take a look at this 2016-made receiver imported this year:
Yes, that's a big casting sprue mark just in front of the bolt stop, and yes, all the left side of the receiver is as-cast. Looks to me like an investment casting with no attempt to machine the surface smooth post-pour.
Who knows if it's dimensionally correct - that's doubtful given it's left as-cast, including the scope mounting splines and given probable mould shrinkage. SA Inc. gets around this by casting their receivers over-sized and then machining every surface to correct dimension, just like a forging. The Chinese, to cut costs, are casting non-critical surfaces to final dimension, more or less, then just sandblasting and parkerizing.
Here you can see they machined a cleaner flat on the side of the heel to accept their manufacturer's markings, but the cut wasn't deep enough to clean up all the casting surfaces. Notice the 2016 assembly date.
Now look how crude the receiver heel is. There's even a visible mould line they didn't bother to clean up:
There were no alphabet codes on the left side under the wood line, but there is a manufacture CNC engraving on the RIGHT side:
This looks to be a new-made 2016 production receiver.
Now what I don't know is if they are using these cheaper receivers only on the lower-pressure 7.62x39 guns, or if this is the new normal for imports moving forward. What I suspect is that like with the MIM bolts, older and better made parts are drying up and the Chinese are switching the cheaper alternatives to try and stay at the same price point for dealers that aren't willing to import a more expensive M14 variant.
Interesting times...
