180 grainers in the M14?

generally not a good idea...... but if you run a sadlak titanium NM grooved piston.... it is designed for use with the 180 gr. BUT for this you will probably need a usgi gas assembly due to the piston diameter not being the same as the norinco......

so short answer...... occasionally is o.k. but is very hard on your oprod system. 168 gr seems just fine and is the generally accepted ceiling for the M305/m14s
 
I've heard this before, and maybe I'm just a knothead, but the idea that a 168 is OK but that a 180 or even a 200 is harder on the rifle doesn't make sense to me, assuming one uses a propellant with an appropriate burning rate. If you load up with 4831, ya it will be hard on things. But if you load a heavy bullet, lets say a 200 gr ahead of 4895, you only load 38 grs of powder compared to 42 grs for the 168. Pressure at the port should be no different.
 
Mike Kelly isn't familiar with the Norincos? He's been stocking or reselling them since they first came in the 80's.
I remember being there when he showed me two of the earliest imports in the late 80's maybe 1990.
 
Last edited:
way back when , i did some load development using 180s and 748 powder using a REAL m14, not a norc- 42 grains wouldn't push the rod back all the way, worked my way up to 43- still not relaiable- went to 43.9( which was virtually the same as the m118 load, but my bullet was 5 grains or more heavier) which gives supposedly about 2500 fps and it worked well- however, 44.2 was starting to give gas sign pressures, and i quit at 44.3
b/c the rifle was TELLING ME TO- the winchester factory load is SUPPOSED TO BE 2610 fps with about 45 grains- THIS IS WAY OVER PRESSURE FOR THE 14- if you believe their stats- now while we're talking norc, and this was a h&r, i feel it gives relevant data - and it was one of my isreali rifles- that just shows you EXACTLY where the pressure point is-THEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE 175 TOP END and have dropped back accordingly- it means having to carry two bullet weights ( 1 for the m14 and 180 for everything else) but my parts budget isn't bottomless and m14parts, even chinese, are hardly something the hardware store carries- and i'd just rather not break an op-rod,
fyi , i shoot groups of 5 when working up a load, 100 yard target, about a minute for cooling between shots and don't count the first 5 for "wet" barrel" and when the groups begin to widen or i see pressure signs, i stop- 4-12x40 scope off a bench with a sandbagged rest , or varminter's rest, or bipod if on the rifle, remington 180 grain bulk bullets, new r-p cases, cci large rifle magnum primers- cleaning every 100- once i'm there, it gets cleaned and put away and i fire 2 or 3 fouling shots before using next time
 
Last edited:
Like Boomer said.

The issue is not bullet weight - it is port pressure. Ammo loaded with heavy bulliets usually uses a slower powder. This would include factory ammo, which is why we say don't buy 180 ammo for a M14.

If you are loading your own, stick with the correct powder (3031, 4895, 748, BLC2, H335), start low and work up. Find an accurate load somewhere between where the action cycles and any sign of pressure.

A slow powder has more pressure farther down the barrel. A fast powder spikes faster and drops off faster, reducing the port pressure. High port pressure stresses the oprod assembly.

If you have to shoot some factory hevay bullet ammo, just turn off the gas system. The rifle has an "On" "Off" switch. Turns the rifle into a springloaded Ross bolt action.
 
Last edited:
Ganderite said:
If you are loading your own, stick with the correct powder (3031, 4895, 748, BLC2, H335), start low and work up. Find an accurate laod somewhere between where the action cycles and any sign of pressure.
Click to expand...

I've used Varget before, with 150 and 165 grain Hornady SST projectiles for hunting deer... No problems... Any reason for concern using Varget???

Cheers
Jay
 
Boomer said:
I've heard this before, and maybe I'm just a knothead, but the idea that a 168 is OK but that a 180 or even a 200 is harder on the rifle doesn't make sense to me, assuming one uses a propellant with an appropriate burning rate. If you load up with 4831, ya it will be hard on things. But if you load a heavy bullet, lets say a 200 gr ahead of 4895, you only load 38 grs of powder compared to 42 grs for the 168. Pressure at the port should be no different.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you Boomer, the heavier bullets have less of a powder charge so in theory you dont have much if anymore back pressure, i think alot of people just "think" it will hurt them because thats what they have heard from other people on the internet, my new norinco m14 chewed up a box of 180's with no prob, and i would not be afraid to shoot them in it, most Gunshop owners that have experience with these rifles will tell you that 180's wont hurt them as well.
 
My Norc M14 loves 180s. It's consistently accurate for some reason with it. I had a left over box of 50 projectiles of Nosler partition was from the mid 80's. I loaded a few up with 41 grains of H4895 and it was doing less than a minute at 100m. I loaded the rest of what I had remaining for hunting with this load. It will be more than enough energy and speed for the usually less that 50 meter hunting range we have here in Quebec.
 
Quote: "I've used Varget before, with 150 and 165 grain Hornady SST projectiles for hunting deer... No problems... Any reason for concern using Varget???"

Varget is at the slow end of what is correct speed range. I would use it but would stay away from a hot load. No point in beating up the gas system.
 
alexD92 said:
What should we be shooting in our M305's ?
Click to expand...

Keep it simple...anything below 180 if you don't handload. The 1/12 twist of the Norc is starting to have a hard time with the long profile of projectiles of anything above 180. Plus, all that stuff the guys have mentioned about the other stuff I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom