308 is a great cartridge and my first new hunting rifle was, is 308. But you are correct about a bolt gun being a better choice for a one and only centerfire target/hunting rifle in my opinion. I still feel that a semi auto having chambered a second round and being ready to fire again is less safe in a hunting scenario when bull or buck fever is present. That and the indisputable fact that a Norinco M305 is not as easy to maintain or is as reliable as a bolt action rifle.
M14 for hunting moose/barrel length question
- Thread starter ProudPhoenician
- Start date
308 is a great cartridge and my first new hunting rifle was, is 308. But you are correct about a bolt gun being a better choice for a one and only centerfire target/hunting rifle in my opinion. I still feel that a semi auto having chambered a second round and being ready to fire again is less safe in a hunting scenario when bull or buck fever is present. That and the indisputable fact that a Norinco M305 is not as easy to maintain or is as reliable as a bolt action rifle.
eaglesnester
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The M14 will get er done for you, however keep in mind it is a battle rifle. Keep your range to 100 meters or less. The United States military standard of ordnance for acceptance of the M14 is 8 inches at 100 yards.I would prefer a rifle with 1MOA or better for hunting. Now having said that I own a M305 (none select fire auto only) and I have spent bokoo money getting it to shoot 1moa (sometimes). It is my hobby, I just plink with it on the range, I would never consider hunting with it. And yes the short barreled M14 is not restricted and U can hunt with it. Now the cool factor of walking in the bush with a M305 is way up there but not vary practical.
Last edited:
I thought it was 4 MOA. I read different numbers from time to time, I'm not even sure about this anymore.
notsorichguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
The number you are thinking of is 4" form the centre of the aiming point.....
So a circle with a radius of 4" equates to circle with a diameter of 8"...... And an MOA = 1.0471"
I have the info in a book or binder somewhere..... But I'm not entirely sure what the USGI minimum spec was anymore.... I do remember it was surprisingly "large"......
Edit*
I was just perusing an e-book I have on my tablet.... "M-14 Rifle history and development" by Lee Emerson.
I found these tid-bits interesting......
View attachment 46827
View attachment 46826
And this little tid-bit on accuracy testing after depot love over-hauls.....
View attachment 46828
I will keep digging and see if I can't find the source I have that spells out the US Army's requirements!
Cheers!
Last edited:
Don't concern yourself with GI specs. On the internet Norinco's typically shoot MOA out of the box with hand loaded ammunition. 41.5 grains of IMR 4895 with a Sierra 168 grain HPBT match bullet seems to be the load that everyone comes up with on their own. Which is pretty safe considering the starting load is 41 grains. Neither my LRB or JRA will but hey why would you spend six or seven times the money anyway?
You can hunt everything from Aardvarks to Ganu's. Possum and Polar bears. Squirells and Sasquatches.
You can hunt everything from Aardvarks to Ganu's. Possum and Polar bears. Squirells and Sasquatches.
Last edited:
If you want one, I say run out and buy an M305 right away! 
I LOVE the platform and the Norc's are great rifles and a heck of a bargain at current pricing. Yes, you can find some bad apples but I've owned many and I really feel the bad ones are the exception (and I can certainly understand someone being turned off if their first experience was with a bad one). Tuning/tweaking is part of the fun but if you'd rather not there seem to be a regular supply of ones already verified/tuned on the EE.
I hunt deer with my M305 shorty with a scout setup Aimpojnt H-1 and it suits my needs/taste perfectly. After verifying all in spec and swapping out the op rod (dead simple upgrade priority #1), I get about 2 MOA with both Federal blue box Winchester Super-X factory ammo and that's plenty for how we hunt (most shots are well inside 100m). I know I'd do better with hand loads, I just never seem to get around to experimenting as my current setup works just fine (I'll get to it though... "some day".... LOL). It's certainly a lot heavier than my Kimber Montana but I'm not mountain hunting and I'm a big guy so it doesn't bother me at all. .308 is most definitely "sufficient" for moose, and I would not hesitate to use one with a premium bullet. All the same rules apply - put a properly constructed bullet (or 2... or 3 if you can) into the right spot and you're a successful moose hunter. I believe the M14 platform is best suited for 165gr. or less bullets but sounds like it can be modded to handle heavier. If I was going moose hunting with mine, I'd try to find a load that worked well with one of the 165gr. all copper bullets (100% weight retention) and try to keep my shots inside about 200m.
So, I'd definitely take any one of my M305/M1A's moose hunting if that's all I had BUT if I really got into moose hunting or was planning a "once in a life time" trip I'd pick up a nice bolt gun in .300 mag and feel much better equipped.
I LOVE the platform and the Norc's are great rifles and a heck of a bargain at current pricing. Yes, you can find some bad apples but I've owned many and I really feel the bad ones are the exception (and I can certainly understand someone being turned off if their first experience was with a bad one). Tuning/tweaking is part of the fun but if you'd rather not there seem to be a regular supply of ones already verified/tuned on the EE.I hunt deer with my M305 shorty with a scout setup Aimpojnt H-1 and it suits my needs/taste perfectly. After verifying all in spec and swapping out the op rod (dead simple upgrade priority #1), I get about 2 MOA with both Federal blue box Winchester Super-X factory ammo and that's plenty for how we hunt (most shots are well inside 100m). I know I'd do better with hand loads, I just never seem to get around to experimenting as my current setup works just fine (I'll get to it though... "some day".... LOL). It's certainly a lot heavier than my Kimber Montana but I'm not mountain hunting and I'm a big guy so it doesn't bother me at all. .308 is most definitely "sufficient" for moose, and I would not hesitate to use one with a premium bullet. All the same rules apply - put a properly constructed bullet (or 2... or 3 if you can) into the right spot and you're a successful moose hunter. I believe the M14 platform is best suited for 165gr. or less bullets but sounds like it can be modded to handle heavier. If I was going moose hunting with mine, I'd try to find a load that worked well with one of the 165gr. all copper bullets (100% weight retention) and try to keep my shots inside about 200m.
So, I'd definitely take any one of my M305/M1A's moose hunting if that's all I had BUT if I really got into moose hunting or was planning a "once in a life time" trip I'd pick up a nice bolt gun in .300 mag and feel much better equipped.
Get the rifle. Take it shooting, and then carry it around the bush for a day. Then you come back and tell us if it will work for hunting. Nobody can tell you what will work for you. The rifle is capable of doing anything you are capable of doing.
Winter 2014, took a caribou at 145 yards with my NM M1A mounted with a S&B 3X12X50 FD7, it was a piece of cake, the rifle was accurate and the beast just fell in it's track... The rifle is heavy but with a good sling it cary easy, it will do a great job up to a moose... JP.
geebus, so much fail.
of course you can use an m14/m305/m1a for moose.
been there , done that and just might do it again.
my longest single shot kill with an m305 is jus approaching 275 yards on a high country BC mule deer
it's nothing more than a .308 delivery system..... PERIOD
and we all know .308 is absolutely an adequate cartridge for MOST North American game
The variables that will force an individual hunter's decision or ability to shoot a moose with ANY .308 rifle is A) Is it functioning reliably B) can you shoot it accurately enough for an ethical kill
doesn't matter what rifle , bolt gun or otherwise, if the can't answer yes to those two questions, you shouldn't be hunting with that rifle, whatever type it may be.
these threads come and go a couple times a year and it's "kind of" amusing
of course you can use an m14/m305/m1a for moose.
been there , done that and just might do it again.
my longest single shot kill with an m305 is jus approaching 275 yards on a high country BC mule deer
it's nothing more than a .308 delivery system..... PERIOD
and we all know .308 is absolutely an adequate cartridge for MOST North American game
The variables that will force an individual hunter's decision or ability to shoot a moose with ANY .308 rifle is A) Is it functioning reliably B) can you shoot it accurately enough for an ethical kill
doesn't matter what rifle , bolt gun or otherwise, if the can't answer yes to those two questions, you shouldn't be hunting with that rifle, whatever type it may be.
these threads come and go a couple times a year and it's "kind of" amusing
Pretty much. Some people won't like carrying an 11 lb rifle but that isn't the rifle's fault.
I plan on using mine. It's not heavy, other rifles are just lighter. Only issue I can see is my National Match sights, combine them with my eyes, and low light, and there's no shot happening. So a scout handguard from M14.ca and a 2MOA Aimpoint is the plan.
A smart accurate and not to expensive norc m14 is possible.
For exemple, take a 18.5 shorty:
#1- make shure the rifle is straighten out. FREE
#2-Replace the op rod spring guide with a match one. ~$40
#3-remouve the front site, rear site and striper clip guide. FREE
#4-install m14.ca casm gen 2 aluminium mount. ~$140
#5-use good quality aluminium rings. ~$40-80
#6-remouve cleaning kit and plastic holder. FREE
#7- replace cleaning kit door with rubber butt pad. $???
#8-add low weight scope like 2-7×35 burris, leupold, etc
So in theory base shorty is about 9.5 lbs remouve the cleaning kit and replace the back door with a rubber but pad and you should be close to 8 lbs. Remouve all the sights and stripper clip guide and you should fall even with your scope mount add a light weight scope and you should be around 9 lbs.
That is not to bad!
I will be testing that faily soon. I have a shorty that is temporarily wearing a leupold vxr 4-12 and is in a usgi stock( about 6 oz lighter then my norinco stock). I am waiting on finding ,but more importantly being able to finance a 30mm scope mount as that scope is going on my hunting gun my RFB. Wen that happens I will need to find a rubber butt pad. Right now it sits at 10 lbs square. With the rubber butt and burris e1 in 2-7x35( with my metal burris zee ring) I am hopping to be around 9.2-9.3 lbs. With good aluminium rings I could be at 9 lbs and that is with the stupid flash hidder!
So a smart build m14 can be quite portable!
My socom18 in my blackfeather sites at 11.8 lbs with it's magpll PRS . In the future I am thinking of replacing the prs with a mdt skeleton light and save 0.8 lbs with that I should hit 11 lbs with the reversable/remouvable muzzel brake on. For a accurate m14 with pistol grip, proper cheek height I am happy with this versatility the blackfeater add to the platform!
For exemple, take a 18.5 shorty:
#1- make shure the rifle is straighten out. FREE
#2-Replace the op rod spring guide with a match one. ~$40
#3-remouve the front site, rear site and striper clip guide. FREE
#4-install m14.ca casm gen 2 aluminium mount. ~$140
#5-use good quality aluminium rings. ~$40-80
#6-remouve cleaning kit and plastic holder. FREE
#7- replace cleaning kit door with rubber butt pad. $???
#8-add low weight scope like 2-7×35 burris, leupold, etc
So in theory base shorty is about 9.5 lbs remouve the cleaning kit and replace the back door with a rubber but pad and you should be close to 8 lbs. Remouve all the sights and stripper clip guide and you should fall even with your scope mount add a light weight scope and you should be around 9 lbs.
That is not to bad!
I will be testing that faily soon. I have a shorty that is temporarily wearing a leupold vxr 4-12 and is in a usgi stock( about 6 oz lighter then my norinco stock). I am waiting on finding ,but more importantly being able to finance a 30mm scope mount as that scope is going on my hunting gun my RFB. Wen that happens I will need to find a rubber butt pad. Right now it sits at 10 lbs square. With the rubber butt and burris e1 in 2-7x35( with my metal burris zee ring) I am hopping to be around 9.2-9.3 lbs. With good aluminium rings I could be at 9 lbs and that is with the stupid flash hidder!
So a smart build m14 can be quite portable!
My socom18 in my blackfeather sites at 11.8 lbs with it's magpll PRS . In the future I am thinking of replacing the prs with a mdt skeleton light and save 0.8 lbs with that I should hit 11 lbs with the reversable/remouvable muzzel brake on. For a accurate m14 with pistol grip, proper cheek height I am happy with this versatility the blackfeater add to the platform!
Well IMO if your build weights in at 11.5 lbs your build is heavy! Here is mine weighing at 10lbs 1.4oz with the front site and SC guide. In photo #3 you can see a front site and SC guide weighs 1.4 oz , so once I remouve that my rifle will be 10 lbs square! Now wen I switch my scope and put the 2-7×35 and a rubber but I should be around 9.5 lbs .
That is my reality yours can be different . BTW as you will see below my BF socom18 is the same weight as your build and I plan to cut 1lbs from it later by installing a mdt skeleton light stock!
That is my reality yours can be different . BTW as you will see below my BF socom18 is the same weight as your build and I plan to cut 1lbs from it later by installing a mdt skeleton light stock!
I've taken my m14 out for hunting. I like it because I have made many upgrades and the accuracy out of mine is fantastic. BUT It is a heavy HEAVY thing to carry around! ok I have done a lot of mods to it, made it more of a tacticool rifle. I probably won't take it again just because I do remember how much cursing I did because my shoulder hurt!
[/URL][/IMG]
