M14, m305, m1a differences?

[unic]

Hey .
I was thinkin about getting a m14, when I started looking I saw that norinco had a m305. And there was a m1a and z m14. What's the difference between them? Are they all essentially the same? I read something online about a forge receiver in m14 and a machined in m1a and m14 could be selective for full auto but I don't think that can be in canada. Any info would be appreciated thanks

I have been thinking the same. I just read this interesting seminar http://www.m14.ca/seminar/M14_Seminar_EBR.pdf
There is a lot of M14 reference here (at the bottom of page) http://www.m14.ca/

 

[unic]

Quality control issues like indexing. But I've seen people who've gone for the 22" just cut down to 18" and rethread the barrel to accept aftermarket brakes.

I have the opportunity to compare both at a local dealer but need to know what to look for. I read of the issues you mentioned but wonder if those are solved with the current new batch. Is there any different between M305 and M305B?

 

[notsorichguy]

The shorties I have seen (north of 100 at this point) have all had "little" issues. I have not seen one with a perfectly indexed barrel. All were at least 2 degrees out.

I have seen out of spec safety bridges, dangerous bolts. Headspace over 1.647.

When looking over a shorty, this is what I check.....

Look down the barrel, is the front sight L or R? It won't be in the centre, but L is easier to fix.

Look at the gas system, I have seen a couple of gas cylinders with cracks down the side that vent gas sideways.

Slowly move the op-handle back and forth, do you feel a "hitch in the giddy-up"? If something is catching, you need to tweak that too.

With the action closed, look at the top of the bolt, is there a visible gap behind one of the lugs? That is a deal killer, IMHO.

Remove the trigger group and move the op-handle to the rear, does the bolt drop below the safety bridge when the bolt is fully to the rear? If so, that's a deal breaker.

Flip the rifle over, or remove it from the stock, push the firing pin into the bolt with your finger, manipulate the bolt fore and aft. Is the safety bridge blocking the firing pin travel when the bolt is out of battery? If not, that's a deal killer too.

Those are the big ones you can check at the G-store counter. If the rifle passes those checks, you should be OK.

Cheers!

 

[unic]

Thanks notsorichguy. I will definitely take a close look for those problems.

 

[crazy_pete]

The original tooling was originally actually sold/given to Taiwan, not mainland China. Norinco /PRC is actually mainland China. They are different entities altogether, the Norinco M305 is technically more similar as stated but was nit made on the original tooling. I was misinformed once and corrected my another my guru on a similar post a few years ago as well. The my was jus rengineereed from a battlefield capture as the Chinese are so good at copying and making knockoffs.

There are a few theories on how the Chinese started building M-14s. There is a possibility that they were able to steal plans and data package for them in the 1960s with spies that were in the US. Also possible that M-14s used in Congo and Vietnam, captured by communists eventually made it to China for reverse engineering.

The interesting part of the story is that China made thousands of select fire, unmarked M-14s that they planned to send to the Phillipines to support a communist revolution there... Not many of them made it and a lot of the Chinese made M-14s were destroyed back in China by throwing the receivers into concrete mix.

Eventually I guess they decided to use that tooling to build semi-auto rifles for the civilian export market.

China also made tons of 7.62 NATO ammo with NATO head stamps (to mask its origin) for the Phillipine communists too, but again most of it never made it there and eventually got dumped in the US civilian market.

 

[t-star]

a little off topic, but have you ever seen a Chinese Thompson, m3, or carbine- that's how good they are at reverse engineering- or an 96 mauser pistol- ie broomhandle

 

[t-star]

There are a few theories on how the Chinese started building M-14s. There is a possibility that they were able to steal plans and data package for them in the 1960s with spies that were in the US. Also possible that M-14s used in Congo and Vietnam, captured by communists eventually made it to China for reverse engineering.

The interesting part of the story is that China made thousands of select fire, unmarked M-14s that they planned to send to the Phillipines to support a communist revolution there... Not many of them made it and a lot of the Chinese made M-14s were destroyed back in China by throwing the receivers into concrete mix.

Eventually I guess they decided to use that tooling to build semi-auto rifles for the civilian export market.

China also made tons of 7.62 NATO ammo with NATO head stamps (to mask its origin) for the Phillipine communists too, but again most of it never made it there and eventually got dumped in the US civilian market.

and you can clearly see where the fun switch used to be, and there's a notch in the right rail for takedown just like he "real" m14
btw, they build a rather nasty version of the m1 105 howitzer- that's what surprized the French
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actually I have one of those never made it off the mainland rifles- it's blued , not parked, the flashider has been bastardized, and the scope mount has been ground off 30 degrees- there are NO marings ohe than he serial number but its on the left side rail other than the heel like the real early ones