M305 vs M1A vs GI M14

V

voxdei

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Location
Edmonton, AB
So i'm pretty new to guns in general and I'm mostly into handguns but i'm looking at getting my first long gun. I've always have a little sweet spot in my heart for the M-14. They seem to be the best of everything i rifle should be. Unfortunatly the $2000 price tag on a M1A (even if you can manage to find it) is a little outside my price range till 2013 (and that was earmarked for a XCR-M). So i was looking at the M305B but i've heard bad things about the Norinco name in general and not much good about their m-14's. If i pick this up am i going to be disappointed in my first long gun purchase? Am i going to have to spend a bunch of money at the gunsmith to make it sweet? Could i eventually have it converted into a marksman rifle like the M-14 EBR? Or should i save up for a M1A or see if i can find an actual springfield M-14 semi?

Also (some might shudder) i have some friends who want me to come hunt with them. Is this something i could take hunting?
 
From one noob to another, I would say go for the norinco. I asked all the same
Questions as you and after lots of research have come to the conclusion that they are Definitely worth it. Even if u had to replace everything but the receiver and barrel it would still probably be cheaper. I just bought a short barrel m305 from canam and am eagerly awaiting it's arrival so that I can tweak it and make it my pride and joy.

Regardless of wether or not u think you have the skill to work and build your own, you will still have to take it apart and clean it so don't hesitate because you will end up stripping it down all the time anyway. Although there is alot more parts to it than any handgun;)
 
Don't buy ONE M14! :eek:

Buy TWO of them! :D Then put the remaining $1K into practice ammo! or buy reloading gear and make yer own accurate ammo, then practice like crazy. You will be surprised how good you can be! :)

Cheers,
Barney
 
What Barney said! You can't go wrong with the M305's for the money. Lots of opportunity to tweak and upgrade if you want, but shoots OK right out of the box. A great starter for the newbie to the M14 platform. CanAm deal is a great one as it comes with a box of ammo, not to mention awesome service by a great bunch of guys.
 
DO NOT get a M305 shorty!!! I can't stop shooting mine another 60 rounds down tonight! I am going to need some more ammo real soon. Plus half the fun is tinkering.
 
You really can't go to wrong with any M14 and no need to spend the huge money if you don't have it or don't want to, as Barney said spend the rest on ammo. I think Canada Ammo has a great deal on the shorty's right now.

If you can afford the Springer you can definately afford the ammo.
 
Last edited:
Norinco M14's are not the same gun they were when they were being imported into the States many years ago. Back then the were reversed engineered nightmares. They are quite good guns now.
 
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another norc. m14. If i had the funds i would pick up a shorty from CanAm.

my 2007 norc m14 has about 900rounds through it over the past 1.5years and i have had ZERO issues with it. The reason i bought it in the first place was because it was a tinkerers rifle. Better to fool around with a $400 rifle and screw up, rather than a $2k+. You can get amazing results hand loading, as that is what i have mostly done, but lately with all the cheap .308/7.62x51 i haven't bothered and it still shoots very well.
 
voxdei, buy 2 or 3 of them while you can.



saskcop said:
Norinco M14's are not the same gun they were when they were being imported into the States many years ago.

Back then the were reversed engineered nightmares.
Click to expand...

This has not been my experience.

What are these reversed engineered nightmares you speak of?
 
Hungry said:
Don't buy ONE M14! :eek:

Buy TWO of them! :D Then put the remaining $1K into practice ammo! or buy reloading gear and make yer own accurate ammo, then practice like crazy. You will be surprised how good you can be! :)

Cheers,
Barney
Click to expand...

Would love to get a progressive press but I don't have enough room for a bench in my condo :(
 
H2O MAN said:
voxdei, buy 2 or 3 of them while you can.





This has not been my experience.

What are these reversed engineered nightmares you speak of?
Click to expand...

Good question. I am no expert on this platform of firearms, so I can only speak to my limited experience and what I have read. Years ago I had one of the earliest examples of Chinese M14 to show up in this country. The fit and finish was atrocious and it looked plain terrible. The metal seemed too soft, the headspace was marginal at best, but, could it ever shoot. From what I read, the original Chinese guns were built by reverse engineering them to basically built a working copy. Later the machining and tooling was updated or perhaps changed is a better word to produce much better versions. Someone on here would be much better at explaining this than I .

In spite of all that, everyone of these guns that I have owned could shoot amazingly accurately.
 
voxdei said:
So i'm pretty new to guns in general and I'm mostly into handguns but i'm looking at getting my first long gun. I've always have a little sweet spot in my heart for the M-14. They seem to be the best of everything i rifle should be. Unfortunatly the $2000 price tag on a M1A (even if you can manage to find it) is a little outside my price range till 2013 (and that was earmarked for a XCR-M). So i was looking at the M305B but i've heard bad things about the Norinco name in general and not much good about their m-14's. If i pick this up am i going to be disappointed in my first long gun purchase? Am i going to have to spend a bunch of money at the gunsmith to make it sweet? Could i eventually have it converted into a marksman rifle like the M-14 EBR? Or should i save up for a M1A or see if i can find an actual springfield M-14 semi?

Also (some might shudder) i have some friends who want me to come hunt with them. Is this something i could take hunting?
Click to expand...

my norinco sks kicks ass.

I did not hesitate buying their m305. it will arrive next week.
 
I have put thousands of rounds through my norinco and polytech rifles. I replaced the spring guide and the spring guide pin so I could use the USGI stocks. Didn't do anything else. Guns still work great without any issues in over 15 years of use in Northern BC.
 
Damn glad I got one! Had a small issue that was worked out , and I had a smile
On my face the whole time!:D I used to think it was silly to have multiples of
The same gun till I bought my first SKS. Now the m305/m14 is giving me the
Same feeling!
 
saskcop said:
Good question. I am no expert on this platform of firearms, so I can only speak to my limited experience and what I have read. Years ago I had one of the earliest examples of Chinese M14 to show up in this country. The fit and finish was atrocious and it looked plain terrible. The metal seemed too soft, the headspace was marginal at best, but, could it ever shoot. From what I read, the original Chinese guns were built by reverse engineering them to basically built a working copy. Later the machining and tooling was updated or perhaps changed is a better word to produce much better versions. Someone on here would be much better at explaining this than I .

In spite of all that, everyone of these guns that I have owned could shoot amazingly accurately.
Click to expand...

it all depends on what factory they came out of- my serial number is 000### and i got it from alan lever back in 89 - it's had more than a few thousand rounds through it, including lots of 180s, ( i didn't know any better at the time) i've had the headspace checked and it fits the go but not the nogo- and the field just plain won't chamber- period- and that was one of the early ones- you can see where the funswitch and bayonet lug were removed, and the take down notch is in the centre of the rail
 
It might not be the best gun to go hunting as it is heavier and longer than many alternatives.

If you ever choose this nice rifle to go hunting I humbly recommend:

- remove the hindged buttplate
- remove the storage tubes in the stock
- remove the cartridge clip guide
- use a 5 round magazine (as opposed to a 5/20 round magazine)
- mount a lightweight red dot sight on a M14/M1A CASM® "RD" mount
- get an ITC CHEEKREST™ for an intuitive cheekweld
- put that cleaning kit in a backpack or large pocket as it's place is certainly not in the stock

This way you will lose a lot of dead weight on the rifle and gain the ability to acquire your target quickly even in sub optimal visibility conditions.

My 2 cents.
 
toyboy said:
black and decker workmate.large c-clamps from canadian tire.maybe a 2x6 board such as a step.
all you need...
Click to expand...

:agree: I did it for years this way. I bolted the press to a 2X6 and then clamped it to work mate. When your done fold it up and put it away. Just dont use the fold out legs as they will fail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom