manufacturing date of M14/M305
- Thread starter Light Infantry
- Start date
Rifle or receiver?
The rifle will have the manufacture date included in the serial number most of the time. A picture of the side wall markings will usually betray date of birth.
The receivers are marked below the woodline on the left side. There will be a series of 1 or 2 digit numbers that look like a Lotto Max ticket. This code includes the DOB for the receiver.
Very recent 2016+ receivers now sometimes have the receiver dob on the right side, not the left, but still below the woodline.
The rifle will have the manufacture date included in the serial number most of the time. A picture of the side wall markings will usually betray date of birth.
The receivers are marked below the woodline on the left side. There will be a series of 1 or 2 digit numbers that look like a Lotto Max ticket. This code includes the DOB for the receiver.
Very recent 2016+ receivers now sometimes have the receiver dob on the right side, not the left, but still below the woodline.
I guess both. Based on what I have read here, many receivers were sitting for years to be built.
I guess I should have also asked: what is the cut off for "good" rifles and receivers and ones to be avoided?
Believe I also read that the 2007 (or 2009?) was a great year?
I guess I should have also asked: what is the cut off for "good" rifles and receivers and ones to be avoided?
Believe I also read that the 2007 (or 2009?) was a great year?
Last edited:
Claven
In your other post where the serial number starts A160###, is "16" what denotes the year of manufacture of the rifle? Below the woodline is 016-10-02, is 16 the year of manufacture of the receiver? Are 10-02 Oct 2, or Feb 10 the month/day or that going to far with the numbers?
In your other post where the serial number starts A160###, is "16" what denotes the year of manufacture of the rifle? Below the woodline is 016-10-02, is 16 the year of manufacture of the receiver? Are 10-02 Oct 2, or Feb 10 the month/day or that going to far with the numbers?
Yes that rifle was made in 2016 on a cast receiver made the same year.
As afar as we know, norinco made forged M14 receivers from about 1988 to 1994. Virtually all .308 M305s were made from the same batch of receivers up through at least the 2014 assembled guns, many of which are still in store shelves now.
Some people put a lot of hocus pocus on what year the rifle was assembled, often citing pre-2007 or pre-2009 or whatever.
In my view, that's all bunk. Same receivers were used all that time, almost all from the early 1990's.
What did change over the years is the configuration of the finished rifles and the quality of things like bolts, stocks, etc.
As afar as we know, norinco made forged M14 receivers from about 1988 to 1994. Virtually all .308 M305s were made from the same batch of receivers up through at least the 2014 assembled guns, many of which are still in store shelves now.
Some people put a lot of hocus pocus on what year the rifle was assembled, often citing pre-2007 or pre-2009 or whatever.
In my view, that's all bunk. Same receivers were used all that time, almost all from the early 1990's.
What did change over the years is the configuration of the finished rifles and the quality of things like bolts, stocks, etc.
Also, that cast receiver has a new dating code that is fairly obvious. The forged receivers are less obviously marked. Lee Emerson will decipher them completely, down to the day, over in the M14 forum, but if you post your lotto numbers here, some of them are easier to discern the year. If I know what it is, I'll say so 
Can you post a photo?
Receiver made January 1993, rifle assembled in 2010.
Its magic... Lol.
Really it's from seeing enough of them and referencing Lee Emerson's M14 reference books.
I think that's when it was assembled/ imported but the build date of the receiver I'm curious about.
Made Feb 1994, assembled 2009.
