Norinco M14 prices
- Thread starter lookout
- Start date
- Location
- Victoria, BC
lookout said:
Bingo. We're waiting on the slow boat from China. And once they show up for $399 again, people will have a harder time selling them for $700+.
I suppose it all depends on how patient you can be.
RevolverRodger
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in QC
700$ a bit steep no ?
Marstar set the bar with the $399.00 price.
That is a AWESOME price!!!As Hungry says, don't by one, buy two!!!!
However IMHO, even at $699.00 these rifles are a good deal.
The FORGED reciever is worth the $699.00 by itself!!!!!
The only other forged reciever being made right now (LRB Arms) is $680.00 U.S.!!!!!
I paid $699.00 for my first M305 because I didn't feel like waiting.it was another 5 or 6 months before the $399.00 rifles hit the shore.
SKBY.
That is a AWESOME price!!!As Hungry says, don't by one, buy two!!!!
However IMHO, even at $699.00 these rifles are a good deal.
The FORGED reciever is worth the $699.00 by itself!!!!!
The only other forged reciever being made right now (LRB Arms) is $680.00 U.S.!!!!!
I paid $699.00 for my first M305 because I didn't feel like waiting.it was another 5 or 6 months before the $399.00 rifles hit the shore.
SKBY.
A few I've seen seem a bit high in price , then I look a whats been done to them .
Marstar was 399.00 , Dark was 449.00 and others even higher .all at the same time for the same gun .
Its rare to find a stock M305 for sale . most have some upgrades .
On most of the ones I've looked at the owners are still taking a loss , albeit a smaller one .
I didn't feel like waiting for one so mine wasn't 399.00 , A few parts later and if I were ( which I'm not ) going to sell it at 700.00 I'd be losing money .
But I'm shooting mine , now , when I want .
So is there really a savings to waiting ?
Marstar was 399.00 , Dark was 449.00 and others even higher .all at the same time for the same gun .
Its rare to find a stock M305 for sale . most have some upgrades .
On most of the ones I've looked at the owners are still taking a loss , albeit a smaller one .
I didn't feel like waiting for one so mine wasn't 399.00 , A few parts later and if I were ( which I'm not ) going to sell it at 700.00 I'd be losing money .
But I'm shooting mine , now , when I want .
So is there really a savings to waiting ?
Skullboy said:
Been wondering about the variances in manufacture quality that always seems to plague Chinese products...
Looked up and found the following
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-1580.html
Most poignant comment was that a good cast beats a poor forge any day.
Would love to hear counterpoint.
If the Norinco beats "good enough" at the price point of ~$400.00, it's a pretty good reason to buy.
**Edit - been reading good things about them here: http://www.ar15.com/lite/topic.html?b=6&f=2&t=196028&page=2
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You won't be disappointed with the M305/M14S (whatever) especially at the price. Pretty well all the USGI parts fit very good and aside from a couple of metric threads, it represents the original rifle extremely well. The U.S. has no opinion really of these rifles since they are not allowed to buy them.
I love mine and am gathering together parts to make another low cost match rifle. Just need Marstar to get their's before I get mine.
I love mine and am gathering together parts to make another low cost match rifle. Just need Marstar to get their's before I get mine.
Suspect187
CGN Regular
- Location
- Calgary, AB
RUPZUK said:
With purchasing one from Dark.. you get a 5/20 and 2 5/5 rnd mags, plus a sling with the rifle. I think with Marstar, you only get the rifle and one mag.
sprint said:
The Chinese Forged Recievers are of excellent quality.They are as dimensionally correct as TRW forged recievers.
WHen you see Americans talking down Chinese M14s, you must realise that due to U.S. restrictions, they can not get the newer version Chinese M14s that we get up here.
The older Polytech/Norinco M14s that the Americans talk about are from the mid 1990s or so.These are the rifles that had the soft bolt/headspace issues.
SKBY.
Skullboy said:
That seems accurate to me from what I am reading right now. Fulton Armory reflects the same. Essentially, the reciever is such a close match that some writers like Diffferent suggest they know well informed people who believe they may be restamped originals.
All agree that with some Bolt lapping a USGI bolt will fit with near perfect precision.
While none have performed any official metalurgical study, the rumored tests on the metal do suggest it to be 5100 series chromium steel.
On the VERY flipped side, the failures of SA recievers mentioned at FA occured when shooting excessive loads, probably for 1000s of rounds. This makes me a bit more suspicious of claims of doom and gloom re: Cast recievers.
I would be interested to see if they are high or low pressure cast. Either way, it is academic, considering the rifles were intended for lower pressure loads.
On the big plus for SA, they seem to honor their lifetime warrantees.
Funny toss up, because the buying market is left to be balance the "made in china" superstitions. against "f*cked up in America" superstitions.
Sounds like it is a great base to build a USGI spec rifle off. Money isn't so much an issue for me, so I will likely follow Different's plan #3, buy an SA, shoot within specs, and upgrade over time with USGI parts if/as required.
Sources:
http://www.fulton-armory.com/M14SReview.html
http://www.imageseek.com/m1a/USGI and Chinese M14 Parts and The American M14 Owner.doc
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sprint said:
You should buy Different's M14 book.He has all the info there regarding the different manufacturers and specs of the M14 rifle.
#1 -Springfield has a good warranty. BUT you have to ship them the complete rifle if anything goes wrong (even the smallest little thing).That means the hassle of sending it across the border with all the new Homeland Security/Import/Export regulations.
#2 -Most of Springfields parts these days are cast and made elsewhere by other contractors (read off-shore).
#3 -Springfield has had issues in the past with their reciever dimensions/geometry.Some S.A. recievers will not easily accept scope mounts.
#4- Spend roughly $1800.00 Cdn
+ taxes for a box stock S.A. M1A (cast reciever).Then you go to upgrade the rifle.USGI bolt, trigger assembly, & op rod will run you around $800.00 to $1000.00 Cdn.A new barrel will run you $400.00 to $600.00 Cdn.Match op rod spring guide & spring $75.00. Plus swapping the Flash Suppressor & gas system if so desired.
Spend $399.00 Cdn + tax for the Norinco M305 (Forged Reciever).
With the $1400.00 you saved by buying the Norc, you have lots of extra cash to upgrade the rifle compared to doing the same with a Springfield.You could almost have all USGI parts and a nice heavy match barrel for the price of a box stock S.A.
I have owned a real deal Springfield M14, and a TRW match rifle.
Now having owned Custom Norinco M14s, I would never buy a S.A. M1A.
Their quality has gone way downhill, and they are waay toooo pricey for what you get.
Also remember, if you are out to build a true USGI spec M14 type rifle (of course without the select fire gear
), the Norinco reciever is as close as you get to USGI specs as real USGI M14 recievers are forged.YMMV.
SKBY.
