Norinco M305/M14 a good idea???

Curt

Curt

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Hey guys,
I thought that buying one of these would be fun. Semi auto rifle for target use and man targets @ 100-300 meters. From reading the posts, it seems that after you buy one, it needs upgrade parts and a lot of 'smithing to get them safe and fairly accurate. Am I right to assume from what I have read that you can't buy one out of the grease, clean it and shoot it? What kind of problems do you guys have with these rifles? Accuracy? Dependability? Should I even bother buying one?
 
Do you want something that is fun to shoot and you have to get intimate with?If you don't like to go the extra length and learn how it works,what does this part do etc don't buy one.You can buy it clean it and shoot it but its a lottery when it come to barrel indexing.But if your going to mount a scope no biggy.Dependability has been fine for me no hiccups at all.Biggest problem is finding cheap ammo.To me 700 or more for 1200 non reloadable rounds is not cheap ammo,My .02 cents worth
 
You may not need to do much to the gun to get it to shoot well. My 2007 shoots well right out of the box, 100% function and not a jam yet. My older scoped m14s has occasional empty casings caught between the op rod and scope mount but has no major smithing done, just a replaced spring guide and a fiberglass stock. It shoots 1.5" 5 shot groups at 100 yards with cheap Federal 150 gr 308 ammo. With milsurp ammo the results are more unpredictable for accuracy. It shoots a very tight group at 200 yards with Federal Premium 150 grain ammo. I'm fortunate, it likes factory 308.

Didn't swap barrels, bolt or anything expensive. The Smith scope mount was the most money I spent on it.
 
Fun gun & its original..It seems everyone's got one + see lots for sale on the E&E..get a used one, they are usually fine or wait for the Marstar 400$ deal when they do become available again.
 
Ordered Mine from Frontiers Firearms 2 days ago, can't wait to take it out of the box and get it cleaned up for the ranges. She (Sheilla) will stay stock for the mean time until she (Sheilla) gets familliar with my bad habits....

Next year, some upgrades maybe.....:runaway:
 
What about the rabid concerns of barrel nuts, headspacing, gas chamber mal-functions etc. I would like to have one. Start with a bare stock rifle, shoot it, upgrade as time goes on. But in saying that I want to have a safe, reliable rifle.
 
Norinco M305/M14 a good idea???
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Yes!
They are fine right out of the box and they respond extremely well to
standard USGI National Match upgrades and modernization modifications.
I now have 8 Chinese M14s - both Norinco & Poly Tech.
 
Curt said:
What about the rabid concerns of barrel nuts, headspacing, gas chamber mal-functions etc. I would like to have one. Start with a bare stock rifle, shoot it, upgrade as time goes on. But in saying that I want to have a safe, reliable rifle.
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Here's my line of thought. Most of the fixes are very minor and do it yourself if necessary. Anything major would be covered under marstar's one year warranty. As for headspace issues, while it does sound like they often have generous headspace, that doesn't seem to be an issue unless you reload.
 
they are a basic combat rifle. most mods or all, are not needed. they are done by people who want a nm rifle. or think they are making a m21. most battle rifles i have trained on only require you to get a 6" group at 200m (this rifle will do better, out of box). but there are alot of rifle range snipers who need or rather want a m14 type rifle to preform to a -2" group. if you purchase one you are getting a great rifle ("great bang for your buck":). i've owned a m1a springfield standard in the early 90's. i will honestly say my norc m14s is just as well made. m14 rifles are not a good sniper platform. remington 700 type rifles are. in closing i think you can't go wrong with most norc products. people who bash buying chineses, should take a hard look were alot of there stuff comes from. we used to say the same thing about japanese and german stuff. i don't no anyone that wouldn't like a jap stereo, german sports car or wouldn't bash a new in box norinco ak47. just my $00.02.
 
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best bang for your buck in the .308 class semi auto market.
MOST shoot just fine out of the box. I have had well over 60 of the norincos on my work bench and have done numerous full builds, including the one i just built spot on to full national match standards using only the norc receiver.

I have not yet read one documented case of a norinco m14s/m305 blowing up out of the box, and of the 60 and counting norinco m14 versions i've meticulously inspected through full teardown and reassemble.... only two where what i would consider rejects , and by that i mean, requiring a major parts group to be replaced. In one circumstance it was the bolt being VASTLY off the NO GO scale for head space and the other for defective (improperly and irrepairable) sear/disconnector /hammer engagement surface angles. These were out of the box discoveries.

I have personally owned and shot, 23 "out of the box" or used but not altered norc m14s/m305's and all operated as they should. I prefer to tighten and accurize but that's just me.

If yer a "hobby gunsmith" type and like to tinker and really get to know your firearms.... the norc m14s/m305 is a "smart" and fun buy at the current retail prices. BUT BE WARNED this rifle has almost developed a cult following and many of us have been bitten hard hehehehe if you go down the upgrading and accessorizing road..... better make a special top secret bank account. hehehe :dancingbanana: :dancingbanana:
 
king66 said:
i don't no anyone that wouldn't like a jap stereo, german sports car or wouldn't bash a new in box norinco ak47.
just my $00.02.
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:D
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45ACPKING said:
...BE WARNED this rifle has almost developed a cult following and many of us have been bitten hard hehehehe if you go down the upgrading and accessorizing road..... better make a special top secret bank account. hehehe :dancingbanana: :dancingbanana:
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That's a fact!
 
Is that an SKS in the picture? That is a different creature entirely is it not? I am almost convinced that I need one (M14). A local shooter has one and offered me a go. I am going to try to connect with him at the local kick butt KTSA range. (I'm not biased)
Handloading would be the way to go I assume? No reason not to as I am already a home roller?
 
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Oh, speaking of loads. What twist are these barrels? Are the 150-168 grain projectiles the way to go. Also, does the gas system require full steam charges, or are you guys able to tinker with the loads for accuracy and consistency?
 
Curt said:
Oh, speaking of loads. What twist are these barrels? Are the 150-168 grain projectiles the way to go. Also, does the gas system require full steam charges, or are you guys able to tinker with the loads for accuracy and consistency?
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if your'e talking about the norc 305, it's 1/12 twist, same as the real thing- and yes, unless you get a rifle that ALLOWS you to monkey around, i've found that they have to be full loads as a rule, to make the gas system work properly- the standard load i used to use was the same as my 308- 45 grains of 748 topped by a 180- the top end for an m14 is 44 grains and a 175, so you can see my loads were a little over the top in the m14- since then, i've gone to a 165-168 grain bullet and a charge of 43,8-44 grains- after switching bullets, i dropped back to 42 grains, found it wouldn't push the bolt back far enough to chamber the next round, so put the load up to 43 grains, and finally got a black primer /excess pressure at 44,2- this was all with 1 rifle- i have 4- each has different characteristics
 
h2o man, you just killed me. i love it. is it yours? i can't have one only have restricted and collector:mad:. a good thing maybe, or i would be waist high in weapons.
 
king66 said:
h2o man, you just killed me. i love it. is it yours? i can't have one only have restricted and collector:mad:. a good thing maybe, or i would be waist high in weapons.
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The new in the box Norinco is mine, living in the states has it's advantages :)
 
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