Norinco M4 confusion

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al100

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So I bit the bullet and have a M4 showing up in the mail next week. I decided this after reading many posts on how flawless they have been said to operate.

Now I am reading that people are having problem with mags, and ammo. I have the LAR15 mags from Queststar but now I dont know if they will work. I also have seen that as advertised they are 223/5.56 but pictures indicate the data stamp shows its a 5.56. I assumed they were the same. In a recent thread I read that infact they are different, but that the 223 can be used in place of the 5.56 but not the other way around.

So will 223 work in my M4, it seems hit and miss, they are safe and do go bang but that is about all. will they feed proper? Will they cycle the action proper? is this why people are having problems with the bolt not locking back? The more I read the more I get confused.

Do I have to start a search for 5.56 or reload the make this gun work?
The 5.56 seems had to find, or is it just that I dont know where to look. But It does not seem readily available

Maybe the problem is me? As I have up to this point always have a true love for blackpowder, and this purchase is really out of my element.
 
Thanks guys. I figured that with my true lack of knowledge and all the reading I had done I was just getting myself confused and worked up over nothing.

I will just shoot it with the 223's that I have see how it works and go from there.
 
Problems with the Norc (and all M4/AR-15's) tend to result from the rifle running dry. By this I mean not enough lubrication on the bolt carrier group. When you get your Norc, give it a good clean. After that the bolt carrier group (BCG) should be rubbed down with a cloth dampened with Break Free. When you get your Break Free, get the spray can and take it with you where ever your Norc goes. When the rifle feels like it's getting rough, spray break free on the BCG and rack it a few times, then resume firing. There is no need to lube the buffer and or spring. The LAR mags work perfectly, as do PMags and USGI's. You don't know it yet but your real biggest problem is that you don't have enough ammo - when you own an AR, you never have enough ammo. Either 5.56 (which is virtually non-existant out there) or .223 in 55 or 62 grain loads will work wonderfully- do not shoot 40 grain "varmint" loads in an AR no matter how cheap it is, most of it is not properly crimped for use in semi-automatic rifles. Enjoy.
 
al100 said:
Thanks guys. I figured that with my true lack of knowledge and all the reading I had done I was just getting myself confused and worked up over nothing.

I will just shoot it with the 223's that I have see how it works and go from there.
Click to expand...

Check out the sticky up top on 223/5.56 - Safe to interchange?

It answers all your questions.
 
Yep, the turkeys round here swear by those Norcs and from what I have seen, rightfully so. From what I have heard the only issues that crop up are for the home builders - apparently the clippers make them with metric threads in some parts or something, and everyone else is imperial...and even that was not an issue because the ever-present aftermarket stepped in to offer the necessary parts with the necessary dimensions.

One thing is for sure, you are among friends here. I once bunged up my AR with a primer that fell out and shat my pants in fright at the thought of taking the thing apart right down to the bare bones. 'No problem,' the Gunnutz said, 'go visit this link, watch this video, and read this column - and fix your own damn gun yourself...!' I had no problems at all thanks to the help I got here.

There is also alot of BS floating around this forum too...but nobody takes me all that seriously around here...:D
 
enefgee said:
Problems with the Norc (and all M4/AR-15's) tend to result from the rifle running dry. By this I mean not enough lubrication on the bolt carrier group. When you get your Norc, give it a good clean. After that the bolt carrier group (BCG) should be rubbed down with a cloth dampened with Break Free. When you get your Break Free, get the spray can and take it with you where ever your Norc goes. When the rifle feels like it's getting rough, spray break free on the BCG and rack it a few times, then resume firing. There is no need to lube the buffer and or spring. The LAR mags work perfectly, as do PMags and USGI's. You don't know it yet but your real biggest problem is that you don't have enough ammo - when you own an AR, you never have enough ammo. Either 5.56 (which is virtually non-existant out there) or .223 in 55 or 62 grain loads will work wonderfully- do not shoot 40 grain "varmint" loads in an AR no matter how cheap it is, most of it is not properly crimped for use in semi-automatic rifles. Enjoy.
Click to expand...

I second that. Jacketed Hollow Points get destroyed in my M4. I was unaware of this until I tried it. You need to shoot FMJ out of this gun as if any resistance is met by the uncrimped ammo it will push it right back into the casing causing the round to become unsafe/unusable.
 
I've never had a problem with JHPs in my ARs, I got great performance and reliability shooting 69 grain Sierra Matchkings through my Armalite, and they're jacketed BTHPs.

Would you guys avoid a high velocity .223 loaded with a 45 grain JHP?

In terms of .223 or 5.56, I'd check with the rifle's manufacturer. From what I know, some "black rifles" that come into Canada are 5.56, just marked .223 for regulatory purposes, others aren't properly chambered to handle 5.56. Anyways, great tips all around - keep the rifle properly lubricated, and feed it quality ammo from reliable mags, no problems to be had.

Peter
 
peter.a said:
I've never had a problem with JHPs in my ARs, I got great performance and reliability shooting 69 grain Sierra Matchkings through my Armalite, and they're jacketed BTHPs.

Would you guys avoid a high velocity .223 loaded with a 45 grain JHP?

In terms of .223 or 5.56, I'd check with the rifle's manufacturer. From what I know, some "black rifles" that come into Canada are 5.56, just marked .223 for regulatory purposes, others aren't properly chambered to handle 5.56. Anyways, great tips all around - keep the rifle properly lubricated, and feed it quality ammo from reliable mags, no problems to be had.

Peter
Click to expand...

Your Matchkings have a different profile than the shorter, lighter 40 grain whitebox rounds, also if you're loading them I'm assuming you crimp the rounds (a very good idea). The Norc chamber is a 5.56 chamber.
 
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