Soon-to-be Norinco M14 owner with a question.

[xmms]

So I've been doing a lot of research on the rifle and lurking this board for a while, and I'm fairly new to firearms in general.

I see that the flash hider on the Norinco M14 is soldered or welded on. Once I remove the flash hider will it still be able to be secured back into its position once the weld has been broken? Will other flash hiders designed for the M14/M1A still work on the Norinco if I just use the metric castle nut that it comes with?

Thanks!

 

[nemesisincanada]

Yes on USGI flash hiders and metric nut.

 

[fnrob]

The flash hider should still be useable after the weld has been broken. As for other flash hiders, nemisisincanada is right - as long as the Norc's original metric castle nut is used, a USGI or similar flash hider will fit.

 

[CerealBlast]

why would someone want to remove the flash hider? what is the purpose gained from this?

 

[raindog]

It is nice to be able to completely strip the rifle for cleaning, and once the flash hider is removable one can shim the gas cylinder or reverse the gas lock to attain proper gas lock fit.
Many Norc/Poly flash hiders are poorly machined with the sight base wonky, which leads some people to incorrectly assume there is a barrel index problem. A USGI spec. flash hider replacement can be the fix.

Also, some of us just like the authentic M14 "ping" that you get with the real deal;-)

 

[t-star]

why would someone want to remove the flash hider? what is the purpose gained from this?

there's a number of reasons- lugless for a lugged type so you can mount a bayonet/compensator( the usgi one clamps to the bayonet lug) shorten the barrel, or add an aftermarket compensator/muzzlebrake- of course, you can avoid all this by buying a lugged flashider- unless you WANT to put on a muzzlebrake

 

[CerealBlast]

So....basicly the flash hider can affect your accuracy. how many lbs of recoil does it have?


i haven't seen this rifle yet and will hopefully get it on monday.

 

[RememberTheSomme]

If you are ordering a new norc, the F/H should be only slipped on, and not plug welded. With a castle nut wrench, mine just slipped of the splines like any USGI.
Seems like most 2009 guns or newer were not plug welded. My receiver is stamped 2009.
Only reason to replace it would be if the sight base is cut out of true from being perpendicular through the top spline inside the hider, leaving you with a slightly leaning sight and a zero corrected with it shifted hard to one side. Three splines cut at 120 degrees, mate into 3 slots in the end of your barrel.

Good luck, I hope you hider is not plug welded, and it was cut correctly by comrade Mao.

 

[VE2]

Dont really see the need to wack the FH off myself. Unless it is out of spec, it will do what it is supposed to do. A few folks seem to have some monday morning production products which are tilted to one side or the other. If yours is good to go which you can see and check out with a few rounds, dont worry, be happy. If not, get rid of the puppy and get a USGI replacement.

 

[TACTICAL111]

why would someone want to remove the flash hider? what is the purpose gained from this?

If you want to unitize the gas system it will have to come off to flip the gas lock around.

 

[emmab]

Its true that you don't need to take off the hider. Having the sight way off to one side doesn't matter if you can still zero your rifle, but with it off it gives you access to other parts that may need tweaking like the gas lock (that sometime need shims to tighten properly, which you have to cut to get over the barrel.) By turning the lock over sometimes the slop is taken out as well. Not to mention trying a real US hider or reaming the old one out. There are quite a few NM options that require removal. Originals weren't welded on anyways

 

[M14Doctor]

These days with the new rifles, some are welded, some are not. There seems to be no real ryhme or reason.
The original reason these were welded from the get go, was to cooperate with the US regulations so the rifles could be sold in all states. At least that's my understanding.

You only need to replace the chinese unit if it is flawed somehow or is cosmetically undesireable.
Inspect for concentricity to bore with a flash hider alingment tool (most folks don't have this tool)

Check the flash hider base appears level and centered to the flash hider body.

A chinese flash hider that is correcly machined, does not need to be replaced. Also chinese flash hiders are closer to NM internal diameter and this is good.
Muzzle devices that are a direct swap are availlable and you just reuse the chinese barrel's castlenut.
Smith Enterprise - Coast Guard Muzzle break, other smith enterprise muzzle devices(vortex flash hiders) are not legally exportable to canada

Springfield Armoury Inc. - standard usgi type flash hider and they also have a muzzle stabilize/compensator (like a brake) (spcamno lists these in the EE frequently)

Surplus usgi flash hiders - not legally exported from U.S. But pop up in the CGN EE here and there.
About US sourced muzzle devices:
Generally Muzzle Brakes and Compensators are exportable.
Flash hiders are NOT as they fall under the implement of war designation.
There is always a way to get "controlled items" from the U.S. But generally a costly, red tape affair unless these items come already attached to a legally imported firearm.

I'm no expert and the above is how "I" understand the realities of sourcing a "castle nut retained" muzzle device for replacing the factory unit, be it a chinese rifle, a springfield M1A or other version of the rifle.