Springfield VS Norinco

Springfield M1 Or Norinco 305


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Hey if it makes you happy go and buy the Springfield. Now if you want a better rifle go buy the Norico, chuck the stock in the fire/trash, sell all the parts you take off the receiver, buy a new USGI stock, barrel, gas assy, blah blah.....and you'll have 10x the rifle than the Springfield.
+1
I did exactly that and had one awesome rifle built on a proper forged receiver.
I have owned Springfield's before and like the Norc/usgi build alot better.
 
Norinco all the way.

Krieger match barrel headspaced to the Chinese bolt, new rear and front sights, trigger job, replace op-rod and op-rod spring guide, shim the gas system, and you have a rifle that will easily keep pace with a Springfield, but for about $1k less.
 
The springfield is a better made rifle. I dont care about how cheap a Norinco is. Bottom line is you're hard pressed to shoot past 300 meters when your front sight is indexed #### eyed about 5 degrees. The Norks suck, unless you tear them down and rebuild them with better parts. I dont buy Chinese products for ethical reasons.
Although the American made rifles are better i dont think they're worth their price tags either. Nevermind the price of a garand these days. Out of the box you can't argue which is better. Being cheap will cost you in the gun world.
 
I wouldn't put my money into a Chinese piece of sh*t. I have handled both norinco and SA. There is no comparison. If you believe that you probably think norinco AR is just as good as an LMT.

Now if you are looking for a cheap clone that shoots, and may or may not blow up one day on the range, buy a norinco. Just do not compare it to a US made firearm.

Rob.Y
HST Armourer.
 
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Staying in Canada? If so go with the Norc.

Plan to travel to the States with your rifle - Go Springfield

I have both, i am very surprised at how my 2007 Norc shoots, 1 to 1 1/2moa with match ammo with the only mod being a USGI stock. FYI, the springfield provides the same grouping at 4times the cost, and that rifle has been bedded and tuned.
 
I wouldn't put my money into a Chinese piece of sh*t. I have handled both norinco and SA. There is no comparison. If you believe that you probably think norinco AR is just as good as an LMT.

Now if you are looking for a cheap clone that shoots, and may or may not blow up on day on the range, buy a norinco. Just do not compare it to a US made firearm.

Rob.Y
HST Armourer.

I am no fan of norincos, but I really doubt this would happen to the newer ones
 
Staying in Canada? If so go with the Norc.

Plan to travel to the States with your rifle - Go Springfield

I have both, i am very surprised at how my 2007 Norc shoots, 1 to 1 1/2moa with match ammo with the only mod being a USGI stock. FYI, the springfield provides the same grouping at 4times the cost, and that rifle has been bedded and tuned.

I zeroed my Remmington 700 at 300, then fired to 500. Drop was 29 inches. I did the same for my Norc and the drop was 29 inches at 500 yards.
 
Pfff, you can hate on norks all you want.
The fact remains their m14 receiver is properly forged and as close to usgi as it gets. Don't take my word for it, talk to Ron at SEI.

I can take any one of these rifles and score hits all day long past 300m after it is properly indexed and the rear sight upgraded. Indexing a barrel and installing a garand sight is easy s*it.
 
I have been sucked in to chicom crap 3 times, 1 grizzly and 2 norcs. Both where against my better judgement and I regret all 3 purchases. All 3 guns practically fell apart within 2 weeks of getting them. I have a mag fed norc sitting in my gun safe right now that I wouldn't even give away it's such a pile of crap.

I won't buy anything but north american made guns regardless of the price (some people may have different opinions but I like putting a face to the brand I'm buying from. Not a mystical offshore brand with not even a main office). Junk is junk especially when comparing the 2 rifles that your are.
 
I'm not going to make a comment as to which is better. Those that know more than I do insist the Norinco is a better rifle. I have 3 Springfield’s including a Super Match. I'm keeping them. They meet my expectations.

What I will say is that if I was to buy a Norinco and I've given it some thought it would not be sight unseen. I don't care how inexpensive it is, if it comes out of the box with improperly indexed sights or one of the other flaws that seem to come up fairly often the savings would mean nothing to me. I often wonder why so many are for sale. Are people here really that broke that $400 will save their ass? Are they dumping a turkey on the unsuspecting? Maybe it wouldn't shoot 1 MOA as most of them here reportedly do.

I have a list of Springfield M1A rifles by serial number compiled by Lee Emerson which details the changes and issues observed over their production history. It does not seem to be nearly as condemning of them as others would have us believe. Mr Emerson is highly regarded as an M14 authority.

You will not get support for a Springfield purchase over a Norinco on this site. This is largely due to what I see as a clear bias by the members. Many of them repeat things incorrectly they have read here . For example Springfield receivers are not made from inferior steel. They use a different manufacturing process. Forging is superior to casting, this is true. Keep in mind the original M14 was a select fire rifle with an expected service life of 400,000 rounds.

I have seen nothing on line of worn out M1A receivers. I also can say that I have not seen a single thread here reporting problems with an M1A. That's not to say there are not any. They don't come up often. I also don't see M1A owners claiming their standards make 100 yard cloverleafs. This could be due to the humiliation one feels for having paid 4 X what a Norinco costs for a piece of junk. You know having more money than brains. Generally speaking those with the money have more brains too. I'm always amused by the genius's out there that live on CPP in a singlewide.

Remember that Springfield Inc is based in the USA and that shortcommings in their manufacture that affect safety leaves them open to lawsuits that would potentially bankrupt the company. You can be sure that any serious flaws are quickly remedied. A lifetime warranty is something that few manufacturers give on their products today. Norinco offers no such thing and is covered only by the Seacan warranty. Once it's on the boat they wash their hands of it much like they ignore copyright law.

We are fortunate that we have the ability to decide for ourselves. Whichever way you decide to go happy shooting.
 
So your paying 400 for just the reciever?

Ahhhh...that's a good deal. Have you checked the price of a Fulton Armory receiver or one from 762mm Firearms??? $500-$700 !?!? And you can't shoot just a receiver...you can shoot the $400 Norinco 'receiver' until you get the other parts for whatever super duper mega match rifle you plan on building. Seems like a no brain'er to me...

Either way you look at it however much I used to want a 'Genuine Springfeild M1A' I can not justify spending $2000 on a rifle that MIGHT shoot 2 MOAish.
 
I'm not going to make a comment as to which is better. Those that know more than I do insist the Norinco is a better rifle. I have 3 Springfield’s including a Super Match. I'm keeping them. They meet my expectations.

What I will say is that if I was to buy a Norinco and I've given it some thought it would not be sight unseen. I don't care how inexpensive it is, if it comes out of the box with improperly indexed sights or one of the other flaws that seem to come up fairly often the savings would mean nothing to me. I often wonder why so many are for sale. Are people here really that broke that $400 will save their ass? Are they dumping a turkey on the unsuspecting? Maybe it wouldn't shoot 1 MOA as most of them here reportedly do.

I have a list of Springfield M1A rifles by serial number compiled by Lee Emerson which details the changes and issues observed over their production history. It does not seem to be nearly as condemning of them as others would have us believe. Mr Emerson is highly regarded as an M14 authority.

You will not get support for a Springfield purchase over a Norinco on this site. This is largely due to what I see as a clear bias by the members. Many of them repeat things incorrectly they have read here . For example Springfield receivers are not made from inferior steel. They use a different manufacturing process. Forging is superior to casting, this is true. Keep in mind the original M14 was a select fire rifle with an expected service life of 400,000 rounds.

I have seen nothing on line of worn out M1A receivers. I also can say that I have not seen a single thread here reporting problems with an M1A. That's not to say there are not any. They don't come up often. I also don't see M1A owners claiming their standards make 100 yard cloverleafs. This could be due to the humiliation one feels for having paid 4 X what a Norinco costs for a piece of junk. You know having more money than brains. Generally speaking those with the money have more brains too. I'm always amused by the genius's out there that live on CPP in a singlewide.

Remember that Springfield Inc is based in the USA and that shortcommings in their manufacture that affect safety leaves them open to lawsuits that would potentially bankrupt the company. You can be sure that any serious flaws are quickly remedied. A lifetime warranty is something that few manufacturers give on their products today. Norinco offers no such thing and is covered only by the Seacan warranty. Once it's on the boat they wash their hands of it much like they ignore copyright law.

We are fortunate that we have the ability to decide for ourselves. Whichever way you decide to go happy shooting.

Well said.

I purchased my Springfield at a time when Norcs were selling in the $800 mark and sometimes more. At that time, I did not want to trust the Chinese M14 version. Since then it has proven itself time and again to be a compentent shooter. There has been lemons - yes, i purchased one of the original blued ones used and it cost me almost double what i paid for it to get it fixed by M14Doc.
 
I would suggest you buy the Norinco and do the mods yourself. Having 4 of each ,I will say Springfields do "Look" nicer out of the box . Disaster monkey has a point about the cast Reproduced parts . Op rods , trigger assemblies, some rear sight parts ,extractors ,flash suppressors,front sights,and gascylinders are all cast in Taiwan . Receivers are cast in Canada ,and the barrels are spun in house on Wilson blanks. Ask yourself this would you rather buy a SA inc rifle made with mostly Taiwanese parts for $$$$$$ or a Chinese made rifle for about 1/4 of the cost ?
Having both ,it would be a no brainer for me . Of my last 4 rifles 3 have been Polytechs(Chinese ) with only 1 Springfield early rifle with all USGI parts . Plus you get to buy the Norincos for 1/2 of what we have to pay here in the states .
You will not be sorry


This here is a home run!!!!! Right outta the ballpark.........Couldn't have said it better myself...... ;)

LRC, shoot me a PM if you have any questions about the Norcs and building them up........
 
I'm not going to make a comment as to which is better. Those that know more than I do insist the Norinco is a better rifle. I have 3 Springfield’s including a Super Match. I'm keeping them. They meet my expectations.

I wouldn't say that anyone says that. The Norincos have their issues, nobody is denying that. However, with a few tweaks and swapping out some of the parts, you can get a rifle that will match or exceed the Springfield in performance, but for less coin. As noted, the Springfields are prettier, and they're definitely better rifles out of the box, but at less than 1/4 the cost, the Norcs are hard to beat, especially if you're willing to put some work in and build a "custom" M14 off a norc receiver/bolt.
 
Ahhhh...that's a good deal. Have you checked the price of a Fulton Armory receiver or one from 762mm Firearms??? $500-$700 !?!? And you can't shoot just a receiver...you can shoot the $400 Norinco 'receiver' until you get the other parts for whatever super duper mega match rifle you plan on building. Seems like a no brain'er to me...

Either way you look at it however much I used to want a 'Genuine Springfeild M1A' I can not justify spending $2000 on a rifle that MIGHT shoot 2 MOAish.

Seems like a no brainer to me too. If I'm going to spend the time and money to build a first class M14 rifle with a match barrel and USGI parts I'll pay the extra $300 for a Yankee receiver. That's if I can get one.

And all of this is moot because my Springfield's do what I need them to.
 
The word Norinco sends shivers down my spine. From a very young age the Norinco's have meant the cheapest poorest built firearms money can buy with the accuracy of a 12guage at 100 yrds. This is exagerated of course but in all my feeling toward this product.

Now to the meat. I have been contemplating buying a Springfield M1A super match for about a year but am into a rifle project with ATRS right now, but once that one is done and paid for an M-14 type rifle is in the works.

What I have been reading is the general opinion on this board is that the Norinco is right up there with the Springfield with big savings in dollars. my question is. Is it worth going the Springfield route or buy the "Dreaded Norinco" and do your own custom mods to it?

Forgive me for asking this question....It hurts to do it...I hope the Springfield comes out ontop! :shock:

It shouldn't hurt to ask any question....it's a smart thing for you to do so:)

I've owned them all at one time or another, Springfield standard grade, NM grade, and have had a couple Norincos. My Springfield experiences are those made previous to 1995-ish. My Springfield standard model shot as well as the NM did at 100m, but the NM really started to take over after 300m. Unlike the norcs, sights were always indexed and repeatable.

Even after tuning, the two norcs went from 5-6 moa shooters to approx 3.5 moa ones (the tuning was glassing, unitizing and flash hider reaming---that's all). These norcs were also mid 1990's era. There is a lot to be said that they're apparently are much better now, but I still see that the front and rear sights remain an issue. And you have to wonder....if they can't fix something so obvious, what else is there under the surface?

To me, if you're in it for the plinking, you can't beat a norc. If you're a young guy with little $$$, it's great as well, as you can slowly have it built up/components replaced. just be sure you can get those said components, as supplies dry up, and export/import laws seem to change all the time.

However, if you want a quality (non-restricted) semi-auto for long range shooting, go with the Springfield Match or Sm. models/B]. Everything is already on the rifle (Douglas or Kreiger barrel, etc), You're good to go, no waiting for gunsmiths or importable parts. The other thing I like about the Springfield/M1A series is that, unlike most bolt action sniper rifles, you've got reliable iron sight backups in case of scope failure.

As far as I know, Springfield still operates/builds these (NM and SM's) in their custom shop, so it's not like they're being made by a guy getting 20 cents an hour. Anyways, that's my 2 cents' (or maybe 20 cents) worth!:)
 
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