The new M14/305

Parabelum

Parabelum

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I got a question for the newer M14 305 owners. How do they compare to the older M14 like mine I have a 2007 it works flawlessly but the machining is horrible. I polished some of it but I want to know if the newer ones were better in any aspects? As the years passes and they produce more and more I thought they could get better at it. Im looking at buying another one in shorty barrel and want to know if the headspace issues are gone or still present as much as before.
 
I have a 2007 and a 2012 shorty, and pulling the bolt back on the 2012 was far rougher than on my 2007. Something to do with the op rod I discovered. Other than that they seem pretty much the same, but I wouldn't call either of them horrible.
 
Silent8Strike said:
I have a 2007 and a 2012 shorty, and pulling the bolt back on the 2012 was far rougher than on my 2007. Something to do with the op rod I discovered. Other than that they seem pretty much the same, but I wouldn't call either of them horrible.
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Funny you mention that... My best friend's M305 has a bent op rod. I shouldn't even call it bent, more like it has an ever so slight curve to it that it was barely noticeable. When racking the bolt back it binds the spring into the inner lip where the op rod spring and spring guide run into. It makes one hell of a grinding noise when pulling that bolt back. Feels like its running on a track of ribbing. Only way to make it operate smoothly is to nix the match grade op rod spring guide and use the ugly Chinese thing it came with. I think its a 2012 rifle, how does one tell the year of the rifle? We bought ours in 2012 from Canada Ammo.
 
AVT-40 said:
Funny you mention that... My best friend's M305 has a bent op rod. I shouldn't even call it bent, more like it has an ever so slight curve to it that it was barely noticeable. When racking the bolt back it binds the spring into the inner lip where the op rod spring and spring guide run into. It makes one hell of a grinding noise when pulling that bolt back. Feels like its running on a track of ribbing. Only way to make it operate smoothly is to nix the match grade op rod spring guide and use the ugly Chinese thing it came with. I think its a 2012 rifle, how does one tell the year of the rifle? We bought ours in 2012 from Canada Ammo.
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The first four numbers of the serial number denote the year of manufacture (at least they do on my 2009 M305)
 
2007's are generally thought of as the 'most accurate' batch of rifles once you clean up the condition they seem to come in lol

I've got one, and it shoots well, but it took me 3 years to get it to the point where it shoots.
 
Rocket Surgery said:
2007's are generally thought of as the 'most accurate' batch of rifles once you clean up the condition they seem to come in lol

I've got one, and it shoots well, but it took me 3 years to get it to the point where it shoots.
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Well, my 2009 would shoot 1.5 MOA with a Bushnell 3x9 Trophy scope on it, and that's before I sent it to M14Doctor to have it made into a shorty. Now, it shoots just about 1 MOA@100 yds with my handloads (42.5 gr H4895, 165gr Hornady Interlock bullets, and whatever Large Rifle primers I have). I can't complain about that.
 
AVT-40 said:
I think its a 2012 rifle, how does one tell the year of the rifle? We bought ours in 2012 from Canada Ammo.
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Send a PM to Different, he can decipher the codes on the receiver (not the SN), and tell you the actual date of manufacture. For example, the receiver on my 2007 was manufactured in April 1994.
 
I used the same method I use on car parts start with 100 grain sandpaper and work my way up to 1600 then polishing paste but I didn't wanted it mirror finish so I stopped at 1000 grain it was smooth enough for my taste. Getting rid of the factory milling marks is the longest it can take more then 8 hours of work to get a nice smooth finish. Oh and a truck load of elbow grease.
 
shredder said:
Well, my 2009 would shoot 1.5 MOA with a Bushnell 3x9 Trophy scope on it, and that's before I sent it to M14Doctor to have it made into a shorty. Now, it shoots just about 1 MOA@100 yds with my handloads (42.5 gr H4895, 165gr Hornady Interlock bullets, and whatever Large Rifle primers I have). I can't complain about that.
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What kind of brass do you use?
 
AVT-40 said:
Funny you mention that... My best friend's M305 has a bent op rod. I shouldn't even call it bent, more like it has an ever so slight curve to it that it was barely noticeable. When racking the bolt back it binds the spring into the inner lip where the op rod spring and spring guide run into. It makes one hell of a grinding noise when pulling that bolt back. Feels like its running on a track of ribbing. Only way to make it operate smoothly is to nix the match grade op rod spring guide and use the ugly Chinese thing it came with. I think its a 2012 rifle, how does one tell the year of the rifle? We bought ours in 2012 from Canada Ammo.
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That is exactly the same issue I was having with my 2012, right down to the grinding noise. I knew it had something to do with the op rod, but only because I swapped the one from my 2007 onto it and the issue went away. Its nice to know what the actual problem probably is with the op rod, and the work around with the spring guide. I have a match one on both my M14s.
 
AVT-40 said:
Funny you mention that... My best friend's M305 has a bent op rod. I shouldn't even call it bent, more like it has an ever so slight curve to it that it was barely noticeable. When racking the bolt back it binds the spring into the inner lip where the op rod spring and spring guide run into. It makes one hell of a grinding noise when pulling that bolt back. Feels like its running on a track of ribbing. Only way to make it operate smoothly is to nix the match grade op rod spring guide and use the ugly Chinese thing it came with. I think its a 2012 rifle, how does one tell the year of the rifle? We bought ours in 2012 from Canada Ammo.
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Mine is exactly the same, behaves the same way. I'll have to take a closer look at the op rod. Mine is a 2012
 
I swaped my 2012 oprod...noisy and very loose on the receiver.

Finished off the mill work as described above.

Mines a we bit over indexed but it does not affect function. Ditching sights anyway, scoped and direct threaded muzzle brake.
 
yomomma said:
I swaped my 2012 oprod...noisy and very loose on the receiver.

Finished off the mill work as described above.

Mines a we bit over indexed but it does not affect function. Ditching sights anyway, scoped and direct threaded muzzle brake.
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Please tell me which kind of direct threaded muzzle brake did you used, was it a 5/8x34 or another kind of thread cause I've been looking over the internet for a solid answer without anything so far... I want to know if I can change my ugly and too long original muzzle brake by something a little more tacticool. My M305 is a 2012 as well

Thanks for answering

Cheers!!

M14Freak
 
I will be getting g one of these in the next week or so. I am one of the first to have one and will be writing a review with lots of pictures.

It is a direct screw on for the Chinese guns.

IMG_2296_zps7cb6c898.jpg
 
I have a 2012 22" and the main things that stand out:
- the charging handle had an edge so sharp I still have a scar 8 months later
- the op rod guide mounted slightly off center
- barrel slightly over indexed making the iron sights look off, I however also inherited an M1A Springfield and it suffers from the same problem

However I've put a lot of rounds through it and with a scope mounted it's a great rifle. I thought about having the kinks worked out of it but I can't justify spending a bunch of cash on a 400$ rifle.
 
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