Just curious, does anyone know why they decided to copy and mass produce an M14 clone? They could have picked from any battle rifle to manufacture and sell to us, imagine if the popular thing to buy was FN or Garand copies instead. I'm glad they chose to do the M14 though, badass looking rifle it is.
Why did Norinco copy the M14?
- Thread starter metalslug
- Start date
BeaverMeat
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nanaimo, B.C.
If I recall, Norinco was contracted to build forged receivers for Smith Enterprises. But then the Clinton administration was elected.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Phat Eagle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Fraser Valley, BC
That's my understanding. All the receivers we see we're manufactured in the early 90s... Also, the Garand is apparently a fair bit more complicated to produce...
Norinco copied the military m14. It could shoot full auto and did. Some were sold in America to police and dealers. Some came
to Canada capped like the USA m14 rifle. Then new receivers were made to use up the parts from the fa guns and allow them to be sold.
The military guns were made to supply chinese allies in various southeast Asian conflicts against US allies in the sixties.
to Canada capped like the USA m14 rifle. Then new receivers were made to use up the parts from the fa guns and allow them to be sold.
The military guns were made to supply chinese allies in various southeast Asian conflicts against US allies in the sixties.
it's my understanding that the first ones were many years before the 90's productions destined for the American sporting market.
I was not aware of any smith enterprise connection.........
I think at some point in the 80's an American m14/m1a pro was hired to help china get the bugs out...... but I don't know if that's true or just my bad memory LOL
rumour has it the Chinese made the first ones to support a war in the phillipines that never happened.
I might know my way around working on these rifles but I'm not a history buff
anything you could ever want to know can be found in Lee Emerson's History and development of the M14 , google is your friend..... or hit m14.ca's website and look for the link.
I was not aware of any smith enterprise connection.........
I think at some point in the 80's an American m14/m1a pro was hired to help china get the bugs out...... but I don't know if that's true or just my bad memory LOL
rumour has it the Chinese made the first ones to support a war in the phillipines that never happened.
I might know my way around working on these rifles but I'm not a history buff
anything you could ever want to know can be found in Lee Emerson's History and development of the M14 , google is your friend..... or hit m14.ca's website and look for the link.
I has been my understanding that:
A persistent rumor states that M14 rifles produced by the People’s Republic of China were reverse engineered from enemy captured M14 rifles in Viet Nam. China North Industries Corporation, known as Norinco, is reported to have produced M14 rifles by the early 1970s. The story continues that 100,000 Chinese M14 rifles were produced for an armed revolution in the Philippines. In preparing for this work, the author interviewed a very reliable source with extensive firsthand knowledge of Chinese and Taiwanese production and export of small arms was interviewed for this work. This gentleman wishes not to be identified. He is referred to as Other Source # 12. - See more at:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...-the-chinese-m14-clones/#sthash.bju6uHnu.dpuf
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2007/10/06/history-of-the-chinese-m14-clones/
Also the US sold the machinery to Republic of China NOT Communist China. The republic destroyed the machinery when they switched to a domestic production 556 carbine.
A persistent rumor states that M14 rifles produced by the People’s Republic of China were reverse engineered from enemy captured M14 rifles in Viet Nam. China North Industries Corporation, known as Norinco, is reported to have produced M14 rifles by the early 1970s. The story continues that 100,000 Chinese M14 rifles were produced for an armed revolution in the Philippines. In preparing for this work, the author interviewed a very reliable source with extensive firsthand knowledge of Chinese and Taiwanese production and export of small arms was interviewed for this work. This gentleman wishes not to be identified. He is referred to as Other Source # 12. - See more at:
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/...-the-chinese-m14-clones/#sthash.bju6uHnu.dpuf
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2007/10/06/history-of-the-chinese-m14-clones/
Also the US sold the machinery to Republic of China NOT Communist China. The republic destroyed the machinery when they switched to a domestic production 556 carbine.
Chuckbuster
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Republic of China...I'm guessing that means Taiwan?
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link to history of the m14
http://www.m14.ca/books/M14_RHAD_Text_Only_Edition_100815.pdf
has everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask.
and yup, what we normally refer to as "Taiwan" bought the m14 production machinery.
http://www.m14.ca/books/M14_RHAD_Text_Only_Edition_100815.pdf
has everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask.
and yup, what we normally refer to as "Taiwan" bought the m14 production machinery.
"...a formal Memorandum of Understanding between Taiwan and the United States was signed on January 23, 1967. The Memorandum of Understanding grants license to the Government of Taiwan to produce M14 rifles known as the Type 57. The January 23, 1967 memorandum states that Taiwan will purchase tools, components, material, documentation, technical assistance and assemblies from Fiscal Year 1967 through Fiscal Year 1969. As agreed to in the Memorandum of Understanding, the U. S. government sold some of the M14 rifle production machinery used by Harrington & Richardson to Taiwan in 1968. One complete set of fixtures and inspection gages was supplied to the Government of Taiwan by Springfield Armory. By November 1968, nineteen machine tools had been accepted by the Government of Taiwan out of 150 offered by the U. S. government. Shipment of the M14 project equipment previously used by Harrington & Richardson Arms to Taiwan was completed in 1969. This assistance effort was coordinated by MAAG China. The Memorandum of Understanding also required that the Taiwanese T57 items produced would be interchangeable logistically with USGI M14 items."
Emerson, Lee.,(201). M14 Rifle History and Development, P. 114-115.
Emerson, Lee.,(201). M14 Rifle History and Development, P. 114-115.
Taiwan produced and used the M14 rifle, this is not the same rifle that the North China Industrial Cooperative (now known as Norinco) produced. Norinco's production was started specifically to arm communist rebels in the Philippines toward the end of the Viet Nam war. The Chinese were thrilled by the success of the Viet Namese, and wanted to make the Philippines the next "domino" to fall. Unfortunately for the Chinese - and probably fortunately for everyone else, this didn't work out. Original M305's imported into Canada used receivers that were left over from this attempt, but were re-machined before assembly to be semi auto only. At the time this was completely legal. Receivers since then have been produced as pure semi autos.
Suspect they started with 'em to get hard Western currency after looking at what was selling big Stateside. Our market would have been of little interest until Slick Willy banned the import of the cheap Polytech and Norinco copies while pretending to be punishing the Reds for human rights issues.
The Reds might have ben thrilled about the Viet victory, but the two countries do not get along. There have been numerous border skirmishes over the years.
The Reds might have ben thrilled about the Viet victory, but the two countries do not get along. There have been numerous border skirmishes over the years.
And they built between 6000,000 and a million of them, which leads to the question, where did they go ? I think I may have one, assembled on an after market receiver. No markings but has a stock that fits the profile.
Grizz
Lee Emerson's book: "M14 Rifle History and Development", can be found here: http://www.m14.ca/books/M14_RHAD_Text_Only_Edition_100815.pdf It also details a substantial section on the history and development of Chinese M14 copies (Polytech and Norinco). You can find this starting on page 248. This is a great book on everything M14 and their commercial copies.
Ya'll should keep in mind the different "Chinas".
Norinco and Polytech are mainland communist Chinese.
The Chinese who purchased the tooling from the USA were Taiwanese. The confusion stems from the fact that the Taiwanese refer to themselves as "Chinese" as well.
they made them specifically for me, I said "I want an m14 copy that wont cost me an arm and a leg just because it is made in the USA", so they delivered, you are all welcome. now if only they could get me a 500$ p90, or a few other fun toys, I'll be happy to welcome our future overlords with open arms when they march into canada.
