Do you think this gun is stolen?

[jaimeshawn]

Do you think this gun is stolen? I was visiting a gun shop with my father, and asked the owner if he had any M1As in. He said that he had a Norinco Polytech M14S that just came in and offered it to me for $499, with 4 magazines, a spare stock, 100 rds of Brit Radway, a B-Square scope mount and a Bushnell 4x - 12x Sportsview, a storage sock and a sling. Given how he usually isn't cheap, and how eager he seemed to part with the rifle, and that he knows that my father and I both BUY guns and are more likely to sell our children, than sell them, I was wondering. It just seemed odd.

The gun was missing the forward handgrip - and looked like in new unfired condition which is also odd given Clinton banned the importation of Norincos ten years ago.

On the other hand, gun-shop owners are often strange. I had one guy refuse to take $250 for a MAS 49/57 but turn around and sell me a SAFN he had in stock for that price.

 

[Berg]

That's a hell of a price. I think selling stolen property is a crime. If you have the police run the serial number they will tell you if its stolen. I don't think the guy would take the risk to sell a stolen gun when you can easily check if it's hot.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I doubt that a gun dealer would be trying to sell a stolen gun and do something like giving it an unrealistically low price. That would potentially draw unwanted attention and assumption as it had in your case.

As noted above, get the serial # and have the local cops run it.

As for the cheap price, I would be more inclined to think that he is trying to unload it because there is something wrong with the gun.

Selling stolen guns is illegal, but selling broken guns is not.

 

[logical]

Stolen guns don't usually come with spare stocks and ammo. Sounds like a package trade in that he gave some guy $300 for and just wants to flip it for a quick $100.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I'd buy it. Then I'd get one of the reputable M14/M1A 'smiths to do the USGI bolt update on it and check the receiver for any stretching. I seem to remember the 'Rincos had a reputation for sloppy headspace.

Then, after it checks out and the mods are finished, BA/UU/R/E


Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[Logan5]

Note on Norinco M1A's: Check the mags to make sure they're not blocked down. I had a NIB one that came with several Norinco 20 rounders, and of course I didn't find out until I got it home that Norinco had spot welded a sheet of steel to the bottoms of their followers to block them down to 5 rounds. Not really a problem now, but in 1999 it was a real letdown.

And seriously, a SAFN for $250? Does he have any more?!?

 

[TheDutchman]

Why wory about it, Dealers still has to fill out a Yellow sheet.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Buy it, Buy it!

PM Sent.

If you don't want the gun please give me the dealers name and phone number so that I may have the weapon transfered to my FFL. What a deal!

 

[30Cal]

There is no forward handgrip on an M14.

 

[thatguy]

No FFL who wasn't an idiot would knowingly sell a stolen gun. Maybe he was just making what he thought was a good price on a gun that has some questionable history. A number of the Norinco M1As were reported to have blown up in the late 1980s. I saw one that had let go so I know it happened to at least one (but it may have been an ammo problem) despite many favorable testimonies from owners.

 

[Bwana John]

Headspace

 

[Gewehr98]

Norinco M14/S rifles had forged receivers and soft bolts.

Their headspace would sometimes open up after x-number of rounds. Fitting USGI bolts to the Norinco rifles was a great business while the rifles were still being imported. For a $499 investment in the rifle, I'm sure I could find a USGI bolt that would fit just fine, and have plenty of cash left over for ammo, etc.

BTW, Norinco never made an M1A. M1A is a trademark of Springfield, Inc, and is used to designate their own semi-auto version of the USGI M14 rifle. I have an Armscorp M14NM. Norinco made M14/S rifles, LRB makes M14SA rifles, MKS assembled M14A1's, and Fed Ord made M14A rifles. Only the Springfield is an M1A.

 

[jaimeshawn]

My buddy was saying that the unfired looking condition - and the fact that with 5 million illegal mexicans walking into the country each year from one direction, that it was hypothetically possible for a $300 Canadian rifle to 'walk' in from the other direction and magically become a $600 rifle.
This rifle has perfect new parkerizing and not the faintest wiff of any MIL-G-460003 being applied anywhere, and unless he knew how to check the numbers, he'd be wondering if he bought a parts kit.

He pointed me to a site to check the numbers were legitimately imported into the USA - which seems to be the case.

http://www.ambackforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=19943&sid=c9c3e397ed3a187cae6be181c6bfc093

PS: I bought the rifle immediately - It's just afterwards I'm wondering why that deal was so good. The rifle works fine - the only thing I noticed was the lips on one of the magazines was tweaked and had to be adjusted before it would feed reliably - And as for the guy that wouldn't sell the MAS49/56, but gave away a SAFN... out of business...

 

[Logan5]

So sad... But I hope your Norinco turns out to be a great shooter. Congrats on the new rifle.