Just bought a Polytech M14 (IDE import?) and a polymer stock

[AirPower]

Hi, I just got a Polytech M14 rifle, it says "IDE USA SFLD MICH." so is this an IDE imported gun? I heard that they tend to be better than earlier imports. Is this something I should be careful about the headspacing?

Also, is the Chinese wood stock any good? It looks very nice, but it feels a bit soft, and dents easy. Does anyone know what's a good stock? I bought an old polymer (fiberglass?) stock. It looks pretty bad with some old finish, but no damage to it. Inside the inlet by mag well, it has markings "D-3742-GB-2", and then "DT" toward the bottom. Does this mean anything?

Also, I'm looking to buy some 20rd mags. The ones I found advertised are USGI with "W" on the magazine, about $20 each. Is that good price for authentic USGI? Or should I get other mags?

 

[1KPerDay]

The chu wood on the polytech is lighter, softer, and overall more crappy than USGI wood or Springfield Armory/commercial walnut. I haven't had any trouble with mine but I've only had it out once since installing it. (I have an SAI but the USGI stocks wouldn't work, long story).

Anywho, the only trouble you might run into is trying to fit the poly buttplate on the USGI stock... they're different, at least mine was. I had to inlet the poly stock for a usgi buttplate, and also for the connector pin. I don't know if it'll be a problem going the other way.

A bit of spray paint will spruce that GI fiberglass stock up quick.

I'm not smart enough to be able to tell you if the mags you describe are indeed usgi, but if they are, 20/per is a good price, IMO.

These are probably the best mags around by most accounts... and the price is great right now. His customer service is excellent also.

http://www.44mag.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CM20

Also if you aren't already aware, this place is full of great advice on M14 type rifles.

http://www.m14tfl.com/upload/

 

[Z71]

I have two of the Polytech M14S rifles.

Yes, good idea to ditch the original stock. Make sure you put a spacer in a USGI stocks front inletting for the "auto connector" stuff. If you don't, the recoil spring guide/mag catch pin can crawl out and lock the magazine in the gun!

Also a good idea to replace the recoil spring. I bought my M14S new, and the original Chinese spring went flat quick!

For some reason or other, my Poly didn't like the GI fibreglass stocks. I tried a couple of these, and the heavy walnut stocks always shot best. I found a real pretty walnut GI stock and carefully fitted walnut plugs in the full-auto inletting. Makes a superb, if heavy rifle that has always been super reliable.

Not too long back I bought another Poly M14 for cheap. I've fired it enough to know it works good, and saving it for some future project.

If you swap the stock and recoil spring for GI you will be good to go I bet. I sure like mine.

 

[Kind of Blued]

I saw a Polytech M14 at a local shop the other day for under a grand. The fact that it came with a dozen or so mags got me thinking...

I need to read up on them some more.

 

[AirPower]

thanks for the lead on the M14TFL site. I'll hope over and do some reading. Thanks lots!

 

[natescout]

Nice poly airpower, a little spraypaint on your fiberglass stock will having it look like new . How about a range report ?

 

[H2O MAN]

Chu Wood is very resilient, but most of the ChiCom stocks are shaped like a 2 x4 - very angular and blocky.
However, one of my IDE Polys came with a smooth and lean Chu wood stock that is as nice as any USGI wood stock, but much lighter.
The grain is like bamboo with light features, it's keeper

 

[wayne in boca]

Beware of magazines with the "W" marked up high,they are fakes,at least the springs and followers are.I bought five of them before it was discovered that they were ersatz,and had problems after a bit with rounds nose-diving..I have now put Checkmate innards in them,and they all work.

 

[Coronach]

I saw a Polytech M14 at a local shop the other day for under a grand. The fact that it came with a dozen or so mags got me thinking...

I need to read up on them some more.

Stop typing immediately, get in your car and go back there. If you are in the market for an M14-clone, you just found a decent one, for under a grand.

Be advised that:

1. The magazines may or may not be USGI. EVen if they're not, it's still a good deal.

2. The rifle may require some bolt work. Even if it does, it's still a good deal.

3. The rifle may have been gunsmithed already to "fix" #2. Depending on what has been done and who did it, this might be great, or it might make it prohibitively expensive to rectify. I'm not sure how you could ID this, but H20Man may (he's our local Polytech fiend). If nothing else you can ask what has been done to the gun and do a visual inspection. Mods to the bolt are probably OK. Mods to the receiver are more questionable.

Mike