Polytech M1a or SpringField M1 Garand?

[Evenflo76]

Eh! Norinco's have not been imported since '92. I'd bet this rifle has traded hands a few times since then. Here, supporting our economy now!

Buy American, Unions need your money

 

[n00b]

Unions... LOL...

Unions are parasites that eventually kills its host company.

Unions were needed 100+ years ago but they have no place in our model world. We live in a global market and people are mobile.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Unless you plan on rebuilding the poly from the receiver up I would buy the M1. The only parts I would consider from a poly would be the receiver and op-rod, the rest is metric and my parts box is standard.


Buy American, the job you save may be your own.

 

[D-Day]

The Polytech is a good rifle, with USGI parts. TRW bolt, NM sights, USGI op rod, etc. Mine has USGI parts and the stock, which makes it feel like more of a quality rifle. I dare say it may be my favorite right now, because I can't recall one FTF or FTE. Pretty accurate, too.

 

[H2O MAN]

The Chinese M14 op rod, barrel, gas system and trigger group are excellent - don't rush to replace them!

Any American buying a Poly Tech or Norinco M14 is buying it from an American - you are buying American.
Sending your Chinese M14 to an American M14 armorer like SEI for a USGI bolt conversion will save an American job.

 

[Coronach]

Unless you plan on rebuilding the poly from the receiver up I would buy the M1. The only parts I would consider from a poly would be the receiver and op-rod, the rest is metric and my parts box is standard.

Receiver, barrel, gas system, op rod, trigger group, all are fine. These are the big, expensive parts (besides the bolt). The bolt is the one big ticket item that probably should be replaced (if you do decide to go the shoot-it-and-check-headspace-often route, you need to at least be aware that the expense of a USGI bolt may be in your future). The small parts can be used, or replaced at your leisure. Even the stock is fine, just ugly and easily dinged (soft wood).

Mike

 

[Travis Bickle]

No more Polytechs are being imported; all the ones on the market are all second-hand. That being the case, it's not going to save any Americans' jobs if people refuse to buy them.

As far as headspacing is concerned, when you send it in to Fulton to have it tricked out, I'm sure they'll check that for you.

 

[H2O MAN]

I would not let Fulton Armory near any of my M14s. There are better options including WarBird.

 

[Travis Bickle]

I would not let Fulton Armory near any of my M14s

What's wrong with Fulton? I've never heard anything bad about them.

 

[H2O MAN]

FA insists that you replace the original barrel when installing a USGI bolt in a Chinese receiver.

You do not need to replace the barrel!


Also, FA built rifles don't seem to hold their value nearly as well as others...

 

[Gergify]

Headspace gauge? something like this: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...urce=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=649

On the scale of 1-10 how hard is it to change out the bolt by yourself?

Also what percentage of Polytechs will have soft bolts (1 out of 3, 1 out of 10, and etc)?

 

[lipadj46]

As far as headspacing is concerned, when you send it in to Fulton to have it tricked out, I'm sure they'll check that for you.

IMO Fulton Armory are a bunch of money hungry blow hards. You don't hear Ron Smith on the gun forums trash talking his competition like you do what's his name from FA. Also I believe FA rifles and services are overpriced. I also remember when FA was actually making an M14 rifle on Armscorp receivers and walt would go on and on about how their receivers were better and not really Armscorp receivers even though Armscorp made them, the spin made my head spin. Warbird, Ted Brown and Ron Smith are who you want working on your M14 rifle.

Also what percentage of Polytechs will have soft bolts (1 out of 3, 1 out of 10, and etc)?

No one knows people think it was a problem with the earlier rifles and then the chinese fixed it. If your rifle has been fired before and the headspace checks out you are probably fine. It is not anywhere close to 1 out of 10 probably though but I bet not many have had a test done to prove a soft bolt. Either people who know about it just have a USGI bolt installed or people who don't know just go on shooting theirs happy in their not knowing.

 

[P-32]

As far as .308 or 7.62 NATO conversons be sure the rifle was converted by replacement of the barrel with one chambered in .308 or 7.62 NATO, and thats its not one that was converted with whats called a Navy Sleeve. The Navy Sleeve is a machined bushing that when placed into a standard M1 rifle barrel with an adhesive converts it to 7.62 NATO, the problem is sometimes when the casing is extracted so is the bushing. So if its a rifle you want to shoot make sure its a barrel conversion not a sleeve conversion.

While it is true the Navy did have sleeves to make 7.62 Nato work in a '06 barrel, the Navy figured it out pretty fast they didn't work so well. (Fast as far as the Goverment goes.) These rifles are Mk1's. Springfield did make some 7.62 Nato barrels for the Navy M-1's. These barrels if you can find one, shot pretty well. The rifles with these barrels are Mk2's. Either one if real is worth some $. Look for markings on the heel of the Receiver. They would be stamped 7.62 and Mk1 Mod 0 or Mk2 Mod 1.

 

[Coronach]

Headspace gauge? something like this: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...m_campaign=649

Yep.

On the scale of 1-10 how hard is it to change out the bolt by yourself?

AFAIK, this is NOT a do-it-yourself project. The bolt needs to be hand-fitted.

Also what percentage of Polytechs will have soft bolts (1 out of 3, 1 out of 10, and etc)?

No idea, but I agree that it was probably an early issue that was rectified. I don't know that for a fact, though, and while the odds may be small, the risk is enormous. I'm attached to my face. I opted for the USGI conversion simply for peace of mind.

Mike

 

[KingTiger]

Thanks for all the excellent information guys. I just cut my Polytech out of the plastic bag, what's the best way to remove the cosmoline? The field manual says dry cleaning fluid, what ever that is. I bought it for $425 in 1993. I'll be getting a head space gauge & probably put the flash suppressor & new front sight on like H2O MAN suggested, for now. Any one know some one in the Atlanta area that can do bolt work?

 

[Evenflo76]

www.surplusrifle.com

 

[Coronach]

No idea, but the impression I get is that the USGI bolt conversion is something that is done properly only by a few people. By "properly" I mean "bolt fitted and headspaced to your barrel". Many people will replace your barrel and bolt together, which is an expense you don't need.

Mike