The skinny on Chinese M14s

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MTMilitiaman

MTMilitiaman

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There is a local FFL we have enjoyed for years due to their typically good selection of interesting/out-of-norm semi-automatic rifles that has fallen victim to the economy and is going out of business. They have some great deals on some of there rifles and it is income tax return season so I drifted by to have a look. Among the rifles that caught my interest was an M14 in traditional wood/blued garb and what appeared to be a rather cheap or shoddy scope mounted. The guy said it was a Chinese clone so I had to hold it immediately. Unfortunately I got too wrapped up checking out the scope mounting system and didn't really see what manufacture it was. It was indeed a cheap looking B-Square with some sort of cheap rubber armored 3-9 on it. Both would probably be discarded. The asking price is $1099. It looked like it was in decent condition but I wanted to know what the low-down is on Chinese M14s these days. If there is a brand that is better than another (Norinco vs Polytech?) or an arsenal stamp or series of serial numbers I have to go back and look for, I will. But I just wanted to know if these are generally sound rifles that I can shoot and enjoy safely while I save up for the work I plan on doing to it at a later date (SEI Mk 14 build) or if it is going to require hundreds of dollars of work, like a new barrel and GI bolt to achieve proper headspace, that I am going to have to do to it just to make it serviceable.
 
Seems pretty expensive for any Chinese M14.

I would invest a couple hundred more and get an actual Springfield M1a.
 
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Too much, been selling for $800-900 last few months, check Gunbroker. Stocks are known to be "soft" Chu wood also. I won't address bolt issue- always starts an internet debate.
 
I think the Polytech is a little better than SA, because of the forged reciever, forged op-rod, and chrome lined bbl. I don't know too much about the Norinco, but either way I think your price is a little high.

I would suggest that you shoot H2O Man a PM and see what he thinks, he knows his Mk. 14s pretty well.

:)
 
That is a lot for an M14S. If it had the USGI bolt conversion, it would be a better deal. I'd pass for that price point.
 
Thats a little bit too much IMO but alot of people get enjoyment out of their Chinese M14 clones If I was going to own one I'd definitely want to change out to a USGI bolt at least. Some of the chinese were known to have soft bolts which is not good.
 
I don't mean to sound like a heartless SOB, but the blood is in the water. The business is going under, they NEED to clear out. Offer him $750. He will probably counter, and this may be closer to what the rifle is worth. View this as a garage sale. Learn the art of negotiation. Just ASK. If you are a regular, he may let you have it for that price. It never hurts to ask. I make money in a side business because I don't worry about hurting people's feelings. He has probably put the higher price on it because he is hoping someone will meet him half way. I learned this selling electronics and buying antiques, guns and other stuff I sell. I once bought a bunch of golf clubs at $25 a set. I paid a total of $75. I CLEARED $1200 profit on the sale and paid a student loan off and bought my AR. I always ask if someone will take less in this type of situation.

It never hurts to ask. What are you going to loose? The place is closing up shop.
 
Search for posts by H20 Man. He knows a lot about Chinese M14's. He is going to tell you the receivers are great to do a custom build on. However, I would not shoot it without doing the bolt conversion first and USGI bolts are a little hard (and expensive) to come buy right now.
 
Gun Tests did an evaluation of the chinese m14/m1a a few years ago and at the end threw it in a trash can saying that was the best place for it.
 
Gun Tests did an evaluation of the chinese m14/m1a a few years ago and at the end threw it in a trash can saying that was the best place for it.
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Wish they would have thrown it in my trash can! While the chinese version has its weaknesses they can be addressed and made into great rifles.
 
Agreed. They are forged receivers. If you want a good unbiased opinion of the Chinese receivers, check out what Clint at Fulton Armory has to say about Chinese receivers. He will build a rifle on the Chinese receivers. Just because one review says some bad things doesn't mean you should ignore a good deal on a rifle if you can get it for less than what they are asking. I WILL purchase one of these in the future. I would also like to pick up a Norinco 1911. The Chinese make some good stuff DEPENDING on what you are buying. I would, at this point, not purchase a scope from them. But they make some of the best AK's around and lots of people like their M14S rifles and 1911's. As-a-matter-of-fact, they are more accurate representations IMHO than the M1A rifles.

I know a bunch of buy American people are going to rip on me now. Just remember that Springfield M1A receivers are cast in Australia. The old Springfield arsenal is long gone.
 
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Yes they do have forged receivers. Will not probably matter for most shooters. If you are competitor and will put 1000's rounds though it there is an advantage. I say this because I have a polytech M14. But I paid 400 dollars for mine. I have done the bolt conversion. I would offer the guy $650. You will likely spend a couple of hundred for a bolt conversion and there may be other things on the gun that will require fitting. To use twenty round magazines there is a parts count compliance issue. I have changed out the bolt and firing group on my gun and the handguard part of the stock and I use GI magazines.
 
A bud of mine purchased a number of stripped early Chinese receivers. He sent them off to a shop for metullurgical analysis. The shop used some sort of ion blast, where the elements in the ion vapor are counted.

The short of it is that the receivers were made from a steel close to 5100. Which is a tougher, better steel than the GI 8620, and mil spec copies.

The best thing to do with these rifles is toss out everything but the receiver and install GI parts. There are some areas that require grinding and relief, my memory it was minor.

I have had buds who used these Chinese receivers as a basis for a match rifle. The rifles shot well, because the gunsmiths were good. Nothing magical one way or another about the receivers.

They spent more money on the rifles than they would ever get out of them.
 
If they have more than 3 M14/M1A type rifles then an asking price of $1099 is just the opening on a negotiation.

The scope/mount isn't relevant since you've already determined it's a cheap POS. Do take a close look at the mount and let us know who the maker is.

As already pointed out, if it's a Polytech M14S with a US bolt it's a good gun, but keep in mind it is not a new gun. It had to be imported before the ban on PRC weapons and someone's probably shot it a bit. Take a very close look and be sure that the bolt is a US GI bolt OR that the locking lugs are crisp with well defined edges and not smoothed or rounded in the least. If it is a Polytech M14S without the GI bolt then tell the guy you'll buy it if he can come up with a GI bolt otherwise he needs to knock $400 off of it. If it is a GI bolt he needs to knock $200 off of it.

If it's a Norinco have him gauge the chamber to make sure there's no deformation of the chamber. Also check where the locking lugs of the bolt lock into the chamber and make sure the edges are crisp. Also check the bolt as for the M14S and look for deformation of the locking lugs. If the chamber guages and the headspace is good and the locking lugs on the bolt and the rest are all crisp and clean looking offer him $700 cash. If there's anything wrong, anything at all, don't purchase.
 
Fulton Armory is far from experts. Good at ripping people off and over charging. But this is just my opinion. nowdays $1000 isn't that much. A new SA is over 1700.
Do a Gun Broker search... no much out there.
 
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A new SA is over 1700.
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I disagree a Springfield Armory Standard M1A brand new is right around $1300 Buds Gun Shop has a National Match Model for $1500 right now which is a great deal.
 
I wouldn't spend a G note on a Chicom M1, spend a few hundred more and get a Springfield.

For $500 it might be worth taking a shot, but not for a grand.
 
lol theres a gun shop down the street we always make fun of at my shop mainly for his "rare" sog or cia 79 buck moisins that he wont take less than 225 for them but hes got a "RARE" chicom m1 for 1300 lol. i asked him what is so rare about it and he told me they quit importing them in back in the early 90s and whats left is left and that merits the price. i busted out laughing and he kicked me out. 2 weeks later i came in and noticed it was gone as well as a couple of moisins i feel sorry for whoever took the butt screwin on that lol
 
of course i did lol if you met this guy you would understand ive been going to his shop of and on for almost 2 years and he still cant quite remember who i am. I think this guy is the nuttiest gun shop owner i have ever met. I sat there and told me polymer guns can just up and explode and thats why he only carries steel and wood guns lol. wow i guess MILLIONS of users of polymer framed or stocked guns should all be horribly maimed or killed by general use. Its pretty sad when ur own business partner who is the gunsmith up and tells you that hes insane and the ultimate bs artist
 
Back in the 90's I bought a Norinco from a gunsmith for $350. It had a crummy stock with a rubber buttplate and the flash hider was cut off back to the muzzle to satisfy some stupid import law at the time.

I removed the stock and threw it away. Went to Gunparts Corp and bought a GI stock, buttplate, and flashhider and after some fitting made a pretty nice gun.

It shot very well and never jammed but at the time there was so much bad press about Chinese M1A's that I decided to take the plunge and buy a Springfield national match for much, much more money.

Sold off the Norinco for $750 because I didn't need two M1A's.

Guess what. The Springfield NM didn't shoot any better than the cheap Norinco. Granted, I am not an expert marksman but I've been shooting high power rifles long enough to become a decent shot.

The odd thing was that the guns made entirely different sounds when fired. The Norinco made somewhat of a pinging sound when fired, something the Springfield did not do.

I eventually sold the Springfield (for a profit) and moved on to different designs. My FAL took the place of the M1A and while not quite as accurate it is more fun to shoot.
 
The asking price is $1099. It looked like it was in decent condition but I wanted to know what the low-down is on Chinese M14s these days.
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I wouldn't get it. Polytech or Norinco can make good AKs, but don't assume its a high quality M-14. :barf:


Something to think about too- .308 can give you a nose bleed ($$$).
 
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