Went down the M14 road and want to turn around!

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Birdmang

Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2009
Messages
1,191
Went down the M14 road and want to turn around!

I got a polytech m14s for a sweet deal, I couldn't pass it up.

Of course I want to make it better and get some new parts, mainly a stock, rear sight and bolt. Just to make it a nice shooter/hunter.

Turns out everything for this dang gun is really expensive.

For the price of a rear sight assembly and a new bolt I could have a few used glocks!!

Is there a remedy?
 
I have been contemplating selling my M1A and putting the money towards an AR-10 or a better bolt rifle. I have ~$3500 invested in rifle, stock, scope, rings and magazines. The M1A is a seriously expensive toy. In retrospect, I should have thought it through better than I did. I could have spend half as much and built an AR-10 that was twice as accurate.
 
Everything M14 is expensive, but M14 is always on dream list! If you get one in good price, keep it and enjoy it.
 
Yeah I know a old man at the range with an AR10 and a 22'' floated bull barrel that is almost getting benchrest accuracy out of his. He has it in one of them Caldwell sleds. I'm sure he's weighing charges and neck turning cases.
 
You did not acquire a M-14 but rather a clone. One should not utter Polytech and M14 in the same utterance.
 
It's all about communication.
1. Hot rodding an Ar -15 or 10 costs as much as an M1A.
2. I have shot all three and the recoil on an AR-10 makes my M1A feel like a 22.
3. I have seen great accuracy out of an AR out to 300 yrds. after that your talking heavy bullets hand loading and lenghths that require single shot to get really good.
4. M1A buy aq box at you local shop and if you gan see it you can hit it.

work an AR at 600 then an M1A. If it's bigger than a rabbit I'll keep my M1A.
Now thats long distance communication.
 
Yes, M14 component prices are insane.

I accumulated an assortment of M14 components several years ago when the prices were only somewhat crazy. I built one rifle and enjoy it very much.

Last summer when Fulton had their new receivers on-sale, I decided to buy one in order to building one more rifle (I had one barrel left but multiples of all other main items) prior to selling off the remainder of my M14 component stash. So far that receiver is still sitting in the south gunsafe along with its barrel.

At the time of the receiver purchase, I took a peek at M14 component prices on Gunbroker and was very glad that I was an M14 Components Accumulator. It made me wonder if what I should do is build the 2nd rifle, and sell the one of two that turned out to be my least favorite, y'know? Pricey, WHEW! :)

... and its bound to be worse now, eight months later.
 
i built my last m1a over 12 years ago and thought the prices were a bit much. they are spendy. been looking at the ar 10 as i have never liked the scope mounts for the m14. first rule of accurizing anything get it out the range and see how it shoots before you start changing stuff. the ploytechs are looked down upon but they will sirprise you with how well they shoot.
 
Hangingrock: It says M14 on the box, thats what I call it, and thats what it is.

Just cause its from China doesn't make it crap.
 
Hangingrock said:
You did not acquire a M-14 but rather a clone. One should not utter Polytech and M14 in the same utterance.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree. Since our benevolent government sees fit to deny us a real M14, the Polytech receiver is an excellent starting point to build a first class rifle.

As a standalone product they are not the best, but as a platform to build on they are a great choice.

But, it's expensive for sure.
 
I'm not building a super accurate beast of a gun. I don't target shoot that much, I like to hunt more. So it will be a fun hunting gun.

I just want paper plate accuracy at 100 yards, and I think it will be that good as is. Maybe just a USGI rear sight.

I wanted one because they are cool looking and I figure I should get a 1911, garand and M14.

Anyways basically I was looking on Fulton's site and if I wanted to have a gun built from there parts it would be a lot more money than I initially expected.

If anyone wants to sell a USGI bolt I would be appreciative.
 
I love the M14....

we had the real deal in our small arms locker on the boat...

but I concluded a long time ago that the price was beyond my means....

"A mans got to know his limitations"
 
Birdmang said:
I'm not building a super accurate beast of a gun. I don't target shoot that much, I like to hunt more. So it will be a fun hunting gun.

I just want paper plate accuracy at 100 yards, and I think it will be that good as is. Maybe just a USGI rear sight.

I wanted one because they are cool looking and I figure I should get a 1911, garand and M14.

Anyways basically I was looking on Fulton's site and if I wanted to have a gun built from there parts it would be a lot more money than I initially expected.

If anyone wants to sell a USGI bolt I would be appreciative.
Click to expand...
Don't write off the Chinese bolt just because of some Internet buzz, it may be, and probably is, just fine. I've got a Norinco M14S, and after a couple of thousand rounds down range, I can't see any noticeable wear on the lugs, other than a little burnishing on the wear points. Fired cases don't show any signs of excessive headspace on mine, either, so I take dire warnings that I need to get a new GI or commercial bolt, coming from people who SELL new GI or commercial bolts, with a grain of salt.
I bought mine from a guy that took the Internet horror stories to heart; he paid $300 for it when they first came out, and sold it to me for $250 because he got scared to shoot it. It's my budget M14, in spite of the US parts I had to add to make it 922r compliant with the USGI flash hider with bayonet lug, I've only got about $700 invested in the rifle itself. Of course, once you start adding on special M14 tools, magazines, accessories, and lots of ammo, it does start adding up after a while. To get my money's worth out of the tools and mags and extra parts, I wound up building a second M14, which I've got twice as much money in. As long as I'm still getting a dollar's worth of enjoyment for a dollar invested, though, I'm fine with that. :D
 
TexasRifleman: I have to disagree. Since our benevolent government sees fit to deny us a real M14, the Polytech receiver is an excellent starting point to build a first class rifle. As a standalone product they are not the best, but as a platform to build on they are a great choice. But, it's expensive for sure.
Click to expand...

Let us agree to disagree. Polytech is garbage and the Chinese may call it an M14 but I was issued several M14 rifles in the Marine Corps and know what the real thing is. At least Springfield had the good grace to name their clone an M1A.
 
Let us agree to disagree. Polytech is garbage and the Chinese may call it an M14 but I was issued several M14 rifles in the Marine Corps and know what the real thing is. At least Springfield had the good grace to name their clone an M1A.
Click to expand...

Of course it's not the real thing but since our government denies us access to the real thing, and in fact went out of it's way to destroy several thousand of the real things, we have to make do with what is available on the civilian market. A "real" M14 will cost you $40,000 which puts it a bit beyond most folks budgets.

If you are going to make do the Polytech receiver is a good place to start. The fact that they called it an M14 is just marketing.
 
I was fortunate enough to carry an M14 DMR (mine was a Winchester with a Kreiger barrel) in Afghanistan, and I really developed a love for that rifle. It was the lightest gun we had in 7.62 (13lbs i believe) and much nicer to carry and shoot than the newer M39 EMR. The Mk. 11's we had were pretty sweet too, but they just didn't have as much style.

Anyway, so I started looking into getting one for myself only to find that it was not going to be cheap. The Mcmillan stock alone would cost me more than my AR-15! Then of course there is the glass which will run around 1,200..... it's disappointing really.:(

So, I share the M14 woes
 
Yep, as the saying goes, there are GOOD guns, and there are CHEAP guns, but there are very few CHEAP GOOD guns. And there are NO guns I've found that are both VERY cheap and VERY good.
 
Keep it. You will not regret it.

The M1A is a dream to shoot. IMO you won't find another rifle like it, unless you go to a Garand, but that's another story. Yours may not be American made, but very few things actually will ever need to be changed out on that rifle, if anything at all. Aside from LRB in New York, the Chinese are the only ones hammer forging their receivers, so don't let it get you down that it's from over there.

As far as the price goes... sure, you can look at the price tag and say "Oh my, it's so steeeep!!!!" and you will be correct. But you also get what you pay for. The comparison here is to the FN FAL or the G3/PTR91 or the CETME. Those are excellent rifles, but IMHO you will hit smaller targets farther out with an M1A or a Garand.

I am not knocking those other rifles. They are great guns and if that gun works better for you, you should get that instead, but you have to know what you have to appreciate it. A 308 battle rifle is made to hit out to 500. You got the Ferrari of battle rifles. A Toyota or Honda would get you there cheaper and be cheaper to work on and maintain, but you got the Ferrari so enjoy it!

So while the price is high, I will also say this: For those who understand it, no explanation is needed. For those who can't understand, no explanation will suffice.

My advice: Go to an Appleseed in your area, learn your way around the rifle and then shoot the hell out of it.

Not that my screen name would indicate that I'm biased or anything.

-M1Amen
 
You ever shot an M14? I shot two, and, both ate me alive. One had the full E2 package, machine gun type stock, bipod and front handle. STILL climbed and ate me alive.

The other was a Supermatchgrade, done by a Navy armourer, that was under 1" all day at 100 yards, provided I didn't fire it burst, or rapid fire. M1A's are just fine in my book.

There is a VERY good reason the M14 was a support weapon, and not used as a SAW.
 
*Cough* Polytech makes a good rifle..If ya all say so...I will stick with Springfields..All I know is the Poly's are WAY overpriced for what they are..The ban put Polytechs in a price bracket they should never have reached..
 
I paid $500, and I have never shot an M14/M1A.

EDIT: Would it be legal to grind out the polytech/made in china and leave the Serial number, then have the heel engraved so it looks cooler?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

H
  • Locked
Polytech M14 project on-line
Replies
7
Views
1K
HavelockLEO
H
B
  • Locked
HELP - What are the best M14 variants?
2
Replies
26
Views
8K
Bill_Rights
B
H
  • Locked
Norinco M14 Bolt report
Replies
4
Views
2K
hillbilly
H
K
  • Locked
Polytech M14 accuracy
Replies
7
Views
2K
kennygarza
K
1KPerDay
  • Locked
Is it possible to get a "standard" M14/M1A for around $1300?
Replies
23
Views
873
rangerruck
R
Back
Top