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Kingruv · 04-17-2009, 08:18 PM

There are a few things you should check on for this weapon.

What you have described is likely either a Poly Tech or Norinco.
If it were a Springfield Armory it would be stamped and numbered as such on the heel behind the rear sight.
An actual M-14 would be stamped with that designation and the arsenal name. But you don't have to worry about getting one of these. (They can be had in the Netherlands though in the right market)
If your rifle doesn't have it as a heel stamp then it should be on the side of the receiver.

In either case there are things to consider.
1.The most common problem is the bolt is too soft. This can lead to excessive headspace issues because the bolt deforms during fire and cycle. This has happened in new rifles in as few as 100 rounds. Most have some headspace isues by 500 rounds. You can get a gunsmith to check the headspace to find out where it is in the range.(highly advisable for your own safety)
You could also purchase a headspace gauge from Brownell's to check it yourself.
2.If the headspace is ok currently, you can forstall the wear by using Miliec-1 lubricant. It stratifies the surface and causes it to wear much longer. In general it will make most any weapon function cooler.
3.The upside is you have a really good chrome lined barrel and an excellent receiver for your $250
Unlike the Springfield M1A which is cast and finished, the Chinese forge their receivers the way the original arsenal receivers were. (It is unfortunate I think, that China's metallurgy is getting better and better and ours has largely fallen by the wayside)
4.The receiver geometry is identical to the original USGI, the bolt's however is not. Garand's, M1 carbines and M14's (and M1A) are persnickty to get in and out of the receiver on assembly/disassembly because they are precision super close fit. The Chicom bolts are filed to fit.
Folks, this is just wrong. To work together the bolt would need to be hard enough that a file would pretty much skid over it. The locking lugs have to be tough to withstand the stress it's under. You can't use a M1A bolt to replace it either. You would need a M14 bolt of which there are plenty enough. (The M1A bolt is too hard and is generally only good with it's own receiver.)
5.The original bolt isn't the only soft part. There have been problems with the trigger group parts being too soft as well. They tend to gauze up along about the same rate as the bolt. Again this can be overcome with spare parts. This could be the problem about the pin.
6.If you decided it was best to replace the bolt, you might not be able to headspace a GI bolt with the Chinese barrel. Since the barrel is chrome lined it can't be cut with a chamber reamer. So you would be looking at a replacement barrel instead.
This might all seem like excess or too much to fool with. Unless there is something wrong with the receiver, you are ahead price wise even if it isn't currently safe to shoot. The first thing to find out is if it is safe to shoot.
I might add this, when looking for help on this many gunsmiths are not suited to doing this work. Someone with armorer training in service and the tools may be better suited to it. The shops like Fulton Armory and Smith Enterprises specialize iin rebuild/upbuild rifle in the US.

I find it odd that the rifles have such a big discrepancy in it's parts treatment. Of course the People Army isn't using them either. Many were imported to the Philippines.(I know they'd cry over some poor Filipino with a bolt impression in his forehead)
On the other hand, there are not a few Springfield Armory M1A's that are no longer functional because the receiver cracked being unable to withstand heavy bullet/load combinations that owners fired through them. The cheaper Chicom receiver would have never balked with the same load.

If you're wondering why the Chinese would be making M14's; many years ago the State Dept. set Taiwan up with the tooling from the US arsenals after the M16 was made vogue by non-shooters. (I'm being kind here) They made their version a long while. Norinco was able to lift enough tooling to get their start.
As to the comment I made earlier about the previous use of the rifle being a reason to sell it; yes it happens more than you might think.

04-17-2009, 08:18 PM	#14 (permalink)
Kingruv Upright Location: NoVa	There are a few things you should check on for this weapon. What you have described is likely either a Poly Tech or Norinco. If it were a Springfield Armory it would be stamped and numbered as such on the heel behind the rear sight. An actual M-14 would be stamped with that designation and the arsenal name. But you don't have to worry about getting one of these. (They can be had in the Netherlands though in the right market) If your rifle doesn't have it as a heel stamp then it should be on the side of the receiver. In either case there are things to consider. 1.The most common problem is the bolt is too soft. This can lead to excessive headspace issues because the bolt deforms during fire and cycle. This has happened in new rifles in as few as 100 rounds. Most have some headspace isues by 500 rounds. You can get a gunsmith to check the headspace to find out where it is in the range.(highly advisable for your own safety) You could also purchase a headspace gauge from Brownell's to check it yourself. 2.If the headspace is ok currently, you can forstall the wear by using Miliec-1 lubricant. It stratifies the surface and causes it to wear much longer. In general it will make most any weapon function cooler. 3.The upside is you have a really good chrome lined barrel and an excellent receiver for your $250 Unlike the Springfield M1A which is cast and finished, the Chinese forge their receivers the way the original arsenal receivers were. (It is unfortunate I think, that China's metallurgy is getting better and better and ours has largely fallen by the wayside) 4.The receiver geometry is identical to the original USGI, the bolt's however is not. Garand's, M1 carbines and M14's (and M1A) are persnickty to get in and out of the receiver on assembly/disassembly because they are precision super close fit. The Chicom bolts are filed to fit. Folks, this is just wrong. To work together the bolt would need to be hard enough that a file would pretty much skid over it. The locking lugs have to be tough to withstand the stress it's under. You can't use a M1A bolt to replace it either. You would need a M14 bolt of which there are plenty enough. (The M1A bolt is too hard and is generally only good with it's own receiver.) 5.The original bolt isn't the only soft part. There have been problems with the trigger group parts being too soft as well. They tend to gauze up along about the same rate as the bolt. Again this can be overcome with spare parts. This could be the problem about the pin. 6.If you decided it was best to replace the bolt, you might not be able to headspace a GI bolt with the Chinese barrel. Since the barrel is chrome lined it can't be cut with a chamber reamer. So you would be looking at a replacement barrel instead. This might all seem like excess or too much to fool with. Unless there is something wrong with the receiver, you are ahead price wise even if it isn't currently safe to shoot. The first thing to find out is if it is safe to shoot. I might add this, when looking for help on this many gunsmiths are not suited to doing this work. Someone with armorer training in service and the tools may be better suited to it. The shops like Fulton Armory and Smith Enterprises specialize iin rebuild/upbuild rifle in the US. I find it odd that the rifles have such a big discrepancy in it's parts treatment. Of course the People Army isn't using them either. Many were imported to the Philippines.(I know they'd cry over some poor Filipino with a bolt impression in his forehead) On the other hand, there are not a few Springfield Armory M1A's that are no longer functional because the receiver cracked being unable to withstand heavy bullet/load combinations that owners fired through them. The cheaper Chicom receiver would have never balked with the same load. If you're wondering why the Chinese would be making M14's; many years ago the State Dept. set Taiwan up with the tooling from the US arsenals after the M16 was made vogue by non-shooters. (I'm being kind here) They made their version a long while. Norinco was able to lift enough tooling to get their start. As to the comment I made earlier about the previous use of the rifle being a reason to sell it; yes it happens more than you might think.