Thank you Sir!
I was just wondering because I have a chance to pick up a Polytech knock off of the M14. It is priced at 700.00 at a local gun shop. I believe he told me it had a forged receiver....IDK so far on the internet all Ive heard we stay away from them. I usually like to do homework before getting impulsive. lol
My first M14 type rifle was a problematic Springfield Scout. I sold it and now own a bunch of Poly Tech and Norinco M14s. Four of them (2 Polys & 2 Norincos) have been built up by Smith Enterprise, Inc.
The forged receivers on these rifles are as close as you can get to USGI, the chrome lined barrels and trigger groups are as good as USGI. The forged 1-piece op rods are as good as TRW USGI.
Just remember in time you may need to change the bolt as they are soft and not to spec. I did alot of reading up on them and passed.
I just passed on a Polytech for $800.00 but by the time I had a smith fit a USGI bolt I may as well buy a SA M1A
Many have fired thousands of rounds with the original bolt. You should check your head space with 7.62 NATO gauges and smart owners should have a USGI bolt stashed for the possible GI bolt conversion.
Four of my ChiCom M14s have TRW bolts fitted by SEI, three are all original and I have two NIW TRW bolts stashed.
By the time you have an M14 smith fit a USGI bolt you will have an M14 that is better than a new Springfield M1A for less.
One more thing, the original chrome lined barrel does not need to be replaced when a USGI bolt is fitted to the receiver.
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Last edited by Rex Kramer; 10-07-2009 at 05:31 PM.
By the time you have an M14 smith fit a USGI bolt you will have an M14 that is better than a new Springfield M1A for less.
I'll debate that. You would still have a possible soft hammer. A metric barrel that does not take usgi parts or standard hardware. A steel gas cylinder that is prone to rust, SA is stainless steel. No lifetime warranty support, SA well repair their rifles for ever, no matter how many owners it has had.
No disagreement about the quality of the forged receivers or op-rods, those are gtg.
If you look around you can find M1A's with gi parts for under 1.5k
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Great Lifetime warranty... I was forced to use it four times in an effort to get my SA Scout to run semi-reliably long before 500 rounds were fired.
The other differences you mentioned do exist, but they have little effect on performance and there are proven work arounds.
I have never noticed any rust on a ChiCom gas cylinder that was maintained properly, but they are easily replaced with a new gas system from SEI. The soft hammer story is something I think Fulton Armory started so they could sell something else.
The Metric barrel threads are fine as long as you use the original gas lock and castle nut. GI and SEI gas cylinders and muzzle devices fit perfectly. The ChiCom barrel is chrome lined and as good as GI... SA ran out of chrome lined GI barrels years ago.
Well all of this debate has at least brought alot of info I didn't know into the equation. I do appreciate that. Hey Rex which of yours shoot better the Springers of the Polys? Just wondering.
It would just be great for the Military to just make the M14's semi-auto and just sell them to us! My dad loved the one he was issued. As a matter of fact he can still tell you the serial number to it. Wish I could get it for him someday.
It would just be great for the Military to just make the M14's semi-auto and just sell them to us! My dad loved the one he was issued. As a matter of fact he can still tell you the serial number to it. Wish I could get it for him someday.
They can be made to semi auto, but once a machine gun always a machine gun. Just like M2 carbines that only fire semi auto. Still considered a machine gun
