Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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They're reputed to be less awesome than the others, but there's so much racism in people's assessment of Chinese guns it's hard to trust that. Use your eyes and hands, it should feel more-or less like your Garan's metal. It's actually the price that it should be, rather than what Springfield charges. I'd probably buy it in the absence of red flags.
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Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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thanks, marlene.
i've quick-scanned 2 threads on web sites relevant to the m14 clone, and they concur with your assessment. some people talk trash about them and some people say they're good but do have some quirks. i may try to go look at it tomorrow, will report. i'm seeing them for sale on the big sales sites for about twice the price. i may need a bigger gun cabinet.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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mine, all mine!
it had a couple of minor issues. jacob and i spent an hour and a half at the counter working it over. he took it out back and shot it twice, which sealed the deal. yes, i by and large understand the inner workings, and there were no egregious issues, so i bought it and a box of 7.62 nato and took it to the range where it performed, well, not exactly flawlessly, but pretty close. it puts a tight little group low and right, and i haven't figured out the sight adjustment yet. the rear sight is one of the things people routinely replace on these, but i'll try to figure it out and work with what i have. apart from the fact that it's stamped "made in china" it looks to be a good rifle. stock needs refinishing.
Last edited by lurker on Sat Aug 03, 2019 9:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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sorry to bore you with this: the garand derivation is obvious. with subtle variation, the entire rifle looks and works like a garand. i'll point out few differences.
LUGO1439.JPG
(non-functional) flash suppressor, non-vented barrel shroud hand guard, and shorter gas system.
LUGO1438.JPG
stripper clip guide, mag well, mag release, cut out for full auto switch. the big mag is 20 rds, the small is 5. the 5 sticks out a bit.
LUGO1437.JPG
flip-up shoulder rest(in closed position). the "shoulder thing that goes up".
Last edited by lurker on Sat Sep 07, 2019 8:31 pm, edited 6 times in total.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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LUGO1440.JPG
left side of reciever showing scope mount attach point, bolt release, importers' marks. the actual serial # is just below, under the wood
LUGO1441.JPG
the garand-ish butt trap under the shoulder rest with storage for tools, oil and grease. note the oh-so-incorrect bottom screw
LUGO1442.JPG
charging handle, bolt, clip guide and rear sight.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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i haven't looked closely but so far i've seen no markings whatsoever on the stock(correction: "176" on the bottom of the pistol grip part). i am a little sad that the 14 stock looks just a tiny bit more angular and edgy than the smoother, more sensually rounded m1 stock. oh, well. so far, i like it very much.
this design was the last of the usgi main battle rifles. after this, the world has gone over to the assault rifle, and while i see the reason for it, still it seems we've lost something. i suppose one day i should line them all up for a group portrait.
Last edited by lurker on Mon Jul 15, 2019 7:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

I have one also

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The biggest concern you will probably have is the bolt will increase headspace over time, with firing. Get yourself a set of Headspace gauges for 7.62x51. Mine eventually got too big, so I had the bolt replaced with a US GI bolt. On a very few of the rifles, a US GI bolt will just drop in. There is some grinding that has to be done on most such rifles. I had Warbird in Texas do mine.

The receivers are of fantastic quality. There are some people that suggest that the receiver needs to be re-heat treated, but I am not one of them.

The threads in it are metric, not inch, but very close to the inch ones used in US-made M14 rifles. I did not trust the Chinese fire control or rear sight parts, so had them replaced by US GI parts. Eventually, I had the Chinese barrel and gas system replaced with a match quality M1A barrel and gas system, and had it fiberglass bedded. It will shoot groups less than two inches at 200 yards.

Here is a really good history of the M14 and M1A rifles: https://miamirifle-pistol.org/wp-conten ... 100815.pdf
At about page 248, they describe how the Chinese decided to make M14 rifles, and after awhile made semi-auto rifles for export.

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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thanks very much for that. the document is exactly what i've been looking for, although more comprehensive and detailed than i expected.
i've seen all of the concerns you mention voiced; trigger group, rear sight, bolt, etc, and i've also seen assertions to the contrary. as it happens i think i'm going to have to rebuild the rear sight, though not because of a fault from the factory, but probable abuse. the gas cylinder plug has certainly been abused. we'll see as i get into it.
some people assert that the poly (compared to the domestic m14 clones) has the better (forged) receiver and op rod, and (chromed) barrel. i've gotten very mixed responses to this purchase, not because of some known technical issue, but as marlene touched upon, because "made in china". i wonder how many of those complaints come from people who own russian or chinese sks's or aks?
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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If the gas cylinder plug has been abused, the gas cylinder probably has also. When the gas cylinders on any of these M1/M14 type rifles are abused, they get loose on their mount, and you will have reliability or accuracy problems. In order to prevent this, get a proper wrench for the plug, and a proper wrench for the gas cylinder also.

While you are at it, get a proper cleaning rod guide for cleaning from the muzzle. Get the kit for cleaning carbon build-up in the gas plug and piston.

There's nothing Chinese on mine anymore except the receiver, op rod and stock.

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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i'll eventually get all the proper usgi tools, chamber brush, cleaning rods etc, but for the bore i'll use a boresnake.
someone used pliers instead of a wrench on the gas plug, and it shows.
this piece is marked "IDE SFLD MICH" which some sources say was imported by CJA in summer of 94.
engraved 0758#, trigger group has engraved 04324#, stamped 10337# under the wood.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

20
The Polytech M14's are downright decent. If you put a lot of rounds through it, you can expect the bolt will break. All M14 bolts break, but the Poly will break earlier than a proper TRW bolt. Considering what an M14 goes for, I'd snap that Polytech up in a New York minute. Shoot it, enjoy it...If something breaks, just fix it; simple as that. If you're the paranoid sort, start off by buying a proper TRW bolt.

I have to say, I never did understand why the Chinese chose to build M14's. Not very many countries used the M14 because it was too expensive, and drastically inferior to other rifles available.

Still, you can get the full "M14 Experience" from a Polytech, and at that price I wouldn't turn it down...and I'm not an M14 fan!
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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today (yes, i'm still studying up) i read a canadian site's take on the polytech, and they are far more positive about the rifle. so it would appear to me that there's a certain amount of chauvinism wrt chinese m14 rifles here in the good ol usofa. for some reason a commie sks or ak is ok, no problem, but a commie m14, that's special 'murican, so sacrilege.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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FrontSight wrote: Tue Jul 16, 2019 7:25 pm
I have to say, I never did understand why the Chinese chose to build M14's. Not very many countries used the M14 because it was too expensive, and drastically inferior to other rifles available.
I was curious about that as well. The PDF that was linked earlier actually talked a bit about it. From my skimming it sounded like they copied them to give as foreign aid to revolutionaries during the 60s and 70s. they disguised them as captures from Vietnam so they couldn't necessarily be traced back to China. The Norinco exports were to sell off the leftovers and then make some cash for the chinese government.

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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lurker wrote: Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:10 pm...for some reason a commie sks or ak is ok, no problem...
Actually, they'll get a bit racist over that. They will always swear that the SKS is completely inferior to anything American made, when in fact, it was better than the Garand, Carbine, and M14.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: polytech m14/s any good?

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offensivename wrote: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:26 pm
FrontSight wrote: Tue Jul 16, 2019 7:25 pm
I have to say, I never did understand why the Chinese chose to build M14's. Not very many countries used the M14 because it was too expensive, and drastically inferior to other rifles available.
I was curious about that as well. The PDF that was linked earlier actually talked a bit about it. From my skimming it sounded like they copied them to give as foreign aid to revolutionaries during the 60s and 70s. they disguised them as captures from Vietnam so they couldn't necessarily be traced back to China. The Norinco exports were to sell off the leftovers and then make some cash for the chinese government.
Dood,

You da man!! Thanks for that...Now that starts to make sense.
Man they must have wanted it bad...the M14 is a cast iron bitch of a rifle to manufacture.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

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