Opinions Wanted on Poly Tech M14/S

[Boerrancher]

I can pick up a Poly Tech M14/s for real cheap. I have been paying attention to gun broker and other auction sites and these rifles are running $900 on up. It has a solid 4th gen scope mount with an older Tasco World Class 3x9x40. I have shot this rifle and it will shoot MOA with the inexpensive mil surp ammo for 5 shots. It seems to be good and solid. I have read both good and bad about them on the internet, but I have never found any evidence of a catastrophic failure on the poly techs, but have on the springfields. I have heard that the bolts are soft and the headspace becomes too great after a number of rounds. I have checked the headspace on this rifle and it is 1.634"

I am concerned about setting the lugs back as I don't load hot loads anyway. With most guns I stick to the middle to low end of the load data, they tend to shoot better than the hotter loads. I would like to know if anyone has had any experience with one of these chi com rifles. The fit and finish are nice, and I can buy it cheap. I am wanting to know if I should consider it for a keeper or for a fliper to make some cash.

Best wishes,

Joe

[FLINTNFIRE]

I had one , only reason i traded on a garand was to simplify ammo , and the clips were to expensive during the ban days , mine was a great shooter , and reading the test reports back then spoke highly of the polytech , was accurate and reliable , I would keep if 308 and magazines are reasonable , would not hesitate to pick one up again if price was right .

[10x]

I have had one for years. Great shooter,accurate, and reliable

[runfiverun]

i shoot 42 grs of imr 4895 and a 147-150 fmj in mine. [i'll substitute 310 diameter 125's when i find them cheap]
i took the scope mount off,added an old milsurp slip on recoil pad for length, and put the leather cheek piece on.
i really like it.
it's reasonably accurate [@2" at 100] and good nuff to waay out there with the fmj's.
the 8" 300 yd gong at the range doesn't stand a chance.

[Boerrancher]

Thanks for the reply's so far. The one I am looking at will shoot a bit under an inch at 100 yards with 39.5 grs of AA2230 behind a 169gr match bullets. I find it encouraging that so far the first 3 posts are positive on the Poly Techs. This one only comes with a 5 round mag as it was imported during the ban. It doesn't have a bayonet lug or a flash suppressor which is fine. The stock has been changed to a US GI synthetic as well. I am more interested in a reliable shooter than I am a high cap mag shooter. I have my little M4 that I picked up a couple weeks ago for that, so not having a flash suppressor, bayonet lug, and a bunch of the standard issue 20 round mags doesn't bother me in the least.

Thanks for the input so far. I would love to hear more comments. That is why I love you fellas so much is because I get the straight poop from actual owners of the gun, and not some mall ninja's opinion, who has probably never left the bar stool to bother to fire one much less own one.

Best wishes,

Joe

[oneokie]

I like mine. Good accuracy. Only real drawback to them is the difference in the bolt. The locking lugs are not as large as the Springfield. Drop in bolts are scarce as hens teeth. The locking recesses in the receiver have to be lengthened for the Springfield/GI bolt to fit. Also, the GI front sight post is shorter than the PolyTech sight post. All other parts will interchange to the best of my knowledge.

[10x]

Go to this Canadian gun board. Theses guys can tell you much more.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?70-Main-Battle-Rifles

[Bob Krack]

Don't have one and have never handled one but I have a friend that has one and swears by it. He has several others and likes the PolyTech just as well. Hmmm - except his hand built with the "cyro" barrel. Several thousand wrapped up in that one.

Bob

[MtGun44]

We had one fire out of battery, basically destroyed the gun. I did a careful look at the gun
for the owner after the fact. It appeared as if the bridge across the receiver in the rear that
has a cam surface which will engage the hooked tail on the firing pin if the bolt is not fully
rotated locked was out of spec and/or the firing pin was out of spec to let it slam fire just
short of lockup. Both parts (bridge and firing pin) are nearly impossible to accurately
inspect without the factory jigs/gauges due to oddball dimensional measurement requirements,
so this is not proven, but the best I could do with precision tools but NOT the proper jigs/gauges
indicates the bridge was incorrectly located, and the firing pin was probably OK.

I would say that I cannot absolutely say the bridge was improperly made and therefore
provided no safety function as intended, but I can say that is my best opinion.

Other than wallet and psyche, shooter was uninjured.

Bill