Polytech M14

[oconeedan]

I came across a Polytech M14 that I couldn't refuse. I am "uneducated" on the M14, so this is fun. The rifle came with no magazine. I assume that any M14/M1A magazine will fit?
The front sight is off center, I have no idea why. I will center it and then set up the rear as needed. Speaking of rear sight, this thing has the smallest peep I have seen. I will have to drill it out to see through it, or order a replacement and drill it out.
The seller said he has shot the rifle 3 times, and I doubt he was the original buyer. But it looks like new. It had more fuzz in the barrel from lint from being stored in a closet or something. I pushed a patch through it and it slid through like it was wet, the bore looks like new and is mirror shiny.
The trigger is very good for a military style rifle. Butt plate flapper is a bit odd to me, I don't understand really understand the purpose. The butt plate under it has a trap door and a cool cleaning kit inside, in two cavities. I'll keep it there and use a one piece rod for my own uses.
Thanks for any insight. Dan

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'm not too sure what to tell you about it other than a regular G.I. magazine should fit. Many of the Polytech M14 receivers have been re-heat treated successfully. The rifles were sold to several Asian countries as military rifles, and many sold here to target shooters and sportsmen. The general opinion seemed to be that they were not of comparable quality to U.S. made rifles, but could be made serviceable by swapping out those parts that would swap and the previously mentioned re-heat treatment. Since a nut must be loosened to move the front sight left or right, if your sight is tight I'd guess that the previous owner found it to shoot other than center. You'll soon find out. The original M14 was a select fire weapon, and the hinged butt plate was designed to assist in controlling it in full auto mode. With the addition of a selector switch and some bipods attached to the fore end a soldier in the prone position firing the weapon could maintain some control by using his off hand to push downward on the comb of the butt pushing the hinged plate downward against his shoulder. It wasn't used in semi-auto mode.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I remember things a little different on the polytech and yes I owned one , it was the norinco that had the softer receiver , the polytech was well thought of , m14 mags military issue are the magazine for it , Mine was a good shooter and reliable , at the time though m14 magazines were expensive and scarce so I traded it off for a m1 garand so I could standardize with the caliber and en blocs , all the u.s. parts are supposed to fit though I had no misfires or breakage in the years I owned it , I love my m1 garands but should have kept the m14 as magazines became cheaper and more available , I do remember a gun test article in 1994 or so that in their test it ran without the breakage and failures of the american made m14 semi automatics being made at that time , mine had the same butt plate as yours , bayonet lug and all those things the late bush and clinton disliked . clean it lube it correctly and shoot it . I owned mine for about 5 years and enjoyed it very much .

[Ford SD]

I came across a Polytech M14 that I couldn't refuse. I am "uneducated" on the M14, so this is fun. The rifle came with no magazine. I assume that any M14/M1A magazine will fit?
The front sight is off center, I have no idea why. I will center it and then set up the rear as needed. Speaking of rear sight, this thing has the smallest peep I have seen. I will have to drill it out to see through it, or order a replacement and drill it out.
The seller said he has shot the rifle 3 times, and I doubt he was the original buyer. But it looks like new. It had more fuzz in the barrel from lint from being stored in a closet or something. I pushed a patch through it and it slid through like it was wet, the bore looks like new and is mirror shiny.
The trigger is very good for a military style rifle. Butt plate flapper is a bit odd to me, I don't understand really understand the purpose. The butt plate under it has a trap door and a cool cleaning kit inside, in two cavities. I'll keep it there and use a one piece rod for my own uses.
Thanks for any insight. Dan

I have 3 of these rifles and spun on and off 30-40 of these barrels on different rifles

Front sight is off center for a number of reasons

1) possible ... splines on flash hider are machined off center .... fix buy a replacement

2) Barrel is over indexed or under indexed ..... you need a usgi or similar replacement .... see above and a barrel vice to fix

3) flash hider might or might not be spot welded .... 2 spots under barrel ....

Barrel is a 1/10 twist chrome lined... so you can not do anything there

if you decide to replace the barrel .... flash hider nut is metric so you would need a us nut ..... and set screw in the receiver/ barrel needs to come out....you don't need it .... none of the M1a receivers have it

Head space is way over a field ...... it safe to fire but if you plan to reload for it you can buy a redding shell holder that will allow you to add to the length and still cam over .....

A USGI bolt might or might not fix the head space ...... I have seen several that with a usgi Bolt will not close on a no go go is good

if you want to shoot cast in it see BruceB write up ... and back it back a tad ... he was using a 1/11 twist so you will not achieve his velocities

I have shot over 400 cast rounds through one with out cleaning the barrel

[oconeedan]

Thanks so much! Great info Ford SD.
First thing I want to do is find a magazine, and go shoot it!
No selector on this rifle, and I haven't found import markings yet. I'm guessing likely imported by Keng's.
Dan

[country gent]

If you decide to reset the front sight set it so the rear sight is at mechanical zero when zeroed for wind. This makes wind adjustments much easier. Not sure what rear sight you have on the rifle there were 3 for the garand m14, 2 national match sights that were .052 and .059 these had a rotating hood that gave 1/2 min elevation adjustments. I wouldnt try to drill them out the stem is thin walls. Then there was the battle sight and it was a bigger aperture hole maybe .070-.080 in a flat open "disc" these can be opened or sleeved. I have drilled and tapped to 8 x 36 and then redrilled the aperture hole and relief.

The folding plate was for use when firing full auto ti was opened and placed on top of the shoulder then the rifle was pulled down to help control it.

[skeettx]

I had one and installed a quality STEEL scope mount for it
It shot great with the 4895 National Match load

Mike

[NuJudge]

I have one I got in late 1993. It shot very well, until I had it match conditioned, and it shot poorly. The bolt gradually developed more headspace than I like, and I had the barrel, bolt, gas system & trigger group replaced with US components. Now it shoots great.

Your rear sight is probably a National Match rear sight aperture, and maybe the whole sight is NM. With the smaller aperture you might shoot a little better at 200/300/600 yards, but you can't see much countryside.

The Polytech magazines looked much like a USGI magazine, were unmarked, and of excellent quality. There are a lot of old USGI magazines in circulation, with one contractor still making them:
https://www.brownells.com/magazines/...prod27330.aspx
http://www.lulu.com/shop/lee-emerson...-22539324.html

How the Red Chinese came to be making copies of the M14 is a long story:
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...n%20070603.pdf

[Winger Ed.]

Butt plate flapper is a bit odd to me, I don't understand really understand the purpose. :

Basically, its just a cover for the cleaning kit space in the buttstock.

Also, open it, and it will help you keep a firm shooting position (cheek or stock weld) as it rests on top of your shoulder.

[oconeedan]

Thanks everyone. I tore it apart today, learned lots. Had a hard time getting the bolt back together, but learned a trick or two and did.
I discovered that function check failed, and I didn't check when I bought it. Pull trigger and hold back, it fires, rack it, release trigger, and hammer falls. I studied it long and hard, and ended up removing a smidgen of metal on the back side of the trigger to allow the disconnector to hand the hammer to the front hooks when released. It had to be that way from the factory, and is likely the reason it was shot so little. It looked new inside, only the faintest amount of fouling on the piston. I put it back together with anti-seize on all threads. Greased where it is supposed to. Filled in sight markings with white. The rear peep was clogged with dirt or lint or spider webs, I ran a pipe cleaner through it and it opened up. After working on the trigger, it is very good for a military style rifle, a nice 2 stage trigger. Oh yeah by the way, it was imported by IDE. It is a later import, with a walnut stock and gloss Chinese finish slopped on.
I have a magazine on the way, will get more later. It is ready for the range!
Dan

[Winger Ed.]

The trigger guts may be stiff from old/hard grease not letting the hooks on the
hammer get engaged/caught by the sear when you release the trigger.

I'd clean & blow out the trigger group real, real well.
Even though there are springs- The parts in there like plenty of 'freedom of movement'.

[oconeedan]

First time to the range and it shot well. I centered the front sight blade, adjusted the rear to suit me, and everything is centered up. I was able to shoot an apple sized group at 50 yards. I'm sure the rifle will shoot better than I can see. Very happy with it.
I had a magazine problem, the last round jumps out. I brought home and bent one feed lip slightly, that may have fixed it, not sure. We will see.

[Winger Ed.]

First time to the range and it shot well.

Very good.
With practice, concentration, and as a old buddy used to say, "I had to use all my Budda on that",
you'll be amazed at how tight one of those will group.

If ya still have those young, 'kid' eyes:
Thin down the front sight blade or get a NM front sight, and 1" groups at 100 are doable.

[oconeedan]

I'm 57 and have tri-focals, HA. Most guns get scoped but this will not.

[Winger Ed.]

I'm 57 and have tri-focals, HA. Most guns get scoped but this will not.

I'm 65, the M1A and lever guns don't have scopes.
There is just something wrong about putting a scope on them.