Norinco M - 14

[robertbank]

Just acquired an unfired Norinco M - 14. This is one recently brought in by Marstar ( $413Cdn) with wood and fiberglass stock, cleaning kit and rifle case. Is this rifle a candidate for cast boolits ( suggestions on loads) or are we talking jacketed only here. Bought the rifle just in case the idiots back east elect another Liberal Gov't and they decide to further restrict Black rifles.

Take Care

Bob

[Freightman]

I shoot cast on my M1 Garand all the time, 35g IMR 4895 is a fine load and will cycle my M1.

[wiljen]

That rifle is a candidate for a good smith before anything else. Those have a bad reputation for doubling or worse. I've seen more than one either double or cook off a whole magazine. I'm not trying to rain on your parade and do hope you got a good one but I would be cautious / have it checked.

Wiljen

[robertbank]

These rifles are not the ones you folks got back before Clinton's ban. They have to be the best buy in semi-auto rifles out there right now. The Chinese corrected the bolt/headspace/metelurgy issues. Guys up here who have them rave about them both for reliability and accuracy. Fit and finish is excellent. Furniture leaves a lot to be desired but that can be corrected. Once I get it to the range with some handloads I'll post some targets. Only downside to them is we can't cross the border with them to attend military shoots due to the ban.

Take Care

Bob

[wiljen]

These rifles are not the ones you folks got back before Clinton's ban. They have to be the best buy in semi-auto rifles out there right now. The Chinese corrected the bolt/headspace/metelurgy issues. Guys up here who have them rave about them both for reliability and accuracy. Fit and finish is excellent. Furniture leaves a lot to be desired but that can be corrected. Once I get it to the range with some handloads I'll post some targets. Only downside to them is we can't cross the border with them to attend military shoots due to the ban.

Take Care

Bob

Glad to hear they fixed them, wish they'd start importing them here again but whats the chance of that?

Wiljen

[Scrounger]

Just acquired an unfired Norinco M - 14. This is one recently brought in by Marstar ( $413Cdn) with wood and fiberglass stock, cleaning kit and rifle case. Is this rifle a candidate for cast boolits ( suggestions on loads) or are we talking jacketed only here. Bought the rifle just in case the idiots back east elect another Liberal Gov't and they decide to further restrict Black rifles.

Take Care

Bob

The M14 gas system is dead easy to remove and clean. Not onlt that, but the American ones at least have a gas valve cut-off for using rifle gernades, in effect making it a single shot when you want to use it that way. You smuggle it down to Nevada for me, I'll double your money...

[robertbank]

"...whats the chance of that?"

Not as long as Springfield wants to sell their M 14's for +$2K. Norinco also makes a pretty good M 16. For a guy like myself who doesn't want to spend an arm and a leg on a M 16 from Colt or other name brand they are a reasonable alternative at around $700. CDN. I think I will satisfy my Black Rifle yearnings with the M 14. Besides wife would hang me by my privates if I come home with another gun, still the M 16's are relatively inexpensive to shoot....

[robertbank]

Might take me 10 - 20 years to collect even with good behavior!:mrgreen:

Take Care

Bob

[9.3X62AL]

$413 Canadian??!! Yer killin' us, Bob!

About the least expensive variant we can get in California (some are still legal) runs $1300 or so. I've had a couple love affairs with the M1A, and like dating a cotillion debutante--they are an expensive proposition to feed when 200-300 round days at the range take so little time and effort to complete. Straining that metaphor just bit more.....maybe the time spent was so enjoyable that the hours seemed like minutes.

With surplus powder going the way of 8-track tape decks, I don't think I'll try this species of luxury again--but I sure would enjoy doing so. BruceB had some fine results with his M1A and castings--perhaps he'll amble in shortly.

[robertbank]

Well it has been a long while since I shot a semi auto center fire for pleasure but I won't be re-enacting the Cold War either. I have a fair amount of brass set aside so later this spring I'll load her up and see how she shoots. The Liberal's federally are a pain n the butt and they were proposing more restrictions on Semi's last fall. I am sure they have no chance of getting in next time around but you never know. Thought I'd better get one while I could. I'll post pictures in due course.

As an aside you can get the Norinco M16 copy up here for around $750Cdn. Gun must have more panache than the M -14 though not sure why. The M 16 is a good but not great copy I am told. Might be a little bit of Colt's are best in that talk too.

http://www.marstar.ca/gf-norinco/index-lg-cf.shtm

Take Care

Bob

[BruceB]

Robert;

On page 6 of this very Forum there's a fifty-post thread about my cast loads in the M1A. Anything in there will surely apply equally-well to your Norinco ("7.62 x 51 NATO in the Springfield M1A").

I have ZERO-NADA-NO troubles with leading of bore or gas system, using water-dropped straight wheelweight bullets sized at .311" and using either Felix or Lar-45 lube. Some of the loads are VERY accurate indeed. This includes strings as long as several hundred rounds without cleaning. I think about 600 rounds was the most I've fired without any cleaning whatever, and note that the rifle was still working perfectly even with all that shooting.

My rifle will function correctly (i.e.: feed, eject, lock open) with powders as fast as 5744 and as slow as H4831. There's a LOT of potential experimenting to be done here. In rifles like these, I have no interest whatever in loads which don't allow the rifle to function as it was intended to function. I've used at least eight different designs, from 130 grains up to 220, and obtained perfect function with ALL of them, including roundnoses.

Perhaps you could add your findings to that thread, just to keep the data in one place for the next inquiring soul?

Have fun.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Bob,

All I can say is, I'm totally jealous.

Regards,

Dave

[TooTallDean]

Hi guys, first post here.
I am sniffing around for info on using cast bullets in semi autos. Not only the Norc M-14/M305 (I have two), but also a Garand, a Russian SVT-40, etc.
I was concerned about plugging up the gas port with lead, but that does not seem to be an issue based on the success that others here have had. Good to know.

Is gas check bullets absolutely necessary for use in gas port semis? (as opposed to blow back semi pistols) I have cast lots of lead for muzzle loaders and cap and ball revolvers, but have no experience with loading cast for semi rifles.

Thanks in advance.

PS, Robertbank, I think I recognize you from www.canadiangunnutz.com I go by Tootall there.

[robertbank]

First no worries shooting lead in your M 14. I shoot lead in my M 14 and SKS with no ill effect. Your gas port won't know the difference.

If you are going to shoot with enough velocity to work the action then I strongly recomend GC's. My M14 loves the Lyman 311291 bullet incidently.

I go by Canuck44 over on canadiangunutz. See you there.

This is a great site for anyone shooting cast. There is an ex-patriot done in Arizona that has a ton of info on the M 14. You will know him when he posts. Watch out for Felix though, He is a scondrel.:mrgreen:

Take Care

Bob

[TooTallDean]

Hi Bob,

I didnt want to post your Canuck44 name in case you had reason to keep them separate.
The only reason I added Dean to my name is that someone else already had TooTall here.

I see that Gibbs505 is here also. He is from somewhere around your area, isnt he?

Anyway, back to the original topic. With ammo getting stupidly expensive, and 7.62x54R very difficult to find, I'm seriously thinking of casting my own booolits.
Lots of reading to do yet...

[robertbank]

Hi - yes Laurie (Gibbs505) lives here in Terrace as well. PM me your email address and I'll send you my Load spreadsheet, might get you going faster with the M 14. There is a real good thread here on loading for the rifle as well. Busy with the IDPA Provincials over this week end but will get back to you by PM early next week.

Take Care

Bob