I just purchased a Polytech M14 for $650. Great condition over all, and I have a few questions about it.

1. It has a flash hider on it and the slits are open. All the original poly Flash hiders I have seen have closed slits. It also does not have the Bayo lug on it, it is flat.

2. the serial is side marked not heal marked like some. it reads:

M-14S   .308
IDE USA SFLD WICH.
POLYTECH CHINA         1286X

3. It says .308 on the side, but should I shoot only 7.62x51 ammo in it? I have some .308 snap caps that lock up and cycle fine. The bolt has some forward and backword play without a round in it, but with a round it is SOLID! no movement at all on a loaded chamber.


4. Any other place to look for markings that may give me more info about this rifle?

They are supposed to be pretty decent copies. Built off original M-14 machinery. The complaint that was most prevalent when they first came out was that the metal for the finished receivers was soft- that they weren't properly temp-hardened IIRC. Could have been gunshow lore to 'buy american'.  Long time ago so take it for what its worth. Excellent price BTW.

The flashhider sounds like the ones that come with SA guns.

Quoted: They are supposed to be pretty decent copies. Built off original M-14 machinery. The complaint that was most prevalent when they first came out was that the metal for the finished receivers was soft- that they weren't properly temp-hardened IIRC. Could have been gunshow lore to 'buy american'.  Long time ago so take it for what its worth. Excellent price BTW. The flashhider sounds like the ones that come with SA guns.

Really

Quoted:Built off original M-14 machinery.

Taiwan T57 rifles, with the excpetion of the magazines and flash suppressors, were made using the Harrington & Richardson machinery.  Mainland Chinese M14 rifles were made on Chinese machine tools at State Arsenal 356 in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China.

I though it was tooling and machinery bought by the chinese and shipped back. I stand corrected.

Check the headspace Chinese rifle's are nato spec. You can order gauge's from clymer's. If you have a gunsmith do it make sure he use's NATO gauge's. To the best of my knowlage Chi com's are all marked .308 but are actually 7.62 Nato.

IDE was the importer: Southfield, Michigan.

Nice Poly at a real good price.

Congrats!

ETA: I thought the receivers are forged and of high quality, and it was the bolts that were noted as being soft.

I have one of those!

Except for My serial# being 001xx, they could be twins!

I have over 2k through Mine with zero problems. Charlene is My best girl.

(paid $369.95 NIB back in 1993, IIRCC. Wish I woulda picked-up at least 1 more!!!)

If You have only half as much Luck as I've had, You'll be EXTREMELY HAPPY!

The Ol' Crew Chief

Quoted: I have one of those! Except for My serial# being 001xx, they could be twins! I have over 2k through Mine with zero problems. Charlene is My best girl. (paid $369.95 NIB back in 1993, IIRCC. Wish I woulda picked-up at least 1 more!!!) If You have only half as much Luck as I've had, You'll be EXTREMELY HAPPY! The Ol' Crew Chief

I've had mine for 3 years no prob. and it is a great weapon

Marstar still imports the things into Canada for less than $400 US.  Of course, they can't sell them to us, damnit!

I spoke with one of the guys there about buying a new bolt (complete bolt was about $55, IIRC) in case I needed to.  He said that a lot of the "soft bolt" stuff was a sales pitch by some.  Others have said that some were soft and later ones weren't and that the new ones from Marstar are not soft.  

Anyway, he said to keep an eye on my empties for distortion, etc, so last time I fired it, I collected them and pictured them.  They look fine to me.  These are Winchester Q3130 7.62 NATO, not .308:

I have three IED POLY 14s and two heel stamped POLY 14s - they are keepers