M-14 for hunting

[Rick65Cat]

I know its not Ruger content but......
A couple of stores I've bought guns from now have shipments of brand new M-14 copies by Norinco finally in.
http://www.marstar.ca/gf-norinco/M-14S.shtm
I've never owned ANY M-14 and I was wondering what the general consensus is on accuracy with this gun?
I was kinda hoping for 4-5 inch groups out at 200 yrds with the 7.62x51 Nato cartridge JSP bullets. probably 180 grain.
Now I know you guys in the States can't get the Norincos there, but I was just hoping to get an opinion on the M-14 in general as a big game hunting rifle.
I mean hey,...where else can you get a .308 semi for under $400 brand new.
Thoughts?

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick: Can't comment about the Chinese Norinco rifles, but on the M14 in general, I give it extremely high marks. The Springfield Armory M1A also get very high marks in all regards.

During my time in Viet Nam, the M14 was standard issue. Hits out to 600 meters were not uncommon. When in mid '66 the M16 started to replace the M14, I cannot think of one Marine that was pleased, and many pleaded to keep their old reliable M14 instead of the "mouse gun" as it was called then.

There is no doubt that the M14 has a strong following; it is current issue to some troops again in Iraq and Afganistan at present to SOCOM and other troops for better performance at extended range. I would guess that for $400, you'll get what you'd expect from Norinco; a Chinese copy of a very good weapon. Would I hunt deer with one.....no. But that's not to say it would not do the job out to a couple hundred yards, as the .308 or 7.62 NATO is a very accurate round in any decent barrel.

With anything Chinese though, just remember you get what you pay for......maybe less from them.

[glenn asher]

I had a PolyTech M14S for awhile, it shot well enough, and was reliable, I never had any issues with it at all. I DID replace the flash suppressor with a NM unit, and sights as well, until I put an A.R.M.S. mount on it. It was a pig to carry around, but fun as #(%$* to shoot. Mine did considerably better than the 4" @ 200, but I was shooting handloads, too.
For some reason, though, I've never been able to keep my interest up in a .308. I shoot them for awhile, and then get bored, and off they go. Call me fickle if you like.
Like I said, I had no issues with the rifle. Along came a gun show, and some guy offered me twice what I had in the rifle.

For funsies, and to lessen recoil a tad, I shot mostly Sierra 125s, I got whupped in IPSC matches by AR15s a lot, but I figure I had more fun, and I was shooting a real rifle......

[Rick65Cat]

Well, I just finished ordering one. Yes Rick, I tend to agree with the "get what you pay for"...We'll see how it does. All I want it for is a low expence deer gun. I've got a Norinco 1911, and a Norinco Sks I bought new in '86. Though the trigger on the pistol is harsh (like about a 140 lb pull) it can be worked to reduce it.
I'm sure its no different for the M-14.