M14 Forum

commostud · February 16th, 2012, 05:49 PM

From what I understand, you have to work on your poly to get a USGI/New bolt to fit and headspace properly. How is this done. I am looking at acquiring a poly m14s and I need to know how to do this.

Thanks

boomer1983 · February 16th, 2012, 06:29 PM

use the search engine. youll find very detailed threads with pictures and tips that might help you more than any responce you may get.

jbrooks · February 16th, 2012, 06:44 PM

Buy it and shoot it as is for a while, then after you have done the research boomer1983 mentioned, you will know whether you want to do the conversion. Lots of opinions, you really need to read several threads.

JWB

commostud · February 16th, 2012, 06:57 PM

If I buy it I am planning on putting a 16 barrel on it and make it a nice truck gun. 16" barrel and 20 round mag, bears, cougars, and 2 legged critters wont stand a chance.

Know I have to sell my other rifle to pay for the poly... decisions, decisions, decisions

Ezekiel · February 16th, 2012, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by commostud

.....and 2 legged critters wont stand a chance.

Yeah, the two legged pests are a real pain sometimes. Even-though they can be real dangerous, in some places they are actually "endangered species" so you can't do anything about it without getting more problems. Best bet is to stay away from them when you see them crawl about.

Chemical companies use to make some useful pesticide sprays for 2-legged critters but for some kind of silly international law, your not allowed to use it anymore. You can only use the "deterrent" sprays that double as a spice booster for your bland chili.

commostud · February 16th, 2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ezekiel

Yeah, the two legged pests are a real pain sometimes. Even-though they can be real dangerous, in some places they are actually "endangered species" so you can't do anything about it without getting more problems. Best bet is to stay away from them when you see them crawl about.

Chemical companies use to make some useful pesticide sprays for 2-legged critters but for some kind of silly international law, your not allowed to use it anymore. You can only use the "deterrent" sprays that double as a spice booster for your bland chili.

We used to make tabasco gas bombs, believe me they work. You take MRE heaters (alot of them), a gatorade bottle, duck tape, tabasco, and a pinch of water.
Tape up bottle really well. grind up MRE heaters and place in bottle, pour tabasco and water, tape up lid really well but do it fast. Place bottle by unsuspecting person-people. And bang.....everyone runs away with burning eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and ringing ears...

Everyone else laughs rear end off.

Pretend you did not do it..but laugh really hard and disappear.

jbrooks · February 16th, 2012, 07:44 PM

If you're going to use a commercial barrel, then the bolt swap is a no-brainer. Just remove the Chicom barrel (Note the set screw on the right side of the receiver ring! (under the op rod...easy to remove, BYW...) You must remove the set screw to get the barrel off. You do NOT need the screw for the commercial barrel.)

Simply screw the new barrel on, finish ream if necessary and fit the USGI bolt. Any competent M14 smith can do this.

Sell your Chicom barrel, gas system and bolt. Do not use the chicom gas system (it's carbon steel, not stainless, and dimensionally questionable), go ahead and use a commercial or USGI gas system. KEEP the Chicom op rod, it's forged, one-piece.

JWB

bigblock · February 16th, 2012, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by commostud

From what I understand, you have to work on your poly to get a USGI/New bolt to fit and headspace properly. How is this done. I am looking at acquiring a poly m14s and I need to know how to do this.

Thanks

Fulton has a book that tells you how. It has pictures and a lot of helpful tips.
http://www.fulton-armory.com/them14c...mblyguide.aspx

jbrooks · February 16th, 2012, 08:33 PM

If you really want to do it yourself, you'll need a barrel vice, receiver wrench, SAAMI or NATO "GO" guage, SAAMI or NATO "NO GO" guage and probably a few other tools. Much easier just to get a good smith to do it unless you plan on rebarelling a lot of M14s.

My smith chargfed only 25 bucks for the job. :) Once the barrel is on and headspaced, you can reassemble th entire rifle easily.

JWB

Seventh Fleet · February 17th, 2012, 10:34 AM

What I did on my first heel stamped Polytech was to take my action to a large gun show and try every TRW bolt there at the show. It absolutely had to be a TRW bolt to be correct for my project. When I had it narrowed down to the one that came closest to dropping completely into battery... I bought that bolt and brought it home, disassembled the weapon and I used valve grinding compound to fit the bolt to my rifles receiver. Once it dropped freely into battery and passed the tilt test, I called it good to go. I checked both of the bolt lugs and they had good engagement and the receiver safety bridge was working fine too. I then replaced everything on the rifle except the receiver, barrel and op rod with TRW USGI parts.

On my second heel stamped Polytech. I found a gun smith in a nearby city who had 25 H&R and Springfield bolts in his inventory, as well as another box of TRW bolts for which he waned more money for. I tried them all and found several of the H&R's as well as the Springfield bolts that would drop easily into battery. I didn't check the TRW bolts since I already had done my TRW project several years previously. I was now building a Springfield clone on this latest Polytech receiver.

The gun smith and I checked the bolt lug engagement and head space on the best fitting bolts and he gave me my pick of the available bolts... However I had to pay that gun smith $260.00 for that complete bolt (which IMO was a ton for an M14 bolt). But to sweeten the deal he gave me two new USGI chrome firing pins because I needed them for stripped bolts that I had back at home. But it was well worth it since I didn't have to do anything other than check 25 different bolts in my rifle which was time consuming and pay the man. Both of those Polytechs shoot like a house on fire. I later saw him at a large gun show and I asked him if he still had that box of M14 bolts and he said, yes a few of them. I needed an M14 ejector for a spare bolt and he gave me one for free at the same gun show. I guess his conscious was bothering him after charging me so much for that M14 bolt.

I have since found a brand new old stock IDE Mich Imports Polytech that I paid $975.00 ($250.00 cash + a Dan Wesson Pistol Pack) at at very large gun shop that was in business long before the Klinton ban. I'd known the dealer back then and he told me that at one time back then he'd sold 25,000 Polytech M-14's to one wholesaler and had made $20.00 profit on each rifle in that batch. I jokingly told him when I was paying him for the IDE Poly that I sure wished that he still had those 25K Polytechs. He kind of laughed and said, you can't wish it as much as I do. This guy was a major player in the import rifle business back then and he made cubic yards of money.

Like others have already said, use the board search feature and get the gory details on how to fit the bolt lugs and head space. It's not that hard if you take your time and have the patience. The rest of the build will be an absolute piece of cake to complete...

7th

commostud · February 17th, 2012, 04:22 PM

Thanks, I am still debating on getting the rifle. I would have to do some serious trading to get the rifle. But everyone likes there poly's and I know IF I get it I will love it also.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seventh Fleet

What I did on my first heel stamped Polytech was to take my action to a large gun show and try every TRW bolt there at the show. It absolutely had to be a TRW bolt to be correct for my project. When I had it narrowed down to the one that came closest to dropping completely into battery... I bought that bolt and brought it home, disassembled the weapon and I used valve grinding compound to fit the bolt to my rifles receiver. Once it dropped freely into battery and passed the tilt test, I called it good to go. I checked both of the bolt lugs and they had good engagement and the receiver safety bridge was working fine too. I then replaced everything on the rifle except the receiver, barrel and op rod with TRW USGI parts.

On my second heel stamped Polytech. I found a gun smith in a nearby city who had 25 H&R and Springfield bolts in his inventory, as well as another box of TRW bolts for which he waned more money for. I tried them all and found several of the H&R's as well as the Springfield bolts that would drop easily into battery. I didn't check the TRW bolts since I already had done my TRW project several years previously. I was now building a Springfield clone on this latest Polytech receiver.

The gun smith and I checked the bolt lug engagement and head space on the best fitting bolts and he gave me my pick of the available bolts... However I had to pay that gun smith $260.00 for that complete bolt (which IMO was a ton for an M14 bolt). But to sweeten the deal he gave me two new USGI chrome firing pins because I needed them for stripped bolts that I had back at home. But it was well worth it since I didn't have to do anything other than check 25 different bolts in my rifle which was time consuming and pay the man. Both of those Polytechs shoot like a house on fire. I later saw him at a large gun show and I asked him if he still had that box of M14 bolts and he said, yes a few of them. I needed an M14 ejector for a spare bolt and he gave me one for free at the same gun show. I guess his conscious was bothering him after charging me so much for that M14 bolt.

I have since found a brand new old stock IDE Mich Imports Polytech that I paid $975.00 ($250.00 cash + a Dan Wesson Pistol Pack) at at very large gun shop that was in business long before the Klinton ban. I'd known the dealer back then and he told me that at one time back then he'd sold 25,000 Polytech M-14's to one wholesaler and had made $20.00 profit on each rifle in that batch. I jokingly told him when I was paying him for the IDE Poly that I sure wished that he still had those 25K Polytechs. He kind of laughed and said, you can't wish it as much as I do. This guy was a major player in the import rifle business back then and he made cubic yards of money.

Like others have already said, use the board search feature and get the gory details on how to fit the bolt lugs and head space. It's not that hard if you take your time and have the patience. The rest of the build will be an absolute piece of cake to complete...

7th

Brandon1 · February 17th, 2012, 07:28 PM

Here is a good thread. Reanimated Polytech - GI Bolt Conversion

boomer1983 · February 21st, 2012, 05:35 PM

alot depends on the individual poly receiver. ive done 3 conversions and of the 3 i found the one heel marked poly to be by far the easiest with the least amount of lapping needed, the bolt dropped right into battery right off the bat and requiring only about .002 of lapping on both the bolt and receiver. the 2 side marked polys required considerably more lapping and time invested to acheaved proper headspace roughly about .004 of lapping on each surface.