Not long after the first Polytech or Norinco M305 rifles (See my regular length Norinco M14S review here) arrived in Canada, there were those who wanted to chop the 22″ barrels down to the legal limit of 18.5″ to make them a bit handier. This involved a few tricks, because it’s not as straightforward as pulling out a hacksaw and going to town. In recent years, we’ve been spoiled by a few importers who have had Norinco make batches of shorter barreled rifles right from the factory. In fit and function, they’re very similar to the regular barreled versions. The rifle I received had a bit of a darker stock, slightly nicer cuts on the flash hider, and that’s about it. CanadaAmmo brings these in fairly regularly, though there are times when they, and everyone else, is sold out of Norinco M14s. I just received this rifle last night, so a range visit will have to wait a few weeks.
Right out of the box, I added an aftermarket op rod spring guide. These help keep the operating rod’s spring nice and straight, making for a smoother pull and smoother firing cycle. I’ll likely be adding an ARMS 18 scope mount, scope, and will put the rifle in an Promag Archangel M1A Stock. Stay tuned.
