The firearm thread

[Drunken Monkey]

Quote is useful for comparions!

Finally shot my M14 clone, the Norinco M305, today.

As did I on Saturday evening.

Drove down to Mr Merde's place in Onewhero for a play. Gosh, I wish I lived in the countryside! Wide open spaces. Sigh.

I wasn't so lucky, but an hour and bit drive out of Aucks then off the beaten track was a suitably deserted bay, no farms or baches around for a couple of kms.

I haven't shot an M1, M1A or M14 before, and IMHO, the M305 shoots very softly. Very little perceived recoil for a .308.

Nice trigger pull; heavy, but clean, with a short initial takeup

Agreed, heavy(ish) and crisp.

and then what feels like about a 7lb break.

I'll take his word for it.

Not quite as crisp as a Sako or Savage, of course, but we are talking a Chinese copy of an American military rifle, and for what it is, it feels great.

Indeed.

A gentle push back into the shoulder and a nice smooth BOOM from the muzzle.

Yes, the basic design of this type of rifle causes a rotation instead of a direct push back into the shoulde, which may account of some of this. Despite the rifle's tendancy to jump up under kick while firing, it's not by any stretch of the imagination difficult to bring back down for quick follow-up shots (goats - you have been warned!)

I'd need a quiet morning with a spotting scope to put a few hundred rounds through it and get a feel for the iron sights before I could confidently comment on its accuracy, but it certainly gives the impression of being MOA-capable.

We had no difficulty plinking out palm-sized bundles of holes at 100m, sitting and prone. Mr Merde managed a 1-inch 3-round group at one point.

Erm, no comment. Wasn't aiming at anything in particular, just watching the splashes.

Absolutely no hassles with feeding and firing, apart from the fact that the supplied five-round magazines were a very tight fit; it took a bit of shooting and playing around to get them inserting properly every time. The twenty-round magazines the rifle was designed to take would be a lot easier to work with.

It does have a heavyish spring, you may want to watch your fingers, but otherwise yes I find the 5 round magazines diffucult to remove quickly. Maybe someone should surrepticiously smuggle in some 20 round mags for us. Or perhaps someone with an E-cat could just buy them legimately (my customer brought in 10 for his M1A).

On the whole, once I got the hang of loading it and locking the mag home, it felt like it'd be just about impossible to jam or misfeed. About as bullet-proof (sic) as an automatic 30-calibre rifle gets.

I found slapping the magazine in hard, or giving it an extra tap with the palm of the hand to make sure its locked in tight seems to do the trick.

On the whole, the Norinco M305 is about the best value for money one can get in a new rifle at the moment, I'd say. A lovely little piece of carefully-replicated history. Apparently there are a fair few left in the country for sale still (you can get them from Sportways and Reloaders in Auckland, and Gun City in Christchurch) and they're going for $900 - $1000.

If you can scrape the cash together, guys, just buy one. You'll keep it forever and never regret it.

Can't disagree with that either. At today's prices you can get 2 from Reloaders in Onehunga for $1300. SAI are doing them for $689. This is probably the best value for money semi-auto, A-cat centrefire rifle you can buy. I reckon it will increase your survivability probability in a Zombie apocalypse at least 10 fold.

My one's going to see a lot of service at matches and drop a fair few four-legged beasties over the coming decades, that's for sure.

I'm just going to kill goats. And the occasional tin can.

Yes, it is an exact M14 copy, right down to the receiver cutouts (hidden by the M305's wooden stock) that accept a rock 'n' roll selector switch...

I have a synthetic stock version, I prefer the lighter weight and easier care of the synthetics. I expect the wood stock would be harder wearing and longer lasting?

Another notable differences is the flash hider is fake (it's solid, just indented where the holes would be).

All in all, I am pleased with the purchase especially because I only get out to shoot a couple times a year. You get all this functionality and looks for what is really just chump change, so you don't walk past your rack and see a $4000 rifle gathering dust.

[Wolf]

I shall have to buy and make up some 7.62x54R in that case.

Will make it a Mosin day

-Indy

Hmmm, might have to bring my Russian along - with a supply of 7.62x39...

[Mr Merde]

They are a superb invention and also easily aquired. Most roads have an ample supply!

I was given 3 of them from the people at work.

About A0 size

One has been peppered with shotgun pellets and still holds up very well. Another has hole from the 45-70 in it.

Ive seen worse bullet damage on paper and wood targets than is visible on these.

Excellent targets or backing for such.

[Mr Merde]

Meant to say.

I got the A0 size targets just to make it easier for Indy and other Mosin shooters to actually hit something other than the 900 sq metre cliff face

[Wolf]

So that's me, DM, Indy, possibly RM - who else usually shoots out at Chris' place?

[jono035]

I reckon it will increase your survivability probability in a Zombie apocalypse at least 10 fold.

Better than nothing, certainly.

It still has nothing on a large caliber pistol or shotgun when it comes to zombie defense however.

Wolf: Barring nothing too unexpected I will be there as well.

Drunken Monkey: I can meet up with you somewhere and lead a convoy if needed?

[Drunken Monkey]

Better than nothing, certainly.

It still has nothing on a large caliber pistol or shotgun when it comes to zombie defense however.

Wolf: Barring nothing too unexpected I will be there as well.

Drunken Monkey: I can meet up with you somewhere and lead a convoy if needed?

Shotguns with double-ought are great for 30 meters or less, but when a horde comes rushing towards you because some schmuck sets off a car alarm, you need to reach out and touch them before they get close enough to bite. I like to start popping zombies off at around 200m+, this is just impossible with a shotgun.
A Colt Python in .357 magnum makes a good backup, but the question there is do ya leave the last round for yourself, or do you fire that last one at a zombie and trust your mates to shoot you when you turn?


A meet up would be good. PM me details closer to the time.

[Wolf]

Wolf: Barring nothing too unexpected I will be there as well.

Great. This'll rival the Cold Kiwi for meeting up with KBers!

What time's suitable for turning up, Chris? Wouldn't want to interrupt Sunday Mass...

[Mr Merde]

Great. This'll rival the Cold Kiwi for meeting up with KBers!

What time's suitable for turning up, Chris? Wouldn't want to interrupt Sunday Mass...

From noon onwards is OK.

Had a word with the boss so she is not going to be supprised.

[Wolf]

A Colt Python in .357 magnum makes a good backup, but the question there is do ya leave the last round for yourself, or do you fire that last one at a zombie and trust your mates to shoot you when you turn?

Depends on who ya mates are - with some of my mates, I'd go with a high-capacity semi and a couple of extra mags as I'd be needing all the ammo I can get to shoot them when they turn...

[Wolf]

From noon onwards is OK.

Had a word with the boss so she is not going to be supprised.

cool as, will at least be able to get in a few hours of shooting and bullshitting before I have to go back and don my solo dad hat...

and shackles.

[Mr Merde]

Depends on who ya mates are - with some of my mates, I'd go with a high-capacity semi and a couple of extra mags as I'd be needing all the ammo I can get to shoot them when they turn...

Yea tho I walk through the valey of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil
Cos I am the meanest son of a bitch in the valley.

Zombies are pussies

You try taking on "her indoors" when she is in a bad mood.

[Wolf]

Zombies are pussies

True, but they'd totally own some of my mates...

[Wolf]

You try taking on "her indoors" when she is in a bad mood.

I'll pass, thanks. Zombie Apocalypse and Chuck Norris I can handle but there are some things I won't take on...

[Mr Merde]

I'll pass, thanks. Zombie Apocalypse and Chuck Norris I can handle but there are some things I won't take on...

I respect a man who knows his limitations.

Indy, take note. Keep your latest squeeze on a short rope.