Need Help With M14/M1A Bolt

Hello All,

I recently cleaned up a couple of M1 Carbines for a local gunshop in my town. I am usually payed with parts or sometimes lower valued guns for my work, depending on the job. I was payed this time with a bolt from an M14/M1A. I was a bit annoyed at first because I thought the were fairly inexpensive, but now I have seen online they sell for quite a bit. Am I missing something there or is $200-$300 pretty typical? Anyway, I am not sure of the maker of the bolt. It has no markings on it which made me think it might be commercial, but after a quick rub down with rem oil I noticed three electropenciled engravings that lead me to believe it may be military. If it was indeed military, wouldnt it have markings on the rear of the bolt similar to the M1 Garand? It has one number in electropencil that is crossed out next to a new electropencled number on the underside of the bolt. There is also a very faint electropenciled number in a seperate area of those two on the underside of the bolt. The bolt is striped but does have the roller still attached. It shows normal wear from use. Can anyone tell me more bout the origins of this or a bit more about it in general? Thank you much.

mdrim13

Well it is a bolt, and it sould be marked like a Garand bolt the stamping would have a shadow if they were removed and the bolt was refinnished, I think what you have is a bolt from a Norinco or Polytech rifle.

Why would it have three electropenciled numbers on it if it was a commercial? Is this done by either of those companies?

mdrim13

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mdrim13

Why would it have three electropenciled numbers on it if it was a commercial? Is this done by either of those companies?

mdrim13

---

I don't know why, before I did anything with it I would compare it with a USGI bolt and a caliper.

I tend to agree that it's a Norinco...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Phil McGrath

I don't know why, before I did anything with it I would compare it with a USGI bolt and a caliper.

---

I would like to do this. I do not have a USGI bolt lying around. I searched the internet and got many conflicting measurements. Would you know a reliable sorce or would you be willing to measeure on of yours you have? I would appriciate either very much.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by browningautorifle

I tend to agree that it's a Norinco...

---

Without the military markings it almost has to be. Strange that someone would electropencil it though, and three times for that matter. But people are weird and its not all that suprising I guess.

mdrim13

FWIW I can measure mine, but the general thinking is that bolts from China are unsafe there too soft lacking proper heat treat. I would use it as a cool paper weight. my .02

The early Chinese copies were not heat treated and failed as a result. But that was many years ago and after the first year or two were heat treated. And it wasn't the bolts that had the issue it was the receivers. Made of incorrect materials, read inferior, and heat treating was barely rudimentary.

A GI bolt would have to be marked with drawing # and maker. Ther would also be a big round punch mark on the other end.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4KitBolt-1.jpg

Thats a Nork. They are unmarked. Not even close to as valuable. A brand new Norinco might be worth $90.00. Maybe. But as as has been mentioned, they are known not to be a long lasting part. Depending on what you did you got shorted.

JR