[Bootleg Preacher]

Glad to be here. I joined looking for answers concerning a Pre Ban chicom m14 I recently acquired.
Here goes....
It was imported by CAI and according to them sold 01/1990.
The Heel of the receiver is very lightly stamped M14 with Serial number below it.
The trigger group has serial number, the bottom of the bolt has etched serial number and the flash suppressor has stamped serial number. All numbers match. It is an 8 digit serial number 6300xxxx. It has never been fired as I had to get the cosmoline out and off the rifle. I have read all I can find from Lee Emerson aka different and am hoping you guys may help as well

 

[CaptainGyro]

All I can offer is welcome, but there are some awesomely qualified guys here who will be along shortly and offer plenty of help.

Glad to meetcha.

 

[csmkersh]

I read you post earlier but can't help with the M14 so I'll just follow CaptGyro and say welcome to the board.

 

[Skeptic49]

Welcome aboard!
Geoff
Who notes the board responds slowly, but with great wisdom!

 

[t-star]

different is hard to beat on the m-14 clones- big thing is get the HEADSPACE checked- and with someone who has 7.62 gauges, not 308s = as far as the soft bolts go, I don't know whether that's real for all the stateside m14 clones or whether it's something the boys over at fulton made up to sell THEIR m14 clones-

 

[veus00]

welcome to the place to be

 

[TooTall]

Welcome aboard. Pull up a chair and learn with the rest of us.

 

[phantom4570]

I have two Springfield Super National Match rifles which I shot quite a bit ten to fifteen years ago.
Check the headspace and measure the muzzle and throat erosion. I recall that the chicom M14's were roughly made. I suspect what you're calling a serial number is actually a drawing number. All of the parts for M14 rifles were stamped with a manufacturer code or cage code along with a drawing number, even the receivers. The heel of the receiver is the only place I've seen a serial number but it might be repeated elsewhere on the receiver. This doesn't mean that someone didn't electropencil the serial number onto the rest of the parts.

The most common problem people have is the extractor coming off the bolt. This is caused by a weak ejector spring. Get a milspec ejector spring and a bolt tool so you can disassemble and reassemble the bolt without bouncing the spring off the ceiling.
Other suggested tools
Bolt roller greaser.
Gas piston cleaning drillbits. One large, one long and small. Cleans the carbon out of the gas piston and the tail.
Quality cleaning rod like a Dewey.

Back around 2000 I worked on a software project at TVA in Chattanooga. My aunt and uncle live in Powell so I drove through Cleveland a number of times. Probably stopped at any antique stores I spotted along the way.

 

[WaltGraham]

Welcome, BP - enjoy your stay.