Made-in-Taiwan rifle parts selling rapidly in US: report

China Post ^ | April 11, 2017 | Joseph Yeh

[TigerLikesRooster]

Made-in-Taiwan rifle parts selling rapidly in US: report

Around 1,000 rifles built with Taiwanese-made T91 assault rifle upper receivers sold out fast after being released to the U.S. market, local media reported on Monday.

Defense Ministry's Armaments Bureau has signed a contract with U.S. arms importer Wolf Performance Ammunition last year for Taiwanese-made T91 upper receivers, or "uppers," and other parts for the assault rifle to be sold in the U.S, the Chinese-language United Evening News said.

The Type 91 is the standard-issue service rifle of the R.O.C. Army.

　　Because local and U.S. laws made it difficult for Taiwan to import the entire T-91 assault rifle to America, Wolf Performance Ammunition ultimately decided to import T-91 uppers and to complete them with U.S.-made barrels.

The first 1,000 batch of Wolf A1 was widely popular in the U.S. market and was sold out not long after it hit on shelves, the newspaper said.

A source in the Armaments Bureau told the newspaper that the relatively cheap and high quality Wolf A1 had met high acclaim from Americans.

According to Wolf Ammo, the upper retails for US$599 with a carry handle rear sight.

The bureau, however, would not confirm the exact number of rifles sold, citing a confidentiality clause in the contract.

The Armament Bureau's 205th Arsenal in Kaohsiung is responsible for producing T-91 rifle. The producer became a popular choice for U.S. arms providers after it provided high-quality bullets to the U.S. during the Iraq War.

The arsenal previously said U.S. procured 500 million bullets from Taiwan. The factory still produces bullets for commercial use, which are exported predominantly to the U.S.

[thorvaldr]

Wiki says it’s a short stroke piston system AR based rifle. In the picture the lower does appear to be exactly just an AR lower, probably why the article says they are just selling uppers.

[marktwain]

The price of AR 15 clones is dropping.

Sportsman’s Guide had Ruger AR-556 rifles for $455.99 + $4.99 shipping.

That is over $138 less than price for only the upper quoted in the article.

[yarddog]

There is one tool maker in Taiwan which turns out good quality tools. I have never seen them with their own brand but several brands use them.

They used to make Wal-Mart’s own brand but they dropped that name and now sell Stanley which is exactly the same tools. I can recognize their ratchets immediately as they all look alike.

[G Larry]

No thanks!

I prefer performance and reliability.

It’s your LIFE!

[marktwain]

Here is an AR-15 clone, complete rifle for $399 and $7.99 S/H.

https://gun.deals/product/del-ton-dt-sport-223rem556nato-16-barrel-30-rnds-61346

[DAC21]

Bought a 8O% Daytona Tactical lower and a complete upper Freedom kit from PSA. Added a Magpul MBUS for a total of $465. Decent started gun.

[Obadiah]

Wow. I won’t tell you that I paid $1400 for one that I built.

[marktwain]

Cool.

Take much time to do the lower?

[gundog]

I think a Chinese upper with a US barrel would be plenty reliable.

[sarge83]

I have a chicom Norinco 1911 that is one fine piece of steel. The only thing I have altered on it is the grips. I wouldn’t hesitate to use for self-defense or use as a base for a build piece.

[gundog]

I always liked their firearms. They copy good designs...1911, M-14...or make their own ...AKs, SKSs.

[american_ranger]

Before my canoe rolled over, I had a good solid Norinco M1911A1. I also had a Norinco AK47 chambered for 5.56mm.

I cried a lot that night.

[archy]

No thanks!

I prefer performance and reliability.

It’s your LIFE!

Exactly. I tried a 10-inch .30 Blackout on the reasonable assumption that it'd give me better ballistics than a 10" 5,56mm barrel with GI ammo meant to be fired in a 20-inch barrel. It did, but I also got more muzzle flash than I liked, more carbon fouling than I liked, and less than stellar accuracy, even after trying several different scopes.

So back to a 5.56mm. But I've got a pair of 20-inch ARs, one in M16A1 configuration, and my National Match M16A2NM. No way I'd part with either, and no sense trying to duplicate what I've already got. I have an M4 approximation with 16" barrel and a.22 conversion kit, my grandkid's *rifle at grandda's place.* My kid prefers the Kalishnikov, and so does milady, so no worries there.

I have two third-generation M4 configuration ARs of my own: one assembled of mostly British L119A1 Colt Canada parts, including a superb 1:7 twist chromed 16-inch heavy barrel, as used by Britain's SAS for work with the full-length M203 grenade launcher mounted. The other also sports a 16-inch tube, with a 1:9 twist non-chrome lined barrel that handles either light M193 55-grain ammunition very well, or also current M855 62-grain ammo for the M16A2 or M4- not all 1:9 *compromise* twist barrels are as versatile and effective, but this one is. Cool- so why bother with another?

Three reasons: the new M855A1 semi-armor piercing ammo mostly used in Squad Automatic Weapon belts is No. 1; it requires the M4 lower receiver feed profile that my lower already sports and matches the feed cuts on an M4 upper. Number 2 is I'm looking for a 16 or 18-inch barreled upper that'll more or less permanently wear a 1-4x telescopic sight. And with the weight of that scope, I don't want to add any more weight with lasers or flashlights. Or can openers. Or a rail-mounted smartphone. I want this one bare-bones. Oh, and I don't want to make the mistake that the Marines did with their H&K M27- I want to be able to use MagPul synthetic/polymer magazines.

So I borrowed a friend's 16-inch Ruger gas piston upper; not what I was after, and not as accurate as either of my other 16-inch tubes [light enough, though!] I tried a Mark 12 SPR 18-inch *designated marksman* upper; too heavy. And then I tried a borrowed Taiwanese T-91 upper...just right! But was it reliable?

I got a little over 1700 rounds of assorted ammo through it before it had to go back to papa. I'd trust one after around 5000 rounds with no problems, so I'd like to evaluate another one some more. Cleanup of the gas system is quick and easy with the conventional gas piston, and most of the associated parts- bolt assembly, bolt pin and firing pin- interchange with M16/M4, with a couple of exceptions. The firing pin retaining *cotter pin*(it isn't really] is captive, so it can't get lost in the dark like the one on an M16A1. There are no gas rings on the bolt; gas piston gun, so it doesn't need them. And it doesn't seem to need a forward assist either, at least I didn't need one in 1740 rounds- and it doesn't have one.

They get another batch in, I'm buying. Anything up to $500, and maybe a little over. I figure on 3 times that for the scope, anyway. I think I'm getting the performance and long-term reliability I'm after. And you're right: it's my life that rifle insures.

[archy]

I cried a lot that night.

Oh, the humanity!

[archy]

I cried a lot that night.

Oh, the humanity!

[archy]

I always liked their firearms. They copy good designs...1911, M-14...or make their own ...AKs, SKSs.

They have a long heritage of that sort of thing. when the Nationalists were still on the Mainland, they built a version of the Mauser '98 rifle in 7,92x57mm, same as the German Kar 98k. I picked one up at price so low I'd be bragging to repeat it, since the stock was covered with a green fungus mold and the metal was encrusted with grease and dirt which had then been painted over with shellac.

[archy]

I always liked their firearms. They copy good designs...1911, M-14...or make their own ...AKs, SKSs.

They have a long heritage of that sort of thing. When the Nationalists were still on the Mainland, they built a version of the Mauser '98 rifle in 7,92x57mm, same as the German Kar98k. I picked one up at price so low I'd be bragging to repeat it, since the stock was covered with a green fungus mold and the metal was encrusted with grease and dirt which had then been painted over with shellac.

I pulled the barreled action out of the dry-rotted buttstock, stripped the stock of the usable metal parts and segregated the mortal remains from my other takeoff stocks lest the green leprosy spread. The stripped barrel and action then went off to the local carwash and got a buck-and-a-half's wash with the spray wand, no hot wax, then home for a hot oil bath in my solvent tank, and routine care and cleaning can deal with the rest. The action was dropped into a WWII German K98k stock, and I was back in business. Fifteen rounds of Yugoslav Mauser ammo later, I had no trouble staying on the cardboard circular liner of a pizza box at 50 meters, so I tried 15 more at 200 and all of them within five inches or so, good enough. Under rhe congealed grease, dirt and wrinkled varnish, the metal still showed its deep dark blue, now some 85 years old. A repro sling is on order as is a surplus Yugo bayonet, and I'll no doubt pick up a few more goodies as the two of us spend more time together.

I've owned three dozen or so good Mauser rifles since I ordered my first one from a Virginia mailorder outfit in 1962 for $35.00. It was nice, a military-issue BYF-marked genuine Mauser from the actual Mauser factory. I've still got four others today, though that first one got away from me long ago. But my Nationalist Chinese *Generalissimo* is almost as nice, and I'm mildly amused that I paid the same price for it as I did for that first one, 55 years ago. Yeah, I'm bragging.