IAI M444 Review

[Gaspipe]

After dancing around and hooting excitedly with Mr. Pink over our new toys last night, here's the deal:

I bought this one through AIM. It has the Imbel gear logo. All the parts are parked in a medium gray. Front handguard is plastic with a crinkle-ly black finish. The butt is a plastic hump type with a matte black finish. Sling swivel on barrel and on stock. New black plastic pistol grip. It came with one magazine, also in a dark gray park finish. The muzzle brake appears to be silver soldered in place and both match the park on the rest of the gun. Overall, it looks pretty decent.

Inside, the gun was already pretty clean, and the barrel rifling not deep, but mirrorlike. The bolt was parked black at some point and shows minor wear on the finish. The action was smooth and pretty much ready to go.

Range Report: Sights right on the money. I fed about 30 rounds of mixed milsurp ammo through it, and it misfed a few. This was easy to dial out with the gas adjuster. I had a couple rounds that just were hangfires - the primers has big ol' dents in 'em but didn't light off. The trigger pull could stand a little lightening work, but was smooth.

Overall, it is pretty well finished and performs right out of the box after shelling out seven hundred and so many sheckles. I like it.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Gaspipe:

Range Report:

Overall, it is pretty well finished and performs right out of the box after shelling out seven hundred and so many sheckles. I like it.

[/B]

Thanks for the report. I may soon yield to temptation myself. Did you happen to do any accuracy testing?

[Gaspipe]

Nothing formal, but I can hit a 20 oz plastic cup at about 100 yards and repeat. On the seat-o-the pants meter, it shoots beter than I do. I may have time to play with it Saturday and see what it can do (with me driving it).

I'll take some jpgs also and post here.


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Gaspipe.....
User of an auto-loading, gas operated battle rifle.

[242Frank]

You guys seemto have gotten some good ones. Mine has been less than steller. After having to order a gas nut wrench to break the gas nut loose,I finally get to go to the range and fire it. Shot 10 inches to the left and 5 inches high at 100 yds. Then after that it sarted firing 2 rounds at a time when puliing the trigger once then things quickly deteriorated to it being a 1 shot rifle. It would fire a round when manualy loaded with the cocking handle,then load the next round from the clip but there was no trigger(hadn`t been re-set). After man. ejecting the round it showed there was a dimple on the primer also. I already tried to take it bak to AIM once but they said that IAI didn`t like returns. ALso the extra mag. I purchased with the gun from AIM was so worn out that it wouldn`t even lock into the reciever. Well,live and learn I guess.
242Frank

[Gaspipe]

If there's a dent in the primer and no-go, you may have an ammo prob. I bought some assorted milsup ammo and the ones with "VZ 71" headstamp are almost all duds. Big ol' dent in the primer, no fire. Everything else lights off fine.

My gas adjuster works fine, but I have read of at least one that was seized.

If you're getting two rounds off with one squeeze, send it back. My brother's AIM-sold, Century-built STG-58 had a problem wherein the hammer was following the bolt back down and he could only shoot one round at a time. He found that the pistol grip interfered with the safety ever so slightly, and a couple swipes with a file on the grip eliminated this problem. Also, his sear spring was not properly installed. Now, he has a good shooter.

Good Luck.

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Gaspipe.....
User of an auto-loading, gas operated battle rifle.

[242Frank]

Gaspipe -
I just talked to Larry at IAI(I belive he heads up putting them together)and he told me to send it back to them and he would make it right. I have fired the same ammo(CAVIM 93)in my SAR-8 without any problem at all.
Hopefully this will have a happy ending.
Good luck with yours.
242Frank

[Gaspipe]

242Frank - I ran a couple hundred rounds through the M444 today.

My 444 definately hates certain ammo - that "VZ 71" headstamp stuff. That very same ammo shoots fine in my CETME, much like your 444 and SAR8. My rifle puts a good dent in the primer, but doesn't ignite about 50% of the rounds. The CETME eats 'em all just fine with no irregularity.

I need to explore this more fully.



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Gaspipe.....
User of an auto-loading, gas operated battle rifle.

[Gaspipe]

I posted some images of the M444 over at the Image section.

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Gaspipe.....
User of an auto-loading, gas operated battle rifle.

[mark7]

Gaspipe -

Can you provide a review of your CETME? Prices are coming down and this boy is getting tempted. (Again!)

[Gaspipe]

I put a review and a few pics of the CETME up in the Review Section:
http://www.fnfal.com/forums/Forum7/HTML/000026.html

Have fun!

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Gaspipe.....
User of an auto-loading, gas operated battle rifle.

[mark7]

Thank you, Gaspipe. I am tapped out right now kitting up an StG that arrives tomorrow (pant!pant!). But I like the looks of the CETME. Saw one in a shop in Houston on a trip, and it looks nice in person... *sigh* someday! By then they will probably all be sold. Ah well...