My cup runneth over - EM-322 & X-51

It must be the best week I've had in many years of "renting" rifles - that is buying them, keeping them for a while and if they're not keepers, off they go again, usually at a small $ loss, occasionally a small gain.

Anyhoo this week has been very kind, I've scored an "as new" EM-322 and a Unique X-51 (which I'm yet to get in hand), both for very modest money.

The EM332 does raise a couple of questions. The design and metal work is of very good quality, I already rate it the equal if not better than the current CZ's in fit and finish, while the design is streets ahead. Wood wise however the Chinese have quite a bit to learn alas. If mine will shoot it might get a new stock, that bolt handle is begging for a nice slim Stutzen style (fully wooded - what some call a Mannlicher). Anyone else restocked one, it looks quite straightforward??

The manual that came with the rifle says the trigger is adjustable, however I can't see anywhere to adjust mine, am I missing something ?? (the trigger is close to exceptional as is, just tad too heavy on the first stage, but the final let-off is as good as any but the top Annie triggers).

Nice ... couple of classics there. Unique a very interesting little rifle, and of maybe 100 .22 sporter makes and models I've played with the inexpensive Norinco Em332 still holds the record off the bench for 100m. It shot four consecutive groups under 1", and averaged 0.6". Best of 0.4". Could shoot 0.5" groups with several ammos - Fiocchi HV, Winchester powerpoint and couple of target ammos. Tight, well machined action, excellent barrel, tight chamber (won't feed some makes of ammo), nice 2 stage sporting trigger, and interesting euro leaf bolt. Needed a warmer round before settling into consistent grouping. Chinese military trainer rifle.

Chunky stock not everyone's cup of tea, but I'd suggest do some testing with it before trying to restock. You'll get used to it... And if you don't, sell it to me :)

The 332 is basically a copy of an Anschutz, as opposed to the rest which are Brno copies

Pics maybe?

From my own research several years ago I didn't find the Em332 to be an Anschutz copy - rather there was suggestion action may be based on an earlier German Suhl rifle. Happy to be proved wrong however and would be pleased to see some pics ...

Excellent little hunter 22 and handy on the range.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudgripz

From my own research several years ago I didn't find the Em332 to be an Anschutz copy - rather there was suggestion action may be based on an earlier German Suhl rifle. Happy to be proved wrong however and would be pleased to see some pics ...

Excellent little hunter 22 and handy on the range.

---

I read somewhere that the bolts were interchangable, maybe it was only that

Mudgripz I agree, I've never seen a Suhl, but its not like any Annie I've had anything to do with, either the 64 or 54 action.

Its a beefy little sucker (30mm receiver diameter) with two action screws and good bedding surfaces.

It has a very considered design of the bolt internals to avoid the "stacked tolerances" that give rise to inconsistent ignition in many 22 designs (this is the strong point of the Annie 54 action, which is possibly where the comparisons with the Annies come from).

I will post up pics when my camera comes back (SWMBO has it)

Awesome Foster, I guess one will be mine down the road. You're a good bloke.

Lucky boy!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nor-west

Awesome Foster, I guess one will be mine down the road. You're a good bloke.

---

"splutter" lucky its not beer'o'clock here or I would have lost it

reading back on those EM322's, they got very good writes up-best bang for buck 22 around if you could get them. There is another norinco 22 out there also similar to it but cant remember. Also relatively rare and also good value for money.

Welcome to the Unique family, amazing .22, probably one of the nicest .22 ever made, built to last with great accuracy and excellent reliability. look after it.

Those bloody EM322's, I found one for a mate, as new also. He swears it's the most accurate rifle he has ever used and shot. Just goes to show what the Chinese can produce if they want to . In this case you don't get what you paid for....you get a shit ton more.

Yup - it pays to understand whats going on, the Chinese can put a man in space, and I've seen some nice plant from them, so there's nothing wrong with their engineering capabilities. I think we just get done over by middlemen here, they buy cheap and sell for the maximum markup without a care to quality.

The Unique is in, apart from the fact that it looked like it had never been stripped to clean in its life, it functions just fine. This example is a bit unsual in that it has a dull matt blue, not the bright blue one usually sees (it has some bright blue bits like the fore-stock cap).

Its got a big scope on it for accuracy testing (hopefully later today or tomorrow) but cries out for a nice compact 2-7 or 3-9, I'll have to think a bit on that.

Put a photo of the Unique up mate, I love my one, hard to find a good one these days and well worth keeping.

Pic as requested, my decent camera is still away so apologies for the quality. I've been on the lookout for a X-51 for years but never found something priced right when I had funds. This one was very modestly priced (possibly due to the very odd carving of a dogs heat on the grip cap area - does anybody recognize this ??)

Attachment 83578
Attachment 83579

All steel (not a trace of plastic, alloy or shit metal) and wood - just as a rifle should be!

The bolt hold open/single shot feature on these is way cool, I've never struck one quite like it. The effect is similar to the Walther/Beretta Olympia, where the bolt can be locked shut, but the Unique locks the bolt back with each shot, which is possibly a better way to do it.

I certainly hope my our exchange helped with this lol.
BTW without hijacking thread I've done some work on the project you helped me with. All the paints gone-alas no bluing underneath. Bought some bore cleaner to see how that comes out. welded up and peened the lugs on the floorplate so that's nice and snug.
Only thing is that the plug I made for the recess on the receiver is a fail. D/T'd a small screw to hold it down better so I didn't have to do any welding around the edge but by the time I tig'd up the screw head and filed it all back, its a weeny bit loose, and upon checking the appropriate mounts at a local shop, any new screws could be drastically close to the screw so that's no good.
Might have to do another one I reckon.

Did some quick Dr googling-they are a relation to the NS522-similiar in a lot of ways-same as all guns there are some tricks to lightening the trigger etc that can make them shoot even better.

Nce score, I cant see any rear sight, not even the base. Did it come with them? but you do have the foresight hood I lost mine. Mags can be hard to find and are bloody pricy.

It didn't have the rear sight or its base. The fore sight and ramp is there, but no hood, Marty if the ramp etc is any good to you you can have it (its gooona be scoped while I have it, and I already think its a keeper, but haven't shot it yet). Cheers

Generous offer but no thanks, Ive kept my foresight on and just removed the rear ladder keeping the base, and have a kilwell 22 scope on it 4x32 suits me fine. Ffyi, the original ladder is graduated to 150 metres serious open sight distance with a 22!

Cheers @ Tentman, I saw this one on Trademe. I also noticed the lack of front sight and ramp. I ve taken mine off also but have kept the bits in a safe place.
Great workmanship and like you said no plastic. I understand that it;s milled out of solid steel. The were brought in by Kilwell I believe and had hell of a price tag on them in the day.
From what I read the French goverment banned the civilian population / made illegal the owning of semi auto's and that spelt the end of that model.
Hand finished and assembled by craftman, a very nice bit of engineering and a pleasure to use and hunt with.

Be aware that if you have an X-51, as opposed to the X-51 bis, the pin that secures the sear disconnector is mounted vertically AND has been known to fall out. The pin in the X-51 bis is mounted horizontally, to avoid accidental full-auto firing. Also, never take the breechblock assembly apart in the field, otherwise you might need a friendly gunsmith to make a new tapered cross-pin for it. Guess how I know this?

Hi guys just joined, enjoying the forum and just spotted this thread. I have an em 322 but no mag, anyone got one lying around spare they could part with?

I've been eyeing these ones, but they don't ship to NZ. What we need is someone with a canadian contact who could on-send them . . . . https://durhamoutdoors.ca/products/s...m332a-magazine
cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by csmiffy

I certainly hope my our exchange helped with this lol.
BTW without hijacking thread I've done some work on the project you helped me with. All the paints gone-alas no bluing underneath. Bought some bore cleaner to see how that comes out. welded up and peened the lugs on the floorplate so that's nice and snug.
Only thing is that the plug I made for the recess on the receiver is a fail. D/T'd a small screw to hold it down better so I didn't have to do any welding around the edge but by the time I tig'd up the screw head and filed it all back, its a weeny bit loose, and upon checking the appropriate mounts at a local shop, any new screws could be drastically close to the screw so that's no good.
Might have to do another one I reckon.

---

The M17/P14 duckpond plug was sweated in with solder I think, it had a base hole in it but it didn't do much. The correct scope bases are those made for the Winchester M70, the cheap weaver ones work OK, a steel one piece would be my pick if you could find one that was affordable

Guys - do the X-51's like to run dry or lubed ?? And if not dry, then what have you found to work well??

I run mine pretty dry, a light wipe over and then a dry rag to remove any extra so pretty dry.
I run subs through mine which are dirty little fuckers but the action will do 600 - 800 rds before I get a jam. It's a very reliable action that seems loose enough to cope with fouling and grit but once in the chamber the accuracy on mine is excellent.
The EM might be alittle morre accurate ( maybe ) but the Unique is right up there.
I use Rem lube mainly for the teflon component, seems to work fine.

Same just a smear of oil on the bottom of the tuning fork bolt and a drop on the return spring head. Because of this thread mine is going spotlighting tonight its first outing since October.
I should use it more its way nicer than my 10/22 but thats the bike gun and gets bashed about a fair bit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Same just a smear of oil on the bottom of the tuning fork bolt and a drop on the return spring head. Because of this thread mine is going spotlighting tonight its first outing since October.
I should use it more its way nicer than my 10/22 but thats the bike gun and gets bashed about a fair bit.

---

LoL, mate you read my mind, I was thinking I really should get my Frenchie out of the gun cabinet and go for a walk. I brought a Norinco as my bash gun as I just couldn't give the Unique a hard time, way too nice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by viper

I use Rem lube mainly for the teflon component, seems to work fine.

---

Would be great on Marlin semi autos too I'm guessing. Will give it a whirl

I've had a basic trial run in pretty difficult conditions, a flukey wind from the side, the X-51 is a keeper despite a horrific trigger with 20-25mm groups at 50M- has anyone had a go at tuning an x-51 trigger??

The EM-332 shows promise but I only had limited time and CCI std ammo and it didn't like me or the ammo much - 19-25mm groups at 50M.

With better "me" factors (a better bench set-up and no wind) I think I could halve the groups.