rost495, remember that a throat is considered long when a bullet does not engrave the lands/rifling before leaving the neck of the case. There will be precisious few rifles that will shoot MOA or even 2 MOA when a bullet has a jump from case neck to rifling.
My definition of freebore is a lack of rifling in the throat so that the fired bullet can move forward a ways before contacting the lands. However, the bullet still becomes full engraved before leaving the neck. These rifles can shoot extremely well.
My guess is that if you measure your throats, your accurate shooters with 'long' throats will fit my description of freebore.
We have had several batches of Norinco rifles arrive over the last few years. There has never been a documented case of a rifle blowing up. In fact, most of the ones I have played with and heard used throughout Canada, function and shoot as well if not better then the Springfields.
I have heard of the past problems with the US models. So far, none have hit our shores. The quality of manufacture is really, really good now.
Jerry