Chinese Norinco

[CajunBass]

I was looking at a Chinese Norinco 45 this morning. Best i can tell unfired, in the box, instruction sheet, cleaning rod and brush. Not even an "idiot mark" on it. Nicely blued. Fixed sights GI type gun.

They any good?

 

[fyimo]

They have excellent steel in them and are often used for custom 1911 builds.

Here's my Custom 1911 Norinco I had built by Ikey Starks in Denver in the mid 90's.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

VERY good guns.

 

[growr]

Mine has served me very reliably for over 20 years.....great gun.

Randy

 

[robertrwalsh]

The only beef I have ever had with Chinese semi-autos is the qualify of the springs used in them.

 

[k22fan]

Before Clinton put 80% of FFLs out of business most of us bought most of our new guns out of the Shotgun News through home FFLs. Usually the ads offered a price break if you bought more than one of the same gun. A freind and I spit an order of two Norinco 1911s. They were $266 out the door! Both were good solid 1911s. Parts were 100% interchangeable with Colts and they were reputed to be made of good steel. Grocery store gun magazines often pictured customized Norinco 1911s.

Similarly, Hungarian FEG Browning High Power copies were dirt cheap, 100% parts interchangeable with FN Brownings, made of good steel and often used as the basis for custom pistols.

 

[CQB27]

Every part (except springs of course) machined from tooled steel. Tougher than Woodpecker Lips! Great basic 1911's and getting harder to find every day, especially in the condition you describe.

 

[Daver7]

I remember when I first saw thes sometime in the 80's and I turned my nose up at them thinking a colt was the only 1911 to have.
I forget how much they were but I wish I would have bought a couple of them.

 

[blue71]

I'd buy it if the price was reasonable.

My safe includes a Norinco NHM-91, MAK90, and SKS-M. Granted they're not pre-bans, but they're great quality. The AK variants have exceptional triggers and function flawlessly. Plus they're probably only going to go up in value.

 

[WVSig]

They are good guns but look closely at the locking lugs. There was a period of time where they were machined improperly and barrel would bounce around and shear the locking lugs.

Once that happened the gun will never be the same.

If they look good and they are not asking too much then go for it. The are very good 1911A1 clones. They used to be one of 3 base guns that Wilson would accept. They stopped accepting them at one point because they were too hard on the tooling.

I would not pay more than $500-$600 depending on the condition. Anything over that you are better off just buying a SA or Colt IMHO.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Before I got fed up with 1911s (very personal) I had two Norincos and they were excellent. They fired everything I ever fed into them, they were extremely accurate, etc. If I had the opportunity to buy one again, and if I wanted a 1911, I wouldn't hesitate to acquire a Norinco. They were among the best guns Norinco ever made.

Side story - a now deceased friend of mine, a truly top notch gun guy and LEO, had his Norinco 1911 sent to an engraver and the engraver sent it back saying the steel was too hard to engrave. That is SOLID!

 

[DWalt]

My brother has owned and used a Norinco .45 for many years, it's his favorite gun. As previously noted, the Norinco .45 has a good reputation for quality and durability.

 

[Jebus35745]

Years back at Camp Perry, Clark used them for custom 45's. Said the slides were harder then normal and they used the Norinco barrel because it was match quality. Neat thing is some places sell them reasonably, they think it's a junk gun. How much they want? Larry

 

[WVSig]

Years back at Camp Perry, Clark used them for custom 45's. Said the slides were harder then normal and they used the Norinco barrel because it was match quality. Neat thing is some places sell them reasonably, they think it's a junk gun. How much they want? Larry

You can still get them dirt cheap in Canada. The Clinton import ban is what made the price sky rocket in the US. I have had 2 or 3 over the years but they all have been sold off at one point or another because I chose not to customize them.

 

[rog8732]

CajunBass, fairly certain I looked at the Norinco you speak of. They had two on the 21st, if we are looking at the same place.

They were new in the boxes and a fair price I thought. List at $599 and thought to have a little swing on pricing. I didn't try for any discount as I had just spent my gun-fund for the time being.

One of them has a small crack in the left-side grip panel at the upper grip screw, If we are on the same page.

I want a Norinco, and have looked at a few locally but they were well beat up at $550 ! I have heard many times of the great steel used; even the tale I don't believe for a minute, about using train track rails. I imagine China needs all the rail lines it can get and can't imagine pulling up rails to make side arms.

In the U S I believe it is against an old federal law for an individual to salvage, cut up, or otherwise destroy rails. Reputable junk yards will not take them as scrap.

 

[CajunBass]

That we are.

They always have a little wiggle room on price. Just depends on how long it's been hanging around.

 

[Muley Gil]

"In the U S I believe it is against an old federal law for an individual to salvage, cut up, or otherwise destroy rails. Reputable junk yards will not take them as scrap."

Someone should have told WT Sherman that back in 1864-65.

 

[k22fan]

[...] In the U S I believe it is against an old federal law for an individual to salvage, cut up, or otherwise destroy rails. Reputable junk yards will not take them as scrap.

Local thieves steel a lot of metal to sell to businesses that recycle it. It is unusual to see a power poll that still has its ground wire. There is a persistent problem with thieves stealing rail spikes! In addition to being theft this **** endangers lives. What job is any harder than stealing RR spikes?

 

[BigBill]

The Chinese norinco 1911a1 is all forged steel. They say the norinco guns are made from our scrap railroad track. My project norc 1911 is the most accurate of my 1911's. I fitted a nm barrel bushing with a new surplus military barrel.

 

[BigBill]

Local thieves steel a lot of metal to sell to businesses that recycle it. It is unusual to see a power poll that still has its ground wire. There is a persistent problem with thieves stealing rail spikes! In addition to being theft this **** endangers lives. What job is any harder than stealing RR spikes?

We don't use spikes with the new ribbon rails. We use a spring binder setup now.