don't believe any of that you get what you pay for crap, you get a lot more from a tt33 than u pay for. if you belong to a range go there shoot the sh1t and hang out, guys will let you shoot their guns, if you have a feel for where you want to start it may help your selection, if you were to say you were only going to buy 1 handgun and done that's one thing, but if your planning on owning several you will never be disappointed because you own a milsurp pistol, I am sure it will actually be an investment if you keep it for awhile {at least that's what I tell my wife.....shhh}
Favorite cheap surplus pistol?
- Thread starter Suther
- Start date
So whats the Norinco warranty like on an NP22 or 34? If I buy a used one, could I still get it warrantied, or would I be SOL?
Didn't see the NP34 on the EE until it was already gone. Too bad, for that price I would have certainly been interested - but Im a bit weary about the EE, I dont want someone elses problem, or to get ripped off. I have used it before for a sporter enfield, but a $110 rifle is a bit different than a $300-400 pistol. The ruger SR9 seems to be a good option for a cheap gun off the EE, but I need to go handle one in the gun store before I could settle on it...
Didn't see the NP34 on the EE until it was already gone. Too bad, for that price I would have certainly been interested - but Im a bit weary about the EE, I dont want someone elses problem, or to get ripped off. I have used it before for a sporter enfield, but a $110 rifle is a bit different than a $300-400 pistol. The ruger SR9 seems to be a good option for a cheap gun off the EE, but I need to go handle one in the gun store before I could settle on it...
Im getting a membership in the next few weeks, I haven't gotten one yet. Im going to go to DVC (indoor range) 'cause they have rental guns so I could try a few and get an idea of what I want, but they aren't going to have tokarevs or enfield revolvers...
While I do agree ammo is not cheap, I am not *that* poor. I am not wanting .45acp for the cost reasons, but I think I can afford enough 9mm to keep myself happy. In my life, time is the larger constraint, so I will usually have a few weeks between range trips to save up some ammo money... My big problem with buying a .22lr pistol is the fact they cost just as much as anything else (or more than, in the case of the Tokarev.) If I could take my pistol to the bush when I go shooting with friends, then a 22lr would be more appealing, but as a range-only toy a 22lr handgun would only appeal to me if I wanted a low-cost trainer for another pistol I already had, or I got a good deal on something.
I already reload for my lee enfield, but I use a lee classic loader, which wouldn't be an option for 38s&w (not to mention how long that would take...) I have no space to set up a bench, so Hammer power is my friend for now. Im pretty sure I can buy cast bullets from Rustywood in the right caliber though...
Dominion Outdoors (sponsor) was listing an inexpensive smith n Wesson for, I think, a preorder deal. You could check their forum. Good bunch to deal with.
Norc warranty pretty much means replacement of lemons at the dealers discretion, if that. Marstar has a good warranty. As for a used norc.... Pretty much on your own.
For the most part you do get what you pay for. Cheap guns generally come with compromises, be it rough parts, poor support, or obsolete technology that you have to fix yourself. At the other end there are guns that you pay for the brand more than for the product.
I no longer buy dirt cheap guns, even if its hard to fight the bargain hunter inside. I also do not buy boutique guns, for the most part. You find a balance of what you are willing to accept that is inside of your means.
And as others will tell you, the price of the pistol is nothing compared to what you will spend on ammo, so buying a gun based by great extent on its low purchase price over one that may be a few hundred more that has a much better reputation is not a good deal.
And I will reiterate: stay away from milsurps, at least for now. For where you are at they are not the right choice right now. Put them on the someday list.
My brother and I both have Tokarevs, and BOTH were rendered unserviceable for many months due to failed parts that were next to impossible to source without buying an entire parts gun. Firing pins and disconnectors break on those guns. The gun is rough on them and the hot ammo doesn't help things. Both failed at under 1500 rounds, btw. Both of them "new" Polish guns.
Norc warranty pretty much means replacement of lemons at the dealers discretion, if that. Marstar has a good warranty. As for a used norc.... Pretty much on your own.
For the most part you do get what you pay for. Cheap guns generally come with compromises, be it rough parts, poor support, or obsolete technology that you have to fix yourself. At the other end there are guns that you pay for the brand more than for the product.
I no longer buy dirt cheap guns, even if its hard to fight the bargain hunter inside. I also do not buy boutique guns, for the most part. You find a balance of what you are willing to accept that is inside of your means.
And as others will tell you, the price of the pistol is nothing compared to what you will spend on ammo, so buying a gun based by great extent on its low purchase price over one that may be a few hundred more that has a much better reputation is not a good deal.
And I will reiterate: stay away from milsurps, at least for now. For where you are at they are not the right choice right now. Put them on the someday list.
My brother and I both have Tokarevs, and BOTH were rendered unserviceable for many months due to failed parts that were next to impossible to source without buying an entire parts gun. Firing pins and disconnectors break on those guns. The gun is rough on them and the hot ammo doesn't help things. Both failed at under 1500 rounds, btw. Both of them "new" Polish guns.
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Yes, Rusty has the odd size bullets. But it's a lower production item at a higher price than the mainstream stuff.
And for all the reasons you've already given it still points to the idea that for your first gun that you would be far better off with a mainstream gun that shoots a mainstream cartridge.
I've actually had a couple of Tokarevs from back when Can Am had the $99 guns. They actually shot really well. But the bodged on safety was a joke. Unless shot one handed my hands would push against the safety and engage it. And this only took 2 to 3 shots. It also wanted to wear a hole in my palm at the base of my thumb. I ended up removing it. Besides even when on "SAFE" if I jiggled the trigger and bumped the slides a few times it would jostle the safety part way off and the hammer could be tripped. As a safety it was a joke. A potentially dangerous joke.
And as a result of this lack of any useable safety you won't find the Tokarev on any lists of useable firearms for either IPSC or IDPA. So your potential for using a Tokarev in any of the events around the LM is going to be limited. Hence my suggestion to stick to something mainstream. After all the popular stuff is popular for a reason. No one went around giving out free guns. Folks buy one brand or another because they know that the products are reliable and can be serviced from a good supply of parts by existing distributor contracts with a service company. Something you won't have with the odd ball options.
I've never read of any Norinco warranty center. It seems like the dealers provide a limited good will warranty service from all the stories I've seen.
And for all the reasons you've already given it still points to the idea that for your first gun that you would be far better off with a mainstream gun that shoots a mainstream cartridge.
I've actually had a couple of Tokarevs from back when Can Am had the $99 guns. They actually shot really well. But the bodged on safety was a joke. Unless shot one handed my hands would push against the safety and engage it. And this only took 2 to 3 shots. It also wanted to wear a hole in my palm at the base of my thumb. I ended up removing it. Besides even when on "SAFE" if I jiggled the trigger and bumped the slides a few times it would jostle the safety part way off and the hammer could be tripped. As a safety it was a joke. A potentially dangerous joke.
And as a result of this lack of any useable safety you won't find the Tokarev on any lists of useable firearms for either IPSC or IDPA. So your potential for using a Tokarev in any of the events around the LM is going to be limited. Hence my suggestion to stick to something mainstream. After all the popular stuff is popular for a reason. No one went around giving out free guns. Folks buy one brand or another because they know that the products are reliable and can be serviced from a good supply of parts by existing distributor contracts with a service company. Something you won't have with the odd ball options.
I've never read of any Norinco warranty center. It seems like the dealers provide a limited good will warranty service from all the stories I've seen.
Finally took the plunge as it were. Just waiting on the ridiculous ATT to come in to get my Norc Sportsman to the range.
You can't beat that gun for the price. It's my only handgun. I wanted to get a tok but all I heard from everyone, here and at the range, was that they break easily. I'm not 'that' poor either but I seem to have fun shooting my sks and norc woodsman and keeping things inexpensive.
Well I wouldn't buy a Tokarev with the silly safety added after the fact. Those were just put there to comply with US import laws weren't they? And are completely unnecessary for us?
Also, IPSC/IDPA have caliber restrictions, and 30cal is too small. So thats another reason you couldn't use a tokarev for competition purposes. Besides I'd probably want to start in production class, so theres that too.
Where are you guys getting your Norinco Woodsmans or whatever? Nobody seems to have them online? Did your LGS just happen to have one, or..?
And yeah, it seems Marstar is the only one with a warranty for Norinco, and its only for 1 year. So I'll probably avoid a used Norinco off the EE because if its a lemon Im pretty much screwed.
Has anyone bought a Norinco from Frontier Firearms? They seem to have both the NP22 and 34 (sig 226/228 copies) which are looking more and more appealing...
Have only put about 500 rounds through my 1943 Russian Tok. Ammo's been a mix of commercial non corrosive,surplus and reloads. Shoots stupid low with all but my reloads which I get regular full mag groups around 3" at 15m. Been 100% reliable with all commercial and surplus but have had some trouble with reloads due to the retardedly tight chamber. No real signs of any wear on the critical parts. Bought a new Norc M57 to switch up with the Russian to limit wear and extend it's life. Guessing people are wrecking their toks due to using surplus ammo which was never designed for use in pistols in the first place.
