Anyone have opinions on these Norinco German trainer copies? I know its rimfire, but probably appeals more to milsurp guys than rimfire guys. Where are they? Nobody seems to have them. I'm guessing they weren't made in large numbers.
JW 25a
- Thread starter Philthy1
- Start date
I have one. Got it from M****** it came in what looked like motor oil ... cleaned it then notice the front sight was banged up and crooked. Won't deal with that seller again as they only offered a new sight blade and stiffed me with a rifle that had something heavy fall on the front sight and warp it.
Anyway I did some home gunsmithing and fixed the replacement blade and fixed it to the rifle to the point I could hit with decent accuracy at 100yrds. Then I mounted a 3-9×40 rimfire scope on it. I couldn't be more pleased with the function and accuracy of the rifle. Only 1 jam and that was the day I let me mother use the rifle. Don't know how she jammed it lol. I really like the quick action which I can cycle with my thumb. It shoots everything and pins 1 inch groups to 50 and min 2 inches at 100m if your dodgy like me. Down the road I would like to get a CZ but up to now my Norinco has filled the bolt action .22 niche. Yes I am a milsurper who hunts with a K98 and cz527. The rifle with non damaged/repaired front sights are a great representation of mauser v-notch sights. Again quality control is the issue and slight mods may be required or you could get lucky.
Down sides I experienced with this rifle.
I do not see the parts/materials being lifetime+ lasting, I am basing this on comparisons to older rifles such as a Mosin,k98 etc... and newer quality rifles by sako, CZ etc that will with decent care be handed down to your great grand children. I don't see the JW25a as one of these, which is honestly my main reason for thinking it ultimately needs a replacement. For what i would get for it, it's not worth selling.
Why?
In cleaning this rifle I used my typical milsurp decreasing treatment. I learned Norinco metal isn't the same as the metal in my Mosin.. using mineralnspirits the hose then air compressor and oil was too aggressive for this stuff and left a light speckling on the bolt which only worse off with use and G96. Also the rifle as a hunting 22 is unnecessarily heavy fitting more of the trainer role. This rifle does the job very well given whatvid paid.
I'm one of those guys that even though I may use an optic, will not buy a gun unless it has iron sights.
Anybspecific questions in happy to answer by pm
Anyway I did some home gunsmithing and fixed the replacement blade and fixed it to the rifle to the point I could hit with decent accuracy at 100yrds. Then I mounted a 3-9×40 rimfire scope on it. I couldn't be more pleased with the function and accuracy of the rifle. Only 1 jam and that was the day I let me mother use the rifle. Don't know how she jammed it lol. I really like the quick action which I can cycle with my thumb. It shoots everything and pins 1 inch groups to 50 and min 2 inches at 100m if your dodgy like me. Down the road I would like to get a CZ but up to now my Norinco has filled the bolt action .22 niche. Yes I am a milsurper who hunts with a K98 and cz527. The rifle with non damaged/repaired front sights are a great representation of mauser v-notch sights. Again quality control is the issue and slight mods may be required or you could get lucky.
Down sides I experienced with this rifle.
I do not see the parts/materials being lifetime+ lasting, I am basing this on comparisons to older rifles such as a Mosin,k98 etc... and newer quality rifles by sako, CZ etc that will with decent care be handed down to your great grand children. I don't see the JW25a as one of these, which is honestly my main reason for thinking it ultimately needs a replacement. For what i would get for it, it's not worth selling.
Why?
In cleaning this rifle I used my typical milsurp decreasing treatment. I learned Norinco metal isn't the same as the metal in my Mosin.. using mineralnspirits the hose then air compressor and oil was too aggressive for this stuff and left a light speckling on the bolt which only worse off with use and G96. Also the rifle as a hunting 22 is unnecessarily heavy fitting more of the trainer role. This rifle does the job very well given whatvid paid.
I'm one of those guys that even though I may use an optic, will not buy a gun unless it has iron sights.
Anybspecific questions in happy to answer by pm
Surprisingly good. I was expecting it to be more of a bullet hose, but it shoots quite well.
Stock wood is soft and I, too, had to return one to Mar-* because the stock had a chunk of tang broken out of it. No BS replacement of rifle.
It developed an issue where the bolt would come flying out and bop me in the nose when cycling it. I cleaned it well, and stoned/dehorned a few likely surfaces and it seems to be cured of it.
I put an old pencil scope on mine, to give it a classic sniper look. Glass isn't great, but it's good enough for 50yards. I did have to buy riser blocks to clear the rear sight
There are better .22s and there are worse ones, but find me another production rimfire that takes a bayonet.
Stock wood is soft and I, too, had to return one to Mar-* because the stock had a chunk of tang broken out of it. No BS replacement of rifle.
It developed an issue where the bolt would come flying out and bop me in the nose when cycling it. I cleaned it well, and stoned/dehorned a few likely surfaces and it seems to be cured of it.
I put an old pencil scope on mine, to give it a classic sniper look. Glass isn't great, but it's good enough for 50yards. I did have to buy riser blocks to clear the rear sight
There are better .22s and there are worse ones, but find me another production rimfire that takes a bayonet.
I have had similar experience as others. Sights are bad, had to send one back as the rear was mounted at about 1o'clock. Another I had to fill in rear blade, cut a new notch as the original wasn't centred. Once the sights are sorted out, they are accurate. Haven't scoped one yet, maybe over the holidays.
As well as the bayonet, they take a 98 sling. I have a few repros to sell if anyone is looking.
As well as the bayonet, they take a 98 sling. I have a few repros to sell if anyone is looking.
I picked one up new a few years ago with a hard case and scope for $99 + shipping. I enjoy mine but I have the following problems;
- The wood is extremely soft and marks very easily.
- The forward hand grip wood is only secured by the front barrel band and not secured by the rear sight. Mine 'floats' on the barrel.
- The bolt was very poorly machined and required extensive polishing. When I first got it, it felt like it was lubricated with grit it was so rough.
- The 'safety' on mine is cast out of a very soft metal and very quickly chewed its self up.
- The finish on the stock chips and peels easily.
On the whole, despite the above problems, I do like the rifle. It has never failed to chamber, fire or extract and is very accurate for a low priced .22
It has the look and feel of a K98, albeit smaller. If that is what you are looking for, for the price it can't be beat, just don't expect it to be a quality piece.
- The wood is extremely soft and marks very easily.
- The forward hand grip wood is only secured by the front barrel band and not secured by the rear sight. Mine 'floats' on the barrel.
- The bolt was very poorly machined and required extensive polishing. When I first got it, it felt like it was lubricated with grit it was so rough.
- The 'safety' on mine is cast out of a very soft metal and very quickly chewed its self up.
- The finish on the stock chips and peels easily.
On the whole, despite the above problems, I do like the rifle. It has never failed to chamber, fire or extract and is very accurate for a low priced .22
It has the look and feel of a K98, albeit smaller. If that is what you are looking for, for the price it can't be beat, just don't expect it to be a quality piece.
Last edited:
I bought one used a few years ago for around 150$. I like it because it has a military surplus trainer look about it. It has never had a hiccup, feeds-fires-extracts-ejects every time. Accuracy is acceptable. I put a scope on it with Burris tall rings. The rings cost 1/3 the price of the gun! The only downside is the fit and finish are a cut below a first rate, high quality rim fire rifle but you get what you pay for. So far it has a place in my gun safe.
For 300 with the scope I will keep mine. Couldn't replace it for that and even if I topped up to a CZ down the road I will need a second bolt gun anyway once my daughter starts shooting. I think I paid 189 with a reddot mount and case. The reddot is now on my 10/22 and the case gets used often . If it was not for the front sight issue I'd give this rifle rave reviews but as is with the scope it smacks accurate all day long with the right ammo and puts the rest in the ring if lower quality.
Shot it today and it loves Federal Champion std velocity (my other guns won't cycle it). 25c size groups with that at 66m federal automatch which decent in my semi's throws baseball sized groups at 50m.
Hands down the federal champion std is the most accurate ammo I have tried thru my jw25a... I have not spoiled this gum with anything better than CCI AR, 2nds place for accuracy is S&B std though I only fired 10rds may be worth a retry now that the rifle is broken in. Most importantly it shoots every type of 22lr that I have ever put in it even Wildcat which is junk. The only exception Remington of course gets loath reviews from me as my box of thunderstuck got stuck even in the chamber of this rifle. Bought 2 boxes(500) on sale it was painful to shoot thru one box. I still have the other sitting in my stash as a reminder...Don't buy Remington 22lr ammo no matter the price it's disappointment in a box.
Last edited:
Mine is great. Think I need to find a new mag. Tends to misfed the last round. Loves those dirty old Remington thunderbolts the best. Trigger is like, super good. Touch it and it goes off. Almost too light. Gotta be less than 2 pounds. I’d say mine is a 1.5 moa rifle @ 50m. Good buy at the 129.99 I paid. Bolt is a little gritty, but it is Chinese.
Last edited:
I have one, it's quite accurate. Have to give the bolt a sharp pull back to eject the empty casing. Mine had a gritty bolt also, but lapping compound on the rough spots smoothed things out.
The safety was so stiff when I first got it, that flipping it over can tear a piece off your finger.
I tried flipping it back and forth while watching tv for an hour, but no improvement.I had to disassemble the safety mechanism, file, sand and lapping all rough spots to get the safety to work without too much effort. Oh yeah, get rid of the original finish( don't know what it was). Mine is now finished in tung oil.
The safety was so stiff when I first got it, that flipping it over can tear a piece off your finger.
I tried flipping it back and forth while watching tv for an hour, but no improvement.I had to disassemble the safety mechanism, file, sand and lapping all rough spots to get the safety to work without too much effort. Oh yeah, get rid of the original finish( don't know what it was). Mine is now finished in tung oil.
They come and go. Norinco stuff seems to come in in big lots, sells then another big batch arrives. I have a JW15A, same rifle with a 24" barrel and composite stock. Bought one, barrel was so crooked that I had to drift the rear sight half way out of the barrel to get it to zero on the target at 20 yards; mounted a scope on it, and did not have enough windage adjustment to get it to zero... Dealer exchanged it. That rifle was just as bad; distributor had me send it to their gunsmith, who came to the same conclusion. Distributor sent 6 brand new rifles to their gunsmith, and out of those six, he found 3 that were "straight", of those three, one that would group tight. They sent me that one.
I had to do the usual Norinco spot in on the bolt and trigger adjustment, but now I have a rifle that shoots like a laser (with Tasco Pronghorn), and with Eley sport, puts all the shots into one tiny ragged hole... Factory sights are garbage.
If you get a good one, it will be very good!
I had to do the usual Norinco spot in on the bolt and trigger adjustment, but now I have a rifle that shoots like a laser (with Tasco Pronghorn), and with Eley sport, puts all the shots into one tiny ragged hole... Factory sights are garbage.
If you get a good one, it will be very good!
I have bought a few. I still own one and am very happy with it. Quality control at Norinco is a bit iffy but I am very happy with mine. I think at the price they were retailing for was very fair. I doubt the price will go down on a good used one.
I just bought one used and had to repair the stock thanks to Canada Post, as seen in another post. I am satisfied with it so far. Hopefully that will not change when I actually shoot it. It does cycle rounds just fine and after a good cleaning the mag drops free.
The "cleaning rod" will not stay in though. It falls out every time I point it down.
Does this happen to everyone or did you guys just glue it in?
The "cleaning rod" will not stay in though. It falls out every time I point it down.
Does this happen to everyone or did you guys just glue it in?
I bought mine from M****** as a kit with case and red dot scope. 5 shots into a dime at 25 yards with the cheap red dot. The only problem is the odd round from the magazine hanging up when cycling the bolt. The gun didn’t have to be broken in,the accuracy started after about a dozen rounds and is still holding up. It seems to prefer CCi sv and doesn’t like the quiet CCi or SK reduced loads. Money well spent for a knockabout gun.
