Is the Norinco 1911 as good as it looks?
- Thread starter banjaboy
- Start date
- Location
- Edmonton Alberta
I love the firearms community, 90% good people but there's some real idiots who think they know what they're talking about. I handled the norinco 1911a1 and i put down my money right away. They are solid and if you do your research the only real people who's opinions matter think the same.
I bought one from P&D in 2003 and it sat in my safe for about 3 months before I had a chance to shoot it. I was using my Gold Cup for competition and I thought I would give the Norinco a chance to see what it would do with a couple of thousand rounds thru it.
I changed the barrel bushing and tightened the slide to the frame and changed the trigger to one that fit me better and a cheap set of grips. I de-Norc'd it and sandblasted it, parked the upper and left the frame bare just to be different.
I ran it for 5000 rounds and changed the sights so I could acquire the targets easier.
With my H&G #68 Mold and some bullseye you can not tell the difference at the target from my Gold Cup.
It now has passed the 13,000 rounds mark and I can not remember if it has ever had a FTF or FTE other than when a part broke, it just keeps on going.
I replaced a broken link pin and a broken extractor and that is it. I have replaced the same parts in my Gold Cup and a broken main spring.
I now run my Norinco exclusively to practice with and keep my Gold Cup for competition.
I have 3 sets of DVD's on home gunsmithing the 1911 and all three mention the Norinco as a great base pistol to build up on. Wilson, Thunder Ranch and Gunsite.
I changed the barrel bushing and tightened the slide to the frame and changed the trigger to one that fit me better and a cheap set of grips. I de-Norc'd it and sandblasted it, parked the upper and left the frame bare just to be different.
I ran it for 5000 rounds and changed the sights so I could acquire the targets easier.
With my H&G #68 Mold and some bullseye you can not tell the difference at the target from my Gold Cup.
It now has passed the 13,000 rounds mark and I can not remember if it has ever had a FTF or FTE other than when a part broke, it just keeps on going.
I replaced a broken link pin and a broken extractor and that is it. I have replaced the same parts in my Gold Cup and a broken main spring.
I now run my Norinco exclusively to practice with and keep my Gold Cup for competition.
I have 3 sets of DVD's on home gunsmithing the 1911 and all three mention the Norinco as a great base pistol to build up on. Wilson, Thunder Ranch and Gunsite.
Guess they must be totally crap then.
- Location
- 42 Band of Eight Central
I have found so far those haters either have had one bad one (which happens to any brand) or are the same as the typical "I'll only buy GM" etc.. load of bull####.
Like one woman not to far from me whom was #####ing about "buy American"... and she didn't get it when I pointed out her focus was Mexican.
Where it is made isn't the issue.. it's how it's made and value for the $ IMO.
Now I'm no expert on the Norinco's overall.. but so far I haven't seen any reason to not buy one esp as bang/buck.
It's the same as the elitists swearing a Beretta 92 is better than a Taurus 92.. what a load of crap.. I've worked with both and I prefer the Taurus.. some nice added features and considerably cheaper as a bonus.
As for the 1911's.. no they might not be 100% show pieces.. but not everyone has $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for a gun. And with dealers like Marstar whom are very upright who can really complain?
For those of you that think that Kimbers are a high-end 1911:
http://10-8performance.########.com/2010/07/kimber-warrior.html
Norincos are a good value for money compared to other entry level 1911s. Total cost for an Armco prepped one is less than the others cost out of the box. They might need some work to get to run properly, but the same can be said for the others as well.
The STI Spartans also seem like a good value if you like all of the bells and whistles that they come with, but perhaps not so much if there are some you don't want. I, for one, don't like full-length guide rods or the slide serrations (both the fact that they are very coarse and that it has them up front). Starting with an ordinary Norinco 1911A1 allows you to add the goodies you do want and pass over that which you don't.
http://10-8performance.########.com/2010/07/kimber-warrior.html
Norincos are a good value for money compared to other entry level 1911s. Total cost for an Armco prepped one is less than the others cost out of the box. They might need some work to get to run properly, but the same can be said for the others as well.
The STI Spartans also seem like a good value if you like all of the bells and whistles that they come with, but perhaps not so much if there are some you don't want. I, for one, don't like full-length guide rods or the slide serrations (both the fact that they are very coarse and that it has them up front). Starting with an ordinary Norinco 1911A1 allows you to add the goodies you do want and pass over that which you don't.
I have lost track of how many Norc pistols and rifles I own. Every one of them shoots better than the $ cost. That is, they are very good value.
For the pistols, they each got a trigger job and a set of better grips. I own the real deal the clones are based on. They shoot as well.
This 1911 in 45 has new adjustable sights (LPA).
This is my hi cap Norc 1911 in 9mm.
For the pistols, they each got a trigger job and a set of better grips. I own the real deal the clones are based on. They shoot as well.
This 1911 in 45 has new adjustable sights (LPA).
This is my hi cap Norc 1911 in 9mm.
- Location
- 42 Band of Eight Central
I have lost track of how many Norc pistols and rifles I own. Every one of them shoots better than the $ cost. That is, they are very good value.
For the pistols, they each got a trigger job and a set of better grips. I own the real deal the clones are based on. They shoot as well.
This 1911 in 45 has new adjustable sights (LPA).
This is my hi cap Norc 1911 in 9mm.
Nice.. and since you don't know how many care to "loose" on over at my place for a while so I can play?
- Location
- London, Ontario
Looking at all this pictures is making me really want to pick up a Norc 1911!!!
- Location
- 42 Band of Eight Central
I only have ONE regret with & after having my FOUR (or was it five?) Norinco M1911 pistols. AND THAT IS, I SOLD THEM for other projects. I loved every one of them. A couple I bead blasted and re-parked. Then I sold them for other boomsticks.
They were wonderful to work on and customize with parts like Brown/Wilson/McCormick from Brownells (they love me and my VISA card). Not a single surprise. All the parts I upgraded worked well without any nasty surprises or discoveries.
Norc pistols, love them or hate them... at least they get us gun owners on a limited budget out shooting. That's what matters to the anti-gunners who hate us. We don't need anymore in-fighting within our hobby!
BTW, I've owned 3 Springfields, A Colt 1911, an IMBEL 9mm 1911, and currently an STI Spartan 9mm single stack. They are all great shooters!
Bring on the 1911's !!
They were wonderful to work on and customize with parts like Brown/Wilson/McCormick from Brownells (they love me and my VISA card). Not a single surprise. All the parts I upgraded worked well without any nasty surprises or
discoveries.Norc pistols, love them or hate them... at least they get us gun owners on a limited budget out shooting. That's what matters to the anti-gunners who hate us. We don't need anymore in-fighting within our hobby!
BTW, I've owned 3 Springfields, A Colt 1911, an IMBEL 9mm 1911, and currently an STI Spartan 9mm single stack. They are all great shooters!
Bring on the 1911's !!
- Location
- 42 Band of Eight Central
more 
to the anti's
Was at a couple of matches a little while ago and had the front sight come off and the right hand side of the safety fall out and disappear. Norcs are cheap to buy and thats the best part of them. Used a punch to re-anchor the sight and will fix the safety mia parts soon enough (still works as a RH only safety). Would still but another if the new commander style came out in 9mm
Worth the money! Never jambs unless full of mud/sand.Applefarmer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lime Stone City
CND buys Norinco products for testing and trials for the Elite JTF2. Nuff said. No it's not the real thing, but they do work.
incorrigible
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- stubble jumper
I hadn't had a 1911 before so I will qualify that. I have however had the HK mk23, Walther P99, HK USP, Glock 23 and a S&W 5946 for work. Now I've been piddling in the other end of the pool with rifles as of late but when I picked up the Norc it spoke to me. A little research and I came up with this;
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=503286
Short story made longer... Norcs were like Hondas in the 70s, functional but not up to North American standards. But as with the Japanese, Norcs quickly learned that North American expectations are higher and now the 1911A1C I picked up new for under $350 with less than 20 min work out of the box has a 4.5 lb trigger, extended mag/slide/safety, combat sights, skeletonized trigger/hammer, front serrations and a finish comparible to the HK's which were upwards of 2 grand all in. This is how the one that I got looked out of the box. I don't think so bad for the price of a night out with the wife.
Like what you will, and I don't have any problem spending money on quality... in fact I believe in it. But with all the complaints about Kimber, Colts and Para lately I'd give a sober second look at a Norc. And I don't worry about getting in the dirt or dropping my Norc. As such its gets used, passed around to friends and dirty... much like by buddys prom date. Good times
JD
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=503286
Short story made longer... Norcs were like Hondas in the 70s, functional but not up to North American standards. But as with the Japanese, Norcs quickly learned that North American expectations are higher and now the 1911A1C I picked up new for under $350 with less than 20 min work out of the box has a 4.5 lb trigger, extended mag/slide/safety, combat sights, skeletonized trigger/hammer, front serrations and a finish comparible to the HK's which were upwards of 2 grand all in. This is how the one that I got looked out of the box. I don't think so bad for the price of a night out with the wife.
Like what you will, and I don't have any problem spending money on quality... in fact I believe in it. But with all the complaints about Kimber, Colts and Para lately I'd give a sober second look at a Norc. And I don't worry about getting in the dirt or dropping my Norc. As such its gets used, passed around to friends and dirty... much like by buddys prom date. Good times
JD
Last edited:
That's the biggest thing influencing my purchases. Every time I line up all the "cheaper" 1911's and research the various brands in the sub-$1000 zone, I find something I don't like on each of them, whether it's parts or customer service or quality or whatever. The Norincos are too basic to screw up and are very strong, the only thing I don't like is that they're Chinese, but so is most everything else, including last night's dinner, so that bothers me less and less.
Gonna buy me a Nork when my RPAL shows up in the mail...
- Location
- 42 Band of Eight Central
Remember the most appropriate quote ever for this thread:
Lev Andropov: It's stuck, yes?
Watts: Back off! You don't know the components!
Lev Andropov: [annoyed] Components. American components, Russian Components, ALL MADE IN TAIWAN!
My $0.02
I have two complete guns and two frames that are waiting to be built.
Heres 1911A1 that I had build into my idea of combat 1911.
I have another 1911A1 that I fitted with EGW fire control kit / repro long spur hammer and I'm in the process of removing the markings and perkerising using it as USGI look alike shooter.
The two gov frames I have will be build into identical 1911's with Caspian slides and light rails one in .45 and one in 9mm
Next I'm going to find a commander either frame or complete gun and build a 9mm Commander with another Caspian slide and Kart barrel.
I guess I like norinco 1911's
I have two complete guns and two frames that are waiting to be built.
Heres 1911A1 that I had build into my idea of combat 1911.
I have another 1911A1 that I fitted with EGW fire control kit / repro long spur hammer and I'm in the process of removing the markings and perkerising using it as USGI look alike shooter.
The two gov frames I have will be build into identical 1911's with Caspian
slides and light rails one in .45 and one in 9mmNext I'm going to find a commander either frame or complete gun and build a 9mm Commander with another Caspian
slide and Kart barrel.I guess I like norinco 1911's
I have a Norinco 1911 purchased from Marstar. While not finished as nicely as more expensive 1911s its function has been flawless and accuracy equal to my friends expensive Colt. I would definetly recommend the Norinco 1911. The high quality of steel in these guns makes upgrades and modifications worth while.
