Just got my 8 1/2 grizzly this morning. NOT impressed

it all comes down to money for most people. buy 3 norincos or one higher end gun

I personally dont mind smoothing out a few edges (not that I had to with most norincos) because I like taking guns apart to see how they work
 
They could and they can. China can manufacture to match the highest tolerances found on the earth.

Actually, they can't. Reference how they literally can't build jet engines, they have trouble meeting what the Americans, Russians, Europe, and Canadians were making in the 1960's. Read an interesting engineering article about how fine tolerance work and metallurgy specialties is China's largest handicap in developing a truly worrisome airforce. They're completely dependent on Russian engines, and Russia is careful not to sell them too much to maintain the balance they wish to with China. Even with the products in hand, China hasn't been able to reverse engineer them successfully, and they're trying hard.

This all said, does it apply to guns? Who knows, likely not, but they don't produce mechanical goods to the same quality as the west, that's for sure. Who is up for their next flight to the Caribbean or over the Atlantic on a Chinese powered airliner? :) I'm good thanks. I consider a bear gun the same question.

it all comes down to money for most people. buy 3 norincos or one higher end gun

I personally dont mind smoothing out a few edges (not that I had to with most norincos) because I like taking guns apart to see how they work
'

As they say, I'm too poor to buy cheap tools.
 
I learned early in life not to buy cheap tools, cheap shoes or cheap winter clothing because it will come back to bite you in the ass and cost you more in the long run.
 
Over 30k rounds in mine and maybe 10-15 failures to eject over, never failed to fire and maybe 10 times its failed to feed.

Pretty good numbers in my books for the $300+tax I paid for mine, got it in the first batch landed in Canada.

I've ran it side by side my Rem 870's and other then the action not being as buttery smooth as a Rem its performed on the same level.

Some of the Grizzly's are awesome, some are poo.......depends how hard the guard pokes his rifle into the gun makers spine lol.
 
I honestly think we look for problems with the Chinese stuff because we still can't believe that anyone but North America can build something of good quality. That happened with the auto market too. They all laughed when Toyota and Datsun (now Nissan) came into the country but by the early 80's the quality of the imports surpassed anything domestic made.

Those are Japanese cars.....not Chinese.
 
I think the point was relative. People used to think the first Japanese radios and electronics from companies like Sony and Sharp were junk in the '60s and '70s, and they were. They quickly improved. The same is happening in China. Let's not forget that subsistence farming was the primary occupation there only a few decades ago.
 
I look at my brand new 870 express and the finish is horrible id say they are on par with china now. My m305 is a pretty nicely finished gun for the price. Hell even my norinco sks looks better than the 870
 
I bought a legal 8.5-inch shotgun barrel...and they threw in a complete receiver, with all moving parts, plus stocks...for FREE!

Honestly, what do you expect for this price? You get to try out something totally different...a super-short pump shotgun...for very little cash. Mine has functioned almost perfectly for a few thousand rounds of appropriately cheap ammo. For my intended purpose for it, i.e. making noise and blowing up milk jugs behind the barn, it is perfect. If I hear something go bump in the night, I will reach past it to my 870 Police model. While doing so, my hand will brush past my recent-vintage Rem870 Express...which is proving to be one of the most poorly-finished, roughest, most malfunction-prone firearms I have ever owned. Just sayin'...


edited to add: A close second choice, and 100% reliable, without one single malfunction ever? My HP9! It must be one of those rare German-made Norincos!
 
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Actually, they can't. Reference how they literally can't build jet engines, they have trouble meeting what the Americans, Russians, Europe, and Canadians were making in the 1960's. Read an interesting engineering article about how fine tolerance work and metallurgy specialties is China's largest handicap in developing a truly worrisome airforce. They're completely dependent on Russian engines, and Russia is careful not to sell them too much to maintain the balance they wish to with China. Even with the products in hand, China hasn't been able to reverse engineer them successfully, and they're trying hard.

This all said, does it apply to guns? Who knows, likely not, but they don't produce mechanical goods to the same quality as the west, that's for sure. Who is up for their next flight to the Caribbean or over the Atlantic on a Chinese powered airliner? :) I'm good thanks. I consider a bear gun the same question.

'

As they say, I'm too poor to buy cheap tools.

I completely agree about buying cheap tools. Buy it right the first time and it's cheaper in the long run.

The turbine manufacturing stuff is really interesting. One of my other hobbies is chainsaws. China is now making copies of some saws with complete parts interchangeability that seem to be machined to the same tolerances as the Swedish and German originals.

I have always thought that China's biggest manufacturing downfall is their complete and utter inability to design anything without copying something else. I look at the chainsaws, or guns, or any other product that is copied and wonder why on earth can they not sit down and come up with a new design? All those knockoff goods being cranked out so they don't have to have anyone that can THINK of something new. No creativity, no innovation, no ingenuity. This is where they really differ from post war Japan because Japanese goods being developed back then started to utilize some novel manufacturing processes and unique designs. The car industry in particular has totally changed due to post war Japanese manufacturing innovation. I don't see China as being a powerhouse anytime soon because they are too content with the easy way
 
I agree on innovation, the unfortunate thing is their success in copying comes at the expense of the companies and people who actually thought up and developed the product, like Dlask and the 8.5" 870's as a small but poignant example. Granted, others had made super short pumps, but it was the Dlask that was the springboard for the Norc copies in Canada.
 
The low shot shell capacity is one reason I stayed away from the 8 1/2 Grizzly. My 15" Grizzly is a great gun, but I had to smooth out the rough spots on the mag lips to get it to cycle the shells. With DA products, you have to be prepared to smooth out the rough edges, but they are built well overall. I had to do the same on my DA Terminator.
 
Finally got everything de burred and smoothed out to my satisfaction. Have installed a Wingmaster bolt and trigger group and a new Magpul SGA stock which I REALLY like. The only thing now is that it is shooting about 3 ft high at 50 yds with slugs. I realise that the shorter the barrel, the higher the bead needs to be. The top of the bead is about 1/8 below the plane of the receiver. So now it looks like I am going to have to make a raised bead The short barrelled Remingtons are on a bit of a pedastel but I haven't tracked one down yet. I don't like ghost rings for such a short sight radius and want to keep the clean lines so no red dot either. This is just a toy so I don't mind farting around with it and I have to admit that with the Magpul stock it looks just plain nasty. I'm thinking cutting off the rear of the buttstock would make a wicked pistol grip (just thinking)

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it is possible to shoot at 50 yards, but I dont think thats what it was designed to do, more like a wilderness carry, super short distance shooting

you can hi viz front sights or bigger bead, or solder on a sight pedestal (or epoxy supposedly)

look here: w ww.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=96928


just found this too: w ww.xssights.com/index.php?nID=sights&cID=Sights&pID=sights&sID=shotgun "XS Big Dot Tritium Front Sights - plain barrel" (bottom right)
 
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The 8.5 looks awesome. I have one myself, but haven't got around to shooting it yet. The action on mine is fairly smooth and really don't have many complaints. Stripping it and getting everything back together is a bit of a PITA, but otherwise no complaints.

How are you guys modifying them to fit 3 shells? You remove the dimple on the cap, then what?
 
I removed the dimple threw away the plastic piece that locked the mag cap and replaced the mag cap with a wingmaster one which the serations are on the barrel ring. That allows for 3 2 3/4 shells in the tube (I doubt that will allow for 3 3" shells, I haven't checked) And make sure it is good and tight. It hasn't come loose so far, but I picked up a detent and spring from Brownells. Once I get back to work in Sept. I will install them (any gunsmith could do it if you feel the need). In the meantime I will just check it often)
 
I removed the dimple threw away the plastic piece that locked the mag cap and replaced the mag cap with a wingmaster one which the serations are on the barrel ring. That allows for 3 2 3/4 shells in the tube (I doubt that will allow for 3 3" shells, I haven't checked) And make sure it is good and tight. It hasn't come loose so far, but I picked up a detent and spring from Brownells. Once I get back to work in Sept. I will install them (any gunsmith could do it if you feel the need). In the meantime I will just check it often)

Thank you Dogzilla.

Now, just wondering if someone has a video of how to strip this shotgun down? I know there is a small difference between these Grizzlies and a regular 870, Can I just use an 870 video to strip my Grizzly?
 
Thank you Dogzilla.

Now, just wondering if someone has a video of how to strip this shotgun down? I know there is a small difference between these Grizzlies and a regular 870, Can I just use an 870 video to strip my Grizzly?

I have an 8.5 HP9 and 12.5 DA both worked great out the box guess I was lucky. I just used the 870 Video for stipping hints. I did not take the action apart so that part I can not comment on but the rest was pretty similar apart from Magazine spring holder where you just push down and turn then let it come up dimples are holding it in.

Cheers
Matt
 
Construction and takedown are the same as an 870. There are some dimensional differances, but most parts are inchangeable
 
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