Clone recommendations?

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Coltaine

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Just looking for some feedback on how some of the clones (Norincos, etc) perform and what your general experiences have been with them.

I was talking to one of the staff at my range and he couldn't say enough terrible things about the NP22 (sig 226). Where as I have read some rather positive reviews on the Girsan (Beretta 92s) pistols. Obviously I am looking at one of the clones for cost reasons.
 
I did a 2 day course with someone that was shooting the NP22. I didn't shoot it, but did get to hold it. He only had good things to say about it, and I personally saw it function continuously for hundreds of rounds.
 
If it wasn't for clones I wouldn't do much shooting, I have clones of Colts Model !847,1848,1849,1851,1860,1873 and 1911.
If you are thinking of a 92 FS clone look at Taurus from Brazil...original Beretta tooling from expired contract.
 
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NORC clones (1911, 305, ar15) have good reviews for functionality. Finish and price is not highly polished like the big brand names.
 
Just received my norinco nz 85 b from Canada ammo
You ran 50 rounds through it this morning finish great
Functionality check . Felt like I was shooting my sig 226 elite
Check . Check , check
 
Chinese steel quality is good, it's just the finishing detail that's not. I heard (or saw online somewhere) that some 1911 competitors (US, when they could get them) prefer Norinco 1911's as a base to start from (then mod it), because of the steel quality. I've shot Norinco pistols and thought they were excellent, especially for the price. For the M305, I prefer the shorty, much better handling. I believe the Norinco's use the same tooling as the brand names (from a long time ago). I'm sure at some point, they'll reverse engineer and update it too ;)
 
I'd stick to the all steel Norks if you go that route, 1911's, CZ's. The early SIG copies had issues with the aluminium frames cracking, I don't think they do good aluminium or plastic yet....
The steel guns should last you a lifetime.
 
Yeah, I probably wouldn't be considering the Norc 1911s at this point as I already have 2 1911 models.

Good to know about the CZs. Has the quality for the Sigs gotten better in your opinion the the later models Hitzy?
 
Mines about 9 years old seams to be great the older it gets the better it shoots . I was concerned that the slide was built in the us and the lower built in Germany . At the time I thought I was getting an all German made .
Fit could have been better .
 
Coltaine said:
Yeah, I probably wouldn't be considering the Norc 1911s at this point as I already have 2 1911 models.

Good to know about the CZs. Has the quality for the Sigs gotten better in your opinion the the later models Hitzy?
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yeah, they made the locking lug bigger in the frame to beef up the frame rails. they seem to have addressed it, whether it cured the problem or not I'm not sure.
 
Coltaine said:
Yeah, I probably wouldn't be considering the Norc 1911s at this point as I already have 2 1911 models.

Good to know about the CZs. Has the quality for the Sigs gotten better in your opinion the the later models Hitzy?
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My Sig 226 copy is two years old with no issues, even after I have shot thousands of rounds. Any issue that may have existed in the past are long resolved. Keep in mind, the people who dislike Norinco handguns usually dislike them for reasons other then their function. For some people (although they never admit it) the looks of a gun is FAR more important when buying a new gun. Those people will never be happy with a Norc. Others have a hate on for China or whatever is the 'evil' country of the decade, they won't like them either. Then lastly you have the guys who are opposed to Norinco copying a gun and see it as a 'moral crime' and again those people will not be happy with a Norc.

The only noticeable difference between the copy and the real thing (other then looks) IMO was the double action trigger. The double action trigger pull is much nicer on the real Sig. EDIT: ..and grips, the grips on the real Sig are much nicer.
 
Hmm, that's strange, by most accounts I've heard nothing but good about Norc's sig clones. I just grabbed an NP34 not too long ago too. Haven't fired it yet, but it looks good. (I have a walk around video of it on my youtube channel if you want to check it out :D)

I have a norinco 1911 that functions flawlessly, (well when using act mag or mecgar mags), The front sight ended up falling off because whoever installed it damaged it at the factory but that was minor problem and a cheap fix. My other norcs (AR, a .22 and a shotgun) all work fine. Maybe there some horror stories about the NP22 I haven't heard, but for the most part Norcs seem to be fine.
 
They are good guns (norks) for new shooters getting into handguns. They don't appeal so much to folks that have been shooting for a while and have other guns to compare them to. Also when you look at the true costs in shooting the gun is the least expensive component. Ir you shoot $4000-$5000 of ammo a year whether you pay $400 or $800 for clone or real deal is insignificant.
 
Hitzy said:
They are good guns (norks) for new shooters getting into handguns. They don't appeal so much to folks that have been shooting for a while and have other guns to compare them to. Also when you look at the true costs in shooting the gun is the least expensive component. Ir you shoot $4000-$5000 of ammo a year whether you pay $400 or $800 for clone or real deal is insignificant.
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Excellent point.. but I still like the "real deal" ammo aside.
 
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