Just bought a NP29

[squirrelshooter]

Hello, I brought home a NP-29 just before the election and finally got a chance to put a couple hundred rounds through it. I like it enough, and it seems fairly reliable, but I'd like a couple upgrades. Here's what I'm after; More mags, the Norc ones are reliable enough, but are a little quirky. On one mag,the follower catches on the mag release when I try to load it, you have to stick your fingernail in the hole, the other mag it came with doesn't do this (lol). What are the most popular 9mm mags and where do you guys buy them? Better grips! Where are you guys getting the ones that chew into you're hand like a rabid squirrel? I've seen 'em, just can't find them for sale anywhere? Adjustable sights, my gun shoots to the left (I think it's the gun) and I don't like the hard to see front sight anyhow, who has the best sights that I can install on the Norc at home. Lastly, I'd like to replace the guide rod with the shorter style that doesn't stick out when the slide is back, mostly so I can use a solid plug, the factory one digs into my finger when I take down the gun (what a wuss, I know) are there any drawbacks to changing the guide rod? And where can I get it! I've heard Brownells is a great source, but there are limits to what can be brought into the country. Any good Canadian shops that can help?

Thanks!

 

[BCRider]

I like Norincos at the best of times. But I'm under no illusion that they are fully finished when they come out of the box. A trip to a gunsmith for a touch of a tune up on some things would do a lot for the gun's operating. The mag follower catching on the release hook is just one such example. It may be the mag follower needs a touch of a file or it may be that the release catch needs a touch of shaping to form a little ramp that the mag will skip over instead of catching on. Or perhaps a touch of both.

A smith could install some new sights and test fire the gun so you know it's shooting straight and if it doesn't then it's you. Also the smith would know what size of dovetails to use. And if you're after an adjustable sight then you'll need a smith anyway to mill in the relief needed at the rear of the slide to accept an adjustable slide.

On shooting left the old rule applies. It might be you. So have a known good shooter in your area try the gun before you adjust anything and end up reinforcing a poor shooting technique of your own that haunts you for a long time to come. Also in the end the fixed sights ARE adjustable. It's just that they require a hammer and brass punch for windage and a file and some touch up bluing to adjust for elevation. Needless to say you want to sneak up slowly and carefully on any elevation adjustments.

Most any proper gun store will have or can get grips for the 1911. Are there no proper gun shops in your area? I see sets of various brands and patterns all the time in my own local shops.

The Norcs I've had all had edges on the metal parts I could shave with. Each of them got some "quality time" put into them with a small slip stone to deburr the razor like edges on the external and internal parts just so I would not leak red body fluids on them when handling during shooting and cleaning. LIkely the same for you would be a good use of some time. A bottle of G96 bluing gel to touch up the shiny lines created by this work will hide the evidence of your work. And once you're done it's quite likely that the full length guide rod won't be so bad to live with.

The odd thing is that the full length rod is seen by most folks as an UPGRADE and here's you wanting to go back to the traditional GI issue short rod and end plug. By all means do so if you wish. The gun won't care and will shoot just fine. And likely as not you'll be able to trade someone for the parts and they'll be happy to get the "upgrade" in return for their half rod and cap parts.