my 1st 1911 build with pic's

CyberK,
what Jamie did with the Norc is exactly what I have been wanting to do for a long time. I am still waiting for the NP29's to come in (late feb or march says marstar)
In terms of reading, what would you recommend as a resource, something with lots of good descriptive pictures?. I know my way around tools but by no means a metal worker.I know how to use a dremel. =)

CyberK said:
All I can say about the fitting and filing is practice, practice, practice, then read some books on 1911s, then practice some more. In reality, it is not rocket science. You really want to make sure you are confident in what you are doing before you do it yourself though.

To answer your question more directly, it is A LOT of work. Make sure you have the right tools. A good selection of GOOD QUALITY files will make your life much easier as well.

As always, if you are doing this for the first time, make sure you have everything checked out by someone who knows what they are doing before you fire any live rounds!!!
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Jamie, with hind sight why didn't you just buy a Fusion kit and work from that? I have nothing but respect for my two Norincos and the integrity of these pistols. The photo is of the one Norinco pistols that Marianne Carniak put together for me. It has a carry bevel, match barrel bushing, McCormick(grip safety, trigger, sear, and hammer), trigger job, Novak sights, and refinish. I see few pistols at the range that my Norinco will not shoot with. I would have kept the Norinco for a range gun and used the Fusion kit for the project. This is just my critique and not meant as a slam. Regards, Richard:D

2NorincoLeftSide.jpg
 
JB WELD now that is something I didn't think of to fill the letting in with...

EDITED: TO add... I got a 1911 a while ago with the intention of playing with color and now you have my juices going again to do it... Already started trying to source a 357 Sig Barrel and top end...

You Bastard you killed Kenny...
 
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richardoldfield said:
Jamie, with hind sight why didn't you just buy a Fusion kit and work from that? I have nothing but respect for my two Norincos and the integrity of these pistols. The photo is of the one Norinco pistols that Marianne Carniak put together for me. It has a carry bevel, match barrel bushing, McCormick(grip safety, trigger, sear, and hammer), trigger job, Novak sights, and refinish. I see few pistols at the range that my Norinco will not shoot with. I would have kept the Norinco for a range gun and used the Fusion kit for the project. This is just my critique and not meant as a slam. Regards, Richard:D
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Are Fusion kits available from a dealer in Canada?
 
richardoldfield said:
I assume that Fusion parts/kits are available in Canada as Jamie says: "...I added a Fusion slide..." I have spoken to Bob Serva of Fusion Arms and he knows 1911s. Regards, Richard:D
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Getting stuff from Bob is not usually an issue, as long as all of the rules are followed. As for the whole kit..........the frame would have to be imported by a dealer.
 
Good stuff.

I always like more 1911's out and about...

needs a Dawson rail and X300 though ;)

oh and Gunner grips (or CT Laser grips) some front grip tape or golfballing and...
 
Too much work.

I'm not slamming but just observing. Seems like a lot of fellows buy an entry level Chi-com copy and then proceed to spend big bucks on it to make it work. Or make it look like it works, or make it look the way they want it to look.
That's fine. But if you add up all the time/effort/money involved, you could probably buy a very nice STI, Kimber, Para, or Springfield actual 1911?
When you get sick of it or want to trade it, its just a dressed up Chi-com pistol....

@@@@@@@@@@
Greens are like watermelons: Green on the outside but red on the inside.
 
If I tally up my Norc, it comes to:

$300 for the gun (got it when they first came out)
$100 Bomar sites
$150 for Armco tune up
$50 Duracoat

$600 for a very accurate, perfectly functioning, very nice looking 1911. :)
Cost in fun-priceless.;)
I would say thats not to bad.

Another benifit from painting it myself is that I can now detail strip my pistol and replace anything that might break in the future without needing to send it to a gunsmith. :)

Sorry for showing off:p
IMG_2.jpg


It would be interesting to do a poll to know how many 1911 owners can actually take their pistols down to wee parts and put it back together again.
 
hatman1793 said:
I'm not slamming but just observing. Seems like a lot of fellows buy an entry level Chi-com copy and then proceed to spend big bucks on it to make it work. Or make it look like it works, or make it look the way they want it to look.
That's fine. But if you add up all the time/effort/money involved, you could probably buy a very nice STI, Kimber, Para, or Springfield actual 1911?
When you get sick of it or want to trade it, its just a dressed up Chi-com pistol....
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You're getting tougher slide and frame steel than any other 1911 at any price, at least that I'm aware of. Aside from the barrel the rest of the gun is pretty respectable too. I'd actually go out of my way to use one as a starting point for a custom project, the only downside really is those ugly rollmarks.
 
The steel in the Norinco guns is very strong. I built up a bunch of them a few years back and had to litterally mill the front sights off.

Really nice build guys, that is a great looking 1911.
 
Mr AR15 said:
Sorry for showing off:p
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No need to apologize. You've done a beautiful job on it. Nice looking pistol and totally functional, too. A guy couldn't ask for more.


Mr AR15 said:
It would be interesting to do a poll to know how many 1911 owners can actually take their pistols down to wee parts and put it back together again.
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I'm in the club... Recall the first time I did it I had an 'exploded diagram' to go from. Took me awhile to 'get it' and then put that first one [a beater USGI 1911A-1] back together again. Since then I've probably done it at least a hundred time or more with different 1911's. It's usually the first thing I do with a 1911 that I buy now, new or not.

Heck, I've detail stripped & cleaned lots of 1911's for friends, too. Recently did it for an older, retired gent I know that has a minty Colt 1911 commercial and a nice WWII era USGI 1911A-1. He was so pleased he's promised to give me 'dibs' if he ever decides to sell 'em.... :cool:
 
Wow, the work from the pictures are impressive, Jamie.

All the power to you. I am one of those guys who don't go beyond just field stripping the 1911. Someone showed me once how to take everything apart, but it was too stressful if i missed anything, and don't want to do it again. (still have my Ed Brown 1911 Bench Reference binder, terrific info source for guys like you)

Aside from doing this gun, you probably gain more insight into the 1911, while guys like me wait for the local gunsmith to free up time, which is months in saskatoon.

Love the Desert Storm look. Who did the engraving on the slide?

never had a norinco, but it looks like all evidence of that is gone. Gunnar at Armco uses norinco as starting pieces, and that is good enough for me.

A real POS was a Colt series 70 i bought back in the late 70's, stove pipe most of the time until i got the ejection port lowered, no accurarcy, had to start at 5 meters to see where it was possibly hitting, terrible factory sights with the thin round front blade, etc. etc. I recall buying the gun for $450, and spent over the next year another $600 to correct and add the extra bells and whistles that all you young guys take for granted, to make it a decent ipsc piece. When ipsc started, i remember mine and other 1911's jamming and delayed everything.

the extended slide stop is ok, just keep your thumb down. had one from the start, eventually figured out that i didn't really needed.

yeah, get the dawson rail and pimp it out with a x300 light, that gun deserves it.

nice work on blending the rear sight into your slide. you should be proud of your project and workmanship. regards.
 
Your "American Legend" still has Chinese DNA :( Wouldn't it be easier/more kosher to use a stand-alone Caspian frame?
 
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