NEA vs Norc AR - help me justify spending more $$$

[mg4201]

You ever look at a Norinco? They are clearly lesser quality to even the untrained eye.

I look at my norinco all the time and what i see is a weapon that fuctions flawlessly and shoots better than I do. Jerry at mystic precision is over the moon about his norinco he is shooting the crap out of it and having zero issues. and another cgn member; ganderite just won a match with his, and kicked the crap out of high dollar guns while doing it. beauty is in function and norcs run

 

[DrXenon]

From the announced specs, is it possible to compare the NEA to a Knight's Armament SR-15? What would the SR give me that the NEA doesn't?

 

[Kveldulf]

Doubtful, My company is a major distributor of spring steel and Chinese spring steel is a disgrace compared to Canadian steel. This based on first hand experience. I think you may be referring to Japan steel because the Japanese do have good steel.

Thanks for the reply, 50calshooter. I love to be corrected when I post because I get to learn new things. Now I know that China makes lousy spring steel.

But, as Misanthropist says, they can also make very good steel. As I understand it, one of the reasons Norinco guns look so rough is that the metal is hard to work on. I have NO first hand experience in the steel industry, except for some machine shop work, and I'm relating only what I have read online. My first hand experience with Chinese steel is limited to owning a couple of Norks, a replica sword, a couple of pocket knives, and lots of their kitchenware. (Damn Chinese -- everything I buy seems to come from there! ) But the guns, the sword, and the knives are noticeably harder than their equivalents from other lands and all except the guns are very well finished.

Thirty to forty years ago I worked in the quality control laboratory of a major manufacturer. Several times Purchasing had us test Chinese raw materials (clays and resins, not metals). They were always terrible -- but they got steadily less bad every time we tested them. I believe they long ago passed into acceptability; that manufacturer now has plants in China. Similarly, all the Norinco threads in CGN talk about how the guns have always worked but have improved steadily in fit and finish. (Of course you already knew that. ) The huge variability in quality is easy to understand when you remember that China holds one fifth of all the people in the world.

If you have more information, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Armedsask]

I look at my norinco all the time and what i see is a weapon that fuctions flawlessly and shoots better than I do. Jerry at mystic precision is over the moon about his norinco he is shooting the crap out of it and having zero issues. and another cgn member; ganderite just won a match with his, and kicked the crap out of high dollar guns while doing it. beauty is in function and norcs run

I never said they didn't work. They are obviously not in the same category as the other manufacturers.

 

[darkshadow]

But, as Misanthropist says, they can also make very good steel. As I understand it, one of the reasons Norinco guns look so rough is that the metal is hard to work on

I always found there steel to be inconsistent in it's hardness and temper.*

I used to work in welding and ornamental. When every we bought offshore steel from china one length of steel being cut on the shear would go from almost too soft to even cut to so hard the shear was jumping when the piece broke off! *

We got NA steel when ever we could.*

 

[Kveldulf]

I always found there steel to be inconsistent in it's hardness and temper.*

I used to work in welding and ornamental. When every we bought offshore steel from china one length of steel being cut on the shear would go from almost too soft to even cut to so hard the shear was jumping when the piece broke off! *

We got NA steel when ever we could.*

Thanks. More information funneling into the little gray cells.

 

[mg4201]

Thanks. More information funneling into the little gray cells.

there are several good threads on this site about the fine quality of the steel norinco uses. most have technical posts by experts. remember AK's often look rough but are the most successful assault rifle ever made. I like to think of a norc as a sleeper, it looks rough but by god does it go. the only thing I see on my norc is the front sight when I shoot and that looks fine.