So I'm finally taking the plung into the pistol world by picking up a Norinco 1911a1 government .45 model from a friend. Low mileage, so I'm not worried over condition, but I see this as my project gun. I know the Norinco have a great reputation for being well-forged and endlessly customizable. I was wondering what the group though: what do you consider the "essential changes" for the gun? I've read changing the trigger for better pull is a common start.
New to the pistol scene with a Norinco 1911
- Thread starter cayre
- Start date
The only "must have's" depend on the gun. How is the barrel bushing fit? How are the springs? Lots of things that get regularly changed are cosmetic. I like to clean out the yellow crap in the sights and fill them with glow paint (since they are a pain to replace).
Grips? Is the mag release gritty? New mags? Many of the other parts will require fitting.
Grips? Is the mag release gritty? New mags? Many of the other parts will require fitting.
Tons of stuff you can upgrade on a 1911. A magwell, ambi-safety and beaver tail etc. check out Brownell's website. They have tons of 1911 parts and they ship to Canada. For the money you're going to spend on upgrades, you're better off buying the Ruger.
According to some old guy that people don't listen to much any more, a pistol requires the following -
"Auto Pistol Modication Table
Necessary
High Visibility Sights (including ramped front)
Dehorning (rounding all sharp corners)
A good trigger (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds, crisp)
Useful
Solid Bushing
Enlarged Ejection Port
Bevelled Magazine Well
Extended Thumb Safety
Throated Barrel and Polished Feed Ramp
Round and Polish Bottom of Extractor Hook
Press Fit of Firing Pin Stop
Lanyard Loop"
The old guy was pretty smart when it came to 1911's.
The only other thing I'd recommend is to start reloading your own ammo, you won't save a red cent but you will shoot a whole lot more, and with a 45, you need to shoot often and lots in order to develop and maintain your skill set.
"Auto Pistol Modication Table
Necessary
High Visibility Sights (including ramped front)
Dehorning (rounding all sharp corners)
A good trigger (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds, crisp)
Useful
Solid Bushing
Enlarged Ejection Port
Bevelled Magazine Well
Extended Thumb Safety
Throated Barrel and Polished Feed Ramp
Round and Polish Bottom of Extractor Hook
Press Fit of Firing Pin Stop
Lanyard Loop"
The old guy was pretty smart when it came to 1911's.
The only other thing I'd recommend is to start reloading your own ammo, you won't save a red cent but you will shoot a whole lot more, and with a 45, you need to shoot often and lots in order to develop and maintain your skill set.
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thegrandpoohbah
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Terrace, BC
The essential purchase should be ammo, lots and lots of ammo. Once you've shot it a bunch you will know what works for you and what doesn't and that will guide your purchases. I've been shooting a Ruger SR1911 for over a year now and for me, the trigger was great, way better than my CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow with spring upgrades (a gun that everyone and their mother recommends for people looking to get into IPSC shooting). I've recently made a few purchases myself relating to ergonomics and handling. I just ordered Magpul grips with the thumb cut-out (VZ grips were too expensive for me) and a drop in mag well for faster and easier magazine changes. But my intention is to start shooting in the IPSC classic division at my new club. Your mileage may vary.
Hey
I too have norinco 1911 infact two..only problem is feeding the dam things...before you go spending money on pistol upgrades look into reloading and put your money there.as it will save you cash on 45acp...if you plan to shoot it alot. that is.
norinco's are great for the price...it's not like we get to carry in canada so it will be spending most of it's life in a safe..but get what feels good in your hand and what you can afford to shoot..look at prices of ammo , mags and parts..
I too have norinco 1911 infact two..only problem is feeding the dam things...before you go spending money on pistol upgrades look into reloading and put your money there.as it will save you cash on 45acp...if you plan to shoot it alot. that is.
norinco's are great for the price...it's not like we get to carry in canada so it will be spending most of it's life in a safe..but get what feels good in your hand and what you can afford to shoot..look at prices of ammo , mags and parts..
turbo_bird
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
I like an undercut trigger guard and a high grip beavertail on my 1911's, as well as a magwell and thinner grips. I've also put oversize firing pin stops with a small radius on the bottom in my Norc's. A properly fitted bushing is nice too, as well as better sights. Pretty soon you're into STI Spartan money though, but it is fun doing it yourself. There's not much Norc left in this one.
Kristian
Kristian
Hornychief
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saskatchewan
As many said shoot and shoot then make changes if necessary. I had to get rid of mine because I couldn't feed it enough. So I ordered a 9mm one instead. Waiting for transfer and then off to the range.
- Location
- Edmonton,AB
I have had a couple & still do...clean it well, take off the sharp edges, check all moving parts for function, parts that slide are they sliding or grinding, polish don't sand or file. Be gentle when taking it apart. Learn to reload, shoot lots, shoot often. I started 300-500 rounds a week with my first one. Learnt to reload real fast. Read up on fine tuning it, trigger spring, trigger sear, safety. There are a lot of little things that you cand that will make big changes & won't break the bank.
I have one of the Can Am deal Norc 1911. I found the trigger pull too heavy at 8+ pounds. I installed a new match grade sear, STI adjustable trigger and Wolfe recoil and firing spring. Trigger pull now crisp and about 4.5 pounds. Fun to shoot and enjoyed working on it myself. Good luck.
Lots of good advice here. Remember, though, that heavily customizing a Norc is like polishing a turd. It's still a Norc and all the fancy parts in the world won't make it anything else. Buy it, refine the trigger because that's where the bulk of the accuracy lay and an inaccurate gun is no fun, shoot the hell out of it to make sure you even like the 1911 platform and if you do sell it for something that already has most of the desired work/parts done.
The nice thing is that you'll recoup virtually all your money since Norcs generally bottom out price wise at around $225-250 so unless your friend hosed you (unlikely) you'll know whether you like it or not and are ready to take the plunge for a higher end model and it will have only cost you a hundred bucks or so plus ammo. That's a very cheap learning experience.
The nice thing is that you'll recoup virtually all your money since Norcs generally bottom out price wise at around $225-250 so unless your friend hosed you (unlikely) you'll know whether you like it or not and are ready to take the plunge for a higher end model and it will have only cost you a hundred bucks or so plus ammo. That's a very cheap learning experience.
i got a used GI model norc in the mail today and took it all apart. all it really needs is a de-horn and polish up the sear and all touching parts. i replaced the sear spring and trigger and the spring guide and added a buffer. only thing i am going to change next is the hammer and the strut.
these guns are good and if you just take time to polish down the parts and brake it in you will have a good gun. nothing really needs to be replaced unless you want to change the looks of it or the controls.
these guns are good and if you just take time to polish down the parts and brake it in you will have a good gun. nothing really needs to be replaced unless you want to change the looks of it or the controls.
Hornychief
CGN Regular
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I'd have to disagree on norcs being a turd. What makes a gun? What makes a good gun? Accuracy, reliability, looks, finish? In my books it will go bang as well as any other firearm out there. Sure it lacks in finishing quality but it's a gun that was designed to shoot. Who cares what it looks like? You can buy new norc for 350 bucks right now and the put maybe another 100-200 into it to improve few critical things and it will be as accurate and smooth shooting as 1000 dollar 1911.
Any 1911 out there could use with dehorning it's not that big of a deal. Machining marks inside the slide? Who cares. Does it function? That is the main thing. Does the firearm function in the manner it was designed to.
Any 1911 out there could use with dehorning it's not that big of a deal. Machining marks inside the slide? Who cares. Does it function? That is the main thing. Does the firearm function in the manner it was designed to.
I had one and all that I did to it
- stone down a few sharp edges
- internal stone and polish of contact surfaces (stones and the sear jig are the same price or more than having a smith do the trigger, but you gain satisfaction and if you arse it up Marstar sells norc parts).
- new recoil spring (peace of mind)
- adjust sear spring for lighter trigger
Had I kept it I would have looked into the barrel link, as there was some play there, but the pistol shot very well regardless.
To me a "project" gun is not one that you dump all sorts of drop in after market chit into - you may as well just spend that money on a nicer gun instead of having a Wilson Combat / Chinese mongrel.
- stone down a few sharp edges
- internal stone and polish of contact surfaces (stones and the sear jig are the same price or more than having a smith do the trigger, but you gain satisfaction and if you arse it up Marstar sells norc parts).
- new recoil spring (peace of mind)
- adjust sear spring for lighter trigger
Had I kept it I would have looked into the barrel link, as there was some play there, but the pistol shot very well regardless.
To me a "project" gun is not one that you dump all sorts of drop in after market chit into - you may as well just spend that money on a nicer gun instead of having a Wilson Combat / Chinese mongrel.
