Norc bashing is it really warranted?

JACKSMYDOG said:
Okay, I'll take some suggestions for a 1911 (9mm and 45ACP please) around the $400 mark that are 10 times better than a Norc. I have 2 Norc 1911 Sports (9mm & 45ACP), both were bought new for under $340. I haven't shot the 45 much, but has been flawless. The 9mm I have about 4,000 rounds through it, and it is GREAT. Very accurate and not 1 FTE/FTF/misfire/or any other malfunction, aside from the slide not locking open occasionally. The 9mm has been cleaned once after the very first range trip, since then a few drops of oil every 500 rounds or so, but no cleaning otherwise. I'm not suggesting there aren't lots of better guns out there, just I haven't seen many offerings at the prices you suggest, that are any better than a Norc, let alone 10 fold.
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Here you go, SAM 1911's from Wolverine supplies....way better gun (10x) for not much more money.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1163416-New-Factory-Direct-SAM-pricing
Want a USA made AR for under $700....check IRUNGUNS. Few months ago they had DPMS Oracles on for $525 which is basically the same price as the cheapest Nork AR deal. Yes 10 times better too lol
While only Nork has a cheap ugly Sig clone, there is the Girsan Berreta 92F clone for $450, Ruger has the SR9 for $450, both also decent guns for the money and way better then anything Chinese.
 
Norcs provided me the opportunity to get into the restricted game without having to spend big $$$$ just to discover it wasn't for me.
I appreciate them for that opportunity. This was before the Girsan, SAMs and Alpha Proj stuff showed up.

Have since accumulated a pile of S&W revolvers, a BHP, CZ85 and other interesting items. Norcs got me started!

I own 5 Norcs currently and plan on keeping them all. CQ311, M305, 1911C, 2 X M93s (my wife's favorite, hence the spare).

I've pretty much tried every Norc model available. They all shot well, some just didn't meet my expectations.

M
 
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zelly said:
Neither. It was called the 780 security. Not to be mistaken with the norinco hp9 which interchanged with 870 parts
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I had one of these too!! The Magazine Tube broke off while I was dry cycling the pump and the tube,spring flew across the room because of bad weld....it was absolute junk.
 
Hitzy said:
Here you go, SAM 1911's from Wolverine supplies....way better gun (10x) for not much more money.
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1163416-New-Factory-Direct-SAM-pricing
Want a USA made AR for under $700....check IRUNGUNS. Few months ago they had DPMS Oracles on for $525 which is basically the same price as the cheapest Nork AR deal. Yes 10 times better too lol
While only Nork has a cheap ugly Sig clone, there is the Girsan Berreta 92F clone for $450, Ruger has the SR9 for $450, both also decent guns for the money and way better then anything Chinese.
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My brother had the sr9. He had to send it back to Quebec not once but twice to the service centre. Just became a head ache and we replaced by the norinco cz clone. He is much happier with that now.
 
Hitzy said:
In the '80s you had little choice, factory Colt, used USGI, or custom, fast forward 35 years and there are dozens of 1911 makers with dozens of different options....kind of a poor example.
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Really everyone keeps saying how good US guns are guess there are all kinds of excuses for just them not Norinco.......
 
ill sign up for this one.

i picked up a Norinco SKS back in...... dare i say 1991?
thing still looks brand new and has never failed.
from there i picked up 3 x 1911 (2 police and 1 from the ammo deal) while the police ones are 'meh' at best the ammo deal one has fantastic bluing! but as with all the norinco 1911's ive seen the fit and finish was done with chainsaws.
lets see, what else do i have.
i have a grizzly in my truck with a couple mags, has never failed. (one mag is garbage)
i have that double barrel coach gun just for giggles, that one is actually pretty nice fit and finish!
i have a stock M305 that is INCREDIBLE! i can shoot that thing better then my Ruger Scout that has Leupold glass on it!
ive got a NP22 that i got brand new off a friend for $150 and its super nice, rarely shoot it though, not big into sig's or their knock offs.
i have 2 Nork AR's, one shorty one long. shorty set up for CQB and the long one has glass on it for of course longer range stuff.
both have been flawless, ive never even had a failure of any kind on either.

now, that i use Norc's for is to test the waters on a type of gun before i go in whole hog.
so like 1911's. i got the norcs and played with them, tore them apart, rebuilt them, got to know them inside and out.
THEN i went and stared picking up Rugers and SAM's and Kimbers and the such.
same with the AR's. didnt know if id like the platform, so picked up 2 Norcs, got to know them, got to see how they work, how to fix them if they need it ect ect ect.
not im going to pick up a nice mid range keeper one.

Norc's have thier place in Canadian gun culture and we all know where that place is.
they fill the niche of the low end guns and thats all they want im sure.
ive SEEN adds for high end Norc 1911's from the factory and they where rivals to any Colt or Kimber or STI but the importers know that no one in canada is going to drop 1.5k to 2k on a norc 1911 so they dont bring them in.
but dont fool yourself and think that they cant build quality stuff.
we just arnt willing to pay for their quality stuff so they give us the cheap stuff cause thats what we want to buy from them.

oh a related side note, my dad picked up a new Norc 1911 for a build we are doing this winter.
i was able to tare it down over christmas and clean it and shoot it.
interesting, bluing is fantastic on the gun but everything is still SOOOO sharp.
the serations are like knife blades, hell i even used my needle nose pliers to pull a burr off the ejection port!
but it does have all the bells and whistles on it.
ambi safty, extended mag release, extended slide drop, extended safty, target hammer, target trigger, extended beavertail, FO front sites.
all the goodies where there BUT they where all super uber SHARP, guns needs a afternoon in the shop to dehorn and round everything off.
ive never cut my hands so much on a gun.
 
Have some Norc guns in the cabinet and am happy with my decisions to buy Chinese. The HP9 I got nearly 3 years ago is fantastic and is actually nicer than the real McCoy. Guess that might just go to show how crappy Remington's QC has become. Thus far I think it's been money well spent and with two more on the way I do believe I shan't be disappointed with my purchases.
 
My NP40 and M305 need no excuses, they were worth every penny. A lot of guns snobs out there, and not everybody has the money for the real thing. Norc puts a gun in the hands of the masses. Might make a difference politically, just by the sheer number of Norc handguns in the hands of Canadians. I will be buying at least one Norc .22 in the coming months.
 
At one time or another I have owned ####ing near everything Norinco makes. I have had some #### ass firearms, like a nasty sks that looked like it was made by a drunken retarded spider monkey to a beautifully made M77B. I find their qc in their copies to be quite variable, while their domestic designs are very nicely made. Their 1911 pistols need a dehorning and a full complement of springs. With the price drop on SAM pistols I don't know why anyone would bother to buy a Norinco 1911 anymore. Their sig copies are serviceable, their 870 clones are about as good as newer express models, their m14 is variable in qc. Some shoot awesome and some need a ton of work. That is is their best value as their competition is far more expensive. Their stuff is clunky and you can tell it is made by low paid unskilled labour who take no pride in their work. Except for the m77b, that is nicely put together and shoots like a house on fire, just have no expectations about using the safety, it is horribly small and in a bad spot. Also, the grips will break off small pieces as you shoot. That being said I still have norinco products in the stable... Mostly because I am a cheap bastard...
 
Norincos I have owned/currently own:

4 1911 Commanders in .45
3 1911 full size in .45
2 NP-34 in 9mm
1 NP-22 in 9mm
1 NP-58 in 40
1 NP-17 in 9mm
1 NZ-85 in 9mm
1 NP-20 in 9mm
1 M93 in .22
6 DA Grizzlys in 12g
1 DA Grizzly Mag in 12g
1 1887 in 12g
1 M305 in 7.62x51
1 DA Socom in 7.62x51
1 Norinco AR-15 in 5.56

I have built several 1911's using Norinco frames/slides and several Grizzly/870 projects using DA receivers and barrels. I have yet to have any issues worth remembering or talking about.

Just my $.02
 
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Some will always want a good steel shovel from the building supply store that does the job, while others won't touch anything but the stainless steel model from the specialty shop. Whatever works and makes you happy. I've had (and have) 2, and am completely happy. I dont personally know anyone that has had an issue, other than compaints about finish. I'm not the type that would be happy with a $2000 range toy, I prefer to spend that kind of money on hunting gear. If others feel differently, I support that choice, and hope they support mine rather than bashing it.
 
first M305 blew up
Second M305 required over $2000 in parts and gunsmithing to fix failure after failure of parts

Been cut many times by the slide on one of there 1911 knock offs

Had the bolt fail on a .22 of theirs

Issues with feeding on a SKS that could not be fixed without remilling the receiver... aka hours with a dremel tool.

I've personally handled over half a dozen M305's that had serious issues ranging from $100 fixes to "you might as well chuck it unless you drop over $1500 in parts" catastrophe guns right out of the box.

One had head space in excess of 12 thou over field, a bent op rod that would not allow the action to cycle without the use of a foot and a front site so canted i doubt you could zero it.... that was right out of the box.

Norc is crap. I have yet to handle a fire arm from them, or for that matter any of my buddies as well that has not failed in less then a 1000 rounds or came ####ed up.
i'll never buy another firearm under there name or any of their subsidies
 
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