norinco 1911 choices

dirkdigler

dirkdigler

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I've been looking at buying a 1911 and have my sights set on a couple Norinco's from different sponsors. I know its not even close to the best 1911 out there but all the budget will allow. The 3 im looking at are #1 plain black 1911 no norinco or china markings #2 1911 enhanced #3 1911 in 9mm. prices are all within 50 bucks, but the 9mm has the norinco markings on it which turns me off or would be first choice, the enhanced is the most expensive, so at the moment im leaning toward the plain jane 45. Your expertise in helping me make the decision is appreciated.
 
I bought the plain jane, no markings norinco as my first 1911, and liked it enough that I bought three more while there was the deal for $500. I don't have any experience with other norincos, but I find that the GI model is hard on my hand when I am holding it with a nice high grip, so I put a Ed Brown beaver tail on it. Along with a bunch of other goodies, so I might have been better off going with a fancier one to start with. I do like tinkering with guns though.
Kristian
 
If you feel like you want to tinker with it and add this and that, its easier with a Norinco. If your going to use it as is, get the SAM.
 
You won't be sorry if you get the plain jane Norc. I have one and it's my favorite handgun (of 3 - a Ruger SR9 and a Chiappa .22 are the others).
 
I have had my day with all four Norinco's, 28,29,GI, and Canada ammo, nn versions. plus the SAM Military 1911 9mm Enhanced. Don't get me wrong the Norinco's are not that bad. You will have to do some filing of different parts like the slide and trigger guard as they can be sharp to the point of giving you paper cuts when you shoot them. (Not a big deal) I would say to you, if your having money issues to purchase your first 1911. You will cry at the price of 45ACP. I would stick to the 9mm, 1911. It's fun to shoot and it's a lot cheaper on range day. Save a bit more money and buy the Sam's Version. The tooling is a lot nicer. You don't see to many SAM Military 1911 9mm Enhanced on the EE that much but if you look today, I saw a nice SAM Military 1911 9mm Enhanced stainless for a good price shipped. Cheaper then a new Norinco.

Good Luck!
 
yeah i think the 9mm is ahead at the moment but also considering the SAM 9mm, 100$ difference plus shipping. how is wolverines for shipping and speed?
 
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I just returned from a four day defensive handgun course at Front Sight in Nevada. I took my box stock Norinco .45 two-tone. I used the stock mags too. 600 rounds of factory hardball (no reloads allowed) and 0 malfunctions. The edges are sharp on the Norcs. All the drills beat up my hands pretty bad.

As for the gun, it goes bang every time. It will put three rounds touching at 15 meters with factory hardball. I shoot cast out of it without any malfunctions with the same level of accuracy. It needs a trigger job. Other than that, I guess I got a good one. Seems that my shooting buddies that have one got a good one too. Someone in Nevada nicknamed my gun "The Boat". (Chinese Junk -best shooting pun I've heard in a very long time)

Your mileage may vary. And I guess that's the problem with Norcs. "Like a box of chocolates..." It may be my imagination, but perhaps the level of quality control in Norc products is becoming more consistent? (Notice I didn't say better)

I'll just keep shooting the hell out of it. Once in a while I clean it. It hasn't been dirty enough to malfunction yet.

Here's a comment from my daughter, who accompanied me to Front Sight with her Husband. They rented guns. She shot a .45, her hubby shot a .40 glock. They could not take the rented guns back to the hotel room, so I lent her my gun one night so she could practice her drills. Her rented gun was a springfield with about a gajillion rounds through it that was as smooth as silk. Her remarks on drills with my Norc: Your gun is nasty. It's sharp, tight and bites me. Racking the slide in type one, two, and three malfunctions chewed up my fingers. (Front Sight teaches over the top hold for racking the slide as opposed to the slingshot method).

Now I get to brag- my daughter has been shooting since she was 5 years old (she's 27 now). In the final day skill assessment, she shot all the stages from 3 meters to 15 meters with no deductions for accuracy! She was over time on a few stages, but overall, she beat her Dad soundly!!! The best compliment a teacher can receive is for the skill of the student to surpass that of the teacher.
 
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dirkdigler said:
I've been looking at buying a 1911 and have my sights set on a couple Norinco's from different sponsors. I know its not even close to the best 1911 out there but all the budget will allow. The 3 im looking at are #1 plain black 1911 no norinco or china markings #2 1911 enhanced #3 1911 in 9mm. prices are all within 50 bucks, but the 9mm has the norinco markings on it which turns me off or would be first choice, the enhanced is the most expensive, so at the moment im leaning toward the plain jane 45. Your expertise in helping me make the decision is appreciated.
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Seems like you answered your own question..... don't like the Norc markings? Then go for the GI type model that's unmarked.

One other thing to consider though..... if you don't reload, 9mm ammo is generally cheaper than .45ACP so you'll get to shoot more for the same buck ammo outlay by going 9mm.

I've owned a few different Norc 1911's.... and still have a few.... Personally, I've never had a lemon yet.

My GI model [with real USGI replacement grips]:

DSCN5069-1.jpg


My Norc compact [commander] older version:

DSCN0947.jpg


My Norc NP-29 - older version:

DSCN4460a.jpg


DSCN4453.jpg


And a couple of "Norc-in-Steins" - Norc 1911A1 frames with Colt uppers.

First is Norc armacoat tan frame / Colt S70 upper:

DSCN3688.jpg


Second: Norc unmarked blued frame / stainless Colt upper with Bomar rear site & fiber optic front:

DSCN5384.jpg


DSCN5385.jpg


DSCN5386.jpg



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NAA.
 
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Norks usually go bang fine, what's hit or miss (and mostly miss) is the fit and finish which can affect accuracy. I'm not Nork bashing here, I have 2 of them... An older 9mm NP29 and one of the newer chrome .45 models. They both exhibit the same sloppy slide/frame fit, both had poorly fit bushings, the .45 firing pin was bent out of the box, trigger pull was terrible on both, barrel links were loose and sloppy, and the tool marks and sharp edges were really bad, plus the sights suck on both. Once all that was addressed they are OK shooters now.
The 2 SAM's I have were very well fit and finished out of the box, needed no work to shoot well, and were made by people that know how to make a 1911 as everything is very well fit where it should be. Just trying to give a real world comparison.... The extra $100 for the SAM is well worth it.
 
Hitzy said:
The 2 SAM's I have were very well fit and finished out of the box, needed no work to shoot well, and were made by people that know how to make a 1911 as everything is very well fit where it should be. Just trying to give a real world comparison.... The extra $100 for the SAM is well worth it.
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Now, I just gotta buy me one of these SAM's & find out for myself!

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NAA.
 
Sorry ricksplace, but I'm calling BS on you taking your norc with you to the states. How did you temporarily import something into the states that is banned? All I've ever read for years is that you cannot import a norc into the US because of the import ban on Norinco specifically.
 
jawsman said:
Sorry ricksplace, but I'm calling BS on you taking your norc with you to the states. How did you temporarily import something into the states that is banned? All I've ever read for years is that you cannot import a norc into the US because of the import ban on Norinco specifically.
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I can't believe how much I have been flamed for offering information.
You CAN bring your chinese made gun into the USA so long as you bring it back out.
The prohibition regarding chinese made (norinco specifically) firearms refers to importing them for sale in the USA. Many Norinco made firearms were imported into the United States prior to the ban and are still in circulation.
When I applied to BATF, I clearly stated on the form 6 that I was bringing a Chinese made Norinco 1911 with me to the USA. I provided the registration confirmation of my attendance at the upcoming four day session at Front Sight.
BATF returned the approved form 6 to me with no questions asked.


As a retired Professor, my advice to you or anyone else on this site is do your fecking research. 'cuz when you make statements without it you usually wind up looking stupid.

edit: I am going to post a pic of the approved form 6 from BATF. I'll post it as a new post. Watch for it....
 
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Interesting..I was advised by BATF that I could not import, even on a temporary basis using form 6NIA, a firearm built in a ComBloc country, and specifically Norinco.
Looks like it may the the same in the US as in Canada where it depends on what government employee you talk to.
 
Sorry ricksplace. I can admit when I'm wrong though and will in this case. As daBear pointed out though it seems like it depends now who you talk to o a specific day. At least I now know it has been done.

Sorry.
 
You are probably right, Bear. I never asked anyone. I just submitted the form with all the info, and they approved it. I figured that if I was turned down, I would just rent a gun there. I followed the advice of my friend who had been there three times already. He's a retired Lieutenant Colonel. He advised me that there should be no trouble obtaining approval from batf so long as I was bringing it back to Canada with me. Next time I'm at my brother's place, I'll scan the documents (I don't have a scanner) and post them here. Just watch, some other nutter will submit a form 6 with a norc on it and get turned down. Boy, will my name be mud then...
(I have already been accused of filing off serial numbers and falsifying batf documents -I guess it's been a long cold winter for some nutters...)

I would need to do further research, but I believe you will have trouble importing any firearm into the United States without either a hunting license or confirmation of attendance at a sporting event (shoot). It says right on the form 6. Might be the fact that it was a clear in and out of the country with very clear documentation supplied by me. Might have just caught the clerk on a good day. Anyway, I did it successfully, and I wanted to let fellow nutters know that you can take your Norinco in to the United States, legally, so long as you don't leave it there. I'll bet there is more than one nutter who has gone to a shoot in the USA and has left a Norc at home because he thought he couldn't bring it. Now you know you can just add it to the list on the form 6.

Might be a few days before I get a chance to post the scanned documents, so here's a quote from a restriction added to the bottom of the approved batf form 6:

"The firearms and/or ammunition authorized for importation by this permit are not authorized for permanent importation. The firearms and/or ammunition may not be transferred to another person within the United States. The holder of this permit MUST (sic) take the firearms and any unused ammunition back out of the territorial limits of the United States upon the conclusion of his/her hunting or sporting activity."
 
Hey Jaws: No problemo. Sorry for my outburst. Never thought this little item would generate so much drama. I have been a member here for a while. You can tell I don't post much. I'm going back to lurking..
 
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