Norinco 1911 Pimping up

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Pyroman

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Hi all.

I've tried doing a search on Norino 1911 modifications and came up with a buttload of non-related threads.

My question is simple: through your own experience, what brand of ambi-safety, fancy look'n grip safety and any other part, do you recommend for trouble-free add-ons to a Norinco 1911?

I bought a Wilson ambi-safety and tried to instal it, but it doesn't work. (The bit that rotates and blocks the sear or whatever, is no where NEAR where the original one is...) So I don't want to continue this trial & error way of buying parts and seeing if they work. I'm not looking to make it into a sooooper mod tack-driving combat race-gun or anything. Just some mostly cosmetic parts to drop in and make it a little more purdy.

Thanks.
 
There is no such thing as a "drop in part" on a 1911. ;)
Well, except for a .45ACP cartridge, that is....and even that's iffy.:p
Any custom part made for the M1911A1 pistol will install on a Norinco 1911...with a bit of "custom fitting".
 
Six Star said:
There is no such thing as a "drop in part" on a 1911. ;)
Well, except for a .45ACP cartridge, that is....and even that's iffy.:p
Any custom part made for the M1911A1 pistol will install on a Norinco 1911...with a bit of "custom fitting".
Click to expand...


He's on drugs!

There are lots of DROP IN PART for a 1911, unfortunatly the Wilson Ambi safety is not one of them. Wilson specifies that this part must be installed by a gun smith.

The Chip McCormick ambi-safety is a drop in part and I had not problem installing them in any of my 1911. The Brownells catalogue usually specifies wether the part is "drop in" or not. The Nowling extended slide release are inexpensive are "drop in". Wilson has a mag well the just attaches to your bushing screws. Extended mag release are "drop in" and a must if your planning on competeing. Want to reduce your trigger pull, get a new spring before you start messing with the hammer and sear. Oh yes, it a drop in part also.

You can order the Brownells Catalogue on line and see lots of "DROP IN PARTS", but if the part requires a gunsmith, then take it to the gunsmith.

The only problem is that any money you spend modifing your Norinco 1911 will be lost if you sell it. These guns have little resale value and I would not spend a great deal of money on it. Just buy the parts you really need for now.
 
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For the best fit, finish and/or function any new part needs a little tweaking in a 1911. You don't always have to but when the controls don't blend in to each other with a nice flow the gun looks like shjt. The problem with beaver tails is that you need to make sure the tail has the same radius as the frame (.250 or .270) you can avoid that buy putting in a high grip safety like the STI or McCormick but then you have to remove a good bit of material to make everything blend properly. I would suggest getting yourself a copy of Ed Browns 1911 bench reference. It has detailed instructions on full disassembly and the typical custom mods, beavertails,checkering, trigger jobs, thumb safeties and fitting a new barrel and bushing plus a few more I can't remember at the moment.

"The Chip McCormick ambi-safety is a drop in part and I had not problem installing them in any of my 1911" Then you got lucky, any time you change a safety, hammer or sear you need to verify that everything still works properly. I've had times where a new thumb safety would fit in with out tweaking but it wouldn't lock the hammer/sear. So I had to put in a new hammer & sear and then fit the safety to the new fire control group. It's a very simple procedure if you have the proper instructions to go off of, like the bench reference.

If your looking for mods where you just have to buy a part put it in and it works, then you'll have to stick with the trial and error method, but if your willing to spend the time and effort to do things right you'll end up with a better result in less time and at a lower cost.
 
I've had so-called drop in parts that don't drop in.. any of the fire control parts my need some tweaking.. I personally perfer parts that are fit rather that those with excessive clearances so that they do drop-in...
 
Deckard said:
I for one have given up trying to figure it out. The Tanfoglio .45 (see link above) is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Dollar for dollar that's probably the way to go... they represent a pretty good 'bang for the buck'...
 
You'll have to "fit" it to your gun

Pyroman said:
Hi all.

I've tried doing a search on Norino 1911 modifications and came up with a buttload of non-related threads.

My question is simple: through your own experience, what brand of ambi-safety, fancy look'n grip safety and any other part, do you recommend for trouble-free add-ons to a Norinco 1911?

I bought a Wilson ambi-safety and tried to instal it, but it doesn't work. (The bit that rotates and blocks the sear or whatever, is no where NEAR where the original one is...) So I don't want to continue this trial & error way of buying parts and seeing if they work. I'm not looking to make it into a sooooper mod tack-driving combat race-gun or anything. Just some mostly cosmetic parts to drop in and make it a little more purdy.


Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi Pyroman,

You will need to remove your stock safety and carefully compare it's engagement surfaces to those of the Wilson part...then mark the areas that need to be reduced. Carefully and slowly, remove the extra material with a file: "fit testing" it from time to time until it works. That's the way a Smith would do it. Take your time and you'll do fine. :)

Jeff/1911.
 
Thanks guys.

I'm not afraid to take a file (Or even a dremel) to my Norinco. But the Wilson safety was physically not even close to where it had to be, so no amount of filing was going to fix that.

I'm not looking to make it nicer for a sale. I'm just doing a bit of tinkering and making it a little more personalised. (Like a chrome skull shift-knob on my otherwise stock 1988 Honda prelude...)

It's kinda sounding like I'll have to try Chip McCormic parts next...

I figure the "Instal by gunsmith only" stuff is mostly just the manufacturer covering their ass for liability, so I tend to ignore stuff like that... Just like any new firearm sold will have probably have the line "any use of remanufactured/reloaded ammunition will void the warranty".
 
wobbles99 said:
I own a norc 1911 and love it. But I recently got the pleasure of shooting a tanfoglio and would say it's the better deal.
Click to expand...

Their Commander model is around 3-4 times as much, that's a big jump in price.
 
I used McCormmick trigger, sear, and hammer on my #2 'rinco. The sights are plain Novaks and it has a match barrel bushing. All other parts except the grips are stock. Regards, Richard :D

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"I used McCormmick trigger, sear, and hammer on my #2 'rinco. The sights are plain Novaks and it has a match barrel bushing. All other parts except the grips are stock. Regards, Richard"

What about the grip safety? That one looks way more swoopy & ###y than my stock one. Thanks for the info on the other stuff.

Also: what's the term for the hammer with the really wide spur? Although I think they're incompatible with the really swoopy grip safeties.
 
Norc mods...

If I was going to get mods done on a Norinco it would be worth the trip to Gunnara [aka 7x61] at Armco. He's "da man" when it comes to 1911 stuff as far as I'm concerned. He's very busy & you might have to wait a spell but it's well worth it.... ;)
 
Norinco mods: people like to bash these guns, but as far a fit goes they are very accurately made. I have never had a problem fitting aftermarket stuff to mine. I have found that most of the time the norinco original turned out to be stronger, better quality steel. I've smashed two aftermarket guide rods to bits after several thousand hot loads. The bluing on the norinco slide and frame where they contact the guide rod is still in perfect shape
 
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