Norinco 1911 Pistols

Wildey said:
Now that is an encouraging write-up! You likely shoved a couple guys off the fence with that one! Damn fine of you to offer the work too...that is way solid.
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We all do what we can to support the sport, and keep people shooting, and new shooters affordably equipped! I have a good job, and it is no hardship to help out.

Anyone interested, send me a message and I will gladly help out. I am on vacation for the next 9 days, BTW, so be patient, I will reply.

Mark
 
jethunter said:
I got the GI version a few years ago when they were $299. Been a good pistol. You didn't miss much with the instruction book. My plastic grip cracked within a week, wood grips from ebay and it's better than new. More reliable than some that cost 4 times more. Seems to be made out of high quality materials, unlike some other Norinco products. I'm not buying any more Norinco products though.
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If you do work on the steel parts, the first thing you notice is how tough and resilient the steel is. They are one of the last manufacturers that actually still forge the frames and slides, and the tough steel is why there are machining marks where they don't matter. Investment cast parts from other manufacturers look pretty, and the tolerances might be tighter, but I have never heard of anyone wearing out a Nork frame and slide.
 
As much as I agree that the Norinco 1911's are fantastic value for the dollar, and very functional, I wouldn't want to give the impression that money spent on higher grade guns is wasted.

When you go up to better production (not handfitted) guns, Colt, S&W, Kimber, they are built to tighter tolerances. This generally provides better accuracy, but sometimes need a break in period to run reliably. You pay about 4x the Norinco price for the better fit and finnish.

When you go up from there, to the semi-custom guns (mostly handfit) like Les Baer, and Dan Wesson, your tolerances are even tighter. The triggers are noticeably better. Guns can have match barrels. Accuracy is usually excellent. Finishes are beautiful and usually tough. The extra hand fitting costs though, and your up to about 8x the cost of the Norinco. But most run really smooth, and the extra quality is obvious.

Then you go to the totally handfit guns like Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom. The fit and smoothness are truly impressive. No break in required. Incredibly reliable, always accurate. The handfitting guaranties function that you just can't get any other way. And you pay about 13x the cost of a Norinco 1911.

To me, the money spent on higher end 1911's isn't wasted. They are much better guns, but up to the buyer to decide if they need the extra quality enough to justify the serious upgrade in price.

So the Norinco 1911's offer a tough, functional gun, at a bargain basement price. Nowhere near the nicest gun, but impressive for the price. And best of all is it gets people into the 1911 platform that otherwise wouldn't.
 
Fargone4sure said:
As much as I agree that the Norinco 1911's are fantastic value for the dollar, and very functional, I wouldn't want to give the impression that money spent on higher grade guns is wasted.

When you go up to better production (not handfitted) guns, Colt, S&W, Kimber, they are built to tighter tolerances. This generally provides better accuracy, but sometimes need a break in period to run reliably. You pay about 4x the Norinco price for the better fit and finnish.

When you go up from there, to the semi-custom guns (mostly handfit) like Les Baer, and Dan Wesson, your tolerances are even tighter. The triggers are noticeably better. Guns can have match barrels. Accuracy is usually excellent. Finishes are beautiful and usually tough. The extra hand fitting costs though, and your up to about 8x the cost of the Norinco. But most run really smooth, and the extra quality is obvious.

Then you go to the totally handfit guns like Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom. The fit and smoothness are truly impressive. No break in required. Incredibly reliable, always accurate. The handfitting guaranties function that you just can't get any other way. And you pay about 13x the cost of a Norinco 1911.

To me, the money spent on higher end 1911's isn't wasted. They are much better guns, but up to the buyer to decide if they need the extra quality enough to justify the serious upgrade in price.

So the Norinco 1911's offer a tough, functional gun, at a bargain basement price. Nowhere near the nicest gun, but impressive for the price. And best of all is it gets people into the 1911 platform that otherwise wouldn't.
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I'd have to agree that you get what you pay for. I've got a Para Ordinance Black Ops double stack .45. It does everything it should do. I've also got a Norinco Government .45 as well as a Norinco .45 Two Tone Sport Model. The Norincos are great for the money they cost. There are lots of other guns one could pay more for, but you don't always get more dollar for dollar.
 
My 1911s

My Norinco Sport, which I bought previously loved, was tuned and customed by Roger Kotanko at Dark International. It is however, by many people's standards, loosely fit.

It shoots as well as the others in the picture. I used to own 6 Norkies in 45 and 9mm. This is my keeper Norkie.

Yes, the Springfield Armory Loaded is fit like a bank vault, and what could be tighter than that? The Kimber Stainless Target has the slightest barely perceptible wiggle left-right in slide-frame fit. The Ruger is, well you know Ruger was never known for fit.

So "fit" not necessarily means a more accurate or more reliable gun, as my 4 1911s have shown. It's the right "fit" ie slide to frame, slide to barrel, barrel to bushing etc.

IMO, the older pre-millenium Norkie units were better fitted. They are the 1911A1 model with no beavertail, and such.
 

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I have an older 1911A1 style Nork that I got for $300. I just spent another $225 putting a bunch of Dlask, Wilson Combat, Hogue and EGW bits in it and did a polish and trigger job while at it. The trigger feels a lot better dry firing it now than before and hopefully the new Wilson Combat beavertail won't bite into my hand like the stock narrow one did. taking it to the range later this week to try it out. So for $525 I hope to have a really nice shooting 1911.
 
Dirtiestharold said:
I'd have to agree that you get what you pay for. I've got a Para Ordinance Black Ops double stack .45. It does everything it should do. I've also got a Norinco Government .45 as well as a Norinco .45 Two Tone Sport Model. The Norincos are great for the money they cost. There are lots of other guns one could pay more for, but you don't always get more dollar for dollar.
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Agreed, however, most new shooters would not be able to tell the difference in function and accuracy. A cheap Nork lets a new shooter shoot the 1911 platform, see if they like it, and if they are going to shoot a 1911 a lot, and do more than "plinking" a "nicer" gun might very well be in their future (who would not enjoy a Colt Gold Cup). For me and most shooters, my 1911 is a diversion that I will shoot a bit in competition, and shoot just for fun. I shoot my NZ85 a lot more (and would like a CZ, but the NZ shoots so well, and has a really good single/double action trigger so why upgrade). Most of all I have been shooting a GP100; not compromise there.
 
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