Several years ago I bought a NP28 9mm 1911 pistol. I don't shoot IPSC or anything and frankly rifles interest me more than pistols, but I wanted a cheap shooter and a 9mm to lend to guests. First thing I noticed was the wrap around grips, which must have been cut from a truck tire.And the trigger sucked. But the pistol shot well, and I replaced the grips with a set of Magpul at one point. But the handgun still had lots of sharp edges and was very chunky, so didn't feel that great to hold. I also hated the tiny fixed sights. And to top it off, the safety and slide release were had big extended flanges on them which drove me nuts. After seeing several very nice Norinco projects posted here, I thought I could tackle a bit of refining to mine. After all, it was only a $250 pistol and even if I messed up it would still go bang.
I a not a gunsmith and my metal working training was only highschool shop class, 30 years ago. So I really don't have much of a skill set to work with. I decided that I wanted bigger sights, no more sharp edges, better feel to the hand, remove the MADE IN CHINA lettering and I was going to do this as cheap as possible, because lets face it....I was still just polishing a turd.
Original pistol, bottom right. This pic is a few years old, the finish was much more worn before I started the project
Starting the rear sight
Rear sight roughly shaped and installed.
Front sight was staked, but I decided to cut a dovetail and make a front dovetail sight. Triangular File has a "safe edge"
The start of the front sight
Front sight getting roughed in
Front sight, still rough but taking shape
Front sight installed, time to check it out at the range, adjust and do final touch up
Filing out the relief to make it more comfortable. I just kept filing and holding it, checking to see what felt good
Getting there....
Okay lets go see if these sights work...
Sight adjustment via file at the range
Filed the sights to point of impact, the brought them home and polished them up a bit. Now onto coating....
I was doing this on the cheap, so bought some Cerama Coat spray can/bake on stuff in olive drab and black
Out of the oven with a olive frame and black bits and pieces
Frame assembled
Slide instsalled
The sights are olive right now but I'm going to make them black.
The gun feels much better, I smoothed out the trigger channel and polished the trigger frame a bit so the trigger is a bit better. The sights are a bit unorthodox but it makes hitting with this pistol so much easier. Like it's a breeze now. I won't ever use this with a holster, so not worried about the sights catching.
No pics but I shaped the slide release and safety so it felt comfortable. Nothing fancy there
Only thing I would like to do is replace a couple of springs to try to lighten the trigger a bit more.
Cost of project was
Magpul grips -$30
Sight material $4
Coating- about $15 of the product. I still have plenty left.
The other Norinco upgrades on here that were done by skilled guys are WAAY better than mine, but I had fun, and the gun is much nicer to shoot.
I a not a gunsmith and my metal working training was only highschool shop class, 30 years ago. So I really don't have much of a skill set to work with. I decided that I wanted bigger sights, no more sharp edges, better feel to the hand, remove the MADE IN CHINA lettering and I was going to do this as cheap as possible, because lets face it....I was still just polishing a turd.
Original pistol, bottom right. This pic is a few years old, the finish was much more worn before I started the project
Starting the rear sight
Rear sight roughly shaped and installed.
Front sight was staked, but I decided to cut a dovetail and make a front dovetail sight. Triangular File has a "safe edge"
The start of the front sight
Front sight getting roughed in
Front sight, still rough but taking shape
Front sight installed, time to check it out at the range, adjust and do final touch up
Filing out the relief to make it more comfortable. I just kept filing and holding it, checking to see what felt good
Getting there....
Okay lets go see if these sights work...
Sight adjustment via file at the range
Filed the sights to point of impact, the brought them home and polished them up a bit. Now onto coating....
I was doing this on the cheap, so bought some Cerama Coat spray can/bake on stuff in olive drab and black
Out of the oven with a olive frame and black bits and pieces
Frame assembled
Slide instsalled
The sights are olive right now but I'm going to make them black.
The gun feels much better, I smoothed out the trigger channel and polished the trigger frame a bit so the trigger is a bit better. The sights are a bit unorthodox but it makes hitting with this pistol so much easier. Like it's a breeze now. I won't ever use this with a holster, so not worried about the sights catching.
No pics but I shaped the slide release and safety so it felt comfortable. Nothing fancy there
Only thing I would like to do is replace a couple of springs to try to lighten the trigger a bit more.
Cost of project was
Magpul grips -$30
Sight material $4
Coating- about $15 of the product. I still have plenty left.
The other Norinco upgrades on here that were done by skilled guys are WAAY better than mine, but I had fun, and the gun is much nicer to shoot.
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