Last year I bought a pair of those new Norinco light bolt action rifles. One in 223 and one 7.62x39.
They are very similar rifles, but the bolts and magazines are different. Both have similar handling issues. The bolts are not slick. I have shot about 100 rounds in each and the triggers are now fantastic (nice two stage trigger with a light crisp let-off). The bolts are still cranky. I plan to slather on some fine lapping compound and work them in a bit.
Edit: After posting this I examined the bolt and receiver carefully. The bolt body is very hard steel. The end cap is soft steel and the receiver is softer. There are scrub marks on the end cap from machining marks in the receiver. I took some sandpaper to the endcap and to the inside of the eopen end of the receiver and most of the resistance is now gone.
They feed, fire extract and eject reliably.
Accuracy, out of the box, was mediocre, so I bedded both rifles in Devcon F Aluminum. Yesterday I went to the range and shot them off sandbags at 100 yards. Both had 3x9 hunting scopes, set to 9X.
The 7.62 x39 Could this rifle be used to hunt deer? Yes – but …..
The magazine tends to fall out. I have to look at the spring-loaded latch and the matching notch in the magazine. I assume it can be made reliable.
Edit: After posting this I went into the shop and looked at the magazine and rifle. When the mag was all the way in the latch did not quite reach the notch in the mag. I took a file to the mag and moved the notch slightly closer the to latch, and now it clicks neatly and is held in firmly.
Accuracy is adequate for the range deer are taken in the east (150 yards max, with most under 50 yards).
The bolt is annoying. I am hoping to slick it up with some lapping compound and moly grease.
I shot some CZ surplus (the blue box stuff) and some handloads using 125 Hornady SP and IMR4198. This handload has not been developed. The handload did not do very well. I need a better powder, but my shelves have nothing else suitable at the moment. I have to assume I can make better ammo than CZ surplus.
The CZ surplus ammo shot very well. I was aiming at a 1” black patch. The first 3 shots of CZ hit the patch, with one going into the hole of another. Through my spotting scope it looked like I was missing the entire target. It was a big relief when the 4th shot printed just above the patch. The group was 1.5”
The second group with CZ was 2.6”. Still good enough for deer. This ammo grouped 3.3” in my Russian SKS.
The 223 The rifle comes with open sights. The 7.62x39 is sightless. Logic suggests that Norinco should put the open sights on the 7.62.
The 223 has a slightly longer barrel. Twist is very slow. I am guessing 1:12, but maybe 1:14. Accuracy is quite good for a light sporter, but only light bullets will work.
I shot a group with IVI. Bullet holes were egg-shaped and it was about 8” at 100 yards. I belive this is because the twist is very slow. Norinco should go to 1:9 to make the rifle more flexible.
55gr FMJ bullets (factory and handloads) all shot very well. The only 55 FMJ I had with me were the mild loads I use in my M4 for CBQ (very short range), that grouped around 1.5”
The rifle really likes the Sierra 60 gr HP bullet. Sierra tell me this bullet will work well on a deer. If I was going to use this rifle on game, I would use this one bullet on everything for accuracy, reduced wind drift and game penetration. Groups ran 0.75 to 2.5” with different powder charges.
I have a quantity of 62gr FMJ bullets that do not have the steel penetrator, so they are shorter than the SS109 type bullet. Because they are shorter, they will stabilize – barely. Velocity has to be kept up so as to generate enough RPM. I am hopeful that with the right powder selection I will be able develop a good accurate and cheap load with this bullet.
The magazines of these two rifles are similar but will not interchange. However, I did discover that the 7.62 magazine will hold 223 rounds. And I also discovered that when this magazine is inserted in the 7.72 rifle, the 223 round will chamber and fire. Accuracy was poor. The one shot I fired did not hit the target. The case did not do well….
They are very similar rifles, but the bolts and magazines are different. Both have similar handling issues. The bolts are not slick. I have shot about 100 rounds in each and the triggers are now fantastic (nice two stage trigger with a light crisp let-off). The bolts are still cranky. I plan to slather on some fine lapping compound and work them in a bit.
Edit: After posting this I examined the bolt and receiver carefully. The bolt body is very hard steel. The end cap is soft steel and the receiver is softer. There are scrub marks on the end cap from machining marks in the receiver. I took some sandpaper to the endcap and to the inside of the eopen end of the receiver and most of the resistance is now gone.
They feed, fire extract and eject reliably.
Accuracy, out of the box, was mediocre, so I bedded both rifles in Devcon F Aluminum. Yesterday I went to the range and shot them off sandbags at 100 yards. Both had 3x9 hunting scopes, set to 9X.
The 7.62 x39 Could this rifle be used to hunt deer? Yes – but …..
The magazine tends to fall out. I have to look at the spring-loaded latch and the matching notch in the magazine. I assume it can be made reliable.
Edit: After posting this I went into the shop and looked at the magazine and rifle. When the mag was all the way in the latch did not quite reach the notch in the mag. I took a file to the mag and moved the notch slightly closer the to latch, and now it clicks neatly and is held in firmly.
Accuracy is adequate for the range deer are taken in the east (150 yards max, with most under 50 yards).
The bolt is annoying. I am hoping to slick it up with some lapping compound and moly grease.
I shot some CZ surplus (the blue box stuff) and some handloads using 125 Hornady SP and IMR4198. This handload has not been developed. The handload did not do very well. I need a better powder, but my shelves have nothing else suitable at the moment. I have to assume I can make better ammo than CZ surplus.
The CZ surplus ammo shot very well. I was aiming at a 1” black patch. The first 3 shots of CZ hit the patch, with one going into the hole of another. Through my spotting scope it looked like I was missing the entire target. It was a big relief when the 4th shot printed just above the patch. The group was 1.5”
The second group with CZ was 2.6”. Still good enough for deer. This ammo grouped 3.3” in my Russian SKS.
The 223 The rifle comes with open sights. The 7.62x39 is sightless. Logic suggests that Norinco should put the open sights on the 7.62.
The 223 has a slightly longer barrel. Twist is very slow. I am guessing 1:12, but maybe 1:14. Accuracy is quite good for a light sporter, but only light bullets will work.
I shot a group with IVI. Bullet holes were egg-shaped and it was about 8” at 100 yards. I belive this is because the twist is very slow. Norinco should go to 1:9 to make the rifle more flexible.
55gr FMJ bullets (factory and handloads) all shot very well. The only 55 FMJ I had with me were the mild loads I use in my M4 for CBQ (very short range), that grouped around 1.5”
The rifle really likes the Sierra 60 gr HP bullet. Sierra tell me this bullet will work well on a deer. If I was going to use this rifle on game, I would use this one bullet on everything for accuracy, reduced wind drift and game penetration. Groups ran 0.75 to 2.5” with different powder charges.
I have a quantity of 62gr FMJ bullets that do not have the steel penetrator, so they are shorter than the SS109 type bullet. Because they are shorter, they will stabilize – barely. Velocity has to be kept up so as to generate enough RPM. I am hopeful that with the right powder selection I will be able develop a good accurate and cheap load with this bullet.
The magazines of these two rifles are similar but will not interchange. However, I did discover that the 7.62 magazine will hold 223 rounds. And I also discovered that when this magazine is inserted in the 7.72 rifle, the 223 round will chamber and fire. Accuracy was poor. The one shot I fired did not hit the target. The case did not do well….
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