Norinco 311 Rifle

[m39a2]

You don't need a brass deflactor. All a leftie has to do is take out the ejector spring and cut about 2 or 3 coils off of it. Then it will throw the brass sidways instead of back.

I think I have fired at least 50,000 rounds of .223 out of various AR's that I have owned over the years and I have never used a forward assist once! Mind you, I fired none of those rounds in anger so on the range the forward assist is not required but in the real world I would not be without one!!!

Scott

 

[j-man]

What is the next project J-man?

I'm thinking about an AR180B with some Armedsask pimp mods. I love my 311 but I need something I can take to any occasion, not just a range. Later down the road, I plan to get back into the AR15 game but for the short-term, I'll have to part with it and a couple others so I can try my hand at a 180B.

Plus there's a 1911 and maybe a 22 pistol for my kids that are calling my name. It never really ends....

 

[Zorak]

You don't need a brass deflactor. All a leftie has to do is take out the ejector spring and cut about 2 or 3 coils off of it. Then it will throw the brass sidways instead of back.

I think I have fired at least 50,000 rounds of .223 out of various AR's that I have owned over the years and I have never used a forward assist once! Mind you, I fired none of those rounds in anger so on the range the forward assist is not required but in the real world I would not be without one!!!

Scott

I used one in the infantry for years. Every IA drill save for a mag change or dud shot has a command to use forward assist. Try firing from the hip left handed or in cover without a deflector. There's a reason why the design has been improved over the last 30+ years. These features are now standard on almost all AR15s for a reason. Don't buy a pit bull if you are going to cut off its nuts, buy a poodle instead. I would also never cut the coils. Why reduce the weapon's ability to function anc cycle effecitvely, increasing jam and injury danger. For God's sake man, just save up $300 more bucks and buy a quality gun.

An AR-15 is not a plinker. It is an assault rifle, designed for use under extreme conditions when the chips are down. Sure you can shoot it casual if you want, bu why not just buy a 22 then? You can take a .22 into the bush at least. You buy this rifle to be used at the range, or if your life and the safety of your family depended on it. Don't low ball the price on a weapon like this by stripping features that increase it's safety and reliabilty. Make no mistake, no matter what you choose to do with this rifle, it is a weapon designed to be used "in the gravest extreme". Should that ever happen, the last thing you want to do is end up shooting blanks.

 

[Zorak]

They DO have a forward assist. Not sure what you mean by 'essential', but I don't think I've used the forward assist once in thousands of rounds.

Of course, you are using the weapon in a casual fashion and not firing and crawling through brush, mud, or having the right side of the action bang up against something, etc.

My guess is that there are very few experienced professional riflemen who would live without these features.

 

[Greenhorse six]

The brass deflactor,yes ,no,its nice to have but you don't really need it unless your lift handed,and even then ,like was said earlier.

You don't need a brass deflactor. All a leftie has to do is take out the ejector spring and cut about 2 or 3 coils off of it. Then it will throw the brass sidways instead of back.

The forward assist,that's some thing the U.S. army wanted.How much do you really need that,well ,the early ARs didn't need them if the right ammo was used and you did your job and kept it clean.
Also the FN C1 doesn't have one and it worked.

 

[canucklehead]

Of course, you are using the weapon in a casual fashion and not firing and crawling through brush, mud, or having the right side of the action bang up against something, etc.

My guess is that there are very few experienced professional riflemen who would live without these features.

...and MY guess would be that very few experienced professional riflemen would even consider buying a Norinco 311. So really, your point is moot.

For my casual use (and 99.9% of those on this site), the forward assist is a useless (almost) feature.

Back to the topic.... BUY A CQ311 if you want to get into the AR game for less than $1200.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I had a Norc CQ311 and so do 2 of my buddies we all bought them together. SInce i have traded it away for a Marine Magnum. I only got rid of it BECAUSE I loved the AR so much i built a 14.5" RRA M-4 Clone.

That being said, the 311 never had a stoppage, in the roughly 1000+ rounds i put through it. was well balanced and a pleasure to shoot. My lefty gf didnt like the fact that the brass all got caught in her hair but for the most part she loved it too.

Great starter AR and if you are jsut shooting casually with it and not 10 000+ rounds a year, than a solid gunto keep for a long time. They may be cheap, and have an ugly green finish,, BUT they are a hell of alot of fun and extrememly accurate.

jsut my 2 cents

 

[Deckard]

I used one in the infantry for years. Every IA drill save for a mag change or dud shot has a command to use forward assist. Try firing from the hip left handed or in cover without a deflector.

Leave the army BS at the door, like me, like many others. Adding the army line here lends little credibility since many of us have served.

An AR-15 is not a plinker. It is an assault rifle, designed for use under extreme conditions when the chips are down.

The M16 is an assault rifle. What are your talking about?

 

[Zorak]

the early ARs didn't need them if the right ammo was used and you did your job and kept it clean.
Also the FN C1 doesn't have one and it worked.

actually they worked like crap and jammed all the time in Vietnam, that's why they exist.

the fn was a totally different gun. appples and oranges.

 

[Zorak]

Leave the army BS at the door, like me, like many others. Adding the army line here lends little credibility since many of us have served.

The M16 is an assault rifle. What are your talking about?

Perhaps you missed the title at the top of the forum "Black and Green Rifles Assault rifles and SMGs for people with good taste"

It's not army bs, it is an army weapon, used by the army. There's little difference between the ar 15 and m 16. In fact, the SAS have used both the ar 15 and m16. The AR 15 is an assualt rifle. It's not a dirty word. It doesn't have to be select fire. Lots of us will say it is anything but an assault rifle in some faint hope that non-shooters might believe it, but rest assured, this weapon is designed to destroy people. In fact, that's why most people are in this little neck of the forum, to experience the thrill of firing a military weapon. Most times this weapon is fired single shot, so it's hard to imagine how not having select fire makes it somehow less of an assault rifle.

The reason I bring the army into this as a reference is that's where it is used hard. As I mentioned, they would'nt live without those features. I also mentioned if you're a casual shooter, you could live without those features. But why buy a Porsche and pull off two spark plug wires? Go for the full meal deal I say. If you buy an assault rifle, go for the whole shootin' match. Or buy a mini 14 or 10 / 22. Ka-pow!

ps: nice lazer gun!

 

[Zorak]

...and MY guess would be that very few experienced professional riflemen would even consider buying a Norinco 311. So really, your point is moot.

Actually, this IS my point. Those who demand hard use reliability would steer clear of such a rifle.

 

[USP]

I think the issue is that for some on a cheap budget who want a basic AR wht CQ311 for the money isnt that bad. Wait till Nork brings out M4 like copies. Itll be even more choice. The Cq311 although lacking in some stuff found on later ARs, is probably more than good enough for those who dont name shop and want to join the AR club on the cheap.

 

[Zorak]

I think the issue is that for some on a cheap budget who want a basic AR wht CQ311 for the money isnt that bad. Wait till Nork brings out M4 like copies.

Exactly! but you can get an olympic arms ar 15 in canda for just over 1000bucks new...save a few bucks and get a real killer I say. Make sure your guard dog has all it's fangs.

 

[USP]

Yeah? I bet the Norc is a better quality then the POS Olympic Arms. Ive got a buddy who is probably gonna buy the CQ.. its alot of gun for the money. Sides if you were really concerned about adding rails and other goods...I doubt a budget rifle would even factor into it.

For a range gun I dont see how the Norc is lacking.

 

[667]

Having owned both a 311 (Just sold/shipped to another CGNer) and an American made AR (RRA) I still have nothing bad to say about the 311.
I was able to best many a Colt shooter with my 311... Hell, there were a couple times where Colts broke down and I had to lend out my 311 so guys could finish a match....

One compelling reason for me to buy American was political...
The 311 isn't approved for import, even temporarily to the US.
If it were legal to take across the border I'd still have it.

 

[Cocked&Locked]

actually they worked like crap and jammed all the time in Vietnam, that's why they exist.

the fn was a totally different gun. appples and oranges.

True, but most of the original problems where A) lack of maintenance and B) the addition of a flash suppresing compound to the powder that dramaticlly increased the fouling rate. That being said, the forward assist was a bastard band aid solution to the problem that no other rifle that I'm aware of has adopted. If the reciever had been made .250" longer, the mass/velocity of the bolt would have been enough to eliminate the need for it, and if the charging handle had been put in a proper location ( like the C1 for one ) it would have does the same job.

All of which is beside the point, the norc ar is a great rifle for the price, and if it was the choice between no AR or a Norc AR, I'd have one. As a fun gun (which is all they can be in canada) they're great.

 

[Gothmog]

I've used mine at a few matches, in all kinds of weather. It never failed me, accepted/released all magazines, fed every time and shot accurately.

In terms of function, what's not to like ...?

Cosmetics is another story, though.

 

[Greenhorse six]

actually they worked like crap and jammed all the time in Vietnam, that's why they exist.

the fn was a totally different gun. appples and oranges.

Actually they worked great,they were in use by the U.S.Air force , units of ARVN and U.S. Special Forces.it wasn't until the army changed the propellant from IMR powder to Ball powder,that the problems started.
My point about the FN C1 is it worked with out a forward assist(to anyone who used the C2s,yes I remember about having to keep the actions and mags really clean) I wasn't comparing actions or caliber in any way.
The cocking handle on the C1 is a charging handle like on the ARs,its not attached to the breech block carrier,its only for pulling it back to chamber a round.

 

[Zorak]

True, but most of the original problems where A) lack of maintenance and B) the addition of a flash suppresing compound to the powder that dramaticlly increased the fouling rate. That being said, the forward assist was a bastard band aid solution to the problem that no other rifle that I'm aware of has adopted.

Well...you mean to tell me combat troops don't know how to obsessively clean their rifles? Have you seen Full Metal Jacket?

I would say the problem was --surprise-- they were in adverse conditions!

I'd hardly say an option chosen by most of the special forces of the western world is a band-aid solution. Tell me, if your bolt is jammed or won't fully close, and you are under fire, would you reccomend cracking the rifle open with live ammo in it for a quick field strip?

No offense, but I'll just thumb that bolt assist, drive the action home, and keep shooting. Of course few other rifles use this technology. They are different rifles with different technology. The bolt assist exists and is part of all M16 rifle training drill becuase it works. Find any training pamphlet from north or south of the 49th and the instructions will be there in big black letters. Best regards.

 

[Zorak]

Actually they worked great,they were in use by the U.S.Air force , units of ARVN and U.S. Special Forces.it wasn't until the army changed the propellant from IMR powder to Ball powder,that the problems started.
My point about the FN C1 is it worked with out a forward assist(to anyone who used the C2s,yes I remember about having to keep the actions and mags really clean) I wasn't comparing actions or caliber in any way.
The cocking handle on the C1 is a charging handle like on the ARs,its not attached to the breech block carrier,its only for pulling it back to chamber a round.

Yeah, the air force, them's some swtiched on troops! Boy, they were really in the thick of it.

If only desks had wings!