Norinco CQA vs NEA-15

F

farmer=el

New member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi guys. I'm from South Africa and like alot of countries, it is an issue getting Ar's from the states. SLR's are sold at a premium compared to other countries, due to high import duties, weak currency etc. Licencing the weapon is also a fairly rigerous exercise, so I don't want to buy wrong.

The NEA's are easy to get, and are very well supported locally. A friend has one, and I've shot it extensivly, but at US$2450 locally, before optics, sights, new stock, rail covers, mags etc etc. , it is a bit out of reach. My friend is in for about US$ 4400 with his. The Norinco will knock me about $1700 and about $250 for MOE furniture and some mags.

Unfortunatly, I haven't seen a Norinco, let alone shot one. The difference in cost would be getting one or not for me. From those who know them, is the Norinco worth it. I've seen some reviews, but maybe some owners of bot could comment first hand, as if you were in my situation.

Thanks
 
I own both, both work great, reliable, accurate and all that.

comes down to this:

do you want a straight up m4 look alike, with no rails, and a front post that may or may not obscure the optik you want (but it does come with irons, so if youshoot irons this is a plus)? if anything goes wrong, you are siht out of luck, the bayonet lug is nice though, if only for looks

or do you want something optik ready, with good rails, and a better barrel (at more available lengths the the norinco 10.5 and 14.5) but that costs more? with a warrenty that looks like they have local coverage for.

that being said, I do still use both, I love my 14.5 norinco as a straight up, iron sighted m4gery, and I love my 7.5 NEA as a shorter, optik ready gun...

I feel you pain tho.. paid 700 for the norc, and 999 for the nea... holy balls thats some hefty mark up you guys pay out there...
 
Easysauce has made good points. $750 is a significant difference in price so if I was in your shoes my decision would depend on whether or not I wanted a flat-top and a railed hand guard. Assuming I wanted a railed handguard then I would add my cost of that to the Norinco and then compare and see if having local support was worth the difference. If complete rifles are approximately 3X the price in SA, are accessories like handguards similarly priced?
 
Man, you guys are sure getting boned in South Africa. 1,700 for a Norc or $2,450 for an NEA - I'd opt for door #3: get something else (if possible).

Now we always know why NEA's are in short supply in Canada (why sell them for $1k here when they can get close to $2,500 abroad... :rolleyes: )
 
blaxsun said:
Man, you guys are sure getting boned in South Africa. 1,700 for a Norc or $2,450 for an NEA - I'd opt for door #3: get something else (if possible).

Now we always know why NEA's are in short supply in Canada (why sell them for $1k here when they can get close to $2,500 abroad... :rolleyes: )
Click to expand...

no kidding.. i paid 1350 shipped, tax in with optics.
it did great at the range yesterday, if you ever have the urge to check it out just let me know and we can hit up a range.
 
If I had to chose one or the other, I would go for the Norc, but admittedly, I'm not a huge NEA fan.
Having said that, I wouldn't pay $1700 for a Norc either :/
 
Thank you for the replies. I got the replies I was hoping to. Unfortunatly a lot of us this side make will never own a SLR because of the price. Budget SLR's are not cheap. just the cheapest of what is available. I'll only shoot between 600 and 800 rounds a year and the SR gives me more options to exchange/add options as money becomes available. My local gun shop charges about US$100 for 140 55gr S&B.We don't get many US AR's this side, but every now and then a dealer get's all the permits right. One group got some Bushmaster ACR's. Price locally US$4400. I's not uncommon to see a doubling of the US price. Thanks again for the replies and I look forward to using a new resource.
 
farmer=el said:
Thank you for the replies. I got the replies I was hoping to. Unfortunatly a lot of us this side make will never own a SLR because of the price. Budget SLR's are not cheap. just the cheapest of what is available. I'll only shoot between 600 and 800 rounds a year and the SR gives me more options to exchange/add options as money becomes available. My local gun shop charges about US$100 for 140 55gr S&B.We don't get many US AR's this side, but every now and then a dealer get's all the permits right. One group got some Bushmaster ACR's. Price locally US$4400. I's not uncommon to see a doubling of the US price. Thanks again for the replies and I look forward to using a new resource.
Click to expand...

Is relocation an option? ($4,400 for a Shrubmaster is also insane)
 
Not too disuade you from an AR...but if AR style rifles are costing you that much, are there not other options available to you that may be more affordable that we as canadians have no access to?

AK style rifles perhaps? Fal style? I wouldn't be surprised if AK style or FAL style rifles exist for a much cheaper price where you are making it a much wiser choice financially over paying that much for an AR.
 
I have thought about other rifles, but these are more or less my options in a nutshell...

VZ58 - Approx US$ 1500
LM5 - Local AK derivative. Were once cheap, but now new would cost about $1700.
Saiga, when available about the same as the VZ.
Norinco -Cheapest AR
NEA, second cheapest platform.
Astra AR about $2800
S&W Sporter approx. $2000 with fixed stock and flash hider
STI, a similar price.
Some V-AR's etc from about $3500.

Unfortunatly demand way exceeds supply, the guns are subject to major import duties, SABS proof testing, Weak local currency.

IMO the AR is probably the only modern platform available, where parts etc will be available down the line.

Some rebuilt FAL's have become available at about $1700, but the cost of ammo would be prohibitive, asweel as making me un competitive in IPSC, the main reason for the purchase.

To put in context where pricing has gone, I bought a 182 series mini 14 at the implementation of our now FCA. Cost me about $235 as alot of people were getting rid of there guns. Now that things have stabalised and licences are easier to come by with shooting sports growing I could sell the rifle for between $900 and $1000.
 
yeah, for all you who think we have it bad here... worse in auzzie ville.. cant even buy em anymore...

like I said, I own both, and both do their intended job well, if you want a length other then 10.5 or 14.5 the NEA is a no brainer, and it is a better barrel, but the norw 14.5 is a good length, it comes with irons, and thats a lot of ammo you could buy with the money youd save, if it was only a 200$ difference like it is here, id say NEA hands down on quality and features.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom