Norinco Rimfires any good?

GunNewb

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Im cruising around for a rimfire when I spotted these on the EE.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=630926


$150 is definitely within budget has anyone heard anything about these? They also have lever actions apparently. Think im better off going with old stuff from the EE??
 
I bought one of these. The gun looks tough; however, you'll find obvious mechanical marks here and there (- typical Norinco?). I've been busy recently so didn't get a chance to take it to the range but it seems to be very accurate according to other owners' review. It is a good utility gun and very popular in New Zealand.
 
I've never tried their .22 rifles but i had one of the older AR' and it was very accurate and I have one of their .22 pistols (m-93) and it is a really fun little gun!
 
I shoot the backpacker version of that rifle (see my avatar) on an almost weekly basis. They are rough around the edges, but the price reflects that. Mine functions perfectly with CZ-made magazines, the 10-round Norinco mag simply didn't function with more than 3 bullets in them.

They're worth $150 in my opinion, my Backpacker was $175 used. I wouldn't say they're worth any more. It's been great value for me and my purposes.
 
I have to chime in here, those Norinco JW-series .22lr rifles are something odd to understand.

First off, the action on them is a CZ BRNO clone, which is absolutely fantastic. The bolt cycles like a dream, almost like an Enfield. The magazines no one can agree whether they work with CZ mags or not, simply because every gun seems to be different. My JW-25a will work with some CZ mags, and some Norinco ones. There is just no standard it seems with Norinco. The trigger is average, not good or bad.

Second, the machining and QC of the gun overall is a gamble. The trigger guard has rough burrs in odd places and there are tooling marks everywhere. The wood is off center in places, but you just don't notice these things until you really sit down and inspect the rifle. It took me a couple months to even notice it. I've seen about 5 of these rifles now, and I can spot these issues right away. I think it's safe to say they all have rough edges that are just blued over. The steel also seems highly susceptible to rust. Unless it's oiled, this is the only gun in my cabinet that will have light surface rust on it upon inspection, and I own an 870 express!

Lastly, The accuracy of these rifles is fairly decent. The ones I have fired seem to really like standard velocity rounds, like AE and CCI. A friend of mine borrowed my rifle and reported 5 round touching groups at 50 yards. I personally have no issue plugging a 24x24 steel plate @ 200y with irons. I nailed a grouse at around 100 yards standing (took 4 shots lol).

I think for $150.00 that rifle is a good buy. I just purchased one of the shortened barrel versions of the 15a, which should actually be here some time today. I plan to use it for a grouse gun over my AR7, simply because I can attach it to a backpack and not have a barrel stick up above my head. I hunt in extremely rugged terrain, and you can wreck your front sights just cruising to the river to fill your backpack with water.
 
Personally, for the price of an American made rimfire like an entry level Savage or Marlin, I would just avoid the Norinco completely. You are guaranteed better fit, finish and general overall quality for roughly the same price. You can often find nearly mint Savage Mk.2 bolt actions for under 200 on the EE.
 
I have the JW15A in synthetic and wood and a JW25. They all seem to function well with no issues so far. They all shoot decent but the synthetic 15 is my best shooter of the 3. It will give me the occasional 1/2" group at 50 with Blazer ammo.I haven't spent that much time shooting the JW25 but it shows promise. For the price they work great for plinking and trips to the bush. You don't worry too much about scratching them that's for sure.
The CZ mags(synthetic) do work in all 3 of mine better than the Norinco mags.
My buddy currently has my Synthetic in use dealing with a squirrel issue. CB longs shoot pretty good out to 25 yards. He's tried to buy it off me ever since I dropped it off.
If you can pick one up for $150 I would grab it. You probably won't find one much cheaper used and I think the new ones come with a 5 year warranty (someone told me that,I don't know for sure)
 
I have a Mark IIf and a JW-25a, they are completely different guns. The full barrel JW15 yes, it has the same application as a Mark II savage, only it won't be as accurate but the bolt is 10x better.

If you plan on being rough to the action, and want mags that don't wiggle, and will be doing some fast shooting, get the Norinco. It's perfect for hunting, and who cares if you wreck the finish. I ##### at people who get fingerprints on my Savage, not because it's a fancy expensive gun, but because it's mine and I don't want your fingerprints on it. The norinco I let a guy put knife marks into it because he used it to kill squirrels.

If you're putting a 6-24x40 scope on and plan on making groups at 100 yards, get the Savage. If you're going to let the gun ride around behind your seat in the truck so you can shoot a delicious grouse, get the norinco.
 
Give some examples, the 22lr Savages I have seen don't have burrs and tooling marks all over them. They're made in Canada as well, so I'm guessing that has something to do with it.
 
"Any good" is all relative to your expectations. For the money, I don't expect much, therefore they are good. If you don't care so much about price and have higher expectations, they aren't that good. Do they shoot? Yes. Are they accurate? Sometimes. Are they of fine fit & finish? Absolutely not.
 
"Any good" is all relative to your expectations. For the money, I don't expect much, therefore they are good. If you don't care so much about price and have higher expectations, they aren't that good. Do they shoot? Yes. Are they accurate? Sometimes. Are they of fine fit & finish? Absolutely not.

you just described a Norinco/Savage/Marlin rimfire perfectly.
 
I don't own one and probably never will. I have tried a couple and the went "bang" as expected. Quality firearms will always deliver at resale, a Norc will not.

Well, your theory is flawed.

10/22s have an awesome resale value and anyone who has owned one knows how crappy they are. They do go "bang" in a cool kind of way though.
 
I bought the Norinco BackPacker a couple months ago. I looked at the EE for a couple months because all the dealers were sold out for awhile. Everyone selling a used one on the EE wanted more than the new price :rolleyes:
Quality firearms will always deliver at resale, a Norc will not.
I love mine. A CZ it's not, but check the price. :D
 
Well, your theory is flawed.

10/22s have an awesome resale value and anyone who has owned one knows how crappy they are. They do go "bang" in a cool kind of way though.

This is a total fail comment. I have a 1980 10/22 that will out shoot ANY Norc semi-auto .22 BAR NONE!!! It is more reliable than ANY other semi-auto .22LR I have ever seen or used. They have more aftermarket parts available than ANY other firearm (except AR15 & derivitives). And as you stated, "10/22s have an awesome resale value". All of this is for a reason. Your comment sounds like schoolyard "my dad's tougher than your dad" BS.

Nuff said...
 
I bought the Norinco BackPacker a couple months ago. I looked at the EE for a couple months because all the dealers were sold out for awhile. Everyone selling a used one on the EE wanted more than the new price :rolleyes: I love mine. A CZ it's not, but check the price. :D

I never said you shouldn't love it. It is good value for those who want a working firearm at the lowest price.
 
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