Norinco YL-12 Thoughts?

[L3O 710]

Over the last couple of months I've been thinking of picking up a 12 gauge shotgun. The Norinco YL-12 has caught my eye with its low price but I cant seem to find any real reviews on it. Does anyone have any experience with one and can chime in? Unless trap shooting, I believe my range only allows slugs so that's what I'll be putting through it for the most part.

 

[Nismojunky]

X2 on this

 

[Dexter Morgan]

I can understand buying certain models of Chinese firearms, because they are vastly cheaper than their American or European counterpart.
The Chinese copy of a Sig 226 or the M305 are good examples.

But pump shotguns from USA or Turkey can be had for the same money as Chinese ones.

I would buy a Maverick or a Hatsan long before I'd buy a Norinco for the same money.

 

[grelmar]

I can understand buying certain models of Chinese firearms, because they are vastly cheaper than their American or European counterpart.
The Chinese copy of a Sig 226 or the M305 are good examples.

But pump shotguns from USA or Turkey can be had for the same money as Chinese ones.

I would buy a Maverick or a Hatsan long before I'd buy a Norinco for the same money.

The YL-12 is a knockoff of the Ithaca 37 (without the ability to pump-fire - also, typical of CanAm, they typo-ed that to Ithica 37 ). Hard to find something in a bottom eject pump for $200.

Unless you go to a gun show and get a real Ithaca 37 Featherlight, pre-70's production, which will give you a vastly better shotgun, that WILL pump-fire, for about the same price.

 

[onthehunt]

Stevens already makes a copy for around $299 called a Stevens 350

 

[Goo98]

Stevens already makes a copy for around $299 called a Stevens 350

But the Stevens Ithaca is *gasp* Norinco!



Anyway, since an original Ithaca 37 is just a stones throw away in price from the Norinco version, might be better off. I suppose it also comes down to barrel length preference. Slam firing a 37 is pretty cool though...

 

[grelmar]

But the Stevens Ithaca is *gasp* Norinco!



Anyway, since an original Ithaca 37 is just a stones throw away in price from the Norinco version, might be better off. I suppose it also comes down to barrel length preference. Slam firing a 37 is pretty cool though...

A proper Ithaca 37 with an 8+1 capacity, wood furniture (that beehive forend), pump fire, and a bayo lug (I think it was the Marines that used the '37 in Korea and Vietnam) is definitely on my unicorn gun list. Those are hard to find.

The featherlites are pretty easy to come by, an nice shotguns for the price.

 

[randyhub]

I had one and ended up selling it.

The twin feed forks that lift the shell into the breach gave me grief sometime so I sold it as I just could not depend on the gun itself.

Ended up buying a much beefier 870 clone the Grizzly and LOVE it! Way more robust I take it all the time in the bush it is my go to bush gun.



I use the ghost rings and sometimes a red dot for fun.

Randy

 

[grelmar]

I went more "old school" with my grizzly. And like yours, it's my go to brush gun for wandering through grizzly country. Just screwing around at the gravel pit this year, I've put about 400 shells through it, without bothering to clean it once. Still running like a champ.

I replaced the front bead with an XS sights Big Dot Tritium bead... The bead that came with it was causing me to hit way high, the XS fixed that so POA = POI. And it glows in the dark. Great way for sighting without adding bulk. Still has clean, no snag lines to it.

Not to completely hijack the OP's thread...

 

[randyhub]

Now that looks cool!

 

[Goo98]

A proper Ithaca 37 with an 8+1 capacity, wood furniture (that beehive forend), pump fire, and a bayo lug (I think it was the Marines that used the '37 in Korea and Vietnam) is definitely on my unicorn gun list. Those are hard to find.

The featherlites are pretty easy to come by, an nice shotguns for the price.

I built an 1897 trench gun clone out of an old beater that had already been cut down, I'd consider making a '37 clone under the same circumstances if I could find a cut down beater somewhere.

 

[Pepp]

I just got my YL-12 cleaned up and thought i'd share a few pics.

So far i'm very happy with the gun (for the price) and excited to take it to the range tomorrow.

 

[grelmar]

I just got my YL-12 cleaned up and thought i'd share a few pics.


So far i'm very happy with the gun (for the price) and excited to take it to the range tomorrow.

CanAm should ask to use your pics, that looks a lot more tempting for $200.00.

Enjoy it in good health!