Thoughts on a Norinco CQA as a first 223 rifle purchase

G

GeorgeJure

Regular
Rating - 100%
38   0   1
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hello

I am looking for advice reg. the Norinco CQA as a first 223 rifle. With some general shooting and some basic target shooting. I have NEVER had one or fired one. I see them here in the EE section for sale and their prices can be quite tempting.
What are the worry, stay away issues or what do you have to do to it to be a fun reliable rifle? Also are magazines easy to find for it?

Thanks for your replies.
George
 
There are so many threads on buying the first AR. Why not just get the S&W M&P?
You get a known quantity with the US made gun for a bit more than used Norinco pricing and you have the assurance that all aftermarket parts will fit.

There is nothing wrong with a good Norc. They are actually fine as a shooter. The problem starts when you don’t get a good one.

Windham, DPMS are also good for the price. If you can go a bit higher, look at Stag Arms. Even Kidd X will approve!
 
Still alive said:
There are so many threads on buying the first AR. Why not just get the S&W M&P?
You get a known quantity with the US made gun for a bit more than used Norinco pricing and you have the assurance that all aftermarket parts will fit.

There is nothing wrong with a good Norc. They are actually fine as a shooter. The problem starts when you don’t get a good one.
Click to expand...

Hi
Thanks but I have to confess, I have No clue what a S&W M&P is or what those letters stand for.
George
 
Still alive said:
No problem! You really are new at this!
The Smith & Wesson Military & Police Sporter II Rifle. There are a bunch of site sponsors selling these for under $700. Even Cabelas has them for that price.
Click to expand...

Hey Thanks again for the reply and picture links, Looks like a nice 15,000 rifle hanging in the picture BUT I suffer from looks nice but not sure of performance.
George
Definitely a ROOKIE at this caliber.
 
The link was from Gatehouse. He runs the Norcs hard at his business so he can speak for them. Like I said, they are fine rifles if you get a good one.

A key question that may help you is: What do you want the AR for? Target shooting at 100yds +, CQB fun, plinking, or just to own one?
Once you identify the niche, we can recommend the AR to suit it.
 
Still alive said:
The link was from Gatehouse. He runs the Norcs hard at his business so he can speak for them. Like I said, they are fine rifles if you get a good one.

A key question that may help you is: What do you want the AR for? Target shooting at 100yds +, CQB fun, plinking, or just to own one?
Once you identify the niche, we can recommend the AR to suit it.
Click to expand...

Hi
Thanks again for the help.
My wish is for CQB fun, plinking, target shooting.
Could you further explain when you said if you get a Good Norc. what has been found with them in the past, I go to a lot of gun shows also and don`t know what to look for OR stay away from.

George
 
the Norcs are g2g out of box in my books, low cost high fun factor. There can be some issues with parts fitment but my philosophy on mine has been to keep it stock and let it rock.
 
GeorgeJure said:
Hi
Thanks again for the help.
My wish is for CQB fun, plinking, target shooting.
Could you further explain when you said if you get a Good Norc. what has been found with them in the past, I go to a lot of gun shows also and don`t know what to look for OR stay away from.

George
Click to expand...

That’s the problem. You can’t tell a good or bad AR, Norc or otherwise, just by looking at it or touching it. That’s why I recommend a name brand US made rifle. Your odds are better with the QC. Norincos are known for being slightly out of spec. So if you want to change the trigger, or the stock, or picatinny fore rails or mount a light etc, it may not fit without some work on your part. This is not the case with all of them but you won’t know till you start swapping out parts.
If you are handy and want to take the chance, then go ahead and buy one. If you’re not into potential tinkering, then I would highly recommend a US rifle in that price range, like the S&W.
 
Why buy chinese when an American made AR is the same price or less. S&W M&P from Tenda is $659, Anderson AR-15 is 699 from canada ammo and PSA 10.5” is $565USD from irunguns.
 
Redblack said:
Why buy chinese when an American made AR is the same price or less. S&W M&P from Tenda is $659, Anderson AR-15 is 699 from canada ammo and PSA 10.5” is $565USD from irunguns.
Click to expand...

I've had 3 Norincos and all of them worked very well, and still do, even though they just sit in the safe as backups now . However, right now, there is no reason to buy a new one because of this.^^^

if you get a great deal on the EE, that's a different matter.But it would have to be a smoking deal right now, as it's hard to argue with a brand new S&W or Anderson for $700 or less. And SFRC was blowing out NEA branded ARs recently and may still be doing so. I bought 3 in 7.62x39 :)
 
If you can find a Norc used for under $500 shipped then pick it up.
You can beat the fack out of it with no guilt. It will work 100% guaranteed. They aren't pretty but they are robust and will go the distance despite what a lot of people may say/think they know.
This is from personal experience.
The main selling point of the Norcs used to be the low price in comparison back in the day when the next runner up North American made AR was on average $1K to $1200 but those days are gone. Everyone and their dog is making AR's now and Irunguns was instrumental in flooding our market with affordable US AR15 imports forcing our price gouging vampire dealers up here in Canada to lower their prices to compete.
You can now get North American made AR's for around the $700 price like others have said so to pay same price for Norc doesn't make sense to some. Personally from having shot many Norinco AR's both the DA556 M16 clones and the CQA carbines, I would say you are getting just as much if not more reliability with a Norc AR15 than bottom of the barrel, junk house North American made stuff. That's my personal experience and unpopular opinion from shooting Norcs a lot and firing everything from Diemaco C7's/C8's, Armalite AR15's, Colt rifles and a lot of others over the years.
NEA rifle parts used to made of chinese dollar store pot metal and they still cost more than a Norinco so you can do the math.

Pick up a CQA for $500 shipped off the EE, shoot the fack out of it, throw it on the ground, clean it with a garden hose and if you want to get a ###y expensive one you can flip it for $400 shipped the next day and decide if you want to upgrade. It may not be your thing right?
My 2 cents
 
Norcs are fine and for less than 500, could be good starter ARs. However as many have said , you can get quality US made ARs now for 650-700 (S&W, PSA, etc) so I don't see the point of getting out of spec Chinese made ARs.
 
Norcs are great out of the box. You can find them for around 550 slightly used. But if you mod them, price can increase to well over 1200$
 
I have owned my Norc for about two years now and it has functioned exactly as it should, for CQB type shooting it is as accurate at those distances as any other AR I have seen or shot, and it has been an excellent AR to learn the platform on. As others have said, if you can pick one up for $450-550 then it is worth buying, if you plan on spending slightly more, say $600-750, then I would recommend going with any of the American made AR's that are on the market now at reasonable prices, I have handled my buddies S&W and it is a very nice rifle for the money.
Functionally, his S&W and my Norc do exactly the same job when it comes to punching paper or ringing gongs,,,, can't tell the difference when I'm pulling the trigger,lol, so either rifle will put a grin on your face :)
 
Hi
Thanks to ALL who have replied here. I am looking for a used Norc. because no taxes and relatively cheaper as a first starter .223. Also it is modifiable.
Now ALL I have to do is keep scanning the EE section and Gun shows BUT I don`t think I`ll find one at the shows for a low price, shows seems to always be costly.
George
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom