[KC]

I was at the local Big 5 Sporting Goods store yesterday, and have been thinking about one of the shotguns they have.

It's a Norinco 12ga pump, the model 982; 3" chamber, 5+1 mag, and black plastic furniture. Yes it's a Norinco, but heck, it's only $150 NIB. (I do not currently own a shotgun, and last time I went out skeet shooting with a borrowed weapon, I actually enjoyed myself for the first time.) This seems like a reasonably good deal. I don't (currently) hunt anything other than the elusive Tomato Paste Can and punch paper. This would be a clay shooter.

My questions are:
Does anyone have a moderatly happy experience with this gun, or especially unpleasant experience?

If this is a totally unacceptable choice, what else that is reasonably inexpensive and readily available that I should be looking at?



Thanks

[seeker_two]

Although I've never shot one, I've heard mixed reviews about the Norincos. Some people consider them a good value, but many have had a lot of problems. Plus, the Norincos won't accept any accessories.

With the same money & a little shopping around, you should be able to find a good used Remington, Mossberg, Winchester, or Ithaca pump in the same price range. You'll be a lot happier with the results....:D

[Tomac]

I have both the 982 & 981. Both have functioned flawlessly so far (appx 250rds buck, slug & heavy field loads).
The good: price & takes the following 870 parts/accessories so far: 4rd Sidesaddle, Wilson mag tube spring/follower (you have to file 2 grooves to get the follower past the mag tube dimples), Uncle Mike's mag tube cap w/sling swivel stud (870 Express version), factory 870 bolt/slide assy ($20 from CDNN), Remington R3 recoil pad.
The bad: recoil pad is hard plastic (doesn't do squat to absorb recoil), no manual to speak of (however, the 870 manual downloaded from Remington's website works perfectly), won't take standard 870 bbls w/o a custom spacer for the different location of the bbl ring, screws on the ghostring sights are a bit soft so be careful tightening them (Loctite or something similar is recommended to keep the sight screws from loosening under recoil).
As a beater shotgun that takes most 870 parts/accessories it's a good budget shotgun. However, I've heard mostly negative reports about Norinco's Ithica clone. HTH, let me know if you have any other questions...
Tomac

[R-Tex12]

FWIW, Louis Awerbuck made quite a few positive comments about the 'Rinco pump at the HIT Shotgun class I took. Seems like a pretty good value to me - I put about $350 (including purchase price) into a used Winchester 1300 to get a reliable pump with ghost-ring sights. Don't know for certain, but I think the IT (Streamlight) universal light mount will work on the Norinco if you want a light on it. HTH

R-Tex12

[Dave McCracken]

With international politics and trade aggreements being what they are, a foreign shotgun of inexpensive price may have parts and warranty issues far more than its slightly higher priced US made model.

(I'm leaving the usual diatribe about dictatorships and slave labor out this time).

A Big Four pump costs less than a week's pay, lasts longer than we will, and parts and service are widely available. Buiy one or more of these and have lots of fun....

[bpisler]

The sports authority here in phoenix has mossberg 500's on sale for 159.00,i think they have a 26" vent rib barrel,not sure if they have a screw in chokes or not.I think i would pass on the norinco,not because it's a bad gun but having a win,rem or mossberg worked on would be easier and maybe cost less in the long run.

[Nightcrawler]

I've got a Norinco 98 pumpgun, parkerized, with Ghost Rings, that I paid about $250 for total. Haven't shot it much.

Hardly my ideal shotgun, but it'll do for the limited amount of shotgunning I do anymore.

Fit and finish seem good enough. As for politics...*shrug*. Much of what I own, from my alarm clock, to my shoes, to my printer, etc., is made in China. Couldn't bash the shotgun then have all of the other stuff. The money all goes to the same place, after all.

[Tomac]

What Nightcrawler said... I'm not too worried about parts since so far my Norinco works with every 870 part/accessory I've tried (even the factory 870 bolt & slide assembly drops right in and works fine). The only significant differences I've heard of so far are that the barrel contour of the Norinco is slightly thicker so if you try a replacement forend you'll have to modify it just a bit to fit and the differing location of the barrel ring mentioned earlier. It's not my ideal shotgun either but for the price ($150 from CDNN) it makes a great budget beater (especially for those on severely limited budgets who simply cannot afford a more expensive HD shotgun) that I don't have to worry about.
Tomac

[Nightcrawler]

Hey, Tomac, do 870 muzzle caps/magazine tube extensions fit? Mine's a 5+1 capacity, oddly enough, but it's a thought.

[Tomac]

Hey, Nightcrawler. 870 muzzle caps/mag tube extensions do fit just fine (I'm using the Uncle Mike's 870 mag tube cap w/sling swivel stud). However, only the Wilson 1-shot mag tube extension will fit w/o sticking out past the end of the bbl and you'd have to remove the mag tube dimples in the Norinco's bbl for the follower. I figured that was too much effort/expense ($45) for only a single additional shot, especially for a budget/beater shotgun. There is a difference between how the 870 Express (Norinco) & 870 Police mag tube caps are retained so if you get a different mag tube cap be sure it's for the 870 Express (it'll have the same retention teeth inside the cap as the Norinco cap). I'm having a Meprolight tritium bead installed on my 981.
Tomac

[Ukraine Train]

I got a used Mossberg 500 for $151 shipped from auctionarms.com. It's like new and works perfectly. The only thing I've gotten for it so far is a folding stock to replace the pistol grip which was another $44 I think.
http://my.stratos.net/~hummer21/moss2.jpg

If I were you, I'd shop around for a used one.

[evilcartman]

I bought a Norinco 982 as my first shotgun because I thought I'd easily get $150 of usage out of it. I put about 100 rounds through it during a couple of range sessions. No problems at all and the accuracy seemed to be at least as good as I was. I was cleaning it after the last range session, and the forend started hitching up while I was working in some lube I put on the rails. I investigated and found the ejector spring (I think, as I said I'm a total shotgun newbie) bent 90 degrees and snagging on the bolt face. In try to remedy this, the spring broke completely off. D'oh! It is certainly possible that I am at fault for this problem somehow, but from now on I think I will look for alternatives such as suggested by others in this thread before buying a real cheap firearm such as a Norinco. I'll probably try using a Remington replacement part to see if I can get the 982 working again...

[jsalcedo]

My mossberg 590 was $129 NIB at the sporting goods store and it came with a replaceable pistol grip and scope mount.

[Ukraine Train]

My mossberg 590 was $129 NIB at the sporting goods store and it came with a replaceable pistol grip and scope mount.

:eek: A 590?? I've never seen a new 500 below $150, let alone a 590. What store was this?

[jsalcedo]

Academy sporting goods about a 14 months ago.

They had them in $25 increasing increments, barrel shroud, ghost ring sights shell holder in the stock all upped the ante from the base model.

If I recall the whole works package was $219

[Tomac]

Evilcartman, a standard 870 ejector spring & rivet should fix your problem (I don't know why Remington had to rivet the dang ejector spring!). I've got over 200rds of heavy field loads, 00 buck & slugs through my 982 and the only problem I've encountered so far is the rear ghostring sight loosening under recoil (all screws now Loctited[???] down).
Tomac

[foghornl]

I have the Maverick 88, made by Mossberg (Mossy's value-price line). Right now, MSRP on the Maverick with the 28" vent-rib modified choke*** barrel is $249, I have seen them on sale as low as $154.

Plus, you can buy other barrels and parts/accessories direct from Mossberg. The 18-1/2" cylinder choke plain bead-sighted barrel is $74 from Mossberg.

***Shotty has the Mossberg "Accu-choke system", comes with only the Modified choke tube. Extra tubes are $15 each from Mossy, with the exception of the XX-Full Turkey tube, $25

[pittspilot]

I paid $116 for my closet queen Mossie 500A. Leaves a lot of room for upgrades and ammo, and the gun works just fine.