Norinco 1911 Barrel Question

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farscott

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After reading all of the hype about Norinco 1911's, I found myself in a position to get one at a very good price. When I disassembled the pistol, the barrel lugs struck me as odd. The chrome finish on the lugs has been worn away, and the lugs themselves are not smoothly machined. The barrel lugs look peened to me. I have taken a few pictures to show what I mean.

The slide lugs look pretty good and feel evenly machined.

Is this evidence of the barrel crashing? I assume that this is not how the pistol left the factory and none of my other 1911's has ever shown wear like this.

BTW, the rest of the pistol is quite impressive, especially the small parts.
 

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DO NOT SHOOT THIS PISTOL UNTIL THE HEADSPACE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY A GUNSMITH USING INDUSTRY-STANDARD GO / NO-GO GAGES!

The pictures do not confirm, but do strongly suggest that you have an excessive headspace condition, and if so the pistol is not safe to shoot.

Use The High Road's search feature with the key words "Norinco" and "Headspace" and you will find plenty of background information.

Also send a Personal Message to 1911tuner and include the pistol's serial number.
 
WOW!

Houston...We've got a problem!

You've got a serious barrel timing problem there. The worst I've seen
in a long time. Somebody ignored the problem and kept shooting that one far beyond where a completely blind idiot would have stopped.

While I haven't found a single Norinco with the vertical impact surface mislocated too far forward, I've seen a few that didn't allow the barrel to
drop early enough or quickly enough after the unlock to get out of the slide's way...but none were this bad.

Don't shoot it. This one's not too far removed from kaboom. Get thee to a smith!
 
Barrel

I was so shocked by the barrel lugs that I forgot to tell ya to check the rear
corners of of the lugs in the slide. Chances are pretty good that they've suffered some of the same damage. If they have, the slide is killed.
 
The good news is I disassembled the pistol before I shot it and I never shot it. The bad news is I did not disassemble the pistol before I bought it. :(

I am in touch with Tuner, and I hope he can work his magic. The slide looks good to me, but I am not a smith.
 
In Touch

farscott said:
The good news is I disassembled the pistol before I shot it and I never shot it. The bad news is I did not disassemble the pistol before I bought it.
Click to expand...

A fact that the seller was nervously counting on, no doubt. People who do that REALLY irk me...and those are the ones that I wouldn't cross the street
to help sort out a pistol problem. Folks like farscott, who take it on the chin and don't consider passing the problem along are the ones who qualify for
every effort that I can give...and if we can scrounge up a barrel that can be massaged and persuaded to work, it won't cost him a dime.

Scott...Hope ya like strong coffee and Colliedogs. Lookin' forward to the visit.;)
 
i feel 4 u...

had an early SA champion with the same problem , lasted 273 rnds before self destructing itself ... both barrel and slide were a writeoff... one of the nine (9) 1911's that cured me of ever buying another...
 
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Tuner,

Thanks for the support, the willingness to help, and the offer of a barrel. It is much appreciated.

I do not want anyone to villify the seller as I believe he did not understand the condition of the pistol when he sold it. I am the only one that should be blamed as I bought the pistol without disassembling it. I guess I can chalk this one up as a lesson learned. First deal in many that has ever gone south on me.

I have contacted the seller and we are in a dialogue about what should be done. He appears to be an honorable man. I will be keeping the pistol. If the worst case scenario happens and the slide is trash, I do have a slide from a 1969 Colt Government Model that can be fit to the frame.
 
re:

farscott said:
Tuner,

Thanks for the support, the willingness to help, and the offer of a barrel. It is much appreciated.

I do not want anyone to villify the seller as I believe he did not understand the condition of the pistol when he sold it. I am the only one that should be blamed as I bought the pistol without disassembling it. I guess I can chalk this one up as a lesson learned. First deal in many that has ever gone south on me.

I have contacted the seller and we are in a dialogue about what should be done. He appears to be an honorable man. I will be keeping the pistol. If the worst case scenario happens and the slide is trash, I do have a slide from a 1969 Colt Government Model that can be fit to the frame.
Click to expand...

Bring the Colt slide when ya come, along with the original slide and killed barrel.

If he's really honorable, he'll offer to buy it back.
 
Ah..............

If you rebuild it with a '69 Colt slide and a new barrel I think farscott would want to keep it. ;)

Considering the possibilities I might go find an old Norinco and file the lugs back on the barrel.

With luck it would take less then 200 rounds to do it in... :eek: :evil: :evil: :D
 
If the Norinco slide is a paperweight (as I fear it is even though I cannot see any obvious signs of damage), the Colt slide comes with a few more Colt parts: barrel, bushing, spring guide, spring plug, and slide stop. The slide has some King's Hardball sights on it and is finished in a matte blue.

I guess I might end up with a Corinco.
 
UPDATE

The seller is indeed an honorable man as he has requested to buy back the pistol.

I was looking forward to meeting Tuner. I guess I need to find another troublesome pistol for him to fix.
 
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Honesty has its Rewards

farscott said:
The seller is indeed an honorable man as he has requested to buy back the pistol.

I was looking forward to meeting Tuner. I guess I need to find another troublesome pistol for him to fix.
Click to expand...


Indeed! The invitation for a visit stands, and the offer extends to the honest man to fix his gun if you can bring it. Not enough true honor left in the world to let it go unnoticed and unappreciated. Tell him I said "Salute!":cool:
 
Indeed! The invitation for a visit stands, and the offer extends to the honest man to fix his gun if you can bring it. Not enough true honor left in the world to let it go unnoticed and unappreciated. Tell him I said "Salute!"
Click to expand...

Dang-nab-it!!!

Ya never make me offers like that... :mad:

Course maybe there's a reason...:uhoh:

Like my reputation ... :evil: :D :D
 
Reputation

Old Fuff said:
Dang-nab-it!!!

Ya never make me offers like that... :mad:

Course maybe there's a reason...:uhoh:

Like my reputation ... :evil: :D :D
Click to expand...

Helle's Belles Fuff! I been tryin' to getcha here for nigh on two years now,
but I can't getcha to crawl outta that cave you've ensconced yourself in.
S'matter...You scared of dogs or somethin'...or is it my breath?:neener:
 
If I were wealthy...

...I'd fly Tuner and Old Fuff to the Tulsa Gun show. Mid-point Meeting Spot.
Oh sure be great to meet these two in person. Be great to learn from them...

Now watching these two fuss, discuss, argue who is gonna to end up buying some firearm on a table would be a sight to see and hear...

Kinda a cross between The Rascals and Animal House food fight scene...

<yanking a Norinco back and forth b/t themselves>

"I saw it first"
"Did not"
"Did too"

"You got the K frame earlier"
"So?"

<yanking a Norinco back and forth b/t themselves>

:D

Me? Oh I behave at the Tulsa Gun show... Ask Larry...
kinda sorta maybe....
 
You have of course heard of the movie, Grumpy Old Men... :evil:

I don't know if I'd want to be found in the same gun show as Tuner or not. Spare USGI .45 parts wouldn't stand a chance ... Probably start a war... :eek:

What if one of us came across an absolutely mint Colt National Match .45 of 1941 vintage ... The building would probably get moved off of its foundation. :what:

Best to leave things alone... :D :D :D
 
Helle's Belles Fuff! I been tryin' to getcha here for nigh on two years now, but I can't getcha to crawl outta that cave you've ensconced yourself in. S'matter...You scared of dogs or somethin'...or is it my breath?
Click to expand...

I am ter-re-fied of your mean reputation, and that coffee you use to bomb out your visitors so you can make off with their USGI treasurers ... I is on ta' ya'... :neener:

I also have it on good authority that them dogs you have will tail-wag a fella' to death. :D
 
Gun Show

Nah Steve...Fuff wouldn't be much of a problem. All I'd hafta do is dig that minty Union Switch outta the mothballs and go dangle it in front of him. He'd break both legs, fall flat on his face, and knock himself out just tryin' to get to it.:neener:
 
He'd break both legs, fall flat on his face, and knock himself out just tryin' to get to it.
Click to expand...

Only if he had the correct holster, web-belt and magazine pouch with it in "like new" condition... :eek: :D
 
Shall I call the paramedics?
Click to expand...

I think you'd better... :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Ya' wouldn't consider a straight-up trade for a nickel plated, pearl handled .32 H&R top-break would ya'???????

Real nice shape ... belonged to a little ol' grandmother who only took it to church on Sundays... :evil: :D
 
Trade

Old Fuff said:
I think you'd better... :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Ya' wouldn't consider a straight-up trade for a nickel plated, pearl handled .32 H&R top-break would ya'???????

Real nice shape ... belonged to a little ol' grandmother who only took it to church on Sundays... :evil: :D
Click to expand...


Only if ya throw in a Rand and that 1912 Colt that I KNOW you've been sandbaggin'.:scrutiny:
 
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