went to go by a 1911

[canuck2a]

Well I decided to go and look to by a sa 1911 gi45, when i noticed the gunshop has about 4-5 brand new norinco 1911a1 for about $400 new. They did not have the sa GI at this store. I have yet to pruchase anything.

I want a plain jane basic 1911, was going to buy the sa gi but just wanted to know what you guys thought of the norincos first, kinda hard to find info on them to begin with. I would imagine the sa is probably better quality. Any thoughts

 

[Ed Ames]

New Norincos are a rare thing these days.... haven't been imported since Clinton was president.

Err..in the US anyway. Canada has some advantages.

They have a decent rep but it's ard to say how much is prohibition's draw.

 

[wditto]

where are they, where are you located , I want one !!!

 

[rellascout]

Noincos are currently being built in Turkey to get around the US import ban. they are made by IAC IIRC

 

[BigO01]

I've heard through internet forums that the Norincos new or used are very well made weapons .

Examine them over very well for tool marks on and around the barrel and frame ramps " you don't want 1 that is actually used and a amateur played with the ramp" and check the frame to slide fit etc . even if used in todays market I think the Norinco would be worth $400 as long as it isn't abused or worked on by a knuckle head .

Ask the shop owner if he will give you a 100% refund/return period or let you fire it B4 you buy it to make sure it doesn't have functioning problems .

 

[Ed Ames]

Turkish clones of Chinese clones of 1911s???

Yay Clinton!?!?

 

[rellascout]

Exactly I have not seen one. I am not sure they are using the same steel which was the beauty of the Chinese Norinco 1911s.

 

[Oro]

The Turkish copies are not labeled "Norinco."

If you are Canadian, (and "Canuck2a" certainly suggest that is true), you are likely looking at Chinese Norincos. There are pros and cons.

Pro:
1) Good steel
2) Generally very well-in spec dimensional work
3) Most always run well and are solid, dimensionally correct.
4) Chrome-lined barrel (if you don't like cleaning)

Con:
1) Made by virtual slave labor by a totalitarian regime
2) Barrel chrome not always well applied (chips - but not often)
3) grip bushings/frame threads non-spec (rarely matters)
4) Occasionally barrel-link down is not perfect (1911Tuner has written about this well)
5) bluing not really deep or top notch, but acceptable.

Sooo...

If you have a Colt or other high quality used option available a little bit more, you are better off going with a used piece for a few more dollars. But compared to lots of other low-price options, like Armscor, Taurus, and lower end Springfields, it stacks up just fine and has some bonuses over those.

I have one I bought new in the box c. 1993 here in the US, before the ban and before anyone knew anything about them. I still own it despite a ton of other 1911s, so it must have some virtues. I will say this - if you could buy a NIB Norinco 1911a1 GI for US$400 new in the USA, I'd buy another one now, and you'd see a lot of other manufacturers disappear - it's a value.

So, my comment would be that if you don't have much in the way of choices, it's a good value. I have picked up a well used Colt '70 ($500), a mint Colt '70 ($700), a Colt 1991 ($600) and a Colt Sistema ($400) all in the last few years. I'd rather have any of them over the Norinco were I to have only one. But if your local/internet buying options are not so plentiful, or you aren't as inveterate a shopper/deal hound as I am, then the Norinco can be a good value.

I don't have a super-high opinion of the SA as it is not made here (meaning US/North America), has known issues with extractors, and SA has less than a stellar rep with cs on solving the already known issues. If you are going to spend your gun dollars on a Chinese made or Brazilian made gun, what's the difference where the money goes? BTW, what is the cost difference between the Norinco and the SA GI in Canada?

 

[canuck2a]

yes i am from canada, the price diff between the sa and norincos is sa=800, noricos425 to 465, ans the norinco commander 425. The SA I saw is now gone so i have to go around and look for another one is thats the mone i choose. most 1911 up here from what i see start ast bout 800-900 bucks(para gi expert) and as far as used 1911 i see very few of them. I have never seen a used colt in any of the shops, and very very few new ones, they don't last long under the glass. Its mostly kimber up here man every shop has kimber and para.

So i was shocked when i walked in the shop and saw a bunch of new norincos and with the price they are at man. Like i say i want a basic 1911. as it is going to be my first one, if i like it a lot later down the road i will probably buy another one probably a kimber as i really like some of them. But I figure go basic and cheaper in cost first, can always upgrade or if i don't like it i won't have w3asted a tonne of money. They rip you off big time when you sell a gun at the shops here. Buddy sold them a three month old tikka t3 tactical with a leupold scope with bless than a hundred rounds thorigh it no scratches, he got $900 for it. He paid over $2700 for the whole setup. Wish he woulda phoned me first.
Anyway any or more advice on these norincos is appreciated? Can one upgrade the grips on these????

 

[InkEd]

Buy it. In fact buy two for that price. $400-$450 (Canadian money?) that is an awesome deal if they are new. I've seen them sell for more than that here in the states. With the repopularity of the 1911 lately if you don't like it then you can sell it for little or no loss.

 

[weisse52]

I would pick Norinco over a SA GI.
I have owned both. The used Norinco shot circles around the SA.

Oh, and a Colt is the best option

Since that is not an option go with the Norinco!

 

[tekarra]

canuck2a,
Get a couple of them while they are so cheap. YOu won't regret it.

 

[canuck2a]

well i am going to buy the norinco my shop just happen to sell them all in the last two days, not to worry they will be getting more soon. I know where there is another one new at a gun shop but i hate dealing with them, i actually went to buy it today but they ignored me for over 20 minutes while they sat around and bs with eachother. And yes i probably will get a pair.

what i cnnot beleive is how hard it is to find a gun made of metal, all anyone has are the composites. Which are nice in there own right, i've owned a xd but man sometimes a guy just wants to hold something not made of plastic.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

For $400, it seems like a good gamble.

 

[canuck2a]

they do have a used auto ordinance for 500 looks in decent condition other than i think it will need a trigger job in the future, but haven't read anything good about them.

 

[strange246]

I have 3 Norinco 1911a1's, a blued, a parkerized and a nickel plated..The Nickel is an unfired safe queen (kinda rare) but the blued and parkerized have had litterally thousands upon thousands of rounds run through them, never a hiccup of any kind, they're my favorite pistols I own, one is stock other than the grips, the other I toyed with, adjustable trigger, full length guide rod etc. My only real suggestion would be to pick up some good quality magazines, the ones they come with function but are cheap...You wont regret the purchase!

 

[penman53]

If you buy the Norinco, shoot it for awhile. If you don't like the trigger or performance, simply change the internals to Wilson Combat or equivalent and you will have a reliable good shooting pistol.

 

[canuck2a]

well i am waiting for a email back now, guess there is a gunshop owner/gunsmith one province over that is some kind of norinco guru. You can send your gun to him to be tuned for 100 buck or if buy the gun off him it comes tuned for like 50 bucks (think he tunes every norinco he sells before it goes out the door)
tuning consists of "total smoothing, 4# crisp trigger, feeding and extraction tuned, make it feel and work like a $1200 1911. incl. return shipping. Ask for a list of what's done

might be good waiting to hear back from what more is done. might be good thing

 

[Oro]

"total smoothing, 4# crisp trigger, feeding and extraction tuned, make it feel and work like a $1200 1911.

Just so you understand clearly, there is no way to make it feel like a "$1200" 1911 - that's a little too much hype...

If you can round up some references from/about him that he's doing more than just applying a pointless polish on the feed ramp and testing the extractor, maybe it is worth it. Also, there's just nothing really different about a Norinco from any other 1911 - a "Norinco guru" sounds a bit like over-sell.

I'd certainly take the Norinco for $400 over a SA at about twice the price. I'd also take it "box stock" and be sure to lube it well and shoot hundreds of rounds before I made any change or allowed anyone to change it (I wish someone had told me that 15 years ago...).