What do you know about Norinco 1911?

[ScorpioVI]

Got offered one for sale for $200. I already have a Kimber Custom II 1911 so I'm fairly familiar with 1911s, I just don't know much about the Norincos. What can you guys tell me about them?

The word on M1911.org is that they make good project guns.

 

[1911Tuner]

Norks

A hot topic around here. Norincos are no-frills, rough tough reliable 1911-pattern pistols that don't have any MIM or investment cast parts anywhere in the guns. Nothin' fancy or highly polished about'em...and they were never
intended to be represented as such, nor were they meant to compete with
the guns that looked nice, but often fell flat when the pressure was on. They're not even as nicely fitted and finished as an entry-level Springfield
GI Mil-Spec...but they are tough and reliable.

Some few have been noted with barrel unlock/linkdown timing and headspace problems...but not many when compared with the numbers that they were sold in. I know of one personally that withstood a double charge of bullseye
without being disabled or damaged. I've also known of one...through hearsay...that had such excessive headspace that it bulged and blew out case heads on certain brands of ammo. I've been going through three dealers in the area who sold hundreds of the guns...and calling on the owners to let me examine their guns. At the present...out of over 80 pistols...I've found problems that needed to be repaired or parts replaced in 6 pistols...and only 3 were guns that I wouldn't advise the owners to fire unless these problems were corrected...even though they had fired the guns without obvious problems. One was a bad sear and two were excessive headspace.

Knowing what to check for is the main thing...and that takes knowing what you're looking FOR and looking AT. If you're in the market for a project gun, and you figure on replacing the barrel and various other small parts...the slide and frame are usually good to go. If what you want is a non-gussied up
carry or range pistol, and you don't require a bullseye match ready gun...your chances of pickin' a good one are in the upper 90% bracket.

 

[ScorpioVI]

Thank you sir! That helps a lot!

No, I don't plan on shooting bullseye with this. Maybe try it out for action pistol as an alternate to my Kimber but in all likelihood this thing will sit in my BOB.

 

[Jim K]

Well, I put over 8k through one and 3k through another, with zero failures of any kind. That is zero, as in none, nil, nada, zip, zilch.

IMHO, as far as reliability is concerned, stash the Kimber and go with the Norinco. Of course, if you want pretty...

Jim

 

[ulflyer]

Scorpio, I just paid $325 for a slightly used on and was glad to get it at that price. Suggest you jump on the $200 one....you can sell it and make $$$ if it don't suit you. If not, kindly pm me the name of the owner~

 

[ScorpioVI]

Thanks for the advice guys!

ulflyer,

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna hang onto it. California has a magazine disconnect law coming down in 2007, which means I gotta start stockpiling 1911 frames in the meantime.