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Norinco 1911 owners

42K views 130 replies 49 participants last post by  s9calex 
#1 ·
I live in Canada, and can have a brand new in box Norinco "GI" 1911 for 325 dollars.
Instead, I went for the Colt Series 70 Government.
I'll be honest, I can't wrap my head around buying a gun that's made in China, it's a mental block of mine.
But those who own them, if I ever get over it and buy one, what would it take to be "good" ?
I know it's already got supposedly great steel, but I don't want any sharp edges, tooling marks, and some good sights. I don't want it to look like it was made in the Mattel factory (maybe it was? :rofl: )
I just want it to have glossy bluing, unrivaled reliability and sights I can see.

What kind of money and/or modifications would I be looking at here?
 
#2 ·
You will have the cost of your sights, and what ever you smith charges you to mount them. If the smith has to recut the slide your looking at more money than a replacement. the only other thing that you may want to replace is the Hammer to a more rounded style but these guns for the price are extremly well built and are very good shooters. Mine was made back in the 80's and it is still shooting great today.


Same gun custom grips. For $325 I would buy 2. Some my argue with me but if I had to buy a low end 1911 with high end quality today in the US it would be the Rock Island Armory but if I could by the Norinco's I would over the RIA any day.
 
#6 ·
Got two of them. One is parked, one is blued. The parked one has a lot of tool marks on the inside of the slide. The blued one is pretty clean. They do have a few sharp edges on them. But they are damn fine shooting pistols, and I haven't had a malfunction out of either of them. More than I can say for the Springfields I owned in the past. I like them as well as my Colts. Both of mine are stock, except for the grips.
 
#7 ·
My new 70's colt 1911 and my new 80's colt 1911 never cycled properly but my norinco 1911 functions and cycles awesome for $299.
 
#8 ·
...what would it take to be "good" ?
Well, first off Norks are simply reverse engineered WWII era 1911a1s, warts and all made with some pretty hard steel.

To be made "good", shoot it, a lot, using good magazines.

All of my GI 1911s rub my shooting hand web raw unless I'm gloved. Always have, always will for extended range sessions unless you tweak the grip safety a bit (or maybe hold it lower in hand. I ride kinda high)... so that'd be first in my book. Ease a slight radius into the grip safety tang.

Then good trigger if needed. My Norinco is fine as is in that department just from shooting a lot.

Sights... heck, mine is more accurate than I am as is. But thats something to ponder... geezer sights depending on your age and vision.

Springs. Replace when needed.

Once the basics are taken care of, it's simply cosmetics. Polish this, change out that, grips to suit your mood. Fit a tighter bushing up front maybe.

In the end, it's still a cheap chinese clone, albeit a pretty good shooting one and I'm in no way disparaging the Chinese Arms industry on this particular model. If Colt workers made $0.12/hr and could live on it their prices might also be somewhat lower too. Wouldn't ya think?

Maybe the UAW could organize the North China Industries workers into a higher wages dues paying "strike until they cave in or go T.U." brotherhood (uh, oh... here come the tanks from Beijing ... gotta go) ;)
 
#9 ·
If you in canada don't like those cheap, crappy norc 1911's send them to me i'll give them all a good home and feed them 3 squares a day.
 
#12 ·
Boss302,
that is one fine looking china doll.

Dayum, that is clean. Even with the doohickey hanging out front. :D

What or who's "guts" does it have now?

Really cleans up well for a cheap old Commie made Model of The 1911. Might have to think about some cosmetic and maybe internal makeover on mine.

Really nice. Thanks for posting that. Gonna borrow a copy of that photo to drool over methinks.
 
#14 ·
Boss,
Thanks for the response on the internals. I can't help it, I think I'm in love.

Did you do all the work, or have it done locally, big name smith, finish, etc.? Because, well heck, I am now guilty of coveting my neighbors gat... or at least of lust in my heart. :p

If it shoots as well as it looks, and I bet it does, I... I... I like it. I'll leave it at that. Clean lines. Very.

Thanks again. Mine looks like the original rustic barn door (stock) when compared to your beauty. Gotta change that. Just gotta find the time and money. :D
 
#17 ·
Everyone NICE NORC'S. those nice looking pieces have me wondering what to do with mine. I wanted to play with it but not sure what to do with it. I wanted to strip the park off and give it a deep blue but haven't found anyone to do that. Buying parts is no biggie but why but the parts if I cant get the blueing done. Did look into ceracoting it by a local guy but haven't done that either. Looks like the problem with gewting the gun done is me and not the choices of what to do with it. What do you all think? You seen mine earlier in the post leave it, blue it or ceracote it? I think its time to do something with it.
 
#18 ·
finnfeather: I'd blast it and re-blue it a dark blue or get the flats polished and do a high gloss blue on it after fitting a grip safety and sights (if you wanted them). One of mine is mostly a Kimber TLE inside. It has the barrel, ignition components, trigger and MSH from a TLE. It has a EGW barrel bushing and King's grip safety on it. It's a real shooter. You didn't say where you are at but do a google search for gun bluing in your area. I'm fortunate that there is a group of guys local to me that do a great job.
 
#19 ·
crashoverrideplik I have no problem sending it as I'm a FFL and have the means to do it just haven't done it!!! I like the deep blue polished look. Dop you have a pic of your custom norc? and could you send me the name of the place that did yours as I would rather take a referal than a name off the computer. Thanks
 
#20 · (Edited)
I just love my Nork. Bought it new in 95 & to date, have put approx. 4K rounds thru it. The only modifications are some new sights, Houge Monogrip & Wilson 47D mags.
I'd love to give her a makeover (new paint, grip safety & trigger, maybe add a flat mainspring cover in place if the arched). It still shoots & functions great but I was wondering if I should replace some or all of the springs as park of the makeover. Also, who, besides Wilson Combat, makes quality parts without breaking the bank.
This is a pic of my baby as she looks today
 
#23 ·
Buy it and shoot it and get over the Chinese Thing.I wanted a US made 1911 and I ended up getting a Norinco first and SR1911 second and a Remington R1 third and next will be fourth and that will be a RIA 1911a2 22TCM.heres a pic of the Nork and my SR1911 before the VZ grips.The Grips on the nork are Hogue tulipwood.
 
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