Norinco1911a1

[rmocarsky]

I have heard that a Norinco 1911a1 is completely/totally interchangeable with a Colt 1911a1 part for part.

True?

Rmocarsky

[Snyper]

Most likely it's true
The Chinese don't much care about patent infringements, so many of their products are exact duplicates

[sarge83]

I have one and so far it has been. Great shooter and good price.

[RickB]

I think the grip bushings have non-standard metric threads? I don't have a source, I just have that buzzing around in my head.
I never had to remove or change the bushings on my Norinco (15 years ago), so have no first-hand experience.
Google "metric 1911", and see what you find. I have heard of some foreign-made 1911s having been made by converting the original inch measurements into metric equivalents, but again, that's something that I'm recalling from fifteen years ago.

[James K]

The grip screws themselves interchange.

As for patents, those on the 1911 expired long ago or else the whole "1911" cottage industry could not exist.

Jim

[KyJim]

Everything I've heard about Norincos is good. They use top notch steel and are dimensionally correct. I can't confirm that because I don't own one. However, I just saw one at a LGS and am thinking about it.

[tipoc]

The Norinco guns are very well made versions of the 1911A1 but not exact copies. Over the years they have been made at a couple of different plants and small changes took place. The sights for instance are not constant over the years and I've seen 3 different variations of them. The serrations on the mainspring housing, and triggers vary, etc. Small things like that. Yes on some apparently the grip bushings use metric threads.

But the basic specs are original and the frame and slide are forged steel rather than cast. Most of the small parts are also from forgings. The work is generally of high quality and the barrels are chromed which helps in cleaning and prevents rust.











Below 20 rounds at 10 yards with Win. 230 gr. ball.



tipoc

[thedudeabides]

The Chinese don't much care about patent infringements, so many of their products are exact duplicates

Anyone can build a 1911.

There are no patents on the original 5" style guns.

That's why everyone and their mother builds them these days.

[Pico]

I was just wondering how much it would be if the design was still patent protected and the Browning family received royalties on all the 1911's made today.

Good Lord, talk about a lottery check each year!

Seriously, aside from the mags, let me put my praise in for the Norinco 1911 as well.

Pico

[WVsig]

Good guns but watch the lugs for deformation. Some of the slides back in the day were out of spec. I have had a few of them always with the intention of using one as a base gun but never did.

[KyJim]

I understand that the problems with the slide/lugs were in the earliest guns imported. Just make sure you field strip and look at the lugs. They should look "clean." Any sign of deformation or battering, pass it up unless you want to invest in trying to fix it.

[dakota1911]

There were problems in the early pistols. The new ones I have looked at looked nice. Maybe the 5 year olds have gotten older and are now more experienced.

The patent thing comes in because Norinco makes and has made a lot more than just the 1911. I think they are the PRCs major arms manufacturer, but could be wrong. In the past they have made other arms that did step on patents, etc.

Still, you sort of have to like the Norinco 1911. A 1911 made in the PRC by hard working people in the PRC who will not have a chance in heck of ever owning the pistol they make. Sort of reminds us of how lucky we are to live in the USA.

[tipoc]

The Norinco 1911s were banned from import to the U.S. first by Clinton and later by the Bush administration. A number of Chinese weapons were banned, rifles and handguns.

The 1911s we see now are either old imports or ones that have come in from Canada (which still imports them) or elsewhere. We ususally do not see pristine ones any more. For a number of years some years back Bill Wilson and Hilton Yam preferred to work on either stock Colts or the Norinco guns as the base guns for custom builds, because of the quality of the steel used and that they were built to proper base specs.

To be able to get a good base gun for $200. in the late 1980s was a great deal.

Norinco is a wide ranging sector of industry in China and not one company in one building.

The China North Industries Corporation (simplified Chinese: 北方工业; traditional Chinese: 北方工業; pinyin: Běifāng Gōngyè; literally: "North Industries"), officially Norinco, is a Chinese company that manufactures vehicles (trucks, cars and motorcycles), machinery, optical-electronic products, oil field equipment, chemicals, light industrial products, explosives and blast materials, civil and military firearms and ammunition, etc. Norinco is also involved in domestic civil construction projects.

Norinco is also known outside of China for its high-tech defense products. Norinco produces precision strike systems, amphibious assault weapons and equipment, long-range suppression weapon systems, anti-aircraft & anti-missile systems, information & night vision products, high-effect destruction systems,[1] fuel air bombs, anti-riot equipment and small arms.

tipoc

[SVO]

I have one that I bought new back in 1993 for $200.00. For several years now, I have had a Colt .22 conversion kit mounted on it. Runs great as long as you keep the floating chamber clean. Great gun for the money.

[PT-92]

Norinco are indeed no-frills work-horse durable tank-like firearms from pistols to shotguns. Even now they seem to circumvent the "ban" with the 981/982 870 copies marketed via IAC Distributor.

Of course, now we face a Russian firearms ban which mirrors the ChiCom ban as far as I can tell...Of course the AK market is now world-wide including previously unseen domestic production...That said, the Saigas and Veprs will be sorely missed by many...I can't fathom the price of say the Vepr-12 which I am seeing well over $1K when prior to Obama's ban they were easily had for $600...-

Now to veer too far off OP, but firearms are but a tiny fraction of U.S. ChiCom/Russian trade so arguably one could say the targeting of firearms instead of other commodities is hardly a coincidence...?

[RickB]

It's interesting that we have a ban on importation of semi-auto AKs, but in just about every h*ll-hole where it's difficult or not legal to own any firearms, everyone seems to have full-auto AKs coming out their ears.
More evidence of the futility of "gun control".

[lamarw]

I have not encountered a Norinco 1911 but would like to at a reasonable price. I have read nothing but good things about them.

A lot of folks seem to appreciate them since they have soared in price.

I do have a Norinco 213 of the same vintage (or should I say Pre-Ban). It is ugly but a solid pistol. The 9mm Model 213 can still be found for a rather decent price.

[James K]

Norinco is not a "company" in the meaning of that term as used in the U.S. It is a segment of the manufacturing arm of the Peoples' Liberation Army, and thus part of the Chinese government, just like almost every other "company" in the PRC.

When they deign to discuss our foreign debt, our "leaders" talk about Chinese investors and Chinese banks. There are no Chinese investors, or Chinese banks, or Chinese companies. China is a Communist country - the government owns or rigidly controls everything. The U.S., thanks to our inability to control our spending, now owes its soul to the Chinese government.

Jim

[jrobin3360]

My first handgun purchase was a Norinco 1911, bought in 1993 for $250 (wanted a Colt but couldn't afford it).
The plastic grips were horrible & the mags weren't much better. GI sights were functional but needed some "adjustment".
Another sawbuck for three Wilson 47D's, some new Millet sights & a.set of Hogue grips, I had a pistol that was totally reliable & didn't mind if got wet & sometimes muddy.
I've still got that pistol but have since given it a new look along with some new internals. The frame is as solid now as it was 2 decades ago.
I still want that Colt but I'll never part with my ChiCom 1911.

[WVsig]

Norinco is not a "company" in the meaning of that term as used in the U.S. It is a segment of the manufacturing arm of the Peoples' Liberation Army, and thus part of the Chinese government, just like almost every other "company" in the PRC.

When they deign to discuss our foreign debt, our "leaders" talk about Chinese investors and Chinese banks. There are no Chinese investors, or Chinese banks, or Chinese companies. China is a Communist country - the government owns or rigidly controls everything. The U.S., thanks to our inability to control our spending, now owes its soul to the Chinese government.

Jim

Oh you mean like Alibaba...? Can we stick to talking about guns not your geo-political worldview.

To get back on topic. The Norinco was an excellent value when you could get them around $250 and were still a solid deal when they shot up to even $400-$450.

Now where you see them selling for $500 there are better opinions IMHO.

[lunger]

I also bought one in the early nineties. I was going to use the frame and slide as a start for a build as was popular at the time.

It was so reliable and was and still is very accurate the only thing I changed was a trigger job,Hogue grips and Novak sights.

One of my favorite guns.

[mr bolo]

I completely disassembled my Norinco M1911 before sending it out to get a WWII Slate Grey / green Phosphate finish

and every part was interchangable with GI parts except the grip screw bushings, any standard GI grip screw fits though

I even installed a brand new GI chrome lined barrel and it fit and functioned perfectly

the factory Norinco mags are very reliable, but I like to use GI surplus mags

the quality of the cheap plastic grips were the worst part of the NORINCO M1911A1

I replaced mine with WWII Colt brown bakelite GI grips

[RickB]

You mean MODEL OF THE M1911?

[jrobin3360]

I can't speak for other Norinco owners, but mine is an A1 model.
Shorter trigger, scalloped behind the trigger guard, rounded MSH, lanyard loop, lowered ejection port. Came that way outta the box.

[KyJim]

To get back on topic. The Norinco was an excellent value when you could get them around $250 and were still a solid deal when they shot up to even $400-$450. Now where you see them selling for $500 there are better opinions IMHO.

So what would that be? Springfield Mil-Spec (for a little more)?