Brolin & Norinco-what thinkest thou??

22lovr · January 11, 2002, 10:16 PM

Went to my favorite local toy store and looked over two self/home defense shotguns: A Brolin for $149 and a Norinco for $129. Both have identical actions and are made in....uh....China. Wait a minute - wait a minute. Before you all scoff and walk off, China made one of the world's best-ever assault rifles: the AK47. Anyway, they both take all sizes of shot shells, have a vertical underside ejection port, 18" barrel, hold 4 in the mag, and look like they'd do the job. Either one will probably just sit under my bed for a few years, get taken out infrequently for a little fun, then put back away. The Brolin is, quite frankly, finished off beautifully and the Norinco, well....it's a little bit rough around the edges. Sounds like a deal to me. What do you think?? Jeff the 22luvr

C.R.Sam · January 11, 2002, 10:27 PM

I'd rather put the bucks toward a good used gun.

Sam

Benjamin · January 12, 2002, 12:28 AM

While norinco and polytech have my admiration for really supporting our RKBA, I'd suggest that you look towards a used mossberg, winchester, Remington or Ithaca.

I found a wingmaster for $135 this summer, and regularly see Mossberg 500 series going for $100 or so.

Cthulhu · January 12, 2002, 01:35 AM

Given that role, I would probably ante up the $179 to get the Norinco 982. Almost 1:1 of clone of the 870, synthetic stocks, an alloy trigger group, and 99% of parts interchange with Remington. Has an 18.5" barrel with 5 shot tube, so its a 6+1 gun without an extension, rather than the Remingtons 4+1. The 982 also has an extremely heavy pair of ghost ring sights. I doubt one could similarly configure a used 870, Mossberg or Ithaca for that money.

The Ithaca clones are not as close to their parent designs as the Norinco 98 series. I doubt that few, if any, of the parts for Ithaca's are readily adaptable for use in the Norinco/Brolin guns. If you want an bottom eject type action, look for a ex-police Ithaca. I see quite a few 5 or 8 shot models for $130-180 at the gunshows. An 8rnd M37, with brushed nickel finish and no disconnector, almost followed me home last time.

Dave McC · January 12, 2002, 09:18 AM

We've been through this a few times, oft with elevated BP. Here goes...

First, the ChiCom AK was based on a Russian design and weapon.So were the SKS and that bolt action carbine. The Chinese clones of other weapons are royalty free, no payments for other folks' R&D.

Leaving aside the fact that China is the largest dictatorship and totalitarian state left on the planet,and that it's the only major power that neither condemned the 9/11 attacks nor furnished even lip support for the present war against terror,questionable metallurgyand a warranty that may be a cruel joke,these are for sale at prices either similar to used US made weapons or not much less.

Any modern US made pumpgun is very reliable, parts are of good quality, service is easy to find,and aftermarket stuff abounds.

Police turnins make great underbed shotguns, and a lot more besides.

It seems a simple choice to me.

(Dismounting from soapbox and donning flameproof skivvies)....

Tropical Z · January 15, 2002, 01:16 AM

I have the Brolin you've seen and its a nice 12 guage.I picked mine up on a clearance sale for $99 and it seems to be a very well made shotgun and is mostly an all milled gun unlike my plastic and cast Mossberg which is also a fine 12 guage.

kotengu · January 15, 2002, 10:12 AM

(double post - sorry)

kotengu · January 15, 2002, 10:16 AM

I have the Brolin Ithaca copy as well and have put only a little over a hundred rounds through it, but it seems fine.

I do like the Ithaca design better than the others I've tried. The "slide release" (is that what it's called?) seems easier to get to than on the Winchester, and the bottom-eject is nice, too. The only downside is that the tube is limited to 5 (can't put an extension on it), but you CAN modify a sidesaddle so you can actually mount one on each side!!!!

I bought some aftermarket stuff made for the Ithaca (synthetic pistol-gripped stock, sidesaddle - put one on each side!, heat shield) and they all fit, but the thread pitch is different on the Brolin (6mm) than the Ithaca (1/4-20 I think) so I had to get creative with some new screws........a little bit of a pain but it works now, and I got the gun for FREE so I can't complain!

Barrel mounting is also different between the two, so you can't put an Ithaca barrel on a Brolin........

C.R.Sam · January 15, 2002, 11:34 AM

Dave......amazing isn't it ?

Sam

Tropical Z · January 15, 2002, 12:39 PM

Is my "mod yl-12" the Ithaca copy?
Also,i'm not trying to defend China but damn near everything is made there nowadays and if you choose not to buy chinese thats a personal choice.I however like my VCR,microwave,cordless phone, and any number of other things you care to choose.Also,i've noticed that this don't buy chinese guns point always comes up in the shotgun area but rarely is raised by someone who wants an SKS or a good 1911.Maybe its because they are already in the USA and no more can come in.

Dave McC · January 15, 2002, 02:26 PM

Yup, Sam, plain amazing....

Z, up to 9/11 I would have bet our next war would have been with China. We already fought them in Korea and Nam,with skirmishes throughout the Third World. Maybe you're too young to remember Angola, the struggle in Malasia, or the intensifying of the tribal/cultural/ethnic battles of the Phillipines, but our adversary in each was and is China.

Tibet? In the 2 years following the takeover by China, 1 out of 6 Tibetans died violently. And why Tibet? Because possession of that little piece of land gets the Chinese mid range ballistic missiles into range of New Dehli, Calcutta, and Bombay and over a good part of the Himalayas. IOW, a route into the Indian subcontinent. Tibet is China's Chezchoslovakia.

And yes, there's a good bit of Chinese goods in the US, but not much in Casa McC. If Hitler & Co was still running Germany, I wouldn't be buying Volkwagens, Liebfraumilch or St Pauli Girl either....

kehrby · January 15, 2002, 11:27 PM

I'm with Sam and Dave. I refuse to buy anything made in China. I drive 25 miles out of my way to buy American workboots. China wouldn't and didn't pi$$ on us to put out the fire and you know they are only here for the money. They don't need the nukes that Bill gave them. They are just slowly buying us out. To all of you buying these cheap Chinese guns, stop and think about your fellow Americans that you are putting out of work. When Remington, Winchester and Ruger are out of business you will say "what happened?"

Tropical Z · January 16, 2002, 12:50 PM

The greed of corporate America is what started all this chinese stuff.My not buying chinese wouldn't mean crap to big industry.It would take the entire population to stop the export of American jobs and that won't happen in my lifetime.

Dave McC · January 16, 2002, 10:15 PM

Z, my not buying Chinese is a drop in the ocean, but it has to start someplace....

January 11, 2002, 10:16 PM	#1
22lovr Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2002 Location: The "burbs," just southwest Atlanta Posts: 757	Brolin & Norinco-what thinkest thou?? Went to my favorite local toy store and looked over two self/home defense shotguns: A Brolin for $149 and a Norinco for $129. Both have identical actions and are made in....uh....China. Wait a minute - wait a minute. Before you all scoff and walk off, China made one of the world's best-ever assault rifles: the AK47. Anyway, they both take all sizes of shot shells, have a vertical underside ejection port, 18" barrel, hold 4 in the mag, and look like they'd do the job. Either one will probably just sit under my bed for a few years, get taken out infrequently for a little fun, then put back away. The Brolin is, quite frankly, finished off beautifully and the Norinco, well....it's a little bit rough around the edges. Sounds like a deal to me. What do you think?? Jeff the 22luvr

January 15, 2002, 01:16 AM	#6
Tropical Z Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Location: Atlantis Posts: 1,683	I have the Brolin you've seen and its a nice 12 guage.I picked mine up on a clearance sale for $99 and it seems to be a very well made shotgun and is mostly an all milled gun unlike my plastic and cast Mossberg which is also a fine 12 guage. __________________ FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE!!!!!!!

January 15, 2002, 10:12 AM	#7
kotengu Member Join Date: November 21, 2001 Location: Cookeville, TN Posts: 71	(double post - sorry) __________________ "The way is in training" - Miyamoto Musashi Last edited by kotengu; January 15, 2002 at 02:25 PM.

January 15, 2002, 10:16 AM	#8
kotengu Member Join Date: November 21, 2001 Location: Cookeville, TN Posts: 71	I have the Brolin Ithaca copy as well and have put only a little over a hundred rounds through it, but it seems fine. I do like the Ithaca design better than the others I've tried. The "slide release" (is that what it's called?) seems easier to get to than on the Winchester, and the bottom-eject is nice, too. The only downside is that the tube is limited to 5 (can't put an extension on it), but you CAN modify a sidesaddle so you can actually mount one on each side!!!! I bought some aftermarket stuff made for the Ithaca (synthetic pistol-gripped stock, sidesaddle - put one on each side!, heat shield) and they all fit, but the thread pitch is different on the Brolin (6mm) than the Ithaca (1/4-20 I think) so I had to get creative with some new screws........a little bit of a pain but it works now, and I got the gun for FREE so I can't complain! Barrel mounting is also different between the two, so you can't put an Ithaca barrel on a Brolin........ __________________ "The way is in training" - Miyamoto Musashi

January 15, 2002, 12:39 PM	#10
Tropical Z Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Location: Atlantis Posts: 1,683	Is my "mod yl-12" the Ithaca copy? Also,i'm not trying to defend China but damn near everything is made there nowadays and if you choose not to buy chinese thats a personal choice.I however like my VCR,microwave,cordless phone, and any number of other things you care to choose.Also,i've noticed that this don't buy chinese guns point always comes up in the shotgun area but rarely is raised by someone who wants an SKS or a good 1911.Maybe its because they are already in the USA and no more can come in. __________________ FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE!!!!!!!

January 11, 2002, 10:27 PM	#2
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	I'd rather put the bucks toward a good used gun. Sam

January 12, 2002, 12:28 AM	#3
Benjamin Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 1999 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 358	While norinco and polytech have my admiration for really supporting our RKBA, I'd suggest that you look towards a used mossberg, winchester, Remington or Ithaca. I found a wingmaster for $135 this summer, and regularly see Mossberg 500 series going for $100 or so.

January 12, 2002, 01:35 AM	#4
Cthulhu Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2001 Location: Illinois Posts: 132	Given that role, I would probably ante up the $179 to get the Norinco 982. Almost 1:1 of clone of the 870, synthetic stocks, an alloy trigger group, and 99% of parts interchange with Remington. Has an 18.5" barrel with 5 shot tube, so its a 6+1 gun without an extension, rather than the Remingtons 4+1. The 982 also has an extremely heavy pair of ghost ring sights. I doubt one could similarly configure a used 870, Mossberg or Ithaca for that money. The Ithaca clones are not as close to their parent designs as the Norinco 98 series. I doubt that few, if any, of the parts for Ithaca's are readily adaptable for use in the Norinco/Brolin guns. If you want an bottom eject type action, look for a ex-police Ithaca. I see quite a few 5 or 8 shot models for $130-180 at the gunshows. An 8rnd M37, with brushed nickel finish and no disconnector, almost followed me home last time.

January 12, 2002, 09:18 AM	#5
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	We've been through this a few times, oft with elevated BP. Here goes... First, the ChiCom AK was based on a Russian design and weapon.So were the SKS and that bolt action carbine. The Chinese clones of other weapons are royalty free, no payments for other folks' R&D. Leaving aside the fact that China is the largest dictatorship and totalitarian state left on the planet,and that it's the only major power that neither condemned the 9/11 attacks nor furnished even lip support for the present war against terror,questionable metallurgyand a warranty that may be a cruel joke,these are for sale at prices either similar to used US made weapons or not much less. Any modern US made pumpgun is very reliable, parts are of good quality, service is easy to find,and aftermarket stuff abounds. Police turnins make great underbed shotguns, and a lot more besides. It seems a simple choice to me. (Dismounting from soapbox and donning flameproof skivvies)....

January 15, 2002, 11:34 AM	#9
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Dave......amazing isn't it ? Sam

January 15, 2002, 02:26 PM	#11
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Yup, Sam, plain amazing.... Z, up to 9/11 I would have bet our next war would have been with China. We already fought them in Korea and Nam,with skirmishes throughout the Third World. Maybe you're too young to remember Angola, the struggle in Malasia, or the intensifying of the tribal/cultural/ethnic battles of the Phillipines, but our adversary in each was and is China. Tibet? In the 2 years following the takeover by China, 1 out of 6 Tibetans died violently. And why Tibet? Because possession of that little piece of land gets the Chinese mid range ballistic missiles into range of New Dehli, Calcutta, and Bombay and over a good part of the Himalayas. IOW, a route into the Indian subcontinent. Tibet is China's Chezchoslovakia. And yes, there's a good bit of Chinese goods in the US, but not much in Casa McC. If Hitler & Co was still running Germany, I wouldn't be buying Volkwagens, Liebfraumilch or St Pauli Girl either....

January 15, 2002, 11:27 PM	#12
kehrby Member Join Date: December 31, 2001 Location: Northern IN Posts: 71	Chinese Crap I'm with Sam and Dave. I refuse to buy anything made in China. I drive 25 miles out of my way to buy American workboots. China wouldn't and didn't pi$$ on us to put out the fire and you know they are only here for the money. They don't need the nukes that Bill gave them. They are just slowly buying us out. To all of you buying these cheap Chinese guns, stop and think about your fellow Americans that you are putting out of work. When Remington, Winchester and Ruger are out of business you will say "what happened?"

January 16, 2002, 12:50 PM	#13
Tropical Z Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2000 Location: Atlantis Posts: 1,683	The greed of corporate America is what started all this chinese stuff.My not buying chinese wouldn't mean crap to big industry.It would take the entire population to stop the export of American jobs and that won't happen in my lifetime. __________________ FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE!!!!!!!

January 16, 2002, 10:15 PM	#14
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Z, my not buying Chinese is a drop in the ocean, but it has to start someplace....