Norinco Handguns

[Jaydub]

I'm in the market for a handgun, and my search brought me to the Norinco Firearms website.

http://www.marstar.ca/gf-norinco/index-hg.shtm

I'm noticing a trend.  "'CZ' Type" "'SIG' Type".  They're consiberably less expensive than the authentic ones.  Do any handgun owners have Norincos?  Are they worth picking up, or are they just cheap knockoffs?

 

[Inch]

I don't own one, but my buddy does. He's got one of the Sig 226 knockoffs, as far as quality, well, it's obviously not going to be as good as an actual Sig but for plinking and just putting rounds down range on a weekend it does it quite well and reliably. I call it the Chinese Brass Distribution Device, because it throws brass everywhere, straight up and back, left, right, you name it. My Glocks and Springfield 1911A1 throw it all in pretty much the same spot.

So if you're new to the shooting game and you want to get into it for cheaper than $1200 for a real Sig, the Norincos are a decent way to go IMO. I'm kinda partial to plastic guns though so I went with Glocks. If you're military, check out Police Ordnance. They give a military/LEO discount on Glocks, $637 with Trijicon night sights plus tax and shipping. That's around $300 cheaper than you'll find Glocks with night sights anywhere else in the country.

 

[Jaydub]

Thanks for the advice.  I also had my eye on the P226.  I am new to the shooting game, and it'll pretty much be just a weekend plinking gun.  But if I want to get into more serious competitive shooting, I'll have to shell out for a whole new gun.  I'm not sure if I want to get something cheap to start or something higher in quality right off the bat.

 

[Inch]

Fit is just as important as finish, if you can't hold the gun comfortably, even a $3000 gun isn't worth having. I have fairly large hands so the double-stack Glocks and Sigs fit me fine, people with smaller hands are more comfortable with a single stack 1911A1 or even a CZ has a fairly small grip on it.

I would recommend you try out a few before you commit to anything. Springfield XD's have a fairly small grip too and they're in the $700 price range. Or of course, the Norincos are decent guns though the purists will try to steer you away from them.  ;D

 

[Popurhedoff]

I own a Sig Sauer P226 and a few NP22's (Sig Sauer clones) and love them.  The NP22 is about 1/4 the price and truth be told... almost as good.  The quality is very good for the price,  so far the NP22's are working great (approx 6000 rds) through them without any malfunctions... I cannot say the same about my real Sig.

Cheers
Pop

 

[Jaydub]

I think I'll pick one up then.  I don't think my local gunsmith carries Norinco products.  I'll enquire, but looks like I'll have to order online.  How complicated is it to do that?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I have their CZ85, Colt Commander, and 'High Power' clone. All are finished very nicely, with the CZ & HP being blued and the Colt being parked. The Colt shoots the best of the three, in the black out of the box. The 'High Power' is my least favourite. Not really a HP clone, but more a FEG P9R clone. It's bulky and loose. Shoots well enough, it's not well balanced or comfortable, but was only $279.00 new. For the odd weekend shooter, the Norinco guns are sufficient. Save money on the gun and you can buy more ammo. They're close enough to the originals that many of the parts will swap in and out with the OEM parts. MARSTAR also has one of the best warranties on the market. If anything goes wrong with the gun, within the first year, send it back and John will replace it.

The warranty only applies if you get it right from MARSTAR. Send an email or phone. They're hard to get hold of, busy signal, lot's of callers, but be persistent. Tell them what you want, if it's in stock they take your PAL and CC info. You'll have to send them a copy of your PAL. They'll initiate all the paperwork with the CFC. Once your provincial CFO approves the transfer, they'll ship it to you by mail. Normally takes me about 2-3 weeks from order to range.

 

[NavyShooter]

I had one of the NP-34 (Sig 228 clone) pistols. 

Worked fine for about 3500 rounds, then the frame rails split.

Marstar replaced it, 100% satisfied, but I sold it and bought a Glock 17 instead.  Double the price, but a friend of mine ran 200,000+ rounds through his in 20 years of competing with it, and finally managed to break something on it.  Warranty replacement for it too!

Based on that, I'm 100% happy with the Glock, and when I shot it in an IPSC match a few weeks ago, managed to place 8th in my division(out of almost 20 shooters).  Not bad for a first-timer.

The 1911 clones have a VERY good rep, and the price is damn hard to beat. 

Oh, if you do get one of the sigs clones, cock the hammer and leave it in the gunsafe for a month with it cocked...the initial trigger pull weight was measured on two of the NP-34's by me at between 25-28 lbs.  Spec for the Sig is 12 lbs.  After leaving them in the safe for a month with the hammers cocked back, that dropped down to around 18 lbs.  Heavy, but a bit more manageable.

YMMV, visit canadiangunnutz.com for more info, if you haven't seen that site yet.

NS

 

[KevinB]

I applaud anyone getting into the firearms market -- and if the choice if buy a Norc or dont buy a gun -- then buy all means get the Norc.
I started to buy a NP-34, but a buddy bought one - and the fit and finish was nowhere near my P228.  Same with my P226R and the NP-22. 

While I personally prefer the Sig P22X series - you really cant go wrong with the Glock.  I think it is the perfect duty weapon (drawn, pull trigger go bang repeat as necessary...) I carry a Glock19 in Iraq and carried one in Afghanistan - and have been exceeding happy -- so much that I have two in the US and 1 in Canada...
And no decocker (which can take some getting use to - BigRed and I constantly see people trying to reholster w/o decocking (fortunately all of our guys are getting Glocks now so that crisis will be averted.)  The G17 I am not as fond of -- but due to the Cdn gun laws it can be a better (and much cheaper choice) [and its not a 12(6) prohib]

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I have the Nork NZ-85b, 1911Commander, M93 and had the NP-22. MY NP-22 cracked at 2,000 rdbut it was enough to convince me to get a Sig. The 1911’s and the NZ-85b are excellent value for the money and several gunsmith tune them up. Norinco quality is getting better all of the time. There is a rumour that they have modified the design of the NP-22 to prevent cracking, it is a close copy of the early sig which also suffers cracking. Navy shooters is the first 34 I have heard cracking. Looked recently at an early NP-34 and a newer one, you could really see the improvements.
The new 1911 Commander is a excellent pistol with few sharp edges and well worth the money. Do not buy their NP-18 HP/FEG clone, not a happy design with more problems than the rest of their pistols. Their Tork clones are a cheap way to get started.

If you have about $6-800 to spend, look at the CZ, Baby Eagle, G17 and the SW M&P. $800-1000 then you can look at Sig CPO’s most of the 1911’s, Berretta’s  $1000-1400 Sig226 Stainless, Para-Ordance 1911, STI 1911’s etc.

I-6 is correct that the Sig decocker is something you watch very carefully. I make it a habit to operate the decocker when dry firing so it becomes automatic. You can go with the DAK trigger if you wish.

What you should do is buy a bunch of factory ammo, go to the range, explain to people that you are looking to buy a gun and would like to try out different types, if you bring good ammo, most people will be happy to let you try theirs. The gun must fit you, so try them out first. All of the major brands are excellent guns.

 

[Jaydub]

Looks like the P226 Type is out of stock for now.  They told me they'll be restocked in a few weeks.

Maybe I'll look into getting a Baby Eagle.  It feels the most comfortable out of all the handguns that I've held.

 

[KevinB]

One thing to remember as well one some guns you can buy aftermarket grips to make the grip smaller, and on others you can put hockey tape and/or grip tape to built it up where you want and make it less slick to grip.


Colin - roger like anything it comes down to muscle memory. 

 

[Fry]

Go buy yourself a Ruger KP345. I have the decock only model, it's fantastic. Comes in .45ACP. Beautiful pistol. No jams yet and almost a thousand rounds through it.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

As it appears he is on a budget I don't recommand that he buys anything in .45acp and should stick to 9mm. If you stay into shooting, then you will need to get into reloading, then you can afford to shoot .45acp, however be warned once you begin to reload you become a brass slut crawling around ranges on hands and bloody knees looking for that one last .45acp casing. 

 

[Fry]

The .45acp is truly a beautiful round. I am a range slut, haha. That described me perfectly. Not sure of ammo prices where you guys are but A box of 9mm isn't much cheaper than .45acp. A few dollars maybe..

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Well before prices went up, here the best prices were

11.75 for 50x9mm FMJ

18.00 for 50x 45acp FMJ

Plus tax

Reloading prices were

124gr FMJ x 1,000 was $79.00
230gr FMJ x 1,000 was $115.00
Plus tax
Powder and primer costs about the same

 

[Fry]

I just can't give up on the .45acp round though, I love it so.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Well then I hope for your sake you are reloading!! if not mail your brass to me!!!  ;D

 

[Fry]

I most certainly AM reloading! Haha. Anyone who pistol shoots or does any considerable amount of rifle shooting... or even loves custom shotgun loads should reload... it's a fantastic hobby.

 

[medaid]

I heard it is very calming almost meditative?