Norinco 1911A1

mcw120566 · 12-02-2010, 04:45 PM

Hello all,

I have a chnce to do some horse trading and included in the deal is a Norinco 1911 A1. I know nothing about it other than I need about 400.00 cash value for it. I have seen the gun, and it looks to be in good shape.

I would most likly keep it for a range gun for my daughter, but not knowing anything about them Im a bit concerned that I will be getting problems, and I dont want that.

Can anybody shed any light on this, Im more concerned about the reliability, than the mony right now.

Thanks

TheGunClinger · 12-02-2010, 05:16 PM

Do a site search on Norinco 1911's and you might be pleased with what the experts say. Some bad, mostly good.

Shooter45 · 12-02-2010, 05:43 PM

The Norinco 1911 is an excellent base for custom work. Also it is one of the few 1911's that Wilson Combat will perform custom work on.

Not a bad deal for $400.

mcw120566 · 12-02-2010, 06:05 PM

It sounds like it will be reliable enough, and that was my main concern. I dont want to give something to my daughter that she is going to have problems with. After all $400.00 for a Kimber aint a bad deal........

The sooner she gets her own 1911, the sooner I get my Kimber back!

Thanks for the input.

hogger129 · 12-02-2010, 06:48 PM

I have heard the Norincos are very good 1911s if built to correct specs. I've never personally owned one though.

As people are saying, if you have a chance to get your hands on one, get one and keep it.

old semperfi · 12-02-2010, 10:55 PM

i have fired a few of them and for the most part they are ok but i dont think they are a spec gun.i think 400.00 is too much,i would say more like 300-350.00.i can buy some used colts for 400.00.or a little more.however just because of the basic design and the clearence they will be reliable. old semperfi

Shooter45 · 12-03-2010, 03:46 PM

Every Colt part will fit the Norinco 1911. The Chinese may not know weapons but they do know specs. I have owned and built many Norinco 1911 into accurate, reliable pistols and shot them in matches. The only problem I have ever had with the Norinco is the " Copy of the 1911A-1" stamped on the slide.

When the Norinco 1911 hit the US, the "experts" were all over it. You would hear stories of soft slides, out of spec parts, etc. All were proven false by knowledgable people. Read what you will and do your own testing. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Jim K · 12-03-2010, 08:58 PM

I have one I put over 8500 rounds (logged) of ball ammo through with NO failures of ANY kind. That is pretty good reliability (and sheer monotony).

Jim

lal357 · 12-03-2010, 10:02 PM

owned one years ago wish i had never gotten rid of it i had a comp barrel put on it,relieved the ejection port, polished the ramp,beveled mag well ,and wilson sites .used it for a pin gun loved it went to a gun show and got stupid traded it for something cant remember what. loved the gun fed it anything and it shot it tried to find one at the last gun show couldnt find one picked up a colt officers .next gun in jan. i'm looking again.

hansom · 12-04-2010, 12:55 AM

OP, what you are not being told is that Norinco 1911's are some of the most sought after 1911's because some of the top 1911 builders use them as a base gun due to thier correct specs and Norinco's hard proprietary steel.
you were lucky to have found that one.

carver · 12-04-2010, 06:55 AM

Mine is a Jim Clark special Norinco 1911A. I have been shooting it now for almost 20 years, and it's still driving tacks! I would also advise you to try and get the price down, I paid $300 for mine new, but that was 20 years ago, and now that they can not be imported into the U.S. any more the price might not be to out of line.

grcsat · 12-04-2010, 08:53 AM

The norinco 1911 is actuly pretty good considering what you pay for them.
Up north you can buy any of the nine different norinco 1911s for around $359.Yep I did say nine different models. Not bad for what you get.

The one thing I don't understand is when you can buy one new at $359. Why are they most always being sold in the local classifeds USED at $400 ?
Kinda makes you wonder.

hogger129 · 12-04-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grcsat

The norinco 1911 is actuly pretty good considering what you pay for them.
Up north you can buy any of the nine different norinco 1911s for around $359.Yep I did say nine different models. Not bad for what you get.

The one thing I don't understand is when you can buy one new at $359. Why are they most always being sold in the local classifeds USED at $400 ?
Kinda makes you wonder.

Supply & demand.

They can't be imported anymore, so there is a limited supply. And if they are one of the most sought after, price naturally goes up.

mcw120566 · 12-04-2010, 07:22 PM

Well its official, we have a new addition to the family. It was either make the deal or wait for who knows how long to get the cash I was owed. Either way, I dont think I went wrong. As long as I have something that is reliable, that's really all that mattered. Every one that gave in-put in this helped out a bunch!

Thanks each of you for your help.

12-02-2010, 04:45 PM	#1
mcw120566 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: W. Knoxville, TN Posts: 126	Norinco 1911A1 Hello all, I have a chnce to do some horse trading and included in the deal is a Norinco 1911 A1. I know nothing about it other than I need about 400.00 cash value for it. I have seen the gun, and it looks to be in good shape. I would most likly keep it for a range gun for my daughter, but not knowing anything about them Im a bit concerned that I will be getting problems, and I dont want that. Can anybody shed any light on this, Im more concerned about the reliability, than the mony right now. Thanks __________________ NRA Member GOA Member IDPA Member 'No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.' Ronald Reagan 'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' Ronald Reagan -->

12-02-2010, 05:16 PM	#2
TheGunClinger Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SW Florida Contributor Posts: 2,378	Re: Norinco 1911A1 Do a site search on Norinco 1911's and you might be pleased with what the experts say. Some bad, mostly good. __________________ New England Patriots Rule Next year.

12-02-2010, 05:43 PM	#3
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,746	Re: Norinco 1911A1 The Norinco 1911 is an excellent base for custom work. Also it is one of the few 1911's that Wilson Combat will perform custom work on. Not a bad deal for $400.

12-02-2010, 06:05 PM	#4
mcw120566 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: W. Knoxville, TN Posts: 126	Re: Norinco 1911A1 It sounds like it will be reliable enough, and that was my main concern. I dont want to give something to my daughter that she is going to have problems with. After all $400.00 for a Kimber aint a bad deal........ The sooner she gets her own 1911, the sooner I get my Kimber back! Thanks for the input. __________________ NRA Member GOA Member IDPA Member 'No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.' Ronald Reagan 'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' Ronald Reagan

12-02-2010, 06:48 PM	#5
hogger129 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,064	Re: Norinco 1911A1 I have heard the Norincos are very good 1911s if built to correct specs. I've never personally owned one though. As people are saying, if you have a chance to get your hands on one, get one and keep it. __________________ Samuel Adams once said, "among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life, secondly to liberty, thirdly to property; together with the right to defend them in the best manner they can." Last edited by hogger129; 12-04-2010 at 09:14 AM..

12-02-2010, 10:55 PM	#6
old semperfi Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: i live in southern indiana,old country boy at heart Posts: 1,506	Re: Norinco 1911A1 i have fired a few of them and for the most part they are ok but i dont think they are a spec gun.i think 400.00 is too much,i would say more like 300-350.00.i can buy some used colts for 400.00.or a little more.however just because of the basic design and the clearence they will be reliable. old semperfi

12-03-2010, 03:46 PM	#7
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,746	Re: Norinco 1911A1 Every Colt part will fit the Norinco 1911. The Chinese may not know weapons but they do know specs. I have owned and built many Norinco 1911 into accurate, reliable pistols and shot them in matches. The only problem I have ever had with the Norinco is the " Copy of the 1911A-1" stamped on the slide. When the Norinco 1911 hit the US, the "experts" were all over it. You would hear stories of soft slides, out of spec parts, etc. All were proven false by knowledgable people. Read what you will and do your own testing. You may be pleasantly surprised.

12-03-2010, 08:58 PM	#8
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: Norinco 1911A1 I have one I put over 8500 rounds (logged) of ball ammo through with NO failures of ANY kind. That is pretty good reliability (and sheer monotony). Jim

12-03-2010, 10:02 PM	#9
lal357 Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2	Re: Norinco 1911A1 owned one years ago wish i had never gotten rid of it i had a comp barrel put on it,relieved the ejection port, polished the ramp,beveled mag well ,and wilson sites .used it for a pin gun loved it went to a gun show and got stupid traded it for something cant remember what. loved the gun fed it anything and it shot it tried to find one at the last gun show couldnt find one picked up a colt officers .next gun in jan. i'm looking again.

12-04-2010, 12:55 AM	#10
hansom Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 81	Re: Norinco 1911A1 OP, what you are not being told is that Norinco 1911's are some of the most sought after 1911's because some of the top 1911 builders use them as a base gun due to thier correct specs and Norinco's hard proprietary steel. you were lucky to have found that one.

12-04-2010, 06:55 AM	#11
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,220	Re: Norinco 1911A1 Mine is a Jim Clark special Norinco 1911A. I have been shooting it now for almost 20 years, and it's still driving tacks! I would also advise you to try and get the price down, I paid $300 for mine new, but that was 20 years ago, and now that they can not be imported into the U.S. any more the price might not be to out of line. __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

12-04-2010, 08:53 AM	#12
grcsat V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: far,far,North Posts: 377	Re: Norinco 1911A1 The norinco 1911 is actuly pretty good considering what you pay for them. Up north you can buy any of the nine different norinco 1911s for around $359.Yep I did say nine different models. Not bad for what you get. The one thing I don't understand is when you can buy one new at $359. Why are they most always being sold in the local classifeds USED at $400 ? Kinda makes you wonder. Last edited by grcsat; 12-04-2010 at 08:59 AM..

12-04-2010, 07:22 PM	#14
mcw120566 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: W. Knoxville, TN Posts: 126	Re: Norinco 1911A1 Well its official, we have a new addition to the family. It was either make the deal or wait for who knows how long to get the cash I was owed. Either way, I dont think I went wrong. As long as I have something that is reliable, that's really all that mattered. Every one that gave in-put in this helped out a bunch! Thanks each of you for your help. __________________ NRA Member GOA Member IDPA Member 'No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.' Ronald Reagan 'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' Ronald Reagan