All this talk about the Norinco's made me drag mine out of the safe and take it to the range over lunch. I shot 3 magazines of hardball just for the fun of it. Some of the Norinco stories would make you think that they are better than Gold Cups. I'm afraid that they are not quite there yet. My experience today:
1) There were no malfunctions. (10 on a sale of 10)
2) The trigger is decent, but not competition quality. It is somewhat creepy but much lighter than most military 1911's. (6 on a scale of 10)
3) The sights are OK. The size is smaller than I like, but the notch is cut square and the post front can be centered in the notch without undue eyestrain. (6/10)
4) The web of my shooting hand is bleeding as I type. Hammer bite is real, painful, and ever-present no matter how I seem to grip the gun. It is better with the Norinco than with my Systema's, but not a whole lot. (2/10)
5) Accuracy was.....promising. I fired one magazine from the bench with my elbows braced but without sandbags. I shot at a B27 target 50 yards away.I say that the accuracy was promising because there were 4 shots in a 2 1/2 inch group about 2 inches below the "X." A 5th shot opened that group up to a respectable 5 3/8 inches. Remember that we are talking 50 yards here. The last two shots brought the group size to an even 12 inches. That is far from target accuracy, but my technique and even my aimpoint on a big black silhouette target left something to be desired. The group was 12" high by 6" wide. Altogether decent, but there is room for improvement. I bought a match bushing for this pistol a couple of months ago, but I have not taken the time or trouble to fit it. I think I will go ahead and try it.
Finally, I checked my position by shooting a cylinder full of .38's from a 4" model 686 S&W. It has a much lighter trigger (Single Action) than the Nork. I shot the revolver better, but not a ton better. About a 9" group with that particular ammo, and I couldn't see the red ramp sight as well as the black sight of the Norinco.
Clemson
1) There were no malfunctions. (10 on a sale of 10)
2) The trigger is decent, but not competition quality. It is somewhat creepy but much lighter than most military 1911's. (6 on a scale of 10)
3) The sights are OK. The size is smaller than I like, but the notch is cut square and the post front can be centered in the notch without undue eyestrain. (6/10)
4) The web of my shooting hand is bleeding as I type. Hammer bite is real, painful, and ever-present no matter how I seem to grip the gun. It is better with the Norinco than with my Systema's, but not a whole lot. (2/10)
5) Accuracy was.....promising. I fired one magazine from the bench with my elbows braced but without sandbags. I shot at a B27 target 50 yards away.I say that the accuracy was promising because there were 4 shots in a 2 1/2 inch group about 2 inches below the "X." A 5th shot opened that group up to a respectable 5 3/8 inches. Remember that we are talking 50 yards here. The last two shots brought the group size to an even 12 inches. That is far from target accuracy, but my technique and even my aimpoint on a big black silhouette target left something to be desired. The group was 12" high by 6" wide. Altogether decent, but there is room for improvement. I bought a match bushing for this pistol a couple of months ago, but I have not taken the time or trouble to fit it. I think I will go ahead and try it.
Finally, I checked my position by shooting a cylinder full of .38's from a 4" model 686 S&W. It has a much lighter trigger (Single Action) than the Nork. I shot the revolver better, but not a ton better. About a 9" group with that particular ammo, and I couldn't see the red ramp sight as well as the black sight of the Norinco.
Clemson