The steel was from melted railroad steel from Shandong province, China. A bit of history: The province was annexed by Germany in late 1800s to early 1900s. Later by imperial Japan. Consequently railroads, train stations and some cities were built using German standards. Krupp steel technicians from Germany were there to help. Reason those German rails were taken off due to high speed trains are needed so those winding routes(closer to coal mines and iron ore mines so the Germans and Japanese can use those resources to fuel their wars and conquest ) need to be taken down. Those retired railroads steel were melted down to make small fire arm weapons. Back in the 70s and 80s, US and China had a honeymoon period( to combat Russian aggression ) so the US gave China the 1911A1 blueprints and tooling. So this 1911A1 is a result.😊
I've had the Norc for probably more than 20 years and have always enjoyed using it. Changed the grips and several controls and have had zero malfunctions with it. Would definitely but another if I was in need of an additional 1911.
So,what are we looking for here, the best shooting gun or the one most closely copying an original GI 1911 ? Seems to me if the latter, of all the guns you've reviewed in this series the Norinco is the closest match ,in both looks, features and performance to the original GI 1911. At least that's my experience.
I have a Norico I bought in 93. I had a gunsmith that specializes in 1911's do trigger job on it. He told me the steel was highest quality. He heard they were made out of melted down railroad rails. I added a full length guide rod and accuracy, point of aim was spot on. Just ask a friend who has a Gold Cup.
The steel was from melted railroad steel from Shandong province, China. A bit of history: The province was annexed by Germany in late 1800s to early 1900s. Later by imperial Japan. Consequently railroads, train stations and some cities were built using German standards. Krupp steel technicians from Germany were there to help. Reason those German rails were taken off due to high speed trains are needed so those winding routes(closer to coal mines and iron ore mines so the Germans and Japanese can use those resources to fuel their wars and conquest ) need to be taken down. Those retired railroads steel were melted down to make small fire arm weapons. Back in the 70s and 80s, US and China had a honeymoon period( to combat Russian aggression ) so the US gave China the 1911A1 blueprints and tooling. So this 1911A1 is a result.❤
Norinco made a damn fine 1911, wish we could still get them. Taurus, Tisas, RIA... actually "afordable" ( less than $500, which I don't consider "cheap"-- of course, I bought a HAFDASA Ballester-Molina for $180 in 1990; now they're $800 or more, so...). Any plan doing a test of them? Thanks.
Good work my friend. have owned both Taurus and Norinco, so based on my personal experience i would say that Taurus have some serious quality control issues, you never know when you going to get a lemon. I would pick a Norc over taurus at any given day due to its reliably.
~I have an older SS PT1911 with the advertising like yours and I like mine a lot. I think it's a well made shooter that is more than accurate enough for me. ~I've never fired a Norinco; never even seen one to hold.
Steve, thanks for commenting. I read somewhere that the Norinco can still be imported into Canada, but not the U.S. Maybe the Taurus is higher due to import duty from outside the NAFTA area.
@@RidersRange Yah we can still import Norincos, they have quite a few affordable products and have a reputation for going bang every time you pull the trigger. It's too bad the Taurus is so expensive for us, it has all the features I would want in a 1911 but at that price range I would rather go with a S&W or Colt.
Back in the day, Bill Wilson would build on a customer's gun if it was from a list of brands acceptable to him. His list of acceptable brands included the Norinco. Of course, one can imagine that Bill Wilson never used a Norinco barrel in anything with his name on it.
To some, the cons here on the Norinco (GI style thumb safety, low sight picture, etc) are not serious. The one con I agree with is the none checkered front grip, but this is minor. Both are made outside America. Both are affordable. Both are well-made. The winning feature (for many) is the complete interchangeability of parts on the Norinco with original Colt 1911-A1 parts. Meaning, this pistol is virtually a near identical clone to the original A1's, but with (interestingly) perhaps better steel.
I've read that the Chinese made their slides and frames from railroad rails. Probably hard to mill, but they certainly wear well. I've also read that some custom gunsmiths like to use the Norinco as the basis for a good custom. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Norinco: very tough, reliable GI-style .45 that would of fit right in in 1944. The Taurus: a modern, IPSC-style "fancy" 1911. Take your pick. Or do what I'd do-- buy both!
Enrique, the shooting footage at the beginning of the video was the Taurus, with the 50-yard shooting coming in at 0:40. It shot much better than the Norinco at all distances. (Sorry for the unsteady camera work.)
A.K., I’ve read some generally good reviews on the Girsan. However, my gun budget just got wiped out by great deals on two Wilson’s (reviews in the future), so my buying days are over for a while.
AA 1911 pistol for the most part is the same no matter who makes them. Each company gets the design, programs it’s specifications in a CNC milling machine to produce a 1911 that can be interchangeable with other manufacturers 1911’s. The name of the manufacturer is the only difference in most cases.
Frank, thank you for watching and commenting. In the past 3 years I have tested more than 50 1911-style pistols and they are far from being all the same. There are various degrees of hand fitting to almost all 1911 pistols, so hand fitting is usually required. It is almost impossible to put a Dan Wesson slide with a Kimber barrel on a Colt frame. Or, in the case of the Norinco vs Taurus, the Taurus slide and barrel won't generally fit on the Norinco frame. In fact, it is very rare that a slide and barrel from one Dan Wesson, Colt, Springfield, Taurus, or Kimber will fit on a different frame from the same manufacturer. CNC machining is betting better, but it isn't likely to eliminate hand fitting on any quality 1911.
I got the Norinco mainly for the collectability since they aren't imported anymore. I've never been a huge fan of the 1911 as a service pistol simply because of it's age.
Marc, thanks for watching and commenting. I agree that the 1911 is an old design, and that there are many more "modern" gun designs that may be more practical for a variety of uses. But, the 1911 design is likely the most customized pistol in history. And, there's just something about that timeless John Browning design that appeals to many of us. That's one reason I bought 44 different 1911s to test and review.
Kimberly, I read somewhere that the Chinese used used the steel from train rails to make the frames and slides. I don't know if that is true, but if so, that would certainly be strong steel. I also read that many gunsmiths don't like to work on them because the steel is so hard. Thanks for commenting, and thanks for watching.
I read a review with pictures that showed the Taurus was not of high quality. I have the impression with Taurus in general is they vary from example to example, so a person can get a good one or a bad one. I don't know how the initial years PT1911 compare to ones of more recent manufacture.
Jonathan, other than the "billboard" laser engraving on the slide, it has lots of features for the money. And it was a reliable. Thanks for watching and for commenting.
Unfortunately Taurus is not viewed as a good pistol by a large portion of the 1911 community . Trade in is almost nil, sometimes they don’t even want to take them. The Norinco on the other hand seems to be a much more desirable pistol. Also most places who do modifications on 1911’s will work on the Norinco but will not work on the Taurus. My opinion is a better fitting barrel bushing would tighten those groups.
The steel was from melted railroad steel from Shandong province, China. A bit of history: The province was annexed by Germany in late 1800s to early 1900s. Later by imperial Japan. Consequently railroads, train stations and some cities were built using German standards. Krupp steel technicians from Germany were there to help. Reason those German rails were taken off due to high speed trains are needed so those winding routes(closer to coal mines and iron ore mines so the Germans and Japanese can use those resources to fuel their wars and conquest ) need to be taken down. Those retired railroads steel were melted down to make small fire arm weapons. Back in the 70s and 80s, US and China had a honeymoon period( to combat Russian aggression ) so the US gave China the 1911A1 blueprints and tooling. So this 1911A1 is a result.😊
Thanks for watching and adding the historical info.
I've had the Norc for probably more than 20 years and have always enjoyed using it. Changed the grips and several controls and have had zero malfunctions with it. Would definitely but another if I was in need of an additional 1911.
Stephen, thanks for commenting. The Norinco is definitely a solid gun for the money.
So,what are we looking for here, the best shooting gun or the one most closely copying an original GI 1911 ? Seems to me if the latter, of all the guns you've reviewed in this series the Norinco is the closest match ,in both looks, features and performance to the original GI 1911. At least that's my experience.
I have a Norico I bought in 93. I had a gunsmith that specializes in 1911's do trigger job on it. He told me the steel was highest quality. He heard they were made out of melted down railroad rails. I added a full length guide rod and accuracy, point of aim was spot on. Just ask a friend who has a Gold Cup.
I read that about Norinco steel. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I don't know about railroad track, but they sure are high quality! I love the old Norincos- .45s, SKS, MAK-90s, etc.
The steel was from melted railroad steel from Shandong province, China. A bit of history: The province was annexed by Germany in late 1800s to early 1900s. Later by imperial Japan. Consequently railroads, train stations and some cities were built using German standards. Krupp steel technicians from Germany were there to help. Reason those German rails were taken off due to high speed trains are needed so those winding routes(closer to coal mines and iron ore mines so the Germans and Japanese can use those resources to fuel their wars and conquest ) need to be taken down. Those retired railroads steel were melted down to make small fire arm weapons. Back in the 70s and 80s, US and China had a honeymoon period( to combat Russian aggression ) so the US gave China the 1911A1 blueprints and tooling. So this 1911A1 is a result.❤
Norinco made a damn fine 1911, wish we could still get them. Taurus, Tisas, RIA... actually "afordable" ( less than $500, which I don't consider "cheap"-- of course, I bought a HAFDASA Ballester-Molina for $180 in 1990; now they're $800 or more, so...). Any plan doing a test of them? Thanks.
I have done videos on several Rock Island pistols, but not a Tisas, and no plans for a Tisas. Thanks for watching.
Good work my friend. have owned both Taurus and Norinco, so based on my personal experience i would say that Taurus have some serious quality control issues, you never know when you going to get a lemon. I would pick a Norc over taurus at any given day due to its reliably.
Alpha Wolf, Taurus has come a long way in recent years, but I agree that their QC has been hit or miss. Thanks for watching.
@@RidersRange Thanks for the reply. Yes you are right
I love my Norinco Np29 1911A1 9mm. I polished the feed ramp, trigger and rails. This thing shoots everything ive put through it.
Brandon, thanks for watching and for commenting.
The latest Tisas A1s are getting good reviews. Maybe it would be a good idea to test one of those.
Loving the 1911 series!
Thanks.
~I have an older SS PT1911 with the advertising like yours and I like mine a lot. I think it's a well made shooter that is more than accurate enough for me.
~I've never fired a Norinco; never even seen one to hold.
Das Piper, thanks for weighing in. I agree that the PT1911 is rather under-appreciated.
Up here in Canada the Norinco goes for ~$400 and the Taurus goes for ~$950.
Steve, thanks for commenting. I read somewhere that the Norinco can still be imported into Canada, but not the U.S. Maybe the Taurus is higher due to import duty from outside the NAFTA area.
@@RidersRange Yah we can still import Norincos, they have quite a few affordable products and have a reputation for going bang every time you pull the trigger. It's too bad the Taurus is so expensive for us, it has all the features I would want in a 1911 but at that price range I would rather go with a S&W or Colt.
Back in the day, Bill Wilson would build on a customer's gun if it was from a list of brands acceptable to him. His list of acceptable brands included the Norinco. Of course, one can imagine that Bill Wilson never used a Norinco barrel in anything with his name on it.
From what I've read, the Norinco slide and frame are made of great steel, but everything else is good for scrap.
PT1911 cal.45 owner here ang I Love it most since 2008 without any malfunction...❤👍
Taurus has come a long way in the past decade or so and their 1911 seems to be a great value. Thanks for watching and commenting.
To some, the cons here on the Norinco (GI style thumb safety, low sight picture, etc) are not serious. The one con I agree with is the none checkered front grip, but this is minor. Both are made outside America. Both are affordable. Both are well-made. The winning feature (for many) is the complete interchangeability of parts on the Norinco with original Colt 1911-A1 parts. Meaning, this pistol is virtually a near identical clone to the original A1's, but with (interestingly) perhaps better steel.
I've read that the Chinese made their slides and frames from railroad rails. Probably hard to mill, but they certainly wear well. I've also read that some custom gunsmiths like to use the Norinco as the basis for a good custom. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hello, i am writing from Argentina, Nice review, My norinco shoots fine at 25 meters aiming at 6 o clock position, on an international pistol target
Guillermo, thank you for watching and adding your experience with the Norinco.
Norinco: very tough, reliable GI-style .45 that would of fit right in in 1944. The Taurus: a modern, IPSC-style "fancy" 1911. Take your pick. Or do what I'd do-- buy both!
I agree - buy both. Thanks for watching.
I wonder how the Taurus perform at 50 yards as well.
Enrique, the shooting footage at the beginning of the video was the Taurus, with the 50-yard shooting coming in at 0:40. It shot much better than the Norinco at all distances. (Sorry for the unsteady camera work.)
Your should pick up a Girsan 1911 and compare it to a rock island.
A.K., I’ve read some generally good reviews on the Girsan. However, my gun budget just got wiped out by great deals on two Wilson’s (reviews in the future), so my buying days are over for a while.
AA 1911 pistol for the most part is the same no matter who makes them. Each company gets the design, programs it’s specifications in a CNC milling machine to produce a 1911 that can be interchangeable with other manufacturers 1911’s. The name of the manufacturer is the only difference in most cases.
Frank, thank you for watching and commenting. In the past 3 years I have tested more than 50 1911-style pistols and they are far from being all the same. There are various degrees of hand fitting to almost all 1911 pistols, so hand fitting is usually required. It is almost impossible to put a Dan Wesson slide with a Kimber barrel on a Colt frame. Or, in the case of the Norinco vs Taurus, the Taurus slide and barrel won't generally fit on the Norinco frame. In fact, it is very rare that a slide and barrel from one Dan Wesson, Colt, Springfield, Taurus, or Kimber will fit on a different frame from the same manufacturer. CNC machining is betting better, but it isn't likely to eliminate hand fitting on any quality 1911.
I got the Norinco mainly for the collectability since they aren't imported anymore. I've never been a huge fan of the 1911 as a service pistol simply because of it's age.
Marc, thanks for watching and commenting. I agree that the 1911 is an old design, and that there are many more "modern" gun designs that may be more practical for a variety of uses. But, the 1911 design is likely the most customized pistol in history. And, there's just something about that timeless John Browning design that appeals to many of us. That's one reason I bought 44 different 1911s to test and review.
That Taurus had an excellent grouping. I’ll take the Taurus.
BigTexFyre, the Taurus over this Norinco is an easy choice.
Thanks for watching and for commenting.
norinco is the strongest 1911 ever build.
Kimberly, I read somewhere that the Chinese used used the steel from train rails to make the frames and slides. I don't know if that is true, but if so, that would certainly be strong steel. I also read that many gunsmiths don't like to work on them because the steel is so hard.
Thanks for commenting, and thanks for watching.
Wow that is super nice gun
They were not made from rails.
They were made from a 5100 series steel, which is the hardest steel any 1911 has ever been made from.
Awesome wow!
Thank you for watching.
I read a review with pictures that showed the Taurus was not of high quality. I have the impression with Taurus in general is they vary from example to example, so a person can get a good one or a bad one. I don't know how the initial years PT1911 compare to ones of more recent manufacture.
Filippo, Taurus quality control was hit and miss at one time. I hope it's improved.
Have a norinco and it’s very accurate and built like a tank
The Norinco 1911 is definitely a solid gun. Thanks for watching.
Thumbs up!
Pt1911 looks badass
Jonathan, other than the "billboard" laser engraving on the slide, it has lots of features for the money. And it was a reliable.
Thanks for watching and for commenting.
Unfortunately Taurus is not viewed as a good pistol by a large portion of the 1911 community . Trade in is almost nil, sometimes they don’t even want to take them.
The Norinco on the other hand seems to be a much more desirable pistol. Also most places who do modifications on 1911’s will work on the Norinco but will not work on the Taurus.
My opinion is a better fitting barrel bushing would tighten those groups.
John, both guns are under-appreciated. Thanks for your comments.
My NP44 NORINCO IS GREAT.
I haven't seen a double-stack Norinco. Interesting.
@@RidersRange oh wow.....
He tenido dos Norinco y las dos son pecadoras.
Gracias por mirar y comentar.
@@RidersRange: tenía una y se la regalé a un amigo y después compré otra deportivisada y las dos son pegadoras y no" pecadoras "😂😂😂