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11/24/2018 2:55:32 PM

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Section 8: Handguns
Subject: Norinco 1911 Msg# 1029625

From:

Stu Wayne

Joined 4/4/2000

To:

Mark Freburg (Read) Forum Manager

Joined 4/3/2000

I have the same hang-up about that cheesy roll stamp on the slide! Frown

As to its usefulness as a base for customization, I know that some gunsmiths found it a cheap source of high-quality slides and frames and were excited about the possibilities of using them for custom builds. Clinton killed that, I think.

Remember what Russ Carniak did to get Colt to shake loose a backlog of parts he ordered? He made up some gun rugs with "Carniak's Custom Norincos" embossed in gold on the side. After he sent one to his Colt contact his back-ordered parts miraculously appeared! Here's a forum photo of my Series 70 with one of those rugs. BigGrin

Image below from Stu Wayne - Image Title: Series 70
Image Info: Custom work on this gun by the late Russ Carniak includes low-mounted Bo-Mar adjustable sight, lowered ejection port, and reliability job. I added the Videcki trigger, Herrett stocks, hard bushing and a modified grip safety. The rug is one of a few that Carniak had made up in order to shake loose a parts backlog from Colt - once he sent their sales rep a gun rug with "Norinco" on it, the back-ordered Colt parts suddenly appeared on his doorstep!

Stu

For reference, the above message is a reply to a message where:
I just mentioned to Harvey (and I'm willing to say that maybe my view has changed in 25 years) that even if you customized a Norinco you've still got a Nork with that heavy stamping on the slide that reads "Model of The 1911A1." That does nothing for me. I don't much customize 1911s because I think it was a good gun to begin with, and only our desire to use sights in modern times versus point shooting in the days when it came about require changes to the original design. But I can easily imagine picking a base gun for custom work, great or small, and using a Nork would not be my choice. Another aspect to this I didn't mention to Harvey is I'm less inclined to buy Red Chinese if I can help it. Yes, I know, we probably buy Red Chinese products all the time unknowingly, but one can try to avoid it when it's obvious.

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