Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

If you have a straight up REVIEW or a firearm, post it up here.
Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sat Mar 29, 2014 1:47 am

So, I picked up one of these a couple months ago. Still haven't had a chance to get out and try it, work always gets in the way of the important stuff. Its a Norinco clone, but it is sort of a hybrid of two models. Its a 12 gauge (2 3/4") with the two piece lever used on the later-introduced model 1901.

I'm a sucker for lever guns, so when Terminator 2 came out and I realized such a beast existed, I vowed I would own one some day. A real Winchester 1887 is more money than I can shell out so the Norinco was a reasonable facsimile for me. Maybe if it turns out that I really love the way these operate I'll look at getting the real deal.

Anyway, this is the first one i picked up. 18.5" barrel and a sawed down butt stock, it was the only one I could find at the time. My preference would have been a 22-24" barrel with butt stock, but beggars can't be choosers. My plan was to buy a full stock to swap onto it, but shortly after I ordered it up, I found another vendor that was selling a full sized version. For less money. Dammit.

Image

Last week I finally decided to throw down the cash for the other one, figured I could re sell the first without losing too much (everyone who has played with it has asked if I want to get rid of it and one guy bugs me every day about it).

This one is the same gun, but with a full stock and a 28" barrel.

Image

The first one is branded "Dominion Arms", a company in BC that imports a lot of Chinese firearms. The new one is marked "imported by Lever Arms" so I guess Norinco will etch whatever you want on the side of em if you buy enough.

Image

It came sleeved in plastic wrap, doused in evil smelling grease. Just like every other Chinese firearm I've ever bought before. Smells like used motor oil laced with anthrax.

Image

Image

Image

Image

An hour or so later, a pile of shop rags, and a can of Crud Cutter and one of Hoppe's solvent, and this is where I'm at. Still could use another go round with cleaning and scrubbing, but its a lot better.

Image

My plan was to cut this one down but I think I may keep both and just swap the wood onto the shorty if I want a handy little gun for bush work. That way I still have the 28" barrelled version for knocking ducks and geese down. The pistol grip is pretty much useless, its awkward to lever and pretty much a waste of time shooting-wise.

I'm going to find some time this weekend to get out and shoot finally, will report back with some results after. Plan to try both out with the full stock installed. One screw and its off, so not really too big a deal to do the swap.

guncrank1
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 6380
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:48 pm
Location: Metro Louisville
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 15 times
Contact:

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by guncrank1 » Sat Mar 29, 2014 7:47 am

Good JMB design

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sat Mar 29, 2014 4:00 pm

Browning may have done it right, but the jury's still out on this Norinco. Playing with it again today, checking it for function. I swapped the full butt stock onto the 18.5" gun cause that's the one I'm planning on doing some tinkering on.

You might notice the fore end wood is darker than the butt, but wouldn't you know it, the matching wood off the long barreled shotgun doesn't fit. Rather, the screws and escutcheons aren't in the same place and interfere with a little block brazed in between the barrel and mag tube. Tight tolerances from the little yellow devils as usual. My bush gun is just gonna have to live with mismatched wood I guess.

Image

The business end of this sewer pipe. Not "fine" craftsmanship, but it looks sturdy! This one is marked "Cylinder", so I assume it should be handy as hell for bustin clays haha.

Image

They say it holds 7 if you ghost load a shell in the elevator. If I get it functioning right, I'm going to extend the mag tube for a total of 8 capacity. Might be a lot of work for one more shell, but what the hell. I've got more time than brains.

Image


First impression: better not be in a hurry to reload! As Steve Earle said "It loads a mite slow."

After a few tries I got the hang of it, but its not the most user friendly shotgun I've ever had my hands on.

More to follow, gotta take the boy outside to play in the puddles.

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:15 pm

Kid took off with the others, so I got nothing better to do for a bit. Fundraiser dinner tonight for oldest boy's year end trip so not getting out to shoot today. Maybe tomorrow.

Back to the shotgun, its a bear to load. Gloves aren't an option, you gotta get your fingers right down in the action to stuff shells in. The first one is easy, but second thru fifth takes some finagling as they try to come back into the action if you aren't careful.

Image

Finally got five into the mag, but the action is crude. The stop that pivots to hold ammunition in the mag is finicky, if you don't position it manually they just spit back into the elevator (middle of the elevator assembly). It helps if you stick your tongue out and pray it to stay in place. The whole assembly is fussy, you have to make sure the lever is thrown fully, and occasionally have to push down on it while loading as it has a tendency to migrate upward mid process.

Note: this is the same for both shotguns. Norinco's official motto should be "no two the same" but in this case I'm finding they are identical in aggravation. They seem to have hit it out of the park with their line of budget 1911's but in my limited experience (M-14 rifles and now these lever shotguns) they could use more quality control. In all fairness, this is an over-complicated design so maybe I should go easy on their reverse-engineering department. 100 yrs of successful slide action shotguns after the lever got turfed might be an indication that we should let sleeping dogs lie. But I'm not that kind of person, gotta see this through.

Tube mag full:

Image

The "ghost load": what does that even mean? Got it from the internet. On this particular firearm it seems to work. Sometimes. Like Paul Rudd says in Anchorman: "60% of the time, it works all the time." With the shell loaded in the elevator its hit or miss whether the 6th will try to enter the mag or raise up to penetrate the chamber when you work the lever.

Image

And the 7th. Drop one in the chamber and you have successfully loaded this firearm to its fullest. Working in my shop with live ammo, I was careful to keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times so in the case of an AD, my shot would only go in the direction of my neighbor's house!

Image

And action closed, hammer back. Here you can see the 6th shell inside the elevator.

Image

guncrank1
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 6380
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:48 pm
Location: Metro Louisville
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 15 times
Contact:

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by guncrank1 » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:23 pm

Uhmmm
If you can not get guns like you want , seems you need to bankroll a new gun factory in the free state of Kentucky.
Plenty of talent here. :llama:

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:41 pm

Might be plenty of talent there, but not much of a bankroll HERE. I'll have to keep picking away at it myself.

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:49 pm

Cycling ammunition through the action: this is interesting. You need to muscle it, no half assed lever work. The elevator will stop midway if you don't hammer the lever all the way through its stroke. I've been working shells through it this afternoon and it isn't very consistent. Sometimes it'll eject and sometimes they bind up or just sit in the top of the action. Maybe some live fire with ejection of empty hulls will produce different results. Hopefully find out tomorrow.

guncrank1
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 6380
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:48 pm
Location: Metro Louisville
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 15 times
Contact:

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by guncrank1 » Sat Mar 29, 2014 6:38 pm

Hahahahaha ;-)


As to the rough action ,you have a pm sent

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:04 am

Oh boy. Looks like I may have chosen a tough row to hoe. This is a link to a site by one of the supposedly more knowledgeable smiths that specialize in these shotguns. He apparently has actually had a lot of interaction with the manufacturer throughout the development of this modern version of the 1887. There are a lot of problems with them, and I was aware that they typically need some work to get running smoothly. Wasn't aware of the full extent though. Just throwing the link in for anyone that may be interested.

http://www.coyotecap.com/gunsmithingsimplified.htm

guncrank1
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 6380
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:48 pm
Location: Metro Louisville
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 15 times
Contact:

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by guncrank1 » Sun Mar 30, 2014 1:28 pm

Mexican Kerry wrote:Oh boy. Looks like I may have chosen a tough row to hoe. This is a link to a site by one of the supposedly more knowledgeable smiths that specialize in these shotguns. He apparently has actually had a lot of interaction with the manufacturer throughout the development of this modern version of the 1887. There are a lot of problems with them, and I was aware that they typically need some work to get running smoothly. Wasn't aware of the full extent though. Just throwing the link in for anyone that may be interested.

http://www.coyotecap.com/gunsmithingsimplified.htm
Poor baby
You pay for fee and import/export fees and I fix for you.
First try what I said in pm
As too link I will need to read it all but looks like they want to sell stuff.

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:20 pm

True, along with his list of problems he also has a service for fixing all of them. Gotta get it out first and see how it actually performs before I worry about sending it to you Cranky.

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:21 pm

No shoot today. Snowed like a bastard until just about half an hour ago and now its too late to get out. Some range report.

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:35 pm

On the plus side, I spent my afternoon in the shop so I got to pretend I was a gunsmith while I sipped a glass of Blanton's.

The gun's put away now, so I cracked open a bottle I've never tried before: Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Reserve. If I can't get out to try the gun and report, I can at least give a review of whisky.

Its terrible. It tastes like Buffalo Trace, which tastes like it was strained through an old burlap potato sack. The aftertaste lingers for about 5 minutes and then you're ready for another sip. I'd rather drink rye than this stuff. Might have to cut it with a bottle of Beam to make it drinkable.

Tore the gun down again, and gave it one last dousing with Crud Cutter. Blew it out with compressed air until it wasn't dripping yellow any more. Didn't take the firing pin or extractors out of the breech/bolt but its clean now.

Image

The internals are a little rough, but somebody gave me a tip on smoothing out the critical areas so once I determine if it functions at the range I'm going to give it a try.

Image

Image

User avatar
1fastmach1
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:21 pm
Location: Elizabethtown
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by 1fastmach1 » Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:58 pm

It must be a bummer not being able to shoot on your own property. Do you have to go to a authorized range or can people living in rural canada shoot on their own land?

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:53 pm

Like anywhere else, if outside the city. Private land or provincial "crown" land. My problem is that my land is only 55'x120' since I live in the city.

Has to be an authorized range if its pistols or other restricted firearms. Most long guns aren't so you're good to go. Just didn't have time to get out today.

User avatar
1fastmach1
Posts: 2025
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:21 pm
Location: Elizabethtown
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by 1fastmach1 » Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:38 pm

Ahh gotcha. I wasn't sure how that worked. I assumed that Canada was a "guns are bad and you can't have them" place. You've have shown me that isn't the case.

BTW, that shotgun is so Terminator 2!

Mexican Kerry
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 1820
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:32 am
Location: Saskatoon
Has liked: 0
Been liked: 12 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by Mexican Kerry » Sun May 25, 2014 10:47 pm

Update: I finally got out to shoot this turd a couple times. The first time was when I was at my parents' at Easter. It was having a hard time with any ammo. Light target loads wouldn't eject (like the internet predicted) and heavier field loads with high brass gave the same results.

The action is not butter smooth, and I found a set of gloves was necessary to keep my fingers from getting beat up trying to cycle the action.

On the plus side, 3" shells didn't cause it to blow up, and didn't eject any worse than the 2 3/4" that it is chambered for. It literally would not eject an empty hull, not once. I had to pry every single one out with a knife.

I finished work early today and was tired of beating around the house so I told MKwife I was outta here. Loaded the Norinco, my two Win 1200 Defenders, and a couple cases of Federal target loads into the trunk of the Marauder. A few buddies were meeting up at another guys ranch for some clay dusting so I went along.

Clays is a different game when you are all shooting defense type shotguns haha. We had three Win Defenders, the Norinco shorty, and two guys ruined it by bringing a Franchi autoloader and a Wingmaster that had full length barrels.

I spent most of my time missing clays with my new Defender, realized its like every other 1200 I've ever owned. It shoots high, gotta go low to connect.

Then we did a couple rounds with three shooters, sort of random rules that nobody followed. I picked up the lever gun and got a lot of laughs. If the clay got out much beyond 25-30 yds, I was usually out. But its got an 18.5" barrel and a stubby 13" lop and comes up swinging fast. I managed to nail most of them before they got out to 20 yds, and before any of the other guys had their guns up. One thing we were all having a hard time with was divers, but I broke a few, and nobody else got any of those...

The best part was that it decided it was going to function properly. It ate everything and spat the hulls out every time once I remembered to treat the lever like I hated it.

Its rough and it barks hard even with light loads. I like it. Might clean and oil it tonight since it rained on us a couple times. I am starting to like this shotgun, gonna keep at it. It definitely is an attention getter.

User avatar
kokopelli
KAC Member
KAC Member
Posts: 3610
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 4:14 pm
Has liked: 1 time
Been liked: 17 times

Re: Norinco 1887 Lever Gun Clones

Post by kokopelli » Mon May 26, 2014 8:52 pm

good deal- I'm glad you got it out and running. I had one of the 'good ones', I forget what years of import that they had some good QC at the factory, maybe '08, '09...not sure. Even then, it was a brute. Coyote Cap is THE man for those things...but you can follow the web instructions and smooth them up yourself and save $300. I also know he was instrumental in getting a shipment of them made and imported, too, that had all of his specs built into them. The SASS'ers snapped those up quick.
I just like the way they look- still would like to have another one.

Return to “Range Reports”

×