norinco 1897

[Guest Mugster]

Picked up an 1893/97 model chinese shotgun. Looks like they finally put a decent stock on them if you haven't seen one lately. I've been eyeing them since they came out. Sorry, camera is out of batteries. Shot a few rounds this morning at some tin cans.

Does look substantially like this:

http://www.marstar.ca/gf-norinco/images/YL-1897-800px.jpg

Likes:

1. 20" barrel, advertised modified choke, mics out to somewhere around a true IC. Mebbe a bit tighter.

2. Exposed hammer.

3. Barrel and stock fit great and are really nice. The barrel is really straight.

4. No disconnector. This is a fun feature, but functionally useless, imo.

5. Good fat bead on it.

6. Well balanced and lightweight. Quick handling shotgun. All steel construction.

7. No vent rib. I hate vent ribs. Just adds weight, throws off the aiming point, and is useless otherwise unless your running an automatic on a skeet range.

8. No heat shield or bayonet lug. While possibly useful for trench warfare, I'll stick with buckshot and reduced weight.

9. 2 3/4 only. Holds 5 or 6. I think its supposed to hold 5. Dunno.

10. No safety.

Dislikes:

1. The action is rough as a cob. It really needs to be taken apart and polished. Alternatively, I may squirt some toothpaste down in it and get the neighbor kid to pump it a few K times for $20.

2. If the action is held tight against the lockup during a shot (rearward), It won't cycle. This rules it out for self defense or hog hunting, unless I can tune it out somehow. That could potentially get somebody killed. I don't know if this is common or only a problem on this particular gun.

3. Cost. I think there's better shotguns on the market cheaper. None have this particular mix of features though.

4. The blue is pretty weak. Have to oil it down heavy on a rainy day. Doubt the stock would hold up too good either.

5. Heavy trigger pull.

Edited April 19, 2009 by Mugster

[mrming]

punk-ass slut:

Dislike #2 is common to them. Lutz's does the same thing. For that matter, I've seen that issue / 'design feature' with all the mossburgs. My 1300 does it occasionally, but its more the pump-linkage flexing outwards than a feature.. maybe some day I'll manage to fix mine.

Edited April 24, 2009 by mrming
used the wrong name referring to someone