Reds idea on Chinese .22s may not be so farfetched

[calsibley]

I was looking through a gun show newspaper last night and noticed something new, at least to me. Apparently the Chinese company, Norinco, is making replicas of some of the better known US firearms. I saw a copy of the Browning semi-automatic .22, the sleek little 5.0lb jobbie that's much more accurate than one would think. I don't know about the accuracy never having fired one, but if it's even close to the Browning, it might be worth considering. Possibly Red was on to something here in his positive comments about the Chinese rimfires. Boy, a $169. pricetag isn't hard to take. Still, I'm leery, but you never can tell. Maybe the Chinese rifles are better than their gawd-awful scopes. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[Jack]

About 10-12 years ago I saw one of those Chinese copies of the old Browning 22 auto. It was decently finished, and looked real nice- until you shook it... The barrel nut wouldn't tighten all the way on the receiver, so the barrel was kinda wobbly.
The tolerances and quality control were, shall we say, a bit looser than Browning's. Sorta like the difference between one of Red's girlfriends and Miss America.
Hope they've improved.

[Purebred Redneck]

I don't ever remember saying anything about chinese rifles.
I've always been a fan cheap american made rifles of the savage/marlin class...

[klsm54]

Hey Cal, I think it was Bounce that had some good things to say about a Chinese rimfire.

As I recall, it was a Bolt gun, probably a Norinco, but the "Cream of the Crop" was limited to a certain few years.

You know Cal, with all the thought you are puttin' in to this rimfire purchase, you're starting to act like Red... ...I think he's been rubbin' off on you... ;D ;D

[Purebred Redneck]

No, he's got a long way to go. He hasn't even mentioned 22mags or 17hmrs yet...

[jimiowa]

I have seen some Norinco`s that shot very well.
A guy would not be out a lot to try one.
I have a cheap Savage Bolt Gun thats not bad, but I suspect it would take a side by side shootout to call either better.

[flint]

Hi guys , I have had bit to do witrh the chinese bolt guns in.22 rf and had heard a lot of people say they were cheap junk ..One day a guy brought one around which would not cock so I had a look at it and saw that the coocking notch on the firing pin was all burred over , not a problem weld a bit in and file it off ..i got the welding done and thinking i had a sorry bit of chinese mild steel i dropped the red hot firing pin into the cold water ,I picked it up and being a clumbsy coot promptly dropped it again on to the concrete floor !!!! ooop's that dead copy of a brno firning pin was now in 2 pieces seems those chinese had used good hardenable steel and just not done the necessary hardening ..After rewelding the pin again and hardening and tempering it properly I gave it to the guy and he has had no further problems ..I had a Brno which I was using to shoot in rimfire silhouette competitions and bought a chinese copy to use on rabbits , also I did the hardening bit on mine and with a thin washer tightened up the heads space and with a 4 to 12 vairi power for sights found that the chinese job shot slightly better scores than the Brno which was the rifle of choice used by all of the top guns , so I swapped my big scope onto the chinese gun and used the Brno as my rabbit gun and as the oldest competitor in the game I made a lot of those young guys who thought that being a grandfather put you over the hill eat crow ..The only real bit I don't like about them is a replacement mag may not fit and that stock made out of heart of rhubbarb may make a good fire starter , but all of the parts are interchangeable with Brno parts but may need a bit of careful use of a file ,but value for money there is no argument and they shoot ..They really liked Winchester Power points ...Flint

[twomoons]

I gave one of the ZNorinco Browning copies to my brother about 6 years ago. The gun has been used by his 3 kids and has over 10,000 rounds down range. it is a well made good shooting gun. The barrel nut is made just like the Browning and you loosen the release under the nut and turn the nut in and lock it with the release. In the last 6 years we have had to tighten the nut once. It still has 9 notches to go. I have a Norinco Target rifle that is a copy off the Mauser and it has worked well for 10 years. After I re hardened the trigger and sear the gun will out shoot a Winchester 52. My Norinco Olympic 22 pistol has trained several novice shoting classes and has had no repairs in 8000 rounds. Factor in the price and there is nothing wrong with the Chineese guns.

[dovehunter]

I have one of these Browning clones and love it. It is well made and fininshed (well maybe not as good as the Browning, but still pretty good). I have shot mine hundreds of times and don't recall ever having experienced a malfunction of any kind. It is also quite accurate. I mounted a Bushnell 4x scope on it using Weaver mount bases intended for use with the Browing and it works great. My wife gave me mine for a Christmas present maybe 5 years ago. I think she paid $99 for it from Wally World. I wouldn't sell mine for anything.

[calsibley]

Maye I shouldn't do this because it mentions a fairly cheap rifle, a Marlin 57 and Red in the same breath. The only .22Magnum I ever owned was the Marlin, and it was quite good. It wasn't typical of your usual lever action rifle due to it's having a square bottom forend and 24" barrel. It was quite accurate to boot. I was told right after buying it that I'd probably be sorry because bolt actions weren't very accurate. Being young I just had to learn everything the hard way, but this rascal would put 5 shots ito 1 1/8" at 100 yards which I think is quite good for a .22Mag. When I think Marlin I think cowboy guns, but there was nothing cowboyish about it, and it would indeed shoot well. Like a damn fool I got rid of it a couple years later. What do you think Red? Should I take a chance on another Marlin in this life? Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[deputydon]

Cal; That IS good shooting. But I think the .17 HMR will do better.

[Purebred Redneck]

I wouldn't be too afraid to buy marlin again. Yeah, I complain alot but I complain a lot about everything.
Marlin is the best "value" on the 22 market.
And their rimfire bolt guns are getting the adjustable triggers this year.
I'd take a close look at the heavy barrell 22lr in a bolt. I think you could get groups between .5 and .75 at 50 yards with the good trigger, a high X scope, and decent ammo.
Because I'm getting just a hair over 1inch at 50 and look at my setup - a 6 pound trigger, a blurry scope, and a bucket of bullets.

[jimh]

admin said:

Marlin is the best "value" on the 22 market.
And their rimfire bolt guns are getting the adjustable triggers this year.

red, are you confused with the savage and their accu-trigger or is marlin really coming out with an adjustable trigger on a rimfire??

[klsm54]

The new T-900 Fire System that Marlin is putting on their new rifles is supposed to be a vast improvement over their old triggers, but I don't think it is adjustable...

It has an improved "silent" safety, and smoother crisper trigger pull, enhanced by a molded on trigger shoe of sorts. I have read reports of pulls from the factory as high as 5.5 lbs and as low as 3.5 lbs. And with the wide face of the new trigger the "felt" pull will be less....

Also, Rifle Basix offers an adjustable replacement trigger for the T-900 models that will adjust way down....

[jimh]

from what i had read on rimfirecentral most folks where poo-pooing the t-900 trigger and going for the rifle basix.