For decades, the has held a unique, somewhat mythical status in the North American firearms community. As the primary exporting arm for China’s defense industry, the China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) produced a vast array of firearms—ranging from clones of established designs to unique military weapons—that were imported into the US and Canada in significant numbers before and after specific restriction periods .
| Family | Example Models | Typical Users | |--------|----------------|----------------| | | NP-22 (SIG P226 clone), NP-34 | Police, export military | | Rifles | QBZ-95, CQ (M16 clone), M14 clone | Militaries, commercial (pre-sanctions) | | Shotguns | Hawk 982 (Remington 870 clone), Bullpup shotgun | Security, civilian where legal | | Machine Guns | Type 80 (PKM clone), Type 67 | Infantry | | Ammunition | Norinco 7.62x39mm, 5.56x45mm (brass/steel case) | Sport shooters, militias | | Vehicles | VN-1 (8x8 APC), VT-4 main battle tank | National armies | norinco catalog
Websites like EveryGunPart.com or LibertyTreeCollectors.com often post scanned pages of for historical reference. These are fascinating PDFs showing the original import prices for Type 56 AKs ($129) and 9mm Parabellum ammunition. For decades, the has held a unique, somewhat
Norinco is also famous for its handguns. The is often cited as one of the best "bargain" 1911s on the market, frequently used as a base for custom builds because of its high-quality steel frame. These are fascinating PDFs showing the original import
Over decades, the Norinco catalog expanded far beyond small arms. Today, it includes:
