Norinco NP-34, 9mm Review.

I purchased a Norinco NP-34 (Sig-Sauer P228 Clone) several months back.  Before I took the time to write a brief review, I wanted to ensure that I had adequate time on the range so I could provide the most reliable and accurate information possible.  The pistol was purchased from the “Gun Dealer” in McAdam, NB for $374 + applicable taxes, although a quick verification of their website shows that as of 20 Aug 2013, their price is $399 + applicable taxes. 

            As with most Norinco firearms, the NP-34 came in a cheaply made plastic case.  In accordance with Canadian Law, to transport the firearm home it was required to have a trigger lock installed.  Unfortunately I was not able to get the plastic case closed and secured with a trigger lock on the firearm, so I was required to purchase a gun box just to transport the firearm home.  Once home, I opened the case up and removed the NP-34 and went about the task of wiping down and removing the excessive oil coating and verifying that everything was in proper working condition.  The NP-34 came with an extra set of springs, 2 X Pistol Mags and a user manual.  The finish on firearm was very nice and clean, the slide moved back and forth smoothly and the de-cock lever action was smooth as well.  I did however; find that the double action trigger was a little stiff requiring approx 13 to 14 lbs of pressure to initiate the first stage of the firing sequence.  The second stage only required 2 to 3 lbs for each shot.

 My Norinco NP-34, 9mm

 

I had initially wanted to purchase the Norinco NP-22 which is a clone of the Sig-Sauer P226. This was not due to any functional differences or operational reason, simply because having large hands the pistol grip on the NP-22 felt better in my grip and the pistol grip extended the full length of my hand.  Sadly, they only had one NP-22 left in stock and my friend was fortunate enough to have been the first to lay hands on it.  So I opted to take the NP-34.  I was not completely satisfied with the way the pistol felt in my grip due to the smaller size and the pistol grip stopping short of the bottom of my hand.  So that evening I went on-line to “Grips 4 Guns.com” and purchased the Hogue, Finger Groove Rubber grip for the Sig-Sauer P228 for $24.99 + applicable taxes/shipping and handling.  It took just short of three weeks for the grips to arrive.  They easily installed on the NP-34 and to my delight, the little bit of extra girth provided by the Hogue grips combined with the finger grooves made for an exceptionally comfortable fit.

Firing my NP-34 at the Range, Spring 2013 

 

Once I had the NP-34 on the range, it fit perfectly in my Blackhawk Level 2 Serpa Holster and was both comfortable and easy to draw from the hip on my battle belt.  I was extremely pleased with the ease of operability and how smooth and precise the shots were.  I had no issues performing quick tactical or speed reloads as the spent Mags fell easily from the magwell with a quick flick of the wrist. The fresh Mags easily slid into the magwell and had no issues seating into place to begin firing.  Regarding accuracy, I was very pleased with how accurate the NP-34 was when shooting at the 10, 15, 20 and 25 yard line.  There were always a few stray rounds but I’ll chalk that up to operator error rather then the actual firearm.  I did unfortunately encounter some types of ammunition that the NP-34 does not like.  Federal Hydrashock, Winchester Silvertip, Winchester Personal Protection and Remington Golden Saber to name a few.  Just so we’re clear, the NP-34 has no issues firing these types of ammo, when it fires them it does so very accurately.  The issue is that each of these types of ammo has a very blunted almost square head/tip and this sometimes causes the ammo to jam on the feed leading into the breach prior to firing.  The NP-34 eats standard ball ammo like a fat guy at an all you can eat buffet.  I’ve fired in access of 1500 rounds of ball ammo through my NP-34 without a single hiccup.  I have not been so fortunate with the other types of ammo I listed.  As I mentioned earlier, no safety issues using the other types of ammo, it just became a little frustrating when trying to improve on tactical and speed reloads to have the firearm jam due to the ammo.

 

Full Side View of the NP-34 with the aftermarket Hogue, Finger Groove Rubber grip

Would I recommend the NP-34? Absolutely!  I have spent considerable time on the range using the actual Sig-Sauer P225, P226, P228 and P229.  The Norinco versions work exceptionally well and are completely inter-operable with their Sig-Sauer counterparts.  If I had $1000 to go spend on a Sig….I wouldn’t.  I’d buy two more of these.  If potential customers can move past the fact that they are Norinco, they would find a side by side comparison between the P228 and the NP-34 difficult to distinguish.  The NP-34 certainly holds its own in my opinion and I’m glad I made this purchase and look forward to the opportunity to purchase the NP-22.

J. MacLEOD

ESS CDI MAX BALLISTIC EYEWEAR IN DESSERT TAN

The ESS CDI MAX, is billed as the Original CDI Ballistic Eyewear (BEW) on steroids. Well, I will definitely tell you they work well and are comfortable on the face.

I've been a long time OAKLEY M Frame guy and for lesser days I ran a set of HALF JACKETS. The CDI MAX despite having a more robust polymer frame are a much lighter set of BEW. I can wear these without fatigue to the pressure points on my nose and ears like I get with my OAKLEYs or REVISION FIREFLIES. And unlike the majority of glasses or BEWs they don't fog up on me even remotely close to when I'm running down range wishing the bad man would stop.

Now, they come in black and dessert tan and offer the standard variety of lens tints. This makes them easy to assimilate for those of use who may have a dress code to follow at work. One of the things I really like is the lenses slide into grooves in the frame from the side and lock into place, and once the arms have been extended so you can wear them, they add an additional lock keeping the lenses from being able to fall out.

What's nice about this is that unlike a large majority of BEWs out there that use a single lens anchored to a frame that runs along the top of the lens. The CDI MAX's lenses contact the frame along their entire edge. This means that when you take that shot to the face or little bit of shrapnel and dirt there is a smooth rounded surface keeping the edge of the lens from digging into your cheeks.

Issues I had, and there weren't a lot of them, is the lack of rubber padding on the nose which means they will slide when you get sweaty. And, the case is pretty small for BEW kit that offers so many choices for lenses. The last issue is, if you are one of those people with a hard to face (for what ever reason) these will be a hit or miss item because of the beefy frame.

All in all these have a really good design and a lot of thought put into them and I'm pretty happy with mine.

BENCHMADE 522 PRESIDIO ULTRA , EDC KNIFE

EDC or EVERY DAY CARRY, is a term used mainly by LEO's, Contractors and Military Pers, but it has been adopted in the US to include those people who"choose" to become certified and legally carry a firearm.  With that, it has spread to other areas of the world and come to include knives, comms, lights, and other pocket items.  Today I want to talk about my very own EDC Knife, the BENCHMADE 522 PRESIDIO ULTRA with the BT2 Coated Blade.

This has been my EDC Knife for over a year now. I picked it up when my previous knife luckily, fell to the bottom of my pocket after the CRKT lost its' clip.

It took me a little while to get used to the 522, as the weight and balance were extremely different then any of my previous knives making it feel off when I opened it. To add to the change the clip is reversed, as well the mechanisms tension and lock were different from the CRKT I had been using for the last six years. So there was a slight change to the motor skills needed to manipulate it with one hand. This was a small matter in the long run as far as I'm concerned.

Things that have impressed me, The fact that despite having been stabbed and stuck into god knows I can't remember, used to cut everything from zip ties and paracord up to wire and bone it hasn't lost its effectiveness or finish. I have yet had the need to hone the edge and there has been very little damage to the cutting edge. The black BT2 Coated Blade has even managed to maintain its' finish with very little chipping or wear. And the handle/guard, not a single nick or scratch. Which is something new for me as I've been able to damage the handle on every knife I've have ever owned.

All in all this is one of the nicest knives I've ever had, bar none. It has performed more effectively then any of my previous ones.  Now I purchased mine while I was abroad, however, if you're looking for one I would take a look at SHEEPDOG TACTICAL for all your BENCHMADE requirements.

HOW DID I END UP WITH AN (NORTH EASTERN ARMS) NEA-15 12.5” CARBINE?

I purchased a Norinco CQ-A 5.56 10.5” back in early March 2013.  I have personally always been a huge supporter of Norinco firearms and have not been swayed by the countless negative comments across the internet which continues to spout drivel regarding Chinese cheap or Norinco knock-offs. I purchased the CQ-A at the “Gun Dealer” in McAdam, NB, not because it was the cheapest (pricewise), I purchased it because of a combination of cost and the fact that I have always had exceptionally positive experiences with each Norinco firearm I’ve purchased.  However, this time I ended up with a lemon. 

Here is my Norinco CQ-A 5.56, 10.5" post renovation.

After the first few hundred rounds I began to experience a series of double feeds.  After trouble-shooting a variety of possible causes, it became clear that this issue would not be easily fixed by me.  I returned to the staff at the Gun Dealer and after a quick examination by their in-house gunsmith, they concluded that it was factory defect and as the firearm was fully covered under factory warranty, offered to either fix or replace it.  I found myself very conflicted at that moment.  I was supposed to shoot the following week in a friendly competition and if I sent it for repair, it would not be back for several weeks.  I had spent a considerable amount of coin dressing my rifle out in a full ensemble of MAGPUL accessories and when my rifle was not chewing up two rounds at a time it was hammering tacks as far as ease of use and accuracy.  But to add insult to injury, my buddy who bought the exact same type of rifle at the same time from the same dealer, has had no issues whatsoever from his CQ-A 5.56.  I would have gladly purchased another but unfortunately they were out of stock and had no idea as to when new ones would arrive.  I really needed a rifle to shoot for the following week so I pushed down the sick feeling in my stomach, swallowed the bile gathering at the back of my throat and handed over my credit card and purchased a NEA-15 12.5”.

Here is my new little jewel.  The NEA-15, 12.5"

The Gun Dealer had three variants of the NEA-15 for me to choose from.  They had a 7.5”, 12.5” and a 14.5”.  Although NEA also manufactures a 10.5” and 18” variant, I had to choose from the available stock.  7.5” was a little too short, and 14.5” was a little longer then I wanted as most of my shooting is CQB/Gunfighter drills which my CQ-A 10.5” was ideally suited.  So I went with the 12.5”.  Now before I go any further, let me clarify that any of the sizes can be used for CQB/Gunfighter drills depending on personal preferences.  I’ll write a more detailed review at a later time but to sum it up, I have put approximately 1800 rounds down the spout since purchasing it and have had zero stoppages and am the proud owner of a Canadian made firearm and a two inch grouping at 25-50 yards.  Has this experience soured my opinions regarding Norinco firearms?  Not at all, I have run across a lot of lemons from some of the big North American AR manufactures such as Bushmaster, Stag Arms, Rock River Arms etc.  I can say with certainty, had this not happened I most likely would not have purchased an NEA firearm simply because I had not heard a lot about them but since I have, I couldn’t be happier with its performance.

YOU DON'T NEED TO BREAK THE BANK TO HAVE FUN AT THE RANGE!

Hey everyone, I wanted to take a few minutes to address an issue regarding the difference between “Range Gear” and “Operational Gear”.  As I’m sure most of us will agree, we’d all love to have the latest and greatest in big brand name tactical gear for our playtime at our respective ranges.  However, the very real issue with a lot of shooting enthusiasts is that we do not have access to an unlimited bank account to allow us to keep up with the Jones’s.  But here is another reality. Unless you are an operator or security contractor purchasing gear that will be used daily under real tactical and harsh operational conditions…..you don’t need to purchase top of the line gear!  Persons who spend long hours or even days in their gear and rely on it for optimal performance because their lives depend on it; these are the people who should be making a real investment in the quality of their gear. As for the folks who just want to get out to the range and rehearse their shooting drills or perhaps take a gunfighter course or two, you can afford to spend $100 on a vest or plate carrier vice $500 or more. There are a variety of companies out there that are producing durable and effective tactical gear that will allow shooters with limited funds to get out on the firing point.  CONDOR is one of these companies but unfortunately, anything with the “CONDOR” brand name attached is automatically and unjustifiably labelled sub-standard regardless of how well it does or does not perform its desired or designed function.  Over the years I have purchased several CONDOR items which are seen in the picture below.  I have also purchased several popular brand name items from 5:11, Safari land, Viking Tactical and Blackhawk but what is important to note is that the cheaper items work just as well as most of the more expensive brand name items for recreational range usage.  At the end of the day it will be each user who will ultimately decide what they will spend their hard earned money on.  My best piece of advice is to not be swayed by gear snobs who insist the best and most expensive is the only acceptable option.  Do a little research and find what you want/need that will fit your budget and get out there and start shooting.

 

Here is a picture of the gear I often use at the range.  I have a CONDOR quick release plate carrier with six CONDOR double stack AR mag pouches.  I also have a VISM Battle Belt with a Blackhawk Serpa holster, four 5:11 pistol mag pouches and a 5:11 drop pouch.  My North Eastern Arms 12.5 AR has a Blackhawk single point sling with a Tasco Red Dot optic and a set of Oakley tactical shooting gloves.