Have stories behind them.
Around 1998 I was perusing Auction Arms and I see this Norinco 1911. Looked like new and I bagged it for $300. I heard good things about these but Daddy Bush (in a move that pissed off the NRA and gun owners everywhere) issued an executive order banning importation of Chinese military arms so this model went bye-bye from the market.
Told a buddy about the purchase and he made a face and hemmed and hawed like he wanted the gun. So I offered it to him at what I paid for it.
At some point I mentioned that I liked the lanyard ring on the bottom of the mainspring housing as the Norinco featured. He said he didn't care for it. So we swapped. I liked this so much (I like weird things sometimes) that I purchased several more of these from Numrich and installed then some of my other 1911s.
Around 2001 I see a Universal Carbine in a pawn shop. Looked well worn like it had been shot a lot (good sign on these as many never worked right). Tagged at $250 I lost interest. Guy really wanted to sell it. So I said make me an offer I can't refuse. He said $165 out the door.
OK, I couldn't refuse.
That little rifle never failed me. Worked 100% all the time. Used GI magazines without complaint as well as the original 10 round box that came with it. Then a couple months ago I started yearning for a genuine GI M1 Carbine. So I dashed off an order to the CMP.
And waited.
And waited.
Growing weary of waiting I picked up the same model I had on order with the CMP from a Gunbroker auction. Now I had one in hand and another on the way.
Someday...
So the Universal became superfluous. (Wow, I spelled that correctly on the first try.) Mentioned to my buddy (same one) that I was looking to sell the little Carbine and he offered me the Norinco in trade. Um... OK. I figured the Carbine would sell for $400-$450 and I thought the Chinese made 1911 would fetch about the same, maybe $50 more. Might also be easier to sell. So I decided it was a good deal and the Carbine went to a new home and got the Norinco... back. Recall that I owned it first about 11 years ago and had passed it on to my friend.
It came back to me in the same condition as when it left. I don't think he ever fired the damn thing. Still looked like new.
But now I am having trouble selling it. Started thinking it might be nice to have a strictly GI 1911 pistol. As I started balking at the notion of selling it I began working on it. The original rubber grips had to go. I absolutely DETEST rubber grips. All I had on hand were original Colt wood and a pair of fake pearl stocks I picked up about 10 years ago for $10 at a show. Didn't seem right to have Colt emblems on a Chinese gun so I went with the fake pearls. For imitation they looked pretty good but I never had a gun needing stocks... until now. A tad pimpish but i like the look. So does my wife. Not sure what that says about her. Then there was the matter of the swapped mainspring housing.
Now I wanted the lanyard ring back on this gun. So I dug out the last of the ring equipped housings hiding in the "Box of Parts" and swapped in on. I may eventually sell it (along with a couple others I am steeling myself to unload) but for now I will just play with it. If you figure the price I paid for the Carbine and the cost of the fake pearl stocks I have $175 invested in this pistol.
At that price it can afford to hang around for a while.
Around 1998 I was perusing Auction Arms and I see this Norinco 1911. Looked like new and I bagged it for $300. I heard good things about these but Daddy Bush (in a move that pissed off the NRA and gun owners everywhere) issued an executive order banning importation of Chinese military arms so this model went bye-bye from the market.
Told a buddy about the purchase and he made a face and hemmed and hawed like he wanted the gun. So I offered it to him at what I paid for it.
At some point I mentioned that I liked the lanyard ring on the bottom of the mainspring housing as the Norinco featured. He said he didn't care for it. So we swapped. I liked this so much (I like weird things sometimes) that I purchased several more of these from Numrich and installed then some of my other 1911s.
Around 2001 I see a Universal Carbine in a pawn shop. Looked well worn like it had been shot a lot (good sign on these as many never worked right). Tagged at $250 I lost interest. Guy really wanted to sell it. So I said make me an offer I can't refuse. He said $165 out the door.
OK, I couldn't refuse.
That little rifle never failed me. Worked 100% all the time. Used GI magazines without complaint as well as the original 10 round box that came with it. Then a couple months ago I started yearning for a genuine GI M1 Carbine. So I dashed off an order to the CMP.
And waited.
And waited.
Growing weary of waiting I picked up the same model I had on order with the CMP from a Gunbroker auction. Now I had one in hand and another on the way.
Someday...
So the Universal became superfluous. (Wow, I spelled that correctly on the first try.) Mentioned to my buddy (same one) that I was looking to sell the little Carbine and he offered me the Norinco in trade. Um... OK. I figured the Carbine would sell for $400-$450 and I thought the Chinese made 1911 would fetch about the same, maybe $50 more. Might also be easier to sell. So I decided it was a good deal and the Carbine went to a new home and got the Norinco... back. Recall that I owned it first about 11 years ago and had passed it on to my friend.
It came back to me in the same condition as when it left. I don't think he ever fired the damn thing. Still looked like new.
But now I am having trouble selling it. Started thinking it might be nice to have a strictly GI 1911 pistol. As I started balking at the notion of selling it I began working on it. The original rubber grips had to go. I absolutely DETEST rubber grips. All I had on hand were original Colt wood and a pair of fake pearl stocks I picked up about 10 years ago for $10 at a show. Didn't seem right to have Colt emblems on a Chinese gun so I went with the fake pearls. For imitation they looked pretty good but I never had a gun needing stocks... until now. A tad pimpish but i like the look. So does my wife. Not sure what that says about her. Then there was the matter of the swapped mainspring housing.
Now I wanted the lanyard ring back on this gun. So I dug out the last of the ring equipped housings hiding in the "Box of Parts" and swapped in on. I may eventually sell it (along with a couple others I am steeling myself to unload) but for now I will just play with it. If you figure the price I paid for the Carbine and the cost of the fake pearl stocks I have $175 invested in this pistol.
At that price it can afford to hang around for a while.