NORINCO Model 77B pistol

NORINCO Model 77B pistol, left side view.

NORINCO Model 77B pistol, right side view.

NORINCO Model 77B pistol, showing its single hand slide cycling capability (using front of the trigger guard).

Characteristics

Type: Single Action
Caliber:9x19 mm Parabellum
Weight unloaded: 1000 g
Length: 190 mm
Barrel length: 127 mm
Capacity: 9 rounds

The Model 77B (M 77B) pistol is made by Chinese state arms factories and is exported by the NORINCO (China North Industries Corp). The M 77B pistol is apparently based on the Type 77 pistol, used by PLA and Chinese Police. However, the M 77B is bigger and heavier than Type 77 pistol. M 77B fires a much more powerful 9mm Para ammunition instead of 7.62x17mm Type 64 ammunition, used in Type 77 pistol. To safely handle powerful 9mm cartridges, M 77B pistol uses a gas retarded (delayed) blowback action with fixed barrel. Overall gas system is similar to one found in H&K P7 PSP pistol, with the gas cylinder, located under the barrel, and the gas piston, connected to the slide. The M 77B pistols are apparently not in use with any Chinese force, police or military, and intended for export. The M 77B is somewhat too bulky and heavy for a nine rounds magazine capacity, and fit and finish can be described as marginal at the best. The almost unique finger-cocking system (which in fact is forgotten elsewhere in the world for almost 90 years) is hardly useful, as it requires a lot of force and a very long index finger to operate it rapidly. NORINCO also offers two modified versions of the M 77B, designated as NP 20 and NP 24. The former is quite similar to M 77B except for it does not have a finger cocking, and the trigger guard is solid; the latter pistol also features a 15 rounds high capacity double stack magazines.

As said above, the M 77B is a retarded blowback operated pistol with fixed barrel. The opening of the slide is retarded by the pressure of the gas, bleed from the barrel into the cylinder below it. The striker-fired mechanism is single action, with frame mounted safety on the left side of pistol. Frame and slide are made from carbon steel, grip panels are polymer. Front sight is fixed, the rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. The finger cocking mechanism consists of the front part of the trigger guard, which is mounted on the slider. To cock the pistol (cycle the slide) single-handed one must pull the front of the trigger guard by the index finger and then release it. For me it was way too much effort to bother with.

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Type 77 pistol

 

Type 77 pistol, right side

 

 

Type 77 pistol, left side

Type: Single Action
Caliber: 7.65x17 Type 64 ball
Weight unloaded: 500 g
Length: 148 mm
Barrel length: n/a
Capacity: 7 rounds

The Type 77 pistol is a fairy simple pocket-sized pistol, which fires a marginally effective, low powered 7.65mm Type 64 cartridge, originally developed for the Type 64 silenced pistol. Type 77 pistol is intended as a self-defense weapon for officers of Chinese army (PLA) and police. It has been developed in the late 1970s and was officially adopted circa 1981. Military issue Type 77 pistol shall not be confused with much bigger and much more powerful 9mm NORINCO Type 77B pistol, available commercially and made in China only for export purposes.

Type 77 pistol is a blowback weapon, with striker-fired single action firing mechanism. The only unusual feature is a so-called Chylevsky device, made in the form of a separate front (vertical) part of the trigger guard. This device (originally developed by the Swiss designer Chylevsky in the first decade of the XX century) is used to load and cock the weapon by using only one hand. To do so, shooter must pull the front part of the trigger guard by its index finger. As it is connected to the slide, this pull will retract the slide back, and upon the release of the finger, the slide and front part of the trigger guard will return forward, chambering the cartridge and making the gun ready to fire single action. To avoid damage to the index finger, moving part of the trigger guard is automatically locked forward when trigger is pressed. If the gun is to be carried "cocked and locked", it also features a traditional manual safety on the frame, above the left grip panel. Single stack magazine holds 7 rounds of ammunition. magazine release button is located at the bottom of the trigger guard, on the left side of the frame. Bottom of the grip is provided with lanyard ring.

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Type 67 silenced pistol

 

Type 67 silenced pistol

 

Type 67 silenced pistol, bolt is locked open, the return spring guide rod is exposed above the barrel level.

Type: Single Action
Caliber: 7.65x17 Type 64 ball
Weight unloaded: 1050 g
Length: 226 mm
Barrel length: 95 mm
Capacity: 9 rounds

The Type 67 silenced pistol is a further development of a Type 64 pistol. It provides the users with the same combat characteristics, but at the about 2/3 of the weight of the earlier pistol. Apparently, the Type 67 pistol replaced the Type 64 pistol in Chinese service.

Type 67 pistol is a blowback operated, integrally silenced pistol, with the slide lock mechanism, inherited from the Type 64 pistol. It also fires the same Type 64 7.65mm ball cartridge.

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Type 64 silenced pistol

Type 64 silenced pistol; top, ready to fire; bottom, with the slide locked open after the last shot from magazine has been fired.

Characteristics

Type: Single Action
Caliber: 7.65x17 Type 64 ball
Weight unloaded: 1800 g 
Length: 222 mm
Barrel length: 95 mm
Capacity: 9 rounds

The Type 64 silenced pistol has been adopted by the Chinese military in the mid-1960s as a special purpose silenced weapon, intended for both military and political clandestine operations. Unlike most other silenced pistols, the Type 64 is an integrally silenced weapon, and not an adaptation of any existing "non-silenced" design. Pistol fires proprietary 7.65mm Type 64 ammunition, especially developed along with this pistol. Type 64 7.65mm cartridge is based n the old 7.65x17SR Browning / .32ACP round, but is of true rimless design (7.65mm Browning/.32ACP is of semi-rimmed design), and is not interchangeable with western ammunition. Type 64 ammunition is of relatively low power, which contributes to the low sound of fire and low effective range of pistol - probably no more than 10-20 meters. When fired from the Type 64 pistol, the Type 64 ball cartridge propels the 4.8 gram (74 grains) bullet to the muzzle velocity of 240 meters per second (790 fps). Type 64 pistol is generally replaced in service by the Type 67 silenced pistol, which is slightly more compact and a good deal lighter.

Type 64 silenced pistol is a blowback operated, integrally silenced pistol. Integral silencer consists of a large thin steel case, which contains steel mesh and several baffles, which are used to slow down and cool expanding muzzle blast. To further decrease the sound signature of firing pistol, the blowback mechanism can be blocked using the cross-bolt button, mounted in the slide. When lock mechanism is engaged, Type 64 pistol turns from a semiautomatic into a manually operated magazine fed weapon, thus avoiding the sound of the recoiling slide. Because of a silencer, recoil spring is located at the rear of the slide, above the barrel, along with guide rod. The Type 64 pistol has a fixed sights. Trigger is of single action variety, with external hammer, and a manual safety, located on the frame above the left grip. Cartridges are fed from single stack, detachable magazine which holds nine rounds.

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Para Ordnance P14-45 and LDA pistol

 

Basic Para-Ordnance P14-45 pistol, caliber .45ACP.

Para-Ordnance P18-9 pistol, caliber 9mm Luger / Parabellum.

Basic Para-Ordnance P14-45 LDA pistol, caliber .45ACP, with DAO-type LDA trigger.

Compact P10-45 pistol, caliber .45ACP.

Characteristics

Type: Single Action (Double action only in LDA model)
Chamber: .45ACP, also available in .40SW, .38 Super and 9x19mm
Weight: ca. 1100 g
Length: 216 mm
Barrel length: 127 mm
Capacity: 45ACP: 14 rounds (P14-45), 12 rounds (P12-45), 10 rounds (P10-45); 40SW: 16 rounds (P16-40), 10 rounds (P10-40); 9mm: 18 rounds

In the late 1980s, a small Canadian company called Para Ordnance introduced a “high capacity conversion kit” for US M1911A1 type pistols. This kit consisted of an updated frame with thicker grip, which accommodated a double-stack magazine (also supplied with the kit), effectively doubling the available round count for 1911 shooters. The kit also included a new trigger assembly with suitable dimensional changes to fit into the widened grip frame. With the initial success of these kits, Para Ordnance soon introduced a line of complete M1911A1-type pistols with high capacity magazines, available in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP calibers. Compact and semi-compact models followed, and Para Ordnance pistols found buyers among both civilian and police shooters. In 1999, Para Ordnance introduced the new line of LDA (Lightweight Double Action) pistols, which combined the established 1911-type general design with the double-action-only type of trigger, for improved safety. At the present time, Para Ordnance offers its pistols with either standard single action or patented LDA triggers, with single or double-stack magazines, and in a variety of sizes and finishes. It is believed that Para Ordnance LDA pistols have already found some customers among the police agencies of the USA and Canada.

Early Para-Ordnance pistols were almost exact copies of the Colt M1911A1 pistol, except for the wide-body frames; in fact, these early Para-Ordnance frames accepted standard M1911A1 slides and barrels without any major modifications. However, with time, Para Ordnance design team, led by Ted Szabo, introduced several new features, other than different sizes of frame and barrel. First came the LDA modification, which was designed to allow the gun to be safely carried with a round in the chamber and the hammer down, and to avoid a heavy double-action trigger pull when bringing the gun into action in fast-pacing defensive scenarios. First appearing in 1999, the Para-Ordnance line of LDA pistols now includes all sorts of guns – full-sized and compact, with single and double-stack magazines. Another step forward from the basic M1911 design was the patented “Power Extractor”, or PXT in short. Since 2004, all Para Ordnance pistols are manufactured with PXT-type extractors, which are said to improve extraction reliability.

All Para Ordnance pistols are short-recoil operated, locked-breech weapons. The classic Browning locking system consists of two lugs at the top of the barrel, which engage the cuts on inside of the slide. The unlocking action on recoil is caused by the swinging link, which connects the barrel breech with the frame. Most Para Ordnance pistols are made with steel frames; however, there were certain versions with aluminium alloy frames. Standard Para Ordnance pistols have a single action trigger with an exposed hammer and a manual safety on the frame. There is also a typical M1911-style automatic grip safety and a disconnector, which does not permit the gun to be fired unless the slide is fully closed and barrel is locked.
However, the LDA models have an entirely different trigger setup. The key for the “Lightweight Double Action” (hence the LDA acronym) is the hammer cam, which is interposed between the main spring and the hammer. During the cocking cycle the hammer is pulled back; this movement causes the cam to rotate and to compress the main spring. Once spring is compressed, the hammer cam is held cocked by the main sear. The hammer, which is not directly connected to the main spring, is then returned forward by its own, relatively soft hammer spring. When the trigger is pulled, it raises the hammer until it connects to the cocked hammer cam; at this moment, the sear is depressed and hammer cam, powered by the main spring, forces the hammer forward and toward the firing pin; at the same moment, the automatic firing pin safety is released to allow the firing pin to hit the primer. This system, which is obviously based on the FN’s “Fast Action” trigger of the early 1980s, allows for a very light and smooth trigger pull, since the hammer spring is very light, and the stronger main spring is cocked only during the reload. However, LDA could not be considered as a “true Double Action Only” design, as it does not permit a fast second strike in the case of misfire; in this case, the shooter must manually recock the main-spring and hammer cam by pulling the hammer back manually (however, the Para Ordnance manual does not recommend that; instead, it is advised to cycle the slide and eject the failed round; this will also recock the main spring automatically). Another issue is that while the gun looks uncocked at all times except when trigger is being pressed, the main spring may still be cocked and under tension. There’s no way to safely release the main spring and hammer cam, except by a trigger pull; so, after unloading and before storage, the shooter must point the pistol in a safe direction and dry-fire it once (pull the trigger completely and then release it). Otherwise, the hammer cam will remain cocked and main spring will be under tension, and this could impair pistol reliability in the long term. Another unusual feature of the LDA is that the automated grip safety locks the slide when not disengaged properly by the shooting hand.
Para Ordnance pistols are available in a variety of magazine capacities; the maximum magazine capacity and calibre is usually indicated by the model designation, i.e. P14-45 is a .45 calibre pistol with 14-round capacity, and P16-40 is a .40 S&W calibre pistol with 16-round capacity. Para Ordnance pistols can be fitted with either fixed or adjustable sights, with the rear sight dovetailed into the slide.

Manual safety: A lever, located at the side of the frame above the grip panel (ambidextrous levers on the “Limited” series pistols). Push the lever up to set on “safe”, pull the lever down to set on “fire”. Note: on the single action pistols, the safety will engage only when the hammer is cocked; on the LDA series of pistols, the hammer is always uncocked and the safety is applied with hammer down. It is not advised by the factory manual to directly cock the hammer on the LDA pistols
How to disassemble (field-strip) Para-Ordnance pistol: (relevant only for full-size single action and LDA pistols of all calibres; for compact and semi-compact models, please refer to the Owner’s manual): 1) remove the magazine by pressing the magazine release button; 2) check that the chamber is empty; 3) with the slide in the forward position, pull the trigger once to drop the hammer; 4) put the pistol on the table with the muzzle up, with the grip safety resting on the table; 5) press inward the recoil spring plug (located just below the muzzle), and rotate the barrel bushing clockwise for about a quarter of a turn (use special bushing wrench if available); 6) gently allow the recoil spring plug to extend out of the slide; 7) push the slide back until the disassembly notch on the slide is aligned with the slide stop lug. Note that the grip safety must be depressed to do so on LDA pistols; 8) push the rounded end of the slide stop pin inward, then completely remove the slide stop pulling to the left and out of the frame; 9) push the slide forward and out of the frame; 10) lift the return spring guide out of the slide; 11) remove the barrel out of the slide.
Reassemble in reverse order.

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