Norinco T97 FTU Review

[@romansxlv]

I got the Gen 3 about 4 months ago and I love it

[@electricsitarman]

Just now realizing that we are in the same Unit in the CAF, thought you were familiar lol

[@NorthKoreaUncovered]

Don't get me wrong; Canada's firearms laws absolutely blow in comparison to ours in the US. Still though it's cool how you can still get Chinese firearms up there. They're banned here because Norinco sold missile systems to Iran.

[@JN-wn1kw]

lol, Norinco banned for selling weapons to Iran? the us gave them arms for free

[@dollarsareshackles2096]

Also we (up here in canada) are able to own a shotgun with a 8.5" barrel

[@deathless3518]

They’re banned because they’re made by a Chinese company. Selling to Iran is just their lousy excuse

[@Mike-bt3ki]

Banned because they offer products at a better price than US weapon manufacturers. They're banned because the US is afraid Norinco will flood the US market, meaning less profit for domestic US weapons manufacturers.

[@Mike-bt3ki]

It's all about money, the USA will make less if Norinco enters the US market, it has nothing to do with anything else.

[@zhouanderson8279]

I have to say that the painting on this one is very good. The color is identical with the PLA type 07 uniform.

[@Dirka13]

i have the t-97 with the flat upper and just got the lower unit as well. very nice rifle

[@grittypeso2083]

america is so great with the multiple amounts of firearms there are to choose from while in Canada we're limited

[@rodneyking2989]

God I wish we could buy all these wonderful norinco products in the US. I want one of these so bad

[@Dooper69702]

Same dude

[@thedashingan]

I want an AUG so bad 😂 wanna trade

[@yoitstupidTV]

How did you mount that foregrip? There are no rails on the factor lower handguard

[@heat45jc]

Very pleased with my foregrip customization. I took a bunch of measurements with dial vernier calipers. The Magpul mlok grip was perfect. The holes are spaced 0.787", which fit perfect in the middles of the 9th and 13th trench from the trigger guard. I heated up a 0.0625" drill in vise grips to melt spot drill marks, since you can't use a punch on plastic. I drilled 0.128" holes. Tapped them 8-32 and used washers on both sides and nuts on the screws. The mlok raised locks at the top of the grip land perfectly in the trenches when all tightened up. It's solid as ever.

[@regsparkes6507]

I almost bought the Type 97 Norinco,.but I couldn't get my thinking around that gawd awful top handle/sight base. So I bought a VZ58 and a 'used' CQ-A. At least the CQ has a removable handle . Now I see that the 'FTU' version is available and the price isn't 'out to lunch' at just under $1400.00. Thanks for the review.

[@Rockid9040]

Great review. I love that pattern you guys did on the T97. I've had mine since early last summer, bought it with the FTU for $900 used (Maybe 100 rounds through it?). She wears a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x scope, next on the block will be a mag release setup to make things faster. One tip I'd give people is that the Chinese Army trains their soldiers not to chamber a round until they engage, bypassing that horrible safety location. Not the best solution, since the LHG would be leagues better. But it works.

[@CanFirearmsReview]

+Rockid9040 Yeah $900 is a great deal for that combo!

[@Rockid9040]

+Canadian Firearms Review Yeah, saw it come across my local gun store'd website and immediately went in to put a deposit on it. Supposedly in the few days it was waiting for me, tons of guys came in looking to buy. T97s are popular.

[@JackRR15]

How did you attach a grip under? Isn't that the stock lower with no rails?

[@ImpulseToAdrenaline]

If anyone has figured this out.. let me know. Ive wonder the same thing.

[@JackRR15]

@@ImpulseToAdrenaline Yo I bought this gun and never put a grip on it but I found out the way to do it. They drill through the lower plastic hand guard and just bolt it in place with a nut and bolt.

[@ImpulseToAdrenaline]

@@JackRR15 mine comes in the mail this week.. So i have to drill out a bunch of plastic, to make this fit? .. Wtf. Is there a good video or something on this?

[@JackRR15]

@@ImpulseToAdrenaline Haha it's simple just need to drill a hole to fit the screw of your foregrip. Then you bolt it from the inside.

[@ImpulseToAdrenaline]

@@JackRR15 i hope i drill straight.. Still. Sort of odd too see soo many have that grip. But no one tells you how they got it. Im assuming you got the gen 3. (Thats what mine is)

[@reallink2000]

how did you manage to get a foregrip on the bottom of the handguard?

[@ubercai]

I came here for the same question. I guess you can always drill through lower hand guard....

[@JackRR15]

@@ubercai I read a post on reddit where the guy said he drilled holes and forced the rail screws into it to thread them so I guess this guy did same thing?

[@heat45jc]

Very pleased with my foregrip customization. I took a bunch of measurements with dial vernier calipers. The Magpul mlok grip was perfect. The holes are spaced 0.787", which fit perfect in the middles of the 9th and 13th trench from the trigger guard. I heated up a 0.0625" drill in vise grips to melt spot drill marks, since you can't use a punch on plastic. I drilled 0.128" holes. Tapped them 8-32 and used washers on both sides and nuts on the screws. The mlok raised locks at the top of the grip land perfectly in the trenches when all tightened up. It's solid as ever.

[@jameskang6464]

T97 NSR Gen2 review for factory rail if you can have one to do it.

[@jamesbond5592]

With the FTU and LHG wouldn't it be around $1800 CAD? The Tavor is minimum $2800 CAD now.

[@cptnscarlet]

+James Bond and the T97 is still a better platform than the tavor like all iwi crap it gets over sold/maeketed

[@Formattednate-el8up]

+cptnscarlet agreed. Save up and get a xcr-l. Or norc m14

[@jamesbond5592]

***** Yeah, I think the Tavor looks too bulky.

[@MW2RPGKing1]

how did you do the paint job and what did you do it with??

[@si_vis_pacempara_bellum4906]

I would pay 2000 bucks for a Norinco T97 in the US if I can get one.. I just love the original Type 95 so much... It physically hurting me that I can't get my hands on one of these bad boys…

[@chenjw100]

T97 is the export verison (well, at least it looks like the orginal QBZ95) of the QBZ-97, QBZ-97 is the export verison of the QBZ95. QBZ95 is designed to mount a specific designed optic called YMA-95, but it's rarely found in the Canadian market. when re-designing T97, factory 296 (AKA EMEI) moved the mag release（which looks like a switch) from behind the magazine to a very awkward position, this change was made because NATO 5.56 reloads differently than the Chinese 5.8 magazine. guess they didnt pay too much attention to the ergonomics. I tried the original QBZ95-1 last year, fired around 200 shots, very accurate and reliable. well, i started to dislike my T97 when i tried the original QBZ95.....

[@MarcusFenix762]

I got 2 Tavors getting the X95 someday.

[@tomthebomb45]

Would be awesome to see you guys do another review on this with the lower hand guard replacement added... I don't think anyone on KZbin has done one yet!

[@CanFirearmsReview]

Unfortunately this is a loaner, so unless it's owner decides to upgrade we are SOL. Hopefully we can someday

[@georgechen6208]

How d you attach that rail under？By drilling a hole?

[@heat45jc]

Very pleased with my foregrip customization. I took a bunch of measurements with dial vernier calipers. The Magpul mlok grip was perfect. The holes are spaced 0.787", which fit perfect in the middles of the 9th and 13th trench from the trigger guard. I heated up a 0.0625" drill in vise grips to melt spot drill marks, since you can't use a punch on plastic. I drilled 0.128" holes. Tapped them 8-32 and used washers on both sides and nuts on the screws. The mlok raised locks at the top of the grip land perfectly in the trenches when all tightened up. It's solid as ever.

[@shkotayd9749]

Great video! I went ahead and bought my Tavor based on your video and a couple others. I am HAPPY with it. But goddamn it is too cold right now to go out and waste a lot of ammo. The trigger for me, being long used to Glocks and SIG triggers, is of no issue at all. This would have been a great second choice.

[@CanFirearmsReview]

+Shkotay D Glad we could help!

[@shkotayd9749]

+Canadian Firearms Review You guys did indeed! With your excellent editing and great production, try making a new video on the Tavor sometime. I was happy enough with your old one to spend just shy of 3k on my Tavor. Just imagine what attention you may get with the current setups you have now? :D

[@CanFirearmsReview]

We did toy with the Idea of re-doing older reviews and updating them. Might just have to do it someday

[@simonferrer]

Thinking of cost effective alternatives to the Tavor that accomplish the same thing (non-restricted tactical style rifle that's compact but still meets Canadian barrel length requirements, etc), what do you think it would cost to do a bull pup conversion to a common SKS, then add the 7.62 systems mag adapter so you can run the 10 round magazines? I have a rough idea what it would cost in the U.S., but I'm not familiar with the Canadian market.

[@ohcliffy]

That is very very illegal and would cause you to be in possession of a prohibited device, 5yr mandatory sentence! Only bullpups from the factory are allowed in Canada.

[@simonferrer]

Cliff Walker Are you certain? I'll have to look that up. I know you can't cut down a barrel yourself in Canada, but why would putting a SKS in a bullpup stock be illegal if you're not altering barrel length? The overall length of the rifle should be within the law. If changing stocks on a rifle yourself makes it a prohibited device, then you might want to tell all those Canadians posting videos of their SKS's with TAPCO or Archangel stocks that they're breaking the law.

[@ohcliffy]

simonferrer You are twisting my words, and not even doing it well. I said converting a firearm to a BULLPUP configuration is ILLEGAL and will cause one to be in possession of a prohibited device. Only FACTORY MADE bullpups are allowed. Look it up yourself and stop trying to twist meanings when I clearly said the difference!

[@simonferrer]

Cliff Walker Dude, chill out. I'm not Canadian and not familiar with your laws to the extent that a Canadian gun owner would be. That being said, many gun owners repeat internet rumors as fact (i.e. "oh, I heard the .50 Beowulf mags are prohibited now", etc), so I apologize if I didn't take your comment at face value. In the U.S. it is generally _not_ illegal to make personal modifications to firearms, provided that you don't violate the parameters of the 1934 National Firearms Act (i.e, make a weapon fully automatic, cut a shotgun barrel down to less than 18", cut a rifle barrel down to less than 16", reduce the overall length of a long arm to less than 26"). Those are the legal limits that I'm familiar with, so it surprised me that there are limits on what you can do to a firearm aftermarket in Canada. I wasn't trying to twist your words or hem you up.

[@ohcliffy]

simonferrer it's all good man.

[@evincgokkaya4842]

people just writing about this rifle but dont know anything about it......just only saying junk......did u ever 1 time shot with that??? have gen 2 (yea i know gen 1 little problematic but u can fix it) and i burn around 700-800 rounds and i swear god not a single problem i also use it under heavy rain and it doesnt matter it done job very well

[@huaterkang1751]

Do you know LHG from T97?

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

I bought the T97NSR because I liked it as is, I want a reciprocating charging handle, I like the snag free design, I don't mind the mechanical safety that actually locks the rifle mechanism instead of just the trigger. I don't want to turn my T97NSR in an AR15 and find it perfectly functional as is. The only people complaining are those stuck in the idiotic "AR is the standard" mind set. The FTU is not needed even a little bit.

[@CanFirearmsReview]

+TurtleWolf Pack I don't find it idiotic one bit. The AR-15 has flawless ergonomics that allow for easy manipulation. They just make doing simple tasks easy. Makes sense to me, doesn't really seem idiotic at all.

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

***** Charging handle that requires you to dismount the firearm from your shoulder that is also held together by tiny little pins. Tell me again how the AR is "flawless?" I like the AR design but to make the false claim that some after market add on is needed to make a rifle functional and more AR like is simply silly and short sighted. To me the controls on the VZ58 seem some of the best and the way the rifle shoulders with the factory furniture (not the goofball AR style stock adapters, well with some it does) like a very nice 20 gauge upland bird gun and follows targets very well. In comparison the AR feels like a 2x4. Does that make the VZ58 the best? Nope and neither is the AR.

[@CanFirearmsReview]

+TurtleWolf Pack it's called a bolt release and it's located exactly where your hand is when loading a fresh mag. I think the jury is already out on this one lol. Trying to argue in favour of the T97 is idiotic haha. That thing is a nightmare and most would agree. Of course you are entitled to your own opinion

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

***** I'm not arguing in favor of the T97 exactly, I'm stating a case against the AR mentality. As for the jury, the court of public opinion has zero merit in this case. The bolt release is a very fragile, exposed piece on the AR and can easily fail and without a decent charging handle that is a serious knock against the AR15. No other firearm design has such a goofball charging device for a reason. Even Eugene Stoner didn't originally design his rifle with one. The AR10 had a reciprocating charging handle almost identical to the T97.

[@PandaBearShenyu]

+Canadian Firearms Review Stop ruining perfectly good guns with stupid tacticool BS please. This FTU is basically "OMG likeeeee this gun is not exactly like this other gunnnnn what am i gonnnnaaa doooooooo?"

[@blacktoast_2158]

Man I want one of those but they’re banned down here...

[@Sinc-oo9wy]

Watching this almost on Christmas 2024

[@webster7710]

Definitely a needed improvement. That charging handle should reciprocate, though, since it's the only bolt release you have. Much easier to reload if you just have to bump it back a little and let it go forward than pull it all that way back with no resistance and have it slam into what's left of the original charging handle, in my opinion.

[@CanFirearmsReview]

+webster7710 great point, never considered that.

[@webster7710]

+Canadian Firearms Review Thanks. It's just always seemed like an odd design choice to me.

[@shazzzam79]

I almost started the same sort of run down the rabbit hole with my min-30s.... I've decided to just sell them this summer and get something else. I own 3 Rugers (X2 mini-30s and a 10/22 takedown)they are the most useless rifles I own. Can't hit the broad side of a barn with either. My CZ, with the same ammo, I have a group a little larger than a twoonie.... like silver dollar size. So instead of crowning the rifle and an accu-strut and whatever else, it's better to just get something worthwhile. Can't say I would ever buy anything Ruger again though. The T97 looks like more of a pain in the arse than anything. I'd end up tossing it down range with the rest of the junk to shoot at.

[@Morrison889]

Is there any model/mod that has a left handed ejection port?

[@JavedIKQ]

Awesome 👏

[@ratherbecamping5564]

how are you liking the SPARC on it? I'm dancing around that or the strikefire.

[@XX-lm5of]

壮哉我大中华！

[@a.c9993]

@bruce lee 不思进取…

[@a.c9993]

@bruce lee 经费都去了大型装备了…

[@luminous5]

97, 95 姐妹

[@lichunnnnnn]

this one is dope!

[@langqidao]

Nice camo Wish someone could help me to paint it

[@dwsimmy2599]

I still think $800 less for the Norinco is justifiably less expensive compared to the Tavor or the XCR. That's close to $1000, $800 will get you a decent optic or a lot of ammo.

[@Yvesyew]

nice look!

[@Wes_vin]

Old rifle with the chop kit that not every one ever liked cuz you can get a new one with new parts to correct the issue of Usage

[@MumblesMarbleMouth]

Currently price of the Tavor is over the $3000 mark for new ones. You're not even close to Tavor territory.

[@CanFirearmsReview]

+Jake Burma once you add in tax, shipping your time investment, I think it is close.

[@MumblesMarbleMouth]

$2000 isn't close to $3200 + tax. By the way, if you consider your time has value while doing something that's a hobby, then its not actually a hobby.

[@sylvainh2o]

Tavor in Ontario sells at 2500$ with only 5% tax atm the type97 would be still cheaper but at the end prolly better off with a tavor instead of a chinese rifle known to have firing issues. At the end i wouldn't buy either of these. I would be curious to see the new Kel Tech Rdb once it get launched in Canada. Supposed to have a sale price around 1700 can and is fully ambidextruous.

[@MumblesMarbleMouth]

Ontario is 13% tax.

[@sylvainh2o]

gotta buy from outside the province.

[@SuperZFunkey]

yes . . . YES

[@sawadikin]

still F90 the best for me. even bit expensive

[@daboxer181]

Tavor is still at least 7-800$ more than t97 with ftu and Lhg + Tax . !

[@MrLameStar]

A t97 ftu with lhg mod run for arround 1300$ lol thats half the cost of a tavor man.

[@xiaoweitan6754]

safety first because we dont want untrained people can use gun easily, if he is well trained the safety will be on all time when ready to engage

[@DuckiMucky]

i hate the sound of the plastic of this rifle

[@thatdutchguy2882]

The Tavor is shit.

[@rahat9559]

dgdyeus te eyee

[@6565hopepy]

chinese learn something

[@mechacream]

and you learn nothin XD

[@kpd174]

Canadians and guns ahahhahahahahhahahahhhahahahhahah

[@kpd174]

+Jason D but you guys are canadians

[@kpd174]

+Julio Englasis I wouldn't want this gun, I have a tavor x95

[@kpd174]

+Julio Englasis I wouldn't want this gun, I have a tavor x95

[@rodrigomunoz6551]

I always thought Canadians were restricted to hunting firearms. Is it difficult to buy something like an AR-15 or an AK?

[@someguy4502]

You realize that Canadians can buy Tavors right?

[@canabox7112]

Thing with Norenko is you may get a good one or you may get a complete POS. Quality control in China sucks

[@Yeoman7]

What a mess of a rifle.

[@samg9888]

It's a gun that was originally made to take different optics and mags. It's like trying to make an AR-15 take AK 7.62mm mags and mount a Kobra red dot. Things won't fit perfectly unless you really drop a lot of money.

[@hektoriuz]

what a nightmare

[@dajhrm]

T97 = Junk, buy a real carbine not crap.

[@KingKiavash]

This rifle is garbage. Period.

[@dollarsareshackles2096]

Just some bad ergonomics, regardless I've put over 1200 rounds through mine and it just keeps going

[@samg9888]

It's a gun that was originally made to take different optics and mags. It's like trying to make an AR-15 take AK 7.62mm mags and mount a Kobra red dot. Things won't fit perfectly unless you really drop a lot of money.

[@slyfly3732]

this guns garbage, buy a tavor instead

[@romansxlv]

I got the Gen 3 about 4 months ago and I love it