Norinco T97NSR Coming to Canada

Norinco T97NSR from North Sylva — Image property of North Sylva

They’re here. Check out my review on the Norinco T97

I found it difficult to find complete information on the new Norinco type 97 rifle that is being manufactured and imported into the country. It looks like a very compact, handy small game rifle and I wanted to collate all the publicly available information possible.

Back in 2008, CanadaAmmo was importing T97A rifles into Canada, but they were deemed prohibited as too easily convertible to fully automatic by the RCMP. This new rifle, the Type 97NSR or T97NSR, is modified so as not to be so easily convertible to fully automatic operation. North Sylva is the importer, and they have had their prototype rifle approved by the RCMP and deemed non-restricted. That prototype is being displayed at gun stores around Canada that have pre-sales for the rifle, such as Wanstalls, SFRC, Frontier Firearms, The Gun Dealer, and more. The North Sylva version is due ~~“Fall/Winter 2013”~~, shipping to customers as of mid-September ~~despite some of the pre-sales still claiming Spring 2013~~ and is retailing for about $1000. Canada Ammo has also started their own pre-sale for the new design at a lower price of $849 and is building them under their own “Dominion Arms” label as the T97NRR. They’re claiming a ~~summer~~/fall timeline.

Norinco T97NSR Specifications (subject to change, confirm with your gun store):

Non restricted class
Chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO
STANAG standard magazines (same as AR15) **Some users have claimed issues fitting PMAGs and other non-GI style magazines.**
- Inconvenient magazine release placement on the magwell.
19″ barrel with muzzle brake, though Canada Ammo’s model claims 18.7″ barrel. In any case, more than the 18.5″ necessary to make the rifle non-restricted.
Bullpup layout resulting in a compact overall length
Carry handle with integrated iron sights (carry handle rails are now available from SFRC and Canada Ammo)
Short stroke gas system with rotating bolt
Weight: 3.9kg (8.6lbs)
Trigger pull: 4-5 lbs (light, but a bit mushy according to some users)
Safety near the buttpad
Many retailers are selling it with 1 magazine and a cleaning kit that fits in the grip.