Chinese NP17
Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 5:07 pm
But the importer thought it was a Chinese T-54 and stamped it as so. Actually, the only difference between a T-54 and an NP17 is the grip design, the magazine well, and caliber. You can see from the pictures that without the NP17 grip the pistol looks to be your run-of-the-mill Tokarev model. The grip from my Chinese 213 grip fits just fine on this model. My Chinese 213 is shown with this NP17 in the pictures below. All these Chinese variants come from the same company, China North Industries Corp. (NORINCO).
Starting in the mid-1950s, the People’s Republic of China joined the club of TT manufacturing countries with the introduction of the Type 54 service pistol. It was also made in the post-1951 pattern, with “star in the circle” plastic grips. China was probably the biggest manufacturer of TT pistols after the USSR, issuing these pistols in large numbers to the People’s Liberation Army, the People’s Armed Police and also liberally exporting basic pistols and modifications to many countries across the world.
China, along with the former Yugoslavia, also became the most prolific manufacturer of modified versions of the TT, offering export modifications with various styles of grips, added manual safeties, and in optional chamberings like 9mm under a variety of names like Norinco Model 201 (in 7.62mm), Norinco Model 213 (in 9mm), M20, TU-90, etc. It seems that the Model 213B (a 9mm version with an added manual safety at the rear of the frame and plastic curved grips) is still manufactured by Norinco for commercial export. In some countries, this model is also sold as the Norinco NP-17 pistol.
Starting in the mid-1950s, the People’s Republic of China joined the club of TT manufacturing countries with the introduction of the Type 54 service pistol. It was also made in the post-1951 pattern, with “star in the circle” plastic grips. China was probably the biggest manufacturer of TT pistols after the USSR, issuing these pistols in large numbers to the People’s Liberation Army, the People’s Armed Police and also liberally exporting basic pistols and modifications to many countries across the world.
China, along with the former Yugoslavia, also became the most prolific manufacturer of modified versions of the TT, offering export modifications with various styles of grips, added manual safeties, and in optional chamberings like 9mm under a variety of names like Norinco Model 201 (in 7.62mm), Norinco Model 213 (in 9mm), M20, TU-90, etc. It seems that the Model 213B (a 9mm version with an added manual safety at the rear of the frame and plastic curved grips) is still manufactured by Norinco for commercial export. In some countries, this model is also sold as the Norinco NP-17 pistol.
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