First let me start by saying that I am not a 1911 expert in any way. I have had a SS Series 80 Colt Govt model for about 16 years and aside from some exotic looking grips, I have left it stock.
One day I felt the need to have a basic parkerized mil spec 1911. Just a bare bones, plain jane, knock around .45. Not pretty, not match grade tight, not bright shiney and pretty like my Colt, but a shooter. I wanted teeny little sights and a lanyard. I also didnt want to pay a lot!
I refused to pay a grand for the new Colt WWII replica. I looked around for a Springfield Armory, but I couldnt find one that fit my criteria. I saw one at a gun show for $440 + tax, but it had 3 dot high profile sights with the new lock on the grip safety. I might have bought it, but the guy was kinda rude when I asked him if he could do a little better on the price.
I knew Auto Ordnance made a mil spec 1911, but I kept reading bad things about them on this board. I did a little more research and learned that they were now much better since Kahr Arms purchased A-O. I saw one in a gun shop and it looked liked just what I was looking for, but I still want sure. The trigger looked like black plastic and the thumb safety looked too black to match the rest the duller parkerized gun. I have since learned that this piece was probably cast. It was $448 + tax. I decided to think about it and to contact a buddy of mine with an FFL to see if he could better on the price.
My friend tried to convince me to get something other that the A-O because of their prior bad rep. However, I stuck to my guns (so to speak) and he told me he could get me one for $410 and that he could have it for me the next day. I told him to go ahead and order it.
The next day and $410 later I had my new A-O 1911. My buddy remarked that it was the best looking A-O he had ever seen. The trigger was not plastic on mine, but parkerized metal. The thumb safety was not cast but forged and matched the rest of the gun perfectly. The rest of the finish looked great too. I immediately took it apart and found it to be pretty tight all around, with a solid bushing and no firing pin safety. I was a little worried that it might be too tight.
The fit and finish are great. It has teeny little sights, a lanyard and dark brown plastic grips. "Model 1911A1 US Army" is stamped on the slide. It comes with a lockable plastic case, a cable lock and one 7 round mag. The mag has a circle with a "K" in it and ".45 auto made in USA" stamped on it. It is also parkerized and has a round follower. It also came with a spent Winchester casing in a small sealed envelope with the gun's serial number printed on it. The envelope was initialed by Dave Ducharme and dated 08/16/01. The manual states that the slide is a 4140 chrome moly steel forging and that the frame is 4140 steel investment casting. The manual also recommends the use of only 230 grain hardball. However the feed ramp is smoother and brighter than my Colt's.
How does it shoot? Like I said, I'm no 1911 expert, but I have to say it did well. I loaded up the factory mag, my Colt SS mag, an old Randal SS mag and a junk no name SS mag with a combo of Wolf 230 grain ball, 10 year old Winchester Silver Tips and some nasty looking 185 grain Alpha Delayed Expansion hollow points that looked like they would choke a horse. I had never heard of these, they were given to me.
I only had 50 of the HP ammo and it digested all but one that it refused to feed no matter what mag I used or where I put it in the stack. No problem with the 7 Silver Tips. One stove pipe and about four hang ups with the Wolf ammo where it did not go completely into battary. I'm guessing it didnt like the steel casing. A total of about 300 rounds in all. Most of the time all I did was load mags and fire into a a man sized target at 25 yards looking for jams. I had no problem hitting it while shooting rather quickly. I did try the sights a few times and didnt have much trouble hitting where I aimed with them. They had no problem helping me bounce an empty ammo box around the dirt.
I was very pleased with its performance considering what it is and what I paid for it. I will probably buy some more hardball brass cased ammo for it and shoot it some more next week to finish breaking it in.
I hope this "little" review helps anyone considering buying one of these. I really like mine. I already ordered a set of walnut diamond patterned grips for it.
J.R.
One day I felt the need to have a basic parkerized mil spec 1911. Just a bare bones, plain jane, knock around .45. Not pretty, not match grade tight, not bright shiney and pretty like my Colt, but a shooter. I wanted teeny little sights and a lanyard. I also didnt want to pay a lot!
I refused to pay a grand for the new Colt WWII replica. I looked around for a Springfield Armory, but I couldnt find one that fit my criteria. I saw one at a gun show for $440 + tax, but it had 3 dot high profile sights with the new lock on the grip safety. I might have bought it, but the guy was kinda rude when I asked him if he could do a little better on the price.
I knew Auto Ordnance made a mil spec 1911, but I kept reading bad things about them on this board. I did a little more research and learned that they were now much better since Kahr Arms purchased A-O. I saw one in a gun shop and it looked liked just what I was looking for, but I still want sure. The trigger looked like black plastic and the thumb safety looked too black to match the rest the duller parkerized gun. I have since learned that this piece was probably cast. It was $448 + tax. I decided to think about it and to contact a buddy of mine with an FFL to see if he could better on the price.
My friend tried to convince me to get something other that the A-O because of their prior bad rep. However, I stuck to my guns (so to speak) and he told me he could get me one for $410 and that he could have it for me the next day. I told him to go ahead and order it.
The next day and $410 later I had my new A-O 1911. My buddy remarked that it was the best looking A-O he had ever seen. The trigger was not plastic on mine, but parkerized metal. The thumb safety was not cast but forged and matched the rest of the gun perfectly. The rest of the finish looked great too. I immediately took it apart and found it to be pretty tight all around, with a solid bushing and no firing pin safety. I was a little worried that it might be too tight.
The fit and finish are great. It has teeny little sights, a lanyard and dark brown plastic grips. "Model 1911A1 US Army" is stamped on the slide. It comes with a lockable plastic case, a cable lock and one 7 round mag. The mag has a circle with a "K" in it and ".45 auto made in USA" stamped on it. It is also parkerized and has a round follower. It also came with a spent Winchester casing in a small sealed envelope with the gun's serial number printed on it. The envelope was initialed by Dave Ducharme and dated 08/16/01. The manual states that the slide is a 4140 chrome moly steel forging and that the frame is 4140 steel investment casting. The manual also recommends the use of only 230 grain hardball. However the feed ramp is smoother and brighter than my Colt's.
How does it shoot? Like I said, I'm no 1911 expert, but I have to say it did well. I loaded up the factory mag, my Colt SS mag, an old Randal SS mag and a junk no name SS mag with a combo of Wolf 230 grain ball, 10 year old Winchester Silver Tips and some nasty looking 185 grain Alpha Delayed Expansion hollow points that looked like they would choke a horse. I had never heard of these, they were given to me.
I only had 50 of the HP ammo and it digested all but one that it refused to feed no matter what mag I used or where I put it in the stack. No problem with the 7 Silver Tips. One stove pipe and about four hang ups with the Wolf ammo where it did not go completely into battary. I'm guessing it didnt like the steel casing. A total of about 300 rounds in all. Most of the time all I did was load mags and fire into a a man sized target at 25 yards looking for jams. I had no problem hitting it while shooting rather quickly. I did try the sights a few times and didnt have much trouble hitting where I aimed with them. They had no problem helping me bounce an empty ammo box around the dirt.
I was very pleased with its performance considering what it is and what I paid for it. I will probably buy some more hardball brass cased ammo for it and shoot it some more next week to finish breaking it in.
I hope this "little" review helps anyone considering buying one of these. I really like mine. I already ordered a set of walnut diamond patterned grips for it.
J.R.
