Stainless Steel Auto-Ordinance 1911

D

Darker Loaf

New member
I am new to the 1911 world, but I am interested in the type. I like how that like AR-15's and AK-47 1911's are lego-like an customizable. I am a fan of stainless steel in my firearms or at least durable finishes, because I like to run my guns a lot and I like to carry them and low maintenance appeals to me.

This is the gun in question: http://www.auto-ordnance.com/Firearms/Thompson-1911TCA.asp

I like reliable guns, and so a reliable 1911 is more appealing than a super-accurate one, but I love a nice trigger and am willing to pay for custom work. Just about any 1911 gun short of a Dan Wesson, I'm going to play with a bit. This particular gun would get new VZ G-10 grips, maybe a magwell, a new trigger (if I am not satisfied with the factory trigger), and probably new sights. To me, the plusses are the front-strap checkering (that I'd want on any 1911) and a checkered mainspring.

Does anybody have experience or simply knowledge about the plusses and minuses of a Thompson 1911? Calling 1911 experts.

Oh, I prefer a 1911 that's true to type rather than a more proprietary 1911 (like a Sig or a S&W 1911). Interchangeability of parts is a plus, since I am tinkerer. I know this gun has a full-length guide rod, and I am aware that this makes 1911's slightly potentially more complicated to breakdown (like Springfield TRP's).
 
Oh, a final complaint: the slide logo is too large/obnoxious. But I realize that this plagues many 1911's in general (once again, Dan Wesson has a nicer lower profile logo). But I could live with this or get it removed if the gun is a good starting point.
 
Take a look at Ruger's 1911s.
They are stainless, nicely rendered and well-accessorized from the get-go.

And, BTW, it is "Ordnance"...which relates to weaponry...not "Ordinance" which relates to laws passed (usually) by a town...

Two entirely different word with entirely different meanings.
 
That is a typo and a brain error. I did mean to type "Ordnance" instead.

The Ruger 1911 represents less value for me than the Thompson 1911 (which MSRP's at $866--almost exactly the same price as the Ruger, but with more features I desire). It comes in at $859, though stainless, it doesn't have the front strap checkering that I desire, which would mean paying for custom work.

Other model's I've considered are Sig 1911's (which have proprietary parts including an external extractor), but MSRP's for checkered stainless Sig 1911's MSRP at $1,142, like this one: http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProductDetails/1911-traditional-reverse-two-tone.aspx

That and I've heard that Sig 1911's have problems with reliability.
 
If I had to go up in price to find what I want, I'd probably just get one of these and call it good: http://cz-usa.com/product/dw-valor-45-acp-stainless-tactical-2-dot-tritium-sights-8-rd-mags/

At an MSRP of $1,700, I could probably find it for $200 or so lower, and it would save me replacing the grips (they already have VZ slimline grips--maybe not the color I want, but they have them), the sights, and the front strap checkering, so this would be a relatively complete gun for me, no custom work or parts...

Except I'd probably want a trigger job done... sigh.

It's just at ~$1,500, that's twice the MSRP of the Thompson, which would buy a lot of parts and custom work.
 
Think which pistols are most popular and get the best ratings, the Thompson (auto-Ordnance) would be down the list mainly because of it's bad reputation under a former owner. S&W , Ruger Sig etc, etc, etc, all make neat 1911's of unnumbered variations. Before spending your cash look, fire and fondle many brands. Also look for the word " forged" when checking 1911 frames.
 
The review is really making me strongly consider the pistol. It sounds like a good performer, fairly true-to-form, and high-value.
 
Also look for the word " forged" when checking 1911 frames.
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Among entry-level 1911s that's going to lead him to the Taurus PT1911, which is probably most poorly fitted of them all. Forged frames are nice, but they aren't necessary to produce a good entry-level 1911, and there are hardly any in this price range anyway. There are several other criteria to weigh more heavily at this level.
 
I prefer milled, and I am not considering Taurus 1911's in general. I've heard too many bad things about the company in general (though to those who own and like Tauruses--I am not dissing you or your choices).

I am fine with forged. The Thompson has a forged frame, but that's within my price range... I'd consider a Dan Wesson for a milled frame, but they have forged offerings, just none with a checkered front strap.
 
It's just at ~$1,500, that's twice the MSRP of the Thompson, which would buy a lot of parts and custom work.
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I've been holding out for the Valor... often tempted to scratch the itch with a lesser 1911.

While the Thompson is a decent option, I look at it this way:
- After customizing money, it'll still be a Thompson.
- You have to pray that the custom work turns out good. Could be hit/miss.
- The Valor will always be worth good money bone stock and it'll probably appreciate over time, or otherwise have great heirloom value. A modded Thompson may end up being worth less..?
 
Those are all good points. I am sure a DW would hold value better than a Thompson. I'd probably get the surfaces of the trigger polished at least in a DW, but otherwise, it'd get mostly left alone. I like the Heine sights on the Valors.
 
1911 triggers are easy to tune, and don't usually require either new parts or a gunsmith. On the M1911.org "home page" site there's a series of technical articles. One of them is entitled "Poor Man's Trigger Job." Try it before spending ANY money on a 1911 trigger job.
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Also, Brownell's (I think I got it there anyway.), sells a jig with a gauge to do one's own adjustment of the engagement. I have a fairly recent Colt Commander that came with a very good trigger and that made me desirous of a better trigger on my "FrankenColt" (long story), circa '70's .38 Super Combat Commander. The result was that the FrankenColt has now got just as good of a trigger as the recent production Colt Commander. I'm satisfied.
 
If I were going to buy a gun as a basis for future modification/customization, I'd spend on the "bones".
If the gun is going to be left alone, then choose all the features that you want from the get-go.
I'd consider the A-O to be a poor choice for the former, and a less-poor choice for the latter.
The A-O pistols made in more recent times, since Kahr moved the operation from NY to MA, are pretty good, but I don't think they have as good a reputation as some other guns in the same general price range.
 
It seems to me the high end guns (Colt, Kimber DW, etc) hold their value. Everything else is just anther 1911, so either jump shark and go for a big name or get what you want and plan on adding what features you want. But you'll won't get you money back out of it. Like another person said, a customized AO is still a AO 1911.

I bought a Para expert Stainless a few years ago, for me it wasn't a low end gun. But I see them going used for about $200 less then new. Hind sight being 20/20 I should have ponied (pun intended) up the extra $200 and got the Colt I wanted.
 
You know what i like so i'll just toss this into the mix. There is also potential loss to consider. Lets say you get the AO and after a few mods and range trips you dont love it. your gonna have a lot easier time dumping that gun for what you paid for it then finding someone to buy your DW for close to the purchase price.
 
Dashunde said:
While the Thompson is a decent option, I look at it this way:
- After customizing money, it'll still be a Thompson.
- You have to pray that the custom work turns out good. Could be hit/miss.
- The Valor will always be worth good money bone stock and it'll probably appreciate over time, or otherwise have great heirloom value. A modded Thompson may end up being worth less..?
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IMHO, a comparison between a stock pistol and a customized pistol is irrelevent. If you would leave a Dan Wesson unmodified, why would you not leave a Thompson unmodified?

Conversely, how a custom job will turn out is more a function of the gunsmith doing the work than it is a function of the base pistol. A ham-handed "gunsmith" could just as easily mess up a $3,000 Guncrafters 1911 or a $5,000 Cabot as a Thompson. That's not a reflection on the pistol, it's a reflection on the gunsmith.
 
RickB said:
The A-O pistols made in more recent times, since Kahr moved the operation from NY to MA, are pretty good, but I don't think they have as good a reputation as some other guns in the same general price range.
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But how much of that is the damage done to the brand name by the former owner, Numrich? Pretty much any actual reports on A-Os produced by Kahr are positive, but it takes a lot to rebuild a tarnished reputation.

The M1911.org e-zine has tested two A-O 1911s, the Thompson to which I posted a link above, and some time before that a GI model. Both reviews, by two different reviewers, were favorable.
 
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