Auto Ordnance A1 1911 US Army

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bearhunter

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I've Googled this pistol and found some old reports on other sites.

Does anyone here have any experience with this clone? Like everything else, condition is everything, when it comes to price. Price in the US seems to be around $425 NIB.

They complain about malfunctions and accuracy issues. They also imply the pistols may have been made with GI parts, purchased from Century International, which is located in the same area as the pistols are made.

Any hands on or factual information would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance:)
 
I have seen a few of them in the mid 1990's but few since. There are sopme good reports and some bad comments. They appear to be on the lower end of the price range and very basic cosmetically. I guess you get what you pay for. Definitely not a S&W, STI, Wilson or Kimber, but a good functioning gun.
 
They are a basic 1911 made to the original USGI design. AO had rather bad quality control issues before they were acquired by Kahr. Recent units get a much better quality rating. That said if I wanted a basic, quality 1911 closely following the original design at a decent price I'd personally look at Springfield Armory's GI over AO but that's a personal prefereance and they are about $200 more than the AO. The STI Spartan is good quality in about the same price range as the Springfield but departs signifcantly from the USGI design.

I personally prefer Colt but that's a whole new price range.
 
If price is a concern, spend a bit more and get an STI Spartan. The Spartan is wickedly accurate out of the box and the best bang for your 1911 .45 dollar, IMHO.

Don't cheap out on a gun - the price difference is really not that big. My friend got a Spartan less than a year ago for well under a thousand out the door, delivered (I think he bought from CGN sponsor ARMCO). It's a real quality piece - a true 'keeper'. By comparison, the Auto Ordnance is a quality P.O.S.

Guns last forever, so why cheap out? If you can spend $500 on an AO, you can afford $800 for a Spartan, even if you have to wait a bit to save up the extra cash. Because of the demand for the Spartan (quality, accuracy etc.), you probably have to place an order and wait anyway, allowing you to save the extra bucks.

Buy cheap and you'll regret it. At the sub-$1000 1911 price range, it really is a case of spend a bit more, get a LOT more. Trust me.
 
Price isn't reall a concern. I was more interested in the pistol adhering to conventional early Colt design. I know there are some differences but decent clones are few and far between. A fellow in the US really likes the Norinco pistols much more than the AO and feels that the quality is better as well.
 
The exterior of the current Auto Ord GI 1911A1 is fairly faithful to the USGI 1911A1's of WWII era. I say exterior as it is well known that this pistol has the firing pin block safety system internally that is not consistent to the WWII era USGI pistols or to the original 1911 design for that matter. That said, I have handled a number of them and am generally impressed with them but not so much so to shell out for one. Those I have spoken to that actually own one of the current batch have been impressed with them as 'shooters', though. Probably what has kept me from buying one is that I already have a couple of 'shooters' that are actually real USGI pistols.

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NAA.
 
If price isn't a concern, but adherence to the original design is then go to the horse's mouth. Colt Series 70's have the original non-firiing pin block actions. Or all the way back and get one of the Colt WWI reproductions that are as close as you'll likely get to a brand new period 1911. New Series 70's are about $1200. The WWI repros about $1500 new. Of course cheaper deals can be had by careful perusing the sued market. SOmetimes you have to wait for what you want to show up that way of ocurse.
 
I'd prefer the Springfield over the Auto Ordnance. Rather than a firing ping block, it uses a lightweight firing pin and heavier firing pin spring to help mitigate drop-discharge possibilities. The only other non-GI feature is an integral locking mechanism in the mainspring housing that prevents the hammer from moving. (Really don't need a trigger lock on this one :) ) You can either just not lock it or change the MSH to remove it entirely.
 
There was an advert for Springfield GI's on the EE not long ago from one of the dealers sites above, Frontier I think. And Del Selins had an AO GI listed in the E too I think.
 
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