Auto Ordnance 1911

MassMark

MassMark

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I did a quick search and found a couple of older threads about the Auto Ordnance 1911s. I was picking up Bianchi SpeedStrips today at a local haunt and the dealer had one for $520.00 NIB. It is a near ringer for a USGI 1911 - no frills, fixed sights, parked, wood grips. Fit and finish seemed decent - feel, well it's a 1911. The price seemed right, (looking for a shooter and a carbine course sidearm). Anyone with any new skinny on these. He also had 3 Colts which were so nice as to be a drool festival...Thanks.
 
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MassMark said:
I did a quick search and found a couple of older threads about the Auto Ordinance 1911s. I was picking up Bianchi SpeedStrips today at a local haunt and the dealer had one for $520.00 NIB. It is a near ringer for a USGI 1911 - no frills, fixed sights, parked, wood grips. Fit and finish seemed decent - feel, well it's a 1911. The price seemed right, (looking for a shooter and a carbine course sidearm). Anyone with any new skinny on these. He also had 3 Colts which were so nice as to be a drool festival...Thanks.
Click to expand...



z0mbi wasn't real thrilled with his:

http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=30295&highlight=Auto+Ordinance
 
I bought one and found that it hit to point of aim but jammed every 2 or 3 rounds. Auto Ordnance replaced the barrel and paid for the shipping both ways. great service and the gun will now feed anything including wadcutters.
 
MassMark said:
Don't worry - I followed my gut and walked. The Colts however were hard to pass up...Stellar just stellar and priced accordingly...[wink]
Click to expand...

Was looking for second (inexpensive) 1911 in .45ACP to supplement my Gold Cup. Came very close to picking up the Auto-Ordnance because I couldn't find any RIAs or Norincos. Wounded up paying a little extra and getting another Colt. Man, those ponies are hard to say no too.
 
$520.00 is way too much.
And you get what you pay for.
Save a little more and get a used S&W 1911.
Don't jump just to get a cheap 1911 you will be sorry and the purchase will haunt you forever.
 
JDL SALES said:
$520.00 is way too much.
And you get what you pay for.
Save a little more and get a used S&W 1911.
Don't jump just to get a cheap 1911 you will be sorry and the purchase will haunt you forever.
Click to expand...

Thanks much John. I'm still searching for a .45ACP as a general defense gun. I'm not looking for a race gun, or anything fancy schmancy - just an accurate, reliable, no frills center mass shooter. I'm still leaning Sig and am talking to a member about one, but I still have a fondness for the 1911....
 
I've got one and it is ok for what I paid, allways has fired, decent fit and finish, But is is a low end gun compared to the wifes 1911 colt. (it's the real deal but modified.)
If you want to shoot one come on down and we will go to the pit and pop some caps. I paid around 400 for it.
 
Just to resurrect an old thread here, I was looking for a low end, but reliable 1911 myself. Was originally looking for a RIA or Norinco, but couldn't find any. Wounded up picking up a used, but LNIB Colt SS 1991 NRM instead for a lot more money. The problem is, the Colt has turned out to be so nice, I didn't want to abuse it so now I was back to looking for yet another low end 1911. Damn 1911s are like an addiction.

Anyway, I checked around and really couldn't find anything better than an Auto-Ordnance WWII Repro (or rather attempt at a repro) when it came to purchasing a new gun. Even at a rather steep $519, it was still significantly cheaper than a used SW. I think I have to resolved myself to accept that 1911s are just plain expensive in this state no matter how you cut it. Anyway, before biting the bullet so to speak, I checked one out at FS just to be sure. I was actually surprised at the quality (comparatively speaking, of course) that Kahr has been put into this gun. Granted, it's no Colt, but it's still light years from the AOs I used to know back in the West Hurley days. Those guns were just slightly better than AMT, but that does not say much considering AMT is at the bottom of the list when it comes to 1911s. All the classic lines of the 1911s are there, the holes appear to be in the correct place, the finish was even, the feed ramp and barrel throat were polished, the extractor appeared to be barstock and not MIM, and both recoil and firing pin springs were of adequate weight and then some. I'm told the frames are cast, however I didn't notice any obvious signs of it like the older AOs.

Aside from the crappy mag that was included and some stiffness in getting the slide release to pop out, I'm fairly satisfied with this AO thus far. Of course, I may change my mind if the front sight comes off one of these days during firing, but for now.......

autoordnance_left.jpg

autoordnance_right.jpg
 
MassMark said:
Me too, because that's all I want - a .45 that I can beat the snot out of, not care what it looks like, can hit COM, is reliable and not $1,000.00 [shocked]
Click to expand...

Then buy a Glock! but don't come crying when you get a KB!! [laugh]

No, really I don't like the Auto Ordnances either. There's been a used one at my local shop for quite a while that no one has taken yet. They're just the lower end of the 1911 quality spectrum. I paid $550 for my Colt series '70 back in 2000, so it would drive me nuts to buy an AO for $520.
The SW 1911's are very nice quality but I can't get over the external extractor. And, as stated, they've yet to make any basic GI/Milspec models.
I don't need forward serrations, ambi safety, beavertail grip safety, light rails or any of that crap.
 
No thanks - I'm all set with Glocks. Unless a great deal pops up on a 1911, I'm likely going with a used Sig 220. As much as I like 1911's, they are just to cost prohibitive for my needs. Though, Rock Island Armory makes about what I'm looking for in a 1911 for a decent price...EddieCoyle's RIA 1911 in 38 Super was like a laser beam...
 

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