Auto Ordnance 1911 for "mil-spec" project gun?

Please hear me out on my reasons for this before anyone pounces. First off, I currently live in MA (which I hope to resolve sooner rather than later) where I can't buy a Colt unless it's a Competition model. Tempting, but I want an old GI plain jane 1911. So I've done hours of reading on here about RIAs, Springfields, Remmy R1s, Inlands, and Auto Ordnances. I'd prefer something made in the USA, so other than a Colt Government model that I can't get, Auto Ordnance looks to be the truest to original form for 1911/1911A1s. Is there anything I'm missing if I decide to get the Auto Ordance and just treat it as a project gun, over time replacing any internals I feel the need to and getting the shim to eliminate the series 80 firing pin block?

Wow thanks everyone for the responses.

rskent said:

Auto Ordinance doesn’t have the best reputation, but if you check it out in person before you buy it, why not.

I am not sure why you would want to take out the drop safety. If it messes with your trigger pull there are things you can do to fix the trigger pull without taking out the safety. Also keep in mind that a lot of series 80 guns (not at all sure about AO guns) have a different hammer. And a lot of series 70 type guns (not at all sure about AO guns) use a different firing pin. In the end its your gun, but you may want to be careful not to drop it.

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rskent, I did a bunch of reading on series 70, pre-series 70, and series 80 too. I'm more educated but not really any more sure what I care for than before. I'm not sure I would remove the firing pin block, just saying I could if I wanted to make it as original as possible.

larryh1108 said:

The old AO guns were the ones with the bad reputation. Kahr bought them out several years back and since then I have not heard about any issues. If you do get the Kahr made AO then it will be close to the "mil-spec" gun you desire. For conversation, can't you buy an existing Colt that you desire or do you want to stay away from used guns? Also, why can't you buy a new Colt there? It only has a 7-8 round mag. What can be so onerous about a Colt?

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larryh, don't make the mistake of trying to apply logic to Massachusetts...the whole state is impervious to it. Because we couldn't buy them new at all for so long here, existing Colt's in the state are VERY expensive. You could drop $2,000 easily. As for new ones, it's only very recently the Competition models only were allowed in. It's not the mag capacity (we're still 10 rounds for new guns here), it's the AG's list. You see every handgun sold in MA has to be approved on two lists, the AG's and another I forget what it's called or who's in charge of it. If a handgun is on one and not the other, it's a no go. Unless as in the case of glocks and other things you're a government employee or someone THEY think is trustworthy, then they will allow you to have it. It's very arbitrary and they can pretty much do whatever they want with it, as demonstrated by the fiat decision on no new ARs and AKs (and according to them, if you already own one they won't do anything about it "for now").

AlexanderA said:

The Auto Ordnance / Kahr is pretty close to the WW2 GI gun. (I have two of them.) As you point out, the biggest difference is that it has the Series 80 style firing pin safety. To remove that, you need the special spacer for the frame. You should also replace the firing pin, firing pin spring, firing pin retainer plate, and extractor with GI parts. On mine, I also replaced the magazines, grip safeties, recoil spring plugs, and triggers for maximum authenticity. (AO uses an "intermediate" trigger that is neither the long nor the short type.)

If all I wanted was a shooter, I wouldn't have bothered with any of this stuff. But I'm a collector, and authenticity is important to me.

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AlexanderA, when you say GI parts do you mean GI spec or are you getting GI surplus innards from somewhere? And where are some places you've used for parts? Thank you.

AlexanderA said:

Actual GI parts. I had most of what I needed, including barrels and slides, in my spares stash from years ago. The rest I picked up at gun shows. (I've been doing this stuff for about 50 years.)

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Oh boy. I wonder what the availability of those parts will be up in these parts. Thanks for the info, though. Much appreciated.

CapnMac said:

I have a recent-production AO. Runs just fine. Parts all work--and without having to mike and stone them, either.
Looks the treat, too:

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Looks great, Capn!

bannockburn said:

If you're looking for the closest to the original M1911A1 and made in the U.S. then I would say go with a new Auto Ordnance. I got a Springfield Armory M1911A1 not long after they were first introduced here. Was wanting pretty much a basic 1911 for the range and back then Colt Governments were more money and harder to come by. Mine is pretty much G.I. issue except for the slanted slide serrations. Never bothered me in the slightest and it's a solid, well made pistol.

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bannockburn, first of all nice name. Cool historical reference. Thanks for the feedback. I had noticed the slanted slide serrations, but probably what made up my mind on the Springfield more (besides not USA made) was the modern sights. Yet yours are the old combat sights. Were those stock when you got yours?

My grandfathers are with the Lord now but they were in the service in WWII. They never saw combat that I heard about (one was on a Navy cruiser in the latter part of the war at 17 years old, the other did telegraph lines in Patton's 3rd Army), but getting something true to what they qualified on would make me happy. A big part of that to me is the basic sights many of us are so not used to today. Raises the hair on my neck trying to imagine using it against charging Japs in the dark or a midnight prisoner raid on a Kraut FOP! Point and shoot indeed.

The Evangelist Cowboy said:

I had a newer one as well, I shot over 2k rounds of tula, 300 Winchester defender ammo, 975 Winchester whitebox out of it... Not one hiccup, however get rid of the mag it comes with and get more reputable mags

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Evangelist Cowboy, great to know. And cool avatar.