Info on Auto Ordnance Commemorative

[Diesle]

I suppose I could try calling Kahr (they purchased A.O./Thompson) for some info… but I though Id try you all as well.

I have kind of inherited an Auto Ordnance 1911 commemorative. On the slide it is engraved In Honor Of The 1st Cavalry Division “Hell For Leather†“First Teamâ€. On the grips it has the 1st Cavalry shield surrounded by WWII Korea Vietnam Gulf. Its glossy blue with glossy rosewood grips and gold hardware. The slide engraving looks to be a shade of gold. Its serial #AOC43### and is also marked CAV050 next to the serial number. Numbers match on the slide…. Never been fired, no box, no magazine, original tag with statement of liability and matching serial numbers…

I’ve seen a number of different A.O. commemoratives online but I couldn’t find one red speck of info on this one. Obviously it’s been made some time in the last 11 years as it commemorates the Gulf war along with the others.

Anybody have one that’s similar? What did you pay for it? Was this produced as a shiny commemorative piece of crap or is it of solid construction? What year is it from? How many in the run? Was it sold to the general public or exclusively?

Any general A.O. Commemorative info or info specific to this piece will be greatly appreciated!

Diesle

 

[Detritus]

Don't have one, just gopnna relate what i've seen of AO in general and "commeratives" 1911s overall.

Some AOs are good (have met a number of guys who love them), some are better used decoy anchors. unfortunately the only way to find out which you have is to first have it gone over by a smith to see if there are OBVIOUS defects, etc. and then if nothing obvious, shoot the thing to see if it actually works....

(the rest of this post I am going to assume that should the gun prove to NOT have a signifigant above average value, that you will keep it and possibly choose to use it as a "fancy looking shooter" but that's just what I'd do in such a situation.... lol)

My thinking is that this is one of the "comemerative" 1911A1s that we're always seeing in the Military History magazines (Vietnam, WWII, Military history /heritage etc) and therefore does not really have the collector interest of some others (the "first world war comerative"1911A1 was a REAL flop ). so what I would do is check to see how many Pistols like yours were actually produced. then if it isn't a fairly LOW number (and sometimes even when it IS a low number), you have a fancy "shooter" and should proceed with the "gunsmith once over, then shoot it" route

also, and i don't mean to be discouraging, just realistic, but since these pistols were really and truly sold not as "shooters" but to be put in a shadow box type display case and used as decoration, etc. the odds favor it being a "guilded cowpie" to paraphrase my father.

but as always in the case of such guns, continue to do as you're doign now. Keep asking around if nothing maybe you can find out WHO to ask abotu this particular run and it's REAL collectability (ie if it has any).

well good luck, and i hope you find the info you need