Kahr Auto Ordnance

[kart racer]

Anyone have any firsthand experience w/these?Looking for an inexpensive 1911 to play with.I don't won't to mess with my loaded springer and I can get one of these for around 360.00.It's their gi version,but has a lowered ejection port,beveled magwell and has the old gi style sights.Just wondering how it compared to the springfield.The few people I have talked to said they needed bushing wrenches to remove the bushing and the fit appears to be good all the way around.Thanks for any info.

 

[cottontoptexan]

Kahr , Auto Ordinance

I have had an Auto Ordinance 1911 since 1996. I ordered it brand new and thought at the time without knowledge of the quality of 1911's that it was a replica of the military model. Well where shall we start. First of all it would not feed anything put to it. The parkerizing on the bottom of the slide balled up like bubble gum and jammed the gun up. Now i finally worked through this and got all the unnecessary parkerizing off of the slide to frame area. Okay the clip was junk and i went to my authentic Colt clip from the Mark IV series 80. Then upon cleaning the gun i noticed the barrel bushing had a crack from one end to the other. I replaced the bushing. Next the front site flew off at the range. Poor staking job. Okay i will have another one put on i said to myself. Okay did that. Finally the gun went full auto with all 7 rounds firing with one pull of the trigger. Broke the gun down and i was amazed at the junk parts put into this gun. The sear spring was just awfull looking. and the sear pin and hammer pin had large deep grooves worn in them. Lots of slack with a poor sear spring caused this gun to go on full auto. I have replaced most everything in the gun including the sloppy firing pin stop , and firing pin and spring among other parts. No way would i have another. Also some of these guns do not have cinsistent tolerances with the Colt and the parts just don't drop in. Save your money. Buy a good GI or Mil Spec Springfield Armory or if you can a new Kimber or better yet a nice clean used Colt. I wish i could go back and do it over again. No More Auto Ordinance for me.
Now i own 2 series 80 Mark IV Colts, 1 Springfield Armory Champion(4"), 1 Kimber Eclipse Pro II. and the paperweight Auto Ordinance. My recomendation on a budget is to buy a Springfield Armory. Good guns and the people in service is good and they are professional.

 

[stans]

Now there is a glowing endorsement for Auto Ordnance!

I had one of the old Auto Ords and it was not all that good. I have used it to learn some gunsmithing skills, so I guess it did have a purpose in life. From what I have read and seen, the new Auto Ords are still a mixed bag. If you get a good one, hang on to it, it will last at least 10,000 rounds, cast steel slides just aren't as durable as forged or barstock. If you get a bad one, you are stuck as they do not hold their resale value.

If it were my money, I would opt for a Springfield Armory. Forged slide and frame, small parts are usually good and aftermarket parts fit with just the normal fitting procedures. The Springfield GI series usually sell for about the same amount as a new Auto Ord, around $400.

 

[Zach S]

Crap IMO. If you want something from AO thats reliable your gonna have to fork out some more cash and get a thompson (I love mine).

I second the suggestion for GI Springer.

 

[McCall911]

I nearly forgot about this, but I owned an Auto Ordnance in 10mm for a very short time. Price was right, but three letters describe it: POS!

 

[Rabid Rabbit]

I just bought a used AO 1911 (made about 1992) cheap $200. I knew all of the warts and problems with it going into the deal. It wouldn't feed, eject, the slide wouldn't etc.... Now it's a project gun and getting most of the interals replaced with quality parts, still haven't decided on a finish yet but I figure by the time I get through with it I'll have a very nice HD/IPDA gun for about $500.

 

[mete]

Please differentiate between the old Auto ordnance [POS] and the new AO which is now owned by Kahr !!! Since the old AO was junk it seems dumb that Kahr kept the name AO and will always [as this thread shows] be tainted by the name AO....Though I have no personal experience with the Kahr/AO if it's anything like the Kahr pistols it will be good.

 

[stans]

As I stated before, from what I have seen and read, the new ones are still a mixed bag. Changing the name won't help as witnessed by AMT, which folded and was reincarnated as Irwindale Arms which folded and was reincarnated as Galena Industries which folded. Same products, same quality (or lack thereof) just a name change. Khar Arms promised to revamp and improve the whole Thompson Auto Ordnance line of firearms, can't say I've seen evidence of such as of yet.

 

[McCall911]

Okay, the Rev Sun Myung Moon may not like anyone criticizing Auto Ordnance pistols nowadays.

(Just a joke, folks !)

 

[Zach S]

Changing the name won't help as witnessed by AMT, which folded and was reincarnated as Irwindale Arms which folded and was reincarnated as Galena Industries which folded. Same products, same quality (or lack thereof) just a name change.

Galena Industies didnt change the name on AMT pistols, at least not on the few I've seen. Dont know about Irwindale Arms, dont think I've heard of them. I do that that AMTs were produced in Irwindale CA for a while, mine was made in Covina, which if I'm not mistaken was before Irwindale, like it matters anyway since they're so close and built crap.

 

[cbsbyte]

I have never read or heard anything negative about the Kahr AO 1911s, which are manufactured from 2000 on. Many people still associtate the Kahr AO with the old pre 2000 models without realizing Kahr is making them, and in a new factory in Mass. Also Kahr is now changing the name to Thompson Auto-oradance to differeante between the different products.

 

[glocker1911]

Another vote for Springers GI or Mil Spec models. These are great guns for the money. I recently found a LNIB used OD GI. Made a few mods (trigger, grips, mainspring housing, guide rod, and added high visibilty paint to the tiny sights.) Gun shoots and handles as nice as any Springfield "loaded" I've owned, and I'm only into it for $425.