The Kahr/Auto Ordnance M1911A1
I stopped in a local gun store this morning to pick up some carry ammunition, and while there, I saw a new GI type 1911 underneath the glass. It did not appear to be a Springfield GI45, so I became curious and asked to see it. It was a Kahr/Auto Ordnance M1911A1. 
I had heard about this pistol as an alternative to the Springfield GI 45, so I gave it a once over.
I honestly could not help but compare it to an authentic M1911A1, after all, that is what it was trying to imitate. The stainless steel barrel shone through the ejection port like a million candle spotlight. The trigger appeared to be plastic with two small holes through it. The frame appeared to be cast. I was pleased to see that the thumb safety was styled after the GI "nubbin" safety, and the lanyard looped mainspring housing was steel. The wide spur hammer was a nice touch. The rollmark was discreet, a simple small "Model 1911A1 US Army" mark on the left side of the slide. The slide serrations were vertical. The parkerized pistol came with one magazine. The store was asking $499 for it, a good deal judging from the auction sites.
All in all, the Auto Ordnance pistol looked the part. With a bit of wear, a stamped M1911A1 trigger, a blackened barrel, and some real surplus grips, It could initially fool those who are not really familiar with GI pistols. I could not place my finger on exactly what, but something seemed to be out of spec dimensionally. Before Kahr took over Auto Ordnance, the reported reliability of these pistols was spotty. They have supposedly improved now. At $500 though, I think I would just buy a Springfield GI45 instead.
I had heard about this pistol as an alternative to the Springfield GI 45, so I gave it a once over. I honestly could not help but compare it to an authentic M1911A1, after all, that is what it was trying to imitate. The stainless steel barrel shone through the ejection port like a million candle spotlight. The trigger appeared to be plastic with two small holes through it. The frame appeared to be cast. I was pleased to see that the thumb safety was styled after the GI "nubbin" safety, and the lanyard looped mainspring housing was steel. The wide spur hammer was a nice touch. The rollmark was discreet, a simple small "Model 1911A1 US Army" mark on the left side of the slide. The slide serrations were vertical. The parkerized pistol came with one magazine. The store was asking $499 for it, a good deal judging from the auction sites.
All in all, the Auto Ordnance pistol looked the part. With a bit of wear, a stamped M1911A1 trigger, a blackened barrel, and some real surplus grips, It could initially fool those who are not really familiar with GI pistols. I could not place my finger on exactly what, but something seemed to be out of spec dimensionally. Before Kahr took over Auto Ordnance, the reported reliability of these pistols was spotty. They have supposedly improved now. At $500 though, I think I would just buy a Springfield GI45 instead.
posted by Xavier at 11:55 AM
4 Comments:
The Kahr/Auto Ordnance 1911A1's have the Series 80 firing pin safety, according to the website.
With more and more gun companies offering 1911A1's these days, I don't know how much longer K/AO will continue to do so. They're having much more success with their .30 M1 Carbines, so maybe they'll focus on those or even add M1 Garands.
I had one that I shot quite a bit. It was pre Kahr, not that I have anything against Kahr I own two, and reliability was 100%. The trigger was adequate, not great but okay. As far as accuracy went, it shot to point of aim with 230 gn ball and you could bounce a coffee can around all day at 25 yards. I don't remember it having any plastic parts and the gun was blue not parkerized. I believe it was meant to compete against the commercial Colt pistols of the time. I must say that I’ve owned and shot worse!
I bought one of those about three years ago. It was horribly unreliable, refusing to feed any type of JHP ammo, and occasionally jamming with 230-grain ball.
I sold it without regret. If I do get another GI-style 1911, I'll just go Springfield.
Bought mine not too long after Katrina, and have had almost no problems with it. Managed to eventually shoot the plunger tube loose, and the front sight slot was enough out of spec that when I had tritiums put on, Morrey had to add a dab of Acraglass to fix the sight in place. I've swapped a number of parts on it to fiddle & tweak things. Oh, and the pin for the hammer was a bit out of true. That was the only part replaced which was replaced for a mechanical reason. It's fed everything I've thrown at it so far, from steel cased Wolf FMJ's assorted hollowpoints, and +P Federal EFMJ.
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