I picked-up this GAL (KSN Industries, Israel) M1911 Commander sized (sorta) clone today and was wondering if anyone here knew anything about it. It was imported by J.O. Arms Houston, TX.

Pretty low serial XXX75. Star of David stamped on the frame, slide, barrel. Hard chromed frame.

Kareen!!!

They made good "shooter" Hi Power clones. I've owned a few and still have one. I never knew they made a 1911 clone. Should make a good shooter though.

The early ones with the stars are supposed to be made in Israel and later M5000 versions made by Norinco. To be honest I'm wondering if all of them aren't Norinco Compacts to start with and they were run through Israel to get away from the import ban restrictions.

Here is a pic of a Norinco Compact...Sure looks like the GAL other than the front profile/grooves.

JO Arms was the importer - I know that much.

As for the frames, there were all kinds of rumors about the hi power clones. Made by FEG, Arcus, eventually made in Israel, etc. I believe the Star of David stamp was an acceptance stamp for security use (military or police). I have a Kareen MK2 with the stamp, and a "FEG" with no stamp that was an Israeli import - probably a spoil of war (why I put FEG in quotations - for all I know it was built in a basement in Lebanon and issued to some camel jockey soldier during the 6 day war - shoots OK though).  Everybody knows they were not above stamping "Browning" all over their Hi Power copies.

I have one of these and bought it NIB back in the 90s. I responded in your GD thread.

The only Israeli Star of David proofs I am familiar with has a Hebrew marking inside the star.

Greener:



Mauser:



GAL stars.

I checked mine and it does have the Star of David stamps as shown in the above pics...never noticed the marks before!

Mine came with a no-name rubber wrap-around grip (with finger grooves). My number starts around the 5xxxxx range. Put a solid (2 piece) guide rod in it right away (back then) and allen-head screws in the grips. Otherwise, its all factory. The factory magazine is black with a metal/flat bumper like most 1911 magazines. Its been a solid shooter for several hundred rounds and don't ever recall any malfunctions with it. With its age I've started to think it may need new springs, but haven't researched which spring(s) to get for it :(. I also dry-ran a few of my newer magazines through it recently and some magazines would not feed properly (10 rd McCormick? can't recall) but my other 1911s had no issues with any of my magazines, using the same method. I know the real test would involve sending rounds down range and letting the slide do its thing, but with its age, I am thinking it needs springs anyway. It wound up set aside as a project while a new 191, not necessarily better, took its place (a scandium bobtail).

The factory uber-small plastic box has a Star of David on it and also has Model 5000 on the box. Paid just less than $400 back in the day. Also, I always liked to think I could see machining marks on the levers and slide (you?).