Posted: 1/4/2014 10:32:57 AM EDT
| I've been thinking about getting a 1911 for a while. I have an opportunity to get an Auto-Ordnance 1911 through their instructor program for a great price. I was wondering if anyone here has experience or opinions about them. The specific model would be the 1911PKZSEW. My only prior experience with 1911s is shooting my dad's S&W E Series. Any help would be much appreciated. |
| I have one. I had to send it in for repairs (the rear sights were loose) but it is a well built pistol. It is put together well and when I called kahr and told them about the problem they were very helpful. I just boxed it up this morning ill let you know how it goes. Their cs seems great theybare gonna do trigger work and polish the ramp for free |
| A friend and I both purchased 1911's around the same time a couple of years ago. I went with a Rock Island 1911 A1 and he purchased the Auto Ordinance your considering. Both have been solid, dependable pistols. Because of my declining vision, I ended up replacing the OEM sights on mine with a 10-8 rear and MGW front blade. I also ended up swapping in a lanyard loop mainspring housing and a wide spur hammer something my friend didn't have to do as his pistol had them from the get-go. As far as I know, both pistols have good reputations from folks posting reviews on the net. Our experience supports this view. |
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Not supposed to give out prices of the program, but lets just say after shipping and my FFL fees it would be under $400 Quoted:
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What is the price? If above $500 I would get a SA Mil spec instead. Not supposed to give out prices of the program, but lets just say after shipping and my FFL fees it would be under $400 I say go for it then. Or buy a Phillipino 1911 like a RIA. |
| The warranty card in the box says 1 year but when I called they said 5 and they told me once the 5 was up they would still repair it for free as long as the problem wasnt due to some modification I made. I talked to the same guy both times I called. I got the sense thry were really serious about cs |
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The warranty card in the box says 1 year but when I called they said 5 and they told me once the 5 was up they would still repair it for free as long as the problem wasnt due to some modification I made. I talked to the same guy both times I called. I got the sense thry were really serious about cs perhaps they should change it on the web site. they lost a sale due to this oversight. 
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Not supposed to give out prices of the program, but lets just say after shipping and my FFL fees it would be under $400 Quoted:
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What is the price? If above $500 I would get a SA Mil spec instead. Not supposed to give out prices of the program, but lets just say after shipping and my FFL fees it would be under $400 Hell yeah! For that price. I don't hear hardly anything about AO any more. They had a terrible reputation years ago. My local shop 15 years ago told me he would not even order them for me because he was tired of fixing them after he sold them. Now they are owned by Kahr. Honestly I do not know why Kahr bought a company who had such a bad rap. I have no idea of their quality now. Does Kahr build them in-house, here in the USA? |
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At that price it would be a killer deal!
From the 1911 Buyer's Guide: Auto Ordnance 1911A1 Auto Ordnance has been making GI replicas for many years and for years, these guns earned a well-deserved reputation for sub par workmanship. I think they have improved a great deal over time and I’ve never had an issue with mine. That said, I’m not in love with the trigger or the rather rough parkerized finish. It is close to the real USGI in spec with its small sights, proper hammer, checkered plastic grips, arched mainspring housing, and lanyard loop. Even the roll markings are well done and in flavor with the originals. The left side simply states “Model 1911A1 U.S. Army”, while the right side is clean. One notable difference between this and true USGI spec is the presence of a Series 80 firing pin safety. Why something like that would be included in a replica like this is beyond me. However, as you can see by this guide, the Auto Ordnance isn’t alone with this needless safety. I don’t agree with it, especially on a replica, but it obviously doesn’t stop me from buying them. If I’m not mistaken, this is the least expensive American built 1911 on the market. Now owned by Kahr Arms, Auto Ordnance’s quality and quality control is on the rise, in my opinion. This 1911 isn’t stellar in terms of accuracy, but was 100% reliable for me in the 500 or so rounds I put through it. This 1911 utilizes a series 80 style firing pin safety. Unloaded weight: 39.6oz Slide: Forged carbon steel Frame: Cast carbon steel Country of origin: United States Approximate 2011 street price: $525 http://www.auto-ordnance.com/PA-1AO_pkz.html 
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At that price it would be a killer deal! From the 1911 Buyer's Guide: Auto Ordnance 1911A1 Auto Ordnance has been making GI replicas for many years and for years, these guns earned a well-deserved reputation for sub par workmanship. I think they have improved a great deal over time and I’ve never had an issue with mine. That said, I’m not in love with the trigger or the rather rough parkerized finish. It is close to the real USGI in spec with its small sights, proper hammer, checkered plastic grips, arched mainspring housing, and lanyard loop. Even the roll markings are well done and in flavor with the originals. The left side simply states “Model 1911A1 U.S. Army”, while the right side is clean. One notable difference between this and true USGI spec is the presence of a Series 80 firing pin safety. Why something like that would be included in a replica like this is beyond me. However, as you can see by this guide, the Auto Ordnance isn’t alone with this needless safety. I don’t agree with it, especially on a replica, but it obviously doesn’t stop me from buying them. If I’m not mistaken, this is the least expensive American built 1911 on the market. Now owned by Kahr Arms, Auto Ordnance’s quality and quality control is on the rise, in my opinion. This 1911 isn’t stellar in terms of accuracy, but was 100% reliable for me in the 500 or so rounds I put through it. This 1911 utilizes a series 80 style firing pin safety. Unloaded weight: 39.6oz Slide: Forged carbon steel Frame: Cast carbon steel Country of origin: United States Approximate 2011 street price: $525 http://www.auto-ordnance.com/PA-1AO_pkz.html http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/1911guide/000_0005_2s.jpg http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m532/1911guide/000_0007_2s-1.jpg Interesting. I bought a RIA from a pawn shop that shot a clover leaf the first time I shot it. If these POSs aren't accurate then I say pass on it. |
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I just bought one a year ago. I have put a couple hundred rounds through it so far and I have never had a problem. I know they aren't the most popular but I really dig the GI look. GI pistols are quite popular if done right. Look at how the Colt WWI repros sold. The AO pistols are the closest looking to a WWII pistol. |
| I have an Auto Ordnance 1911 and like it. I replaced the series 80 safety with a blank by Brownells and put in a Wilson sear spring, it now has a 4 Lbs. trigger pull. I also own two Colt 1911s, one Ruger, and one Springfield. I have had it for a year and really like the WWII look. It is accurate and dependable and I use it for Wild Bunch matches. |