Posted: 11/1/2005 7:35:56 PM EDT
|
ok heres the situation. My dad has always wanted a USGI 1911A1. He doesn't want it to shoot or for that matter he doesn't even want a "real" USGI. He just wants one that looks like a real one, cause he likes the way they look. Now if i were going to get him a real USGI I would pick one that was obviously in great shape to give as a gift because he would look at it more than anything. So while i was searching i found this www.auto-ordnance.com/ao_1911pkz_f.html is this a decent gun? I just want to make sure if he does decide to go shoot it one day it will perform as it should |
I have one bought new when they were owned by Numrich. After polishing the feed ramp and replacing the factory mag with a Wilson, it's been 100% reliable. FWIW YMMV DFB |
| What did'nt go wrong with is a better way to say it. Poor feeder, Jammed, unreliable, specs were off, safety was VERY poorly fit, cheap pins. In retrofit I should have cut my losses to begin with, and sold it. AO also is cast [frame] poor machining done. Not a huge fan of SAs cheaper models but they are a heck of a lot better then a AO. SA needs to install and fit better parts even if it cost another 15 or 20 bucks a gun. It would be worth it. My AO was just a standard 5" govt model. The pit bulls and the like are worse. POS unreliable to the extreme. Even the gun rag write ups could not find anything to say good about it when it came out. |
| Hey buddy, I've allreay researched this, I was in the market for the same thing for several years. I NEVER heard a good thing about AUTO ORDNANCE. I allready had a Springfield, wich had/has never let me down, I hear MOSTLY good things about springfiel, plus the Springfield GI model is cheaper than the AO, I bought a Springfield GI (LW Champion) about 2 weeks ago, for $419, brand new at a gun show, I took it out and blasted 500 round thru it without cleaning, it's going to be a carry gun and I need to make damn sure I could trust it with my life! It did not have a single failure, shot to point of aim, grouped as well as my 5" Springer, what more can I say. |
|
STAY AWAY. I know its been said, but I had SUCH a horrible experience with the one I purchased. Within 200 rounds the slide lock started bending. At 650rds the firing pin mushroomed and got stuck in the retaining plate. At 910rds the extractor went bad. Also, the finish started wearing off the mainspring housing and grip safety and was completely gone by round count 500. It was a lucky range trip if I only had 1 stove-pipe in 50rds... The gunsmith I use for all of my fixes believed that the heat treating was bad on the pistol, which would explain the parts bending and breaking. Also the slide started showing a lot of unusual wear around the slide lock notch and would probably need to be replaced within the next 1000rds. It's not a fun experience having a firearm that doesn't work. It takes the fun out of shooting, and will sour one quickly to a particular firearm design. If you're looking for something to put in a display box and never use, if you can get one cheap then its probably a choice to consider. However, if you intend to shoot it, pay the money and get a better one. A firearm is a tool. And from my experience with the Auto-Ordnance I owned I would not trust my life on that pistol. Because of this experience I will never purchase an Auto-Ordnance product again. |
|
Auto-ordinance was made from investment castings in spain,then machined by Caspian Arms,then hand fitted at hurley! The same investment castings were the ones that made the first Thompsons, caspian arms still machines some good firearms! Maybe the hand fitting was the problem! some people still buy the Thompson Semi-auto machine guns (made from the same investment castings)and never have many complaints! I have a Thompson 10 mil built on the (auto-ordinance)frame and it is good to go!! I would say that Auto and norinco are on about the same page!! Except that Caspian may machine better,or at least on par with China! Except that Khar is not useing Caspian as there machinest!!!! You fiqure it out!!! Bob 
|
I have a Norinco it is great, no issues ever and I bought it used too. |
