Kahr Arms Auto Ordnance M1911A1

The Best 1911A1 Currently Available.

The Kahr Arms Auto Ordnance M1911A1 is the most authentic GI M1911A1 currently made today.

The Kahr Arms M1911A1 (top) compares favorably to a WWII vintage Remington Rand m1911A1.

Brownell's Ophoxo Blue fixed the shinny barrel hood and give the pistol a more GI appearance.

In the quest for a currently made USGI style 1911A1 for recreational shooting, I’ve discovered the Kahr Arms Auto Ordnance 1911A1. This gun is destined for general recreational shooting and some period specific events like 1930s Action shooting (Zoot Shooting). I had several criterion which this pistol has to meet. Here is a list of features I wanted:

·         Parkerized Finish

·         Lanyard loop

·         Checkered wide spur hammer

·         A1 sights

·         Standard ejection port.

·         1911A1 frame contours

·         GI style grips

Getting all of these features on the same gun proved impossible for all manufacturers accept Auto Ordnance. The Kahr Arms M1911A1 PKZ embodies all these features which pleases me greatly. From a few feet it easily passes for a vintage M1911A1. 

There are a few minor differences:

·         Series 80 style safety

·         Model 1911A1 is stamped on the slide and not on the frame

·         The barrel hood is polished and not blue.

·         Mid length trigger

I believe none of these are a matter of any concern. The Series 80 safety is internal to the gun and only visible on disassembly. The 1911A1 U.S. Army stamping on the slide is relatively small and does not detract from the appearance of the gun. Brownells’ Oxopho Blue remedies the shiny barrel hood, giving it a very authentic looking blue color. The mid length trigger is easily replaceable, but I find it comfortable.

The old pre-1999 Auto Ordnance/Thompson pistols were cast (both slides and frames) in Spain and assembled with spotty quality control in West Hurley, MA.

The new Kahr Arms Auto Ordnance is an entirely new product, competitively priced, and  made if the USA.   Some of the early Kahr guns had a thick frame in the grip area which I found rather unsightly. This problem was address a couple of years ago and the frame contours compare very favorably to vintage M1911A1 pistols.  The feed ramp is also nicely polished and feed jacket and lead bullets well.  The M1911A1 is a very credible defence pistol. This pistol is an excellent value and is every bit as good as it's Worls War II ancestors.

               

A Company of Note

In a project unrelated to this blog, I had the great fortune to meet and speak with members of the Hodgdon family. They own and operate the Hodgdon Powder Company which produces and sell many of the iconic brands of powder used by hand loaders for decades. The Company’s founder, Mr. Bruce E. Hodgdon, started his business after World War II by selling government surplus powder as a part time family oriented business.  The company has grown into a premier producer of smokeless and black powder providing a wide variety of product to hand loaders.  This company exudes excellence at every level. This includes products and customer service. They are very worthy of our patronage.