Auto-Ordinance and Israeli Arms International 1911 clones?

[Gwinnydapooh]

I posted this on the handgun forum and got varying answers, plus the advice to ask here! Can anybody help?

I searched for this topic and found nada, so I'm asking now. To be honest, the replies to my clone thread have about convinced me that I can't afford to go with one of those--but I've been told that the Auto Ordinance .45 is not a bad one. I'm sure there are at least one or two owners here--is this a reliable, decently accurate gun that I could use as a house gun and have fun at the range with?
If anyone has experience with the IAI 1911, I'd like to hear that too!

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Don

"Its not criminals that go into schools and shoot children"
--Ann Pearston, British Gun Control apologist and moron

[Joefo]

Gwinny, I have an A-O that I trust withmy life. It started out like a lot of others (Kimber, Colt, Springfield, etc.) with some feeding problems. It will now feed anything including empty cases. It has several times at 50ft from a rest put 5 shots in a 2-2/12 in cirle with 3 shots touching like a pretzel. I did have to replace the extractor because it wore out. (cheap casting) A-O and Thompson has been sold to Kahr Arms of Massachusettes. I think they are worth the money you pay for them. I have had thousands of rounds thru mine without a malfunction.

Joefo

[John Foley]

Gwinny,

I bought a used A-O about 3 years ago just to see if I would like shooting a .45 again.

I know that I put at least 4000 rounds through it with very few problems. The few I had, in the beganing, were due to my reloads. Once I found a load it "liked", no more problems.

For a relatively inexpensive gun, I have no complaints. However, I did have the trigger pull lightened up to two and one half pounds.

[average american]

Gwinny, i have an Auto Ordinance 1911 that i have shot for at least five years with only one problem (extractor) that recently cropped up, and im sure that it'll be relatively easy to cure. I would recommend one to anyone considering it.A shooting buddy of mine has one also and just loves his too. Good luck (I did change the sights from the standard GI, the rest was just fine)

[bergie]

I also have an A-O, bought it about a year ago, and have put a little over a 1500 rounds through it. Only problems I had was that when new, the mag spring was so tight that I could hardly get 7 in it, and if I did it was so tight it wouldn't want to feed the first round. It relaxed after a little while (3-4 boxes of ammo), and I have had no other problems of any sort. I have shot mostly the cheapest ball I could find, but have run several differnt types of hollowpoints with no failures to feed. It is an accurate pistol, at 25 yds a buddy and I have no trouble breaking blue rocks leaned against our backstop, and then shoot for the larger pieces. At deer camp this year (after I had my deer) I let a couple of guys that had never shot a .45 before shoot mine, and they had no problems keeping all of their shots in about an 8" circle (2 mags each at 25 yds).
I guess you can get a new 1911 that is accurate and dependable for less than $350.

[longhair]

I've had my A-O for years and the only thing I've done to it was to lighten the trigger and put a new extractor on it. It feed flawlessly, goes bang everytime, rattles like hell and will still make 2 1/2 to 4" groups at 25 yards, depending on what kind of day I'm having. I like it...FWIW

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RKBA
www.southernparty.org

[sundog]

got poo-pooed at the range one time for showing up with an A-O. okay, fine, i'm a big boy and my gun goes bang every time! EVERY TIME! sundog

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safety first