Kahr/Auto Ordnance pakerized milspec 1911

[brownie]

Originally Posted by TLE2

What internals are you gonna install? Inquiring minds want to know...

This sounds like an interesting project, since the base gun is fairly inexpensive....and I always want to want a new gun.

I left that to the one doing the work. He knows what's best, I'm just an end user. I'll find out and report back after I get it back with the parts listed as replaced.

[Caleb]

Originally Posted by brownie

I left that to the one doing the work. He knows what's best, I'm just an end user. I'll find out and report back after I get it back with the parts listed as replaced.

Thanks a lot Brownie! Now I want one of these. Well, there goes the bank account. Lol

[brownie]

Originally Posted by Caleb

Thanks a lot Brownie! Now I want one of these. Well, there goes the bank account. Lol

I spoke with the gunsmith about listing who he was, he's in Fla and on this site.

RickMcC, might want to check with him on makers of parts and works he's doing for me. He's also going to bevel the extractor for more positive feeding. Should be a race car inside and look like a mutt on the outside.

[Rick McC.]

Originally Posted by brownie

I spoke with the gunsmith about listing who he was, he's in Fla and on this site.

RickMcC, might want to check with him on makers of parts and works he's doing for me. He's also going to bevel the extractor for more positive feeding. Should be a race car inside and look like a mutt on the outside.

Upgrades to the pistol will include:

Harrison Custom Retro Extreme Service (HC ES) Ignition Set (hammer, sear and disco)

HC ES hammer strut and strut pin

HC ES short trigger

Colt LW sear spring; set to 4 1/4 - 4 1/2 pound trigger pull

Wolff plunger spring

Stone trigger track in frame

Radius bottom of extractor, check/set tension

Polish series 80 levers and plunger as necessary

Check thumb safety/plunger interface geometry and recut/polish as necessary

Please note: No, I'm not in business, or looking for any work!

[brownie]

Originally Posted by Rick McC.

Upgrades to the pistol will include:

Harrison Custom Retro Extreme Service (HC ES) Ignition Set (hammer, sear and disco)

HC ES hammer strut and strut pin

HC ES short trigger

Colt LW sear spring; set to 4 1/4 - 4 1/2 pound trigger pull

Plunger spring

Stone trigger track in frame

Radius bottom of extractor, check/set tension

Polish series 80 levers and plunger as necessary

Check thumb safety/plunger interface geometry and recut/polish as necessary

Please note: No, I'm not in business, or looking for any work!

Thanks Rick, really looking forward to seeing the results of the upgrades once it's back in Az.

[Rick McC.]

Originally Posted by brownie

Thanks Rick, really looking forward to seeing the results of the upgrades once it's back in Az.

No problem...

[Rick McC.]

Here's what I found in working on Brownie's AO 1911 A1 today.

First, I was shocked at the minimal amount of MIM parts I found in the gun. In short; the hammer. If there were more, they were final finished such that I couldn't find any of their normal "sprue like" identifiers. As most of you know, MIM parts are usually popped out of the mold and used as is; so I really think a decision was made by the manufacturer to use some good quality parts in this pistol.

The quality and fit of the internals was surprising. Barrel fit to bushing and slide, both barrel hood and lugs, was better than many more expensive 1911's I've had on my bench over the years. Lockup of the barrel at both ends is very tight. No end play, side play or barrel springing at the hood at all.

The two series 80 levers, like most, did benefit from polishing on one side. That said, both the plunger and hole in the slide were polished nicely, and the system was timed very well, with no peening of the firing pin evident.

The extractor, while tension was set too heavy, was otherwise fit very well. There is no clocking, and the bottom edge of the extractor groove behind the claw had been perfectly radiused and was highly polished; more evidence of hand fitting by someone who takes pride in their work.

Both the frame ramp and break over angle (often referred to as the "barrel ramp" by many) were well done, and highly polished.

The back side of the slide stop was a bit rough, as were the edges. These days, that's more often found than not, and a bit of judicious stoning ensured that any futher wear of the frame was at an end.

Stoning the trigger bow tracks in the frame was next, working through 220, 320, 400, and 600 grit stones.

Moving on to the upgrades; the new sear, disconnector, and hammer fit very well, though a bit of fitting between the new hammer strut, strut pin and hammer were needed to get things sorted out.

As happens more often than not; the installation of the new ignition set required that the original thumb safety be refitted to the new parts.

Next, the new short trigger had to be fitted, as the trigger pad is left over size, so it can be fitted to the pistol with no top, bottom or sideplay.

After all was complete, an average of eight trigger pulls provided a pull weight of five pounds even, with no creep, grit and minimum overtravel. It also provided a very nice reset; so we decided that no adjustments to the sear or disconnector legs of the sear spring were necessary.

Over the next few days, I'll function test the pistol with a variety of 200gr LSWC, 230gr LRN, 230gr ball, 230gr JHP, 230gr JTCHP, and and even some of the old Speer "flying ashtrays." A variety of magazines will be used; including Mecgar, Colt, CheckMate, Tripp Cobra mags, and Wilson 47D eight round mags.

When the pistol makes it through all that with NO malfunctions; I'll return it to our "little old snake oil salesman" at our early April class for his daily carry.

This pistol is a real "sleeper," and I intend to buy one myself in the near future; it really is "that good."