Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 9mm 5″ Matte Black — Superb US Army Pattern Pistol

Description

The Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 in 9mm is the service pattern faithfully rendered and then chambered in something that costs half as much to shoot. The slide carries the MODEL 1911A1 U.S. ARMY marking, the grips are brown checkered in the wartime style, the finish is matte black, and the barrel is the full 5 inches of a Government model.

A Service-Pattern 1911 in 9mm

This is the GI configuration rather than a modern build: a flat mainspring housing, a small thumb safety, a spur hammer, a short grip safety tang and plain low-profile sights. Anyone who has handled an issued M1911A1 will find everything exactly where they expect it. The Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 does add a firing pin block, which the original did not have and which makes the pistol drop safe.

Chambering it in 9mm is the change that makes it a gun people actually shoot rather than admire. An all-steel Government-length 1911 weighs around two and a quarter pounds, and 9mm in that much metal produces almost no felt recoil. The slide cycles gently, the muzzle barely rises, and capacity goes up to 9+1 from the 7+1 of a 45.

Specifications

• Model: Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 GI Spec
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel: 5 in
• Overall length: 8.5 in
• Capacity: 9+1
• Finish: matte black
• Grips: brown checkered
• Sights: blade front, drift adjustable rear for windage
• Safeties: thumb safety, grip safety and firing pin block
• Slide marking: MODEL 1911A1 U.S. ARMY
• Magazine: one 9-round magazine supplied

One thing to be aware of with any 1911 in 9mm: the platform was designed around the 45 ACP case, and 9mm conversions rely on the magazine to control feeding more than a 45 does. Use good magazines made specifically for a 9mm 1911 rather than adapters or bargain ones, and reliability is generally excellent. It is the single most common cause of problems in this chambering and the easiest to avoid.

Why it is worth considering

• Faithful M1911A1 service pattern with the U.S. ARMY slide marking
• 9mm rather than 45, so it costs about half as much per round to shoot
• 9+1 capacity and almost no felt recoil in an all-steel pistol
• Drift adjustable rear sight for windage
• Firing pin block, so the pistol is drop safe
• Brown checkered grips in the wartime style

Who it suits

The Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 in 9mm suits the shooter who wants the service pistol experience and intends to use it rather than case it. It is an excellent choice for anyone learning the 1911 platform, for a shooter with hand or wrist problems who still wants a full-size steel pistol, and for anyone who has looked at the price of 45 ACP recently. Collectors after period correctness should note that 9mm and the firing pin block are both modern departures.

Ammunition, Magazines and Transfer

The Auto-Ordnance 1911A1 in 9mm runs standard 9mm Luger. For practice, 115 or 124 grain full metal jacket; for defensive use, a quality jacketed hollow point in 124 or 147 grain. As noted above, magazine quality matters more in a 9mm 1911 than in a 45, so buy good ones and retire any that start causing failures rather than chasing the fault through the pistol.

Holsters are straightforward: anything cut for a 5 inch Government 1911 will fit, since the external dimensions are unchanged from the 45. Manufacturer information is published by Auto-Ordnance. Compare with the wood-grip 9mm GI Spec with beavertail, the 45 ACP version and the shorter Commander, browse our full Auto-Ordnance range, or the handgun catalog.

All firearm orders ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and MAG5 Firearms will coordinate the paperwork with the dealer of your choice.