Can USGI Trigger Be Retrofitted to AO USGI 1911A1 Clone?

[Glynn863]

As the title states, can a USGI trigger be retrofitted to an AO USGI 1911A1 clone? My younger son bought one of these a couple of years ago. It shoots fine. I bought him some late USGI contract CMI magazines for it, to supplement the original Metalform magazine he got with the pistol.

Compared to my Series 80 Colt Government Model, his trigger is longer, almost like the one on an original M1911. I thought we might swap it out to make it appear more correct.

Comments welcome and encouraged.

[Hawkmoon]

In theory, yes.

However, Auto-Ordnance has had multiple owners. When A-O was owned by Numrich and located in West Hurley, NY, quality control was severely lacking and standard USGI parts were not assured to fit or function correctly. Things improved tremendously after A-O was purchased by Kahr Arms and production moved to Worcester, MA. If your son's pistol is a Worchester A-O, the USGO trigger should work just fine.

Keep in mind that a new trigger may (probably will) change the relationship between the trigger and the sear. Be sure to run all safety checks after installing the new trigger to be certain that it functions correctly.

[Glynn863]

Thanks for the reply.

It's one of the newer Kahr AO pistols. I'll probably try to pick up a USGI trigger at the next gun show. Online sources are a little high, when shipping is added, as well as no preview / inspection available.

[Jim Watson]

Good luck.
It amazes me that while there is a market for what I call "imitation Army surplus", nobody makes a faithful copy of a 1911 or 1911A1.
Colt has done a few short runs at high prices, Springfield had a pretty good GI model but they did not stay with it.
The "popularly priced" stuff is all mutated in some way.

[Hawkmoon]

The A-O base model is one of the best (as in nearest) clones of an M1911A1, but it's not perfect. And it has a firing pin block (which, of course, can't be seen from the outside).

Another very near clone is the Tisas Trabzon 1911: http://www.trabzonsilah.com/en/series/zig-m-1911

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

I put a WWII-vintage Colt M1911A1 milled trigger in my new production Auto-Ordnance with no problem.

[Glynn863]

I put a WWII-vintage Colt M1911A1 milled trigger in my new production Auto-Ordnance with no problem.

Thanks for that info. Like I said earlier, maybe the next gun show will have one at a reasonable price.

[tpelle]

I know this is an old thread, but here's my West Hurley AO with a surplus G.I. trigger (plus a couple of other changes):



It dropped right in with just a few strokes of a file at top and bottom of the trigger "shoe", which is a pretty much normal thing.

[Glynn863]

OP here - I was able to get a short Colt serrated trigger for a reasonable price online. Although not a USGI-correct checkered one, it is better than the original that had a smooth trigger face. Fit right in with little to no fitting. I just oiled it and worked it back and forth several times in the frame to be sure there was no binding.

I also replaced the recoil spring plug with a USGI-type with the hole punch, to hold the recoil spring.