In the upcoming GUN ANNUAL 2015, author Mike Detty test-fires the new Thompson Custom 1911 .45 ACP from Auto-Ordnance. Detty writes, “Cosmetically, the Thompson Custom is a handsome pistol. It has a bead-blasted satin silver finish, and the laminated wood grips add a splash of green, brown and black to the gun. The grips, by the way, have an Auto-Ordnance medallion inset into the middle of their double-diamond cut checkering.
“Auto-Ordnance machines the stainless steel frame from a casting and its slide from a stainless steel billet. All machining is done in-house at the company’s plant in Worcester, Massachusetts, where exacting tolerances and quality control can be maintained.
“The frame boasts 20-lines-per-inch, machine-cut checkering to provide the shooter with a secure firing grip. The left-side-only thumb safety is extended for easy disengagement and engagement. Though it blocks the sear securely, my test sample’s safety disengages too easily. I like my safeties to disengage as crisply as a trigger, and this problem was easily solved by stretching the plunger spring. The beavertail grip safety is well fit and has a hump to make sure the safety is disengaged even when shooting with the thumb on top of the thumb safety.
“The magazine well is beveled for speedy reloads, and the magazine release is slightly extended to make engagement more positive. Auto-Ordnance outfits the pistol with a lightweight aluminum trigger that is adjustable for overtravel.
“The Thompson Custom’s slide is machined from stainless billet and features cocking serrations fore and aft. The Thompson bullet logo is engraved on the left slide flat. Sport shooters will appreciate the lowered and flared ejection port. The large opening allows empty cases to be thrown clear without any chance of hitting the port’s edges on the way out. Not only is the empty case thrown clear of the gun unimpeded, but the rollover flare also ensures the empty case remains dent free. That’s a great feature for those who reload their own ammunition!”
To learn more, check out Gun Annual 2015, available on newsstands and digitally Aug. 26, 2014. To subscribe, go to Tactical-Life.com/
