Auto-Ordnance News 2016

Hemingway's GUNS: The Old Man and the Sea (and his Tommy Gun)

Guns.com Blog

Ernest Hemingway‘s famous work, the Old Man and the Sea, may be truer to life than you know. It seems the sportsman/writer had his own run in with a pack of sharks over an immense half-ton marlin. Little did they know the Heming-way includes packing a Thompson submachine gun in the tackle box.

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Michael Bane to appear in Kahr® Booth at NRA Annual Convention

May 10, 2016

Greeley, PA – Stop by the Kahr Firearms Group booth #3815 during the 145th NRA Annual Convention in Louisville, Kentucky between 2:00-3:00 PM on Friday May 20th to chat with Michael Bane.

Michael Bane, noted author, TV personality and producer is host of Best Defense, Shooting Gallery, Midway USA’s Best Defense:Survival, and is also the producer of Gun Stories on Outdoor Channel. He has authored more than 20 books and also hosts a weekly radio show and video podcast. Throughout the outdoor industry, his dedication to shooting sports has earned him the respect of not only his peers, but the industry as a whole. His development of the Media Education Program through the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) demonstrates his strong commitment to industry leaders by giving them an opportunity to share their knowledge of the media with firearms manufacturers and shooting enthusiasts worldwide.

Bane has demonstrated a long and well-respected history of support to Kahr Firearms Group for many years and he will be in the Kahr booth to share his experiences as an avid shooter and fan of Kahr, Magnum Research and Auto-Ordnance products. Stop by and chat with him. He always has a great tale to share.

 

Kahr® Firearms Group Promotes Jodi DePorter to National Sales Manager

April 28, 2016

Greeley, PA – Congratulations are being extended to Jodi DePorter who was recently promoted from Regional Sales Manager of Kahr Firearms Group to her new position as National Sales Manager, effective immediately.

In her new position, DePorter will be responsible for directing sales activities for all three KFG brands, including; Kahr, Magnum Research and Auto Ordnance. In addition, she will provide leadership to the company’s manufacturer’s reps and will be the point of contact for key distributors and dealer accounts throughout the country. She will also work in conjunction with Frank Harris, VP of Sales and Marketing, to assist with monitoring and directing sales objectives in accordance with sales forecast and production plans.

“I am excited to take on this new responsibility and I look forward to being a part of the growth and development of the sales channels for Kahr Firearms Group” said Jodi DePorter. “I am so thankful to the many people from the firearms industry that have taught, inspired, and influenced me through my career. I feel so blessed to be part of such an exciting industry.”

Ms. DePorter began her career with Kahr Firearms Group in 2006 as a regional sales manager. Prior to coming to Kahr, she worked for ArmaLite and Springfield Armory. She has spent 17 years in the firearms industry.

“Jodi and I have worked together for more than 9 years and I have always been impressed with her approach to sales and how she relates so well to our dealers and distributors” stated Frank Harris, VP Sales and Marketing, Kahr Firearms Group. “From simple problem-solving issues to complicated sales negotiations, she has always demonstrated exceptional skills and a strong work ethic. We are delighted to have her on our team.”

 

The Thompson® Chicago Typewriter Turns 100

March 31, 2016

Greeley, PA – When John T. Thompson first began researching a portable hand-held automatic weapon in 1915 little did he know that he would be changing history forever. Now, 100 years later, the Thompson semi-automatic rifle, also referred to as the Chicago Typewriter, is commonly known to everyone across the globe.

John T. Thompson was born in Newport, Kentucky on December 31, 1860. His father, a graduate of West Point, served as Lt. Colonel during the civil war and, John, following in his father’s footsteps, also graduated from West Point and served in the Army. It was while he was in the Army that Thompson went to engineering and artillery schools and began researching small arms. He was later assigned to the Army Ordnance Department in 1890 as a 2nd Lieutenant and was responsible for arming and dispersing of weapons during the Spanish-American war.

During WWI, before the U.S. became involved, Thompson saw the need to assist the allies with better artillery, so he retired from the Army to dedicate his time to develop a fully automatic weapon. By 1916, while employed as Chief Engineer at Remington Arms, he created a gun that could be used to clear enemy trenches, nicknamed the “Trench Broom” and this was the beginning of the Thompson submachine gun.

When the U.S. entered WWI in 1917, Thompson re-enlisted into the Army and was promoted to Brigadier General. Once the war was over, Thompson continued to perfect the Tommy Gun and by 1920 it was patented.

With the war now over, there was little demand by the military for the arms, so Thompson began marketing the Tommy Gun to Law Enforcement Agencies and also to the general public. Historically, it also became infamous as the weapon of choice for gangsters, including John Dillinger, Al Capone, and Baby Face Nelson.

Thompson died in 1940 at age 79 and was honored with a burial on the grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Less than two years after his death, WWII broke out and the U.S. Army ordered significant quantities of the Thompson submachine guns.

Auto-Ordnance is proud to honor the man and the legacy of the Tommy Gun with the introduction of the commemorative 100th Anniversary matched set edition of the Thompson 1927A-1 rifle and matching 1911A1 pistol.

The limited edition Thompson 1927A-1 Deluxe Carbine is offered in .45 ACP and comes with one 20-round stick magazine. It features a 16.5” finned barrel (18” with compensator) and is prominently engraved with the classic Thompson logo, limited edition numbers, and displays the words “100th Anniversary” on the matte black steel frame. The gun weighs 13 lbs. and has an overall length of 41”. Other features include a pinned in front blade and an open rear adjustable sight. The stock is fixed, has a vertical foregrip, and is made from luxurious American Walnut.

As a matched set, the limited edition series also comes with the Thompson 1911A1 GI Specs pistol. It comes in .45 ACP, has a 5” barrel and a matte black steel frame. Overall length is 8.5” and it weighs just 39 oz. The iron sights are front and rear dovetail cut low profile. The pistol is shipped with one 7-round magazine. Just like the Thompson 1927A-1, it too is engraved with the iconic Thompson logo, the words 100th Anniversary, and lists the limited edition numbers on the frame. Both guns must be purchased as a set and the MSRP is $1,971. The guns are shipped together in a polymer hard case with the yellow Thompson Bullet logo and the words “Chicago Typewriter” in white stamped on the black case cover.

“We are proud to honor the name and the legacy of General John T. Thompson with this special 100th Anniversary matched set” states Frank Harris, VP of Sales and Marketing, Kahr Firearms Group. “There is a rich historical past attached to the Tommy Gun, and we feel General Thompson would be proud to see that what started as a research project in 1915 has served the military, law enforcement and shooting enthusiasts around the world so prominently for over 100 years.”

 

Kahr^® Firearms Group Enjoying Their Bear Family Neighbors

March 28, 2016

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Pomona, NY – In 2014, when Kahr Firearms Group purchased their 620-acre parcel of land for the new corporate headquarters, they knew that some of their new “neighbors” in the wooded acreage would be home to various species of wildlife. Much to their delight, a sow bear and her cubs would find all the comforts of home less than 400 yards from the corporate building.

For the third year since Kahr Firearms Group acquired the land, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has come out to check the vitals on the sow that they actually collared in 2006.

Last year, we reported that the sow was healthy and that she had given birth to 4 cubs. Sadly, those 4 cubs did not live, so this year, mama bear gave birth to two adorable cubs, now weighing in at 5 lbs.

Upon receiving permission from Kahr Firearms Group to enter the property and check on the status of the bears, the sow was located using a tracking device and was then darted with a sedative. While the Pennsylvania Game Commission officer collected blood, hair and vitals on the sow, the officer handed over the two cubs to Kahr personnel in order to keep them warm while outside of the den and away from their mom.

“Everyone loves a good bear story, and at Kahr, we feel like these bears add so much interest to this beautiful piece of property where we go to work every day” said Frank Harris, VP of Sales & Marketing. “Every year, a small group of us gather around the Pennsylvania Game Commission officer eager to once again see how our bear neighbor is doing and what offspring she gave birth to over the winter. Sadly, the two previous years she had lost her cubs due to her ailing health and also natural predators, but we were thrilled to see two more this year. We respect the animals of this forest and are so grateful that in spite of our busy office this has not disturbed her and she has decided to stay for the duration.”

The new Kahr Firearms Group corporate headquarters was finished in 2015 and the office in Pomona, NY was closed.

 

Introducing Thompson® Gold and Chrome Versions of the “Chicago Typewriter®”

February 29, 2016

Greeley, PA – Auto-Ordnance is proud to introduce an exciting and classy look to their century-old Thompson, historically referred to as the “Chicago Typewriter”. The Thompson 1927A-1 semi-automatic carbine is now offered in a Titanium Gold finish and also a Polished Chrome.

Either of these time-honored reproduction semi-auto carbines will undoubtedly impress your friends when you take it out to the shooting range. These guns are offered in .45 ACP and have a 16.5” finned barrel (18” with compensator), with a 1 in 16 right-hand twist. The frame is constructed in steel with either a Titanium Gold finish or a Polished Chrome finish. The gun weighs 13 lbs. and has an overall length of 41”. Other features include a pinned in front blade and an open rear adjustable sight. The stock is fixed and is made from luxurious American Walnut and has a vertical foregrip. These two new models each ship with one 50-round drum and one 20-round stick magazine. The magazines too are plated in either polished gold or chrome.

“The uniquely iconic look combined with the history of the ‘Tommy Gun’ have always had an extremely strong appeal among gun owners” said Frank Harris, VP of Sales and Marketing, Kahr Firearms Group. “We introduced these at SHOT Show this year and people were lining up just to have their picture taken holding one of our new polished finish Thompsons. We really expect the gold and chrome finishes on the Thompson 1927A-1 to be popular with the gun community – especially among collectors.”

Both the Titanium Gold (Model Number T150DTG) and the Polished Chrome (model number T150DCR) carbines are shipped in a protective hard case which features both the distinctive Thompson logo and the words, “Chicago Typewriter”. To truly capture the 1920s gangster era, an aftermarket violin case can be ordered for the Gold or Polished Chrome Tommy Gun. For a limited time only, the introductory MSRP is $2963 for either the Polished Chrome or the Titanium Gold. The cost of the violin case is an additional $221.00.

 

Kahr® Is Title Sponsor of IDPA West Virginia Championship

January 11, 2016

Greeley, PA – For the second consecutive year, Kahr Firearms Group is proud to be a sponsor of the IDPA West Virginia Championship. The event will take place at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, WV June 3-5, 2016.

“Last year, Kahr Firearms Group was a contributing sponsor of the IDPA Championship. The 2015 event drew in over 150 shooters, and we really appreciated the opportunity to share our pistols with this talented group of shooters. This year, we decided to become a title sponsor so we could offer even more support to IDPA” said Frank Harris, VP of Sales & Marketing, Kahr Firearms Group. “We are proud to sponsor an event that brings together some of the top defensive pistol shooting enthusiasts in the world. This championship brings together civilians, law enforcement, federal agents, retired military, and also some international shooters. It is a fun event to attend and a great organization for us to support.”

The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) has clubs throughout the USA and internationally. The focus of IDPA is to hone sport-based defensive handgun shooting skills and give shooters with mid-level to expert shooting skills an opportunity to compete against each other in various divisions for rankings.

“The 2016 match will improve over last year by adding even more props, movers, vehicles, challenging stage designs, and better Safety Officer incentives” stated IDPA Match Director, Cody Claxton. “With Kahr as our title sponsor, we will also have even more great guns to give away. It will be a truly fun event for everyone.”

“There will be 7 divisions in total at the match and shooters will participate in 12 defensive handgun stages of fire” stated Cole McCulloch, President Peacemaker National Training Center. “Each stage is based on real time defensive concealed carry scenarios involving moving targets, vehicles and even an airplane. The event is open free of charge to spectators. We are thrilled that Kahr Firearms Group is our title sponsor this year. Kahr pistols are ideal because they are highly concealable, practical and fit the Compact Carry Pistol and Back Up Gun Divisions now offered in IDPA.

 

Kahr® Firearms Group Introduces New BATFE Approved Barrel on Thompson® Semi-Auto Carbine

January 4, 2016

Greeley, PA – For more than 100 years, the “Chicago Typewriter”, the time-honored submachine gun, has been a favorite among collectors and shooting enthusiasts. Now, Kahr Firearms Group has given the semi-auto version a more authentic look with the introduction of their new barrel design on the Thompson T1-14 carbine. With a barrel length of just 16.5”, it is 1.5” shorter than the existing T1 models with the 18” barrels.

The .45 ACP caliber T1-14 has a permanently affixed Cutts compensator which lengthens the finned barrel length to 16.5”, and puts the overall length for the carbine at 39”from buttstock to muzzle. The BATFE recently approved the permanently affixed Cutts compensator as a part of the barrel. The pinned Cutts compensator offered on the 18” barrel models are not considered part of the barrel. This model also features a blade front and open rear adjustable sight and weighs 12.5 lbs. The fixed stock is crafted in luxurious polished American Walnut and has a vertical foregrip. MSRP is $1,461.

Another addition to the shorter barrel 1927A-1 collection is the T1B-14, which specs the same as the T1-14, but instead of a walnut fixed stock, it comes with a detachable buttstock with vertical foregrip. Both models are available in .45 ACP and ship with one 20-round stick magazine. The MSRP on the T1B-14 is $1,910.

 

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