Inside OA Defense: Touring the New Headquarters and Testing the 2311 Lineup

Welcome back to Good Moral Tactical! Today we’re taking you inside OA Defense’s brand-new headquarters in Robbins, North Carolina. They officially opened their facility at the beginning of the October, and we were fortunate enough to be invited for a full walkthrough.

If you’ve been curious about the 2311 platform, what makes OA Defense stand out, or how they build firearms with duty-level reliability, this tour gave us a front-row seat to all of it.

First Impressions: A Facility Built to Grow

Walking into the new HQ, the first thing that hit me was the scale of the operation. This isn’t a cramped shop or a retrofitted warehouse—this is a purpose-built facility designed for expansion, innovation, and extremely high manufacturing standards.

Rows of CNC machines, designated QC zones, assembly areas, storage shelves, and clean-room environments all flowed seamlessly. Everything had a purpose, and nothing felt rushed or makeshift. OA planned for the future, and it shows.

Handcrafted Quality—Not Mass Production

One of the biggest surprises of the tour was learning how much hand craftsmanship goes into every single firearm. While most large manufacturers rely heavily on mass production, OA Defense is doing something very different.

Only five gunsmiths build every 2311.

Because of that, they can produce only about 20–25 firearms per day—and every single one of them is hand-tuned, hand-fitted, and inspected by a trained gunsmith.

And that’s not all. Whether the employee works in:

• CNC machining

• slide/frame cutting

• QC

• engineering

• or assembly

…they’ve all completed the same gunsmith training pathway. Everyone in the building knows how the firearm should function, how it should feel, and what “right” looks like.

That’s rare. And you can feel the pride in their work when you talk to them.

QC Testing: Extreme Conditions, Extreme Confidence

Once a firearm is assembled, OA Defense doesn’t just run a basic function check. Their QC process is intense, and frankly, refreshing to see.

They test for:

• sand resistance

• extreme temperatures

• drop safety

• trigger and sear reliability

• squib load behavior (yes—on purpose)

During testing, they even fire rounds behind squib loads to see how the gun fails. The results were impressive:

When the squib obstruction caused a malfunction, the projectile exited through the bottom of the barrel and frame—but no parts blew back toward the shooter.

That level of intentional, destructive testing speaks volumes about safety and engineering.

And unlike traditional 2011s, the OA 2311 platform uses no grip safety. Instead, the hammer and sear geometry are finely tuned to ensure the firearm remains drop safe, even with a loaded chamber and hammer down.

Cutting, Milling, and Engineering Excellence

The facility houses multiple high-end CNC machines dedicated to:

• aluminum grips

• steel slides

• steel frames

Everything is machined in-house to maintain tight tolerances and absolute consistency.

I also had the opportunity to talk with one of their engineers—an Air Force veteran—whose knowledge of firearm design, durability, and competitive shooting was incredible. And while I can’t reveal details, let’s just say:

Competitive shooters have some very exciting OA Defense products on the horizon.

As someone who actively competes, I walked out of there seriously considering switching to the 2311 platform in the near future.

Range Day: Shooting the Full 2311 Lineup

After the tour, we headed out to OA’s private range. They had multiple shooting bays set up, complete with ROs, pro shooters, and their sales team ready to walk us through the lineup.

Here’s a breakdown of what we shot:

Available Models

• 2311 (5” original model)

• 2311 Compact (4.25”)

• Pro Series

  • Lightning-cut slide

  • V-port barrel

• Pro Elite

  • 5” ported barrel

  • Aluminum grip

  • My personal favorite

Magwell Options

• Carry size — accepts 15-round mags

• Full size — accepts 17 or 21-round mags

Magazines Included

• Standard 2311 or Compact: 3 mags total

• Pro Series: 5 mags total

  • Three 21-rounders + two 17-rounders

  • (Compact models get 17s and 15s)

Every model ships with a soft case that includes a Velcro-retention holster, making it ready for range use immediately.

What We Shot

We ran:

• the Compact Pro

• the Pro Elite

• and one unannounced R&D prototype (shown in the video but not discussed out of respect for OA’s reveal timeline)

The Pro Elite with the aluminum grip was the standout for me—great recoil control, excellent balance, and extremely fast follow-up shots.

A Company That Truly Cares: What Happened After the Visit

Here’s the part that says everything you need to know about OA Defense.

I accidentally left behind some of my filming gear—specifically my gimbal—without noticing. I didn’t call them. I didn’t reach out. They contacted me first to let me know they found it.

Then, without hesitation:

• They asked for my address

• Packed up the gear

• Shipped it back to me

• Covered the cost themselves

No charge. No hassle. No “handling fee.” Mind you, this was after I had bought nothing from them that day—I was purely there to tour and film.

I’ve never had a manufacturer go this far out of their way to help. It speaks to the culture inside that building: professional, attentive, and genuinely invested in the people who support them.

Final Thoughts: OA Defense Is Setting the Standard

With SIG stepping into the double-stack 2011-style market with the GTO, you’d think OA Defense would be trying to catch up.

But after touring the facility, talking to their team, handling the builds, and shooting their lineup, it’s clear:

SIG has to catch up to OA Defense—not the other way around.

OA owns the space right now. The craftsmanship, the testing, the people behind the product, the future innovations—they’re ahead of the curve.

And with their P320-mag-compatible 2311 platform, they’ve carved out a unique niche with enormous potential.

This visit left a lasting impression, and I genuinely hope to continue working with them in the future. Their professionalism, hospitality, and dedication to quality are unmatched.

If you have questions about the models, specs, mags, or differences between the Pro and Elite series, drop them in the comments—I’d love to break it down further.

Thanks for reading, and as always. Shoot straight, train smart, and stay morally tactical.