Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > General Topics > Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics
o

Notices

Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics Post Your General Gun Topics and Non-S&W Gun and Blade Topics Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-13-2022, 05:15 PM
AJ's Avatar
AJ AJ is offline
Member
Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec  
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: East of Stick Marsh, Fla.
Posts: 9,404
Likes: 4,871
Liked 20,870 Times in 6,323 Posts
Default Rock Island VS Kel Tec

Saw a Rock Island M1911 style .22 Mag today in the LGS. Anybody have any thoughts on these verses a Kel Tec PMR 30. I have a PMR 30 and it does the job that is designed for. Just like the looks of the Rock Island. Pro's & Con's on both please.
__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #2  
Old 08-13-2022, 06:14 PM
HOUSTON RICK HOUSTON RICK is offline
Member
Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec  
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: HOUSTON, TEXAS
Posts: 10,123
Likes: 7,091
Liked 14,253 Times in 5,366 Posts
Default

Rock Island makes a solid mass production 1911 in all of its calibers and configurations. I have one in 9 mm and it has done all that I could expect. I think you get more bang for the buck from Rock Island than any other 1911. I have other 1911s as well. I have never owned a Kel Tec as I have not been impressed with any that I held or shot. I was very tempted by the Kel Tec Sub 2000, but it felt too much like a "secret agent" folding toy rifle that I had as a kid. I know they have their fans and, as always, I only speak for myself.
Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
  #3  
Old 08-13-2022, 08:03 PM
BB57's Avatar
BB57 BB57 is offline
Member
Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec  
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC
Posts: 4,710
Likes: 3,527
Liked 12,557 Times in 3,342 Posts
Default

Same here.

I bought an RIA Baby Rock because it was inexpensive and mostly just to test it. I found it was both accurate for the type and extremely reliable with the added plus that the 3.9” barrel maximizes the potential of the marginal .380 ACP cartridge.




I also bought an RIA 1911 in .45 ACP from a shop that took it back in trade after the original owner discovered .45 ACP was more recoil than he bargained for. It’s also combat accurate and very reliable.


Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #4  
Old 08-14-2022, 01:01 AM
coltle6920's Avatar
coltle6920 coltle6920 is offline
Member
Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec  
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Denver,Colorado
Posts: 4,205
Likes: 5,663
Liked 8,042 Times in 2,433 Posts
Default

If you like it for it's looks than our opinion shouldn't matter.

It weighs twice as much as the PMR30 with half the capacity. They both cost about the same. One is made in America and the other isn't.

The Rock Island is modeled after the 1911. It's said that it would make a good training firearm if you already have a 1911 or are looking to move up to one. I hope that was self-explanatory.

If I didn't already own a PMR30 I think I would still choose it over the Rock Island and not even consider buying an imitation".

Now if we were talking about a different caliber....
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-14-2022, 05:08 AM
Bill Lear Bill Lear is offline
Member
Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec  
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Clovis, California
Posts: 396
Likes: 395
Liked 601 Times in 235 Posts
Default

Anything Rock Island builds is good stuff. They aren't as well-executed inside as other brands - the vertical impact surface always tells the tale as they say, but RIA guns work reliably and are durable.
The RIA I would recommend if you don't live in Kamalaphornia is the .22 TCM 14 shot. Why CRAWL at 1,350 fps (optimistic) with a .22 Mag when you can SLAM 40 grain slugs down range at over 2,100 fps from a RIA .22 TCM!?
Don't say ammo costs, because in non-slave States Armscor brand .22 TCM ammo is pretty reasonable.

Last edited by Bill Lear; 08-14-2022 at 05:10 AM.
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #6  
Old 08-14-2022, 08:59 AM
VictorLouis's Avatar
VictorLouis VictorLouis is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 108
Liked 2,120 Times in 964 Posts
Default

Have and enjoy the PMR. Have handled the RIA several times, and I cannot see adding it to the KT in the same chambering. I ran into a gent who really loves that TCM the above poster wrote about.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-14-2022, 09:57 AM
AJ's Avatar
AJ AJ is offline
Member
Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec Rock Island VS Kel Tec  
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: East of Stick Marsh, Fla.
Posts: 9,404
Likes: 4,871
Liked 20,870 Times in 6,323 Posts
Default

I am partial to M1911 style pistol, long history with them. Just saw it in the showcase at the LGS. Was thinking about it, until I realized that the rear sight was fixed. That is my main complaint about the PMR 30. Kel Tec is 45 miles from here and can go by there if there is a problem with the pistol.

Have shot the TCM that a friend has, had a chance to buy it. But feel that the ammo is a bit on the pricey side for just punching paper. .22 Mag is just about as bad nowadays. However, I have 1K on hand for it.

Mainly I am probably just bored and looking for a new toy........

Not interested in anything else by Rock Island. All my 1911 platforms are original Series 70's or earlier or Caspian.
__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Last edited by AJ; 08-14-2022 at 09:59 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Rock Island 10 mm GaCop Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 9 04-07-2022 03:35 PM
Rock Island .380 Redcoat3340 Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 11 11-28-2016 10:40 AM
Rock island sights breadman721 S&W-Smithing 1 05-17-2015 12:48 PM
Rock Island Armory "Baby Rock" 380 acp Rhetorician Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 22 03-17-2015 10:59 PM
Rock Island CS 1911 gizamo Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 13 10-31-2011 06:56 AM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:42 PM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)