RIA Baby Rock .380 Rocks!

[Funflyer]

I think I read just about every review along with all the comments and picked one up last month. Blow-back or not this little 1911(ish) pistol is just a blast at the range, and just as accurate as the best of em. I did have an issue with it where the slide would lock up when racked which turned out to be a mal-machined slide stop but that was an easy fix. I also made a FO front sight for it since I had some time to kill. Took it out as soon as our no-burn ban was lifted, which was yesterday, and had a ball. I only fired 114 rounds through it because it had to share my range time with two other pistols, but those 114 rounds went through the Rock flawlessly. I need to make a taller front sight and drift the rear one a bit as you can tell from the target but wow this little pistol is very accurate. Target was at 10 yards, the first two mag loads, shooting off hand.

 

[Pisgah]

I sure love mine. I fired the 450th round thru it Friday -- not a single failure on any of them, and they have included cheapo Tulammo, plus numerous offerings from Remington, Winchester, and Hornady. It shoots groups so tiny that my usual shooting buddy called me a liar until he went the first time a couple of weeks ago to the range with me and shot it. A pure joy to carry, too.

 

[CH4]

Glad to hear your positive comments!

As a new VP at Armscor Global Defense, I’ll be happy to pass along your comments directly to those that make the Baby Rock and the myriad other models.

 

[dr. mordo]

I really want a Baby Rock!

CH4 - when are y'all gonna start making Hi Powers!

 

[rickflst]

Nice shooting and the Baby Roc looks interesting. Unfortunately it is not on the MA approved list
I have a FS GI RIA 45 that runs flawlessly. Well over 2000 rounds through it.

 

[OLDSTER]

I really want a Baby Rock!

CH4 - when are y'all gonna start making Hi Powers!

Agree; the baby Rock looks really nice. BTW, there is a really nice HP clone now on the market --the Tisa Regent BR9--the guys over on the 1911/HP forum have been discussing it, and it's getting great reviews.

 

[Collo Rosso]

Glad to hear your positive comments!

As a new VP at Armscor Global Defense, I’ll be happy to pass along your comments directly to those that make the Baby Rock and the myriad other models.

Could you please pass along a ambi safety would make it even better! Some have the crippling disability of left handedness...

 

[Funflyer]

Glad to hear your positive comments!

As a new VP at Armscor Global Defense, I’ll be happy to pass along your comments directly to those that make the Baby Rock and the myriad other models.

Here's something for their suggestion box also. The sights could use some improving. At a minimum, the front could use a white dot and the rear sight notch should be deeper. I milled mine .020" deeper (not wider) and it makes a world of difference by allowing more vertical light on either side of the front sight blade. Since there's no aftermarket support, I opted to make a fiber optic sight for mine, for obvious reasons, and to correct the high POI.

 

[JayFramer]

My TAC-II .45 did NOT rock... in fact it had so many problem I gave up on it.

 

[CH4]

I really want a Baby Rock!

CH4 - when are y'all gonna start making Hi Powers!

Hmmm
Good question

 

[indie_rocker]

I'm glad yours is working well! I had picked one up at a gun show, new in box and had nothing but problems. When I sent it back, RIA said it was unrepairable?

I ended up getting the Browning 1911-380.

 

[Funflyer]

Passed the 300 round mark this week. So far I've had only two FTFeed using WWB flat nose and one double feed with Federal AE. Double feed was after a first shot with a full mag with one in the chamber 7+1.

 

[Racer X]

Great to hear. I am interested in a RIA double stack 10mm and a spare .40 S&W barrel. ROCK Ultra FS HC - 10mm | Armscor International, Inc

was concerned about fit/finish and reliability. The specs and looks are very promising.

 

[Funflyer]

Back to Nevada the Rock goes

Maybe I spoke too soon on the Baby Rock. Last time I cleaned it I noticed the slide lock is peening the notch in the slide. So after sending some pics to RIA the Baby Rock is rockin' it's way back to Pahrump

 

[BB57]

Here's something for their suggestion box also. The sights could use some improving. At a minimum, the front could use a white dot and the rear sight notch should be deeper. I milled mine .020" deeper (not wider) and it makes a world of difference by allowing more vertical light on either side of the front sight blade. Since there's no aftermarket support, I opted to make a fiber optic sight for mine, for obvious reasons, and to correct the high POI.

Regulation of a fixed front sight in a pistol or revolver is very dependent on the load and in particular the bullet weight. In my Baby Rock, 100 gr plated bullets will print a couple inches high, but my 90 gr XTP self defense loads shoot to point of aim at 10 yards.

I agree with you however that the front sight could use a white dot and the rear sight could use a bit more light on each side of the front sight. The front sight slides forward out of a dovetail with a set screw to hold it in place. Consequently, it would be easy for RIA to provide aftermarket sights of different heights, with a dot, etc.

 

[BB57]

I bought my Baby Rock largely because it wasn't expensive and I just wanted to try it out, expecting it to come up short.

I was pleasantly surprised that it compared very well to my Kimber Micro. The Baby Rock is just as accurate, and just as relentlessly reliable.

With a steel frame it is heavier than the Kimber (23.5 oz empty, versus 13.4 oz) but it offers a 3.75" barrel compared to 2.75" for the Kimber which improves the performance of the 90 gr XTP in heavy clothing.

It also has a sharper recoil due to the blow back versus delayed recoil operation, but it's essentially identical to the Walther PPK/S with the same operation and weight.

It also costs about $200 less at real world prices around $360-$380.

 

[indie_rocker]

Maybe I spoke too soon on the Baby Rock. Last time I cleaned it I noticed the slide lock is peening the notch in the slide. So after sending some pics to RIA the Baby Rock is rockin' it's way back to Pahrump

Yup, mine wore very fast like that. I was having a lot of FTF as well. The rounds were wedging between the feedramp and barrel-hood. They said the firearm was unrepairable.

The slide peening made me wonder if there were issues with metal hardness.

 

[Funflyer]

The front sight slides forward out of a dovetail with a set screw to hold it in place. Consequently, it would be easy for RIA to provide aftermarket sights of different heights, with a dot, etc.

I made a second FO sight, but made it taller and tapped the setscrew farther forward so it's hidden under the rod. POI was as good as it gets after that, for me anyway.

35 ROUNDS, 10 YARDS

Yup, mine wore very fast like that. The slide peening made me wonder if there were issues with metal hardness.

That's what I'm thinking as well, lack of heat treat. The MiM slide stop doesn't look bad at all but the slide notch has metal peening downward and also out to the side.

 

[Funflyer]

Well, RIA replaced my Baby Rock with a new one. FedEx delivered it yesterday. Two weeks and two days from the day I shipped it to them. New one has a s/n only four numbers away from the first, inspected and test fired on the same day by the same person. What are the chances of that?

Now I'm leery about firing it and having it lock open after the last round just to beat up the slide notch again. I have another slide lock so I might mill off the tab that contacts the follower and not sweat the lack of a last round hold open. It's just a range toy anyway.

 

[indie_rocker]

Well, RIA replaced my Baby Rock with a new one. FedEx delivered it yesterday. Two weeks and two days from the day I shipped it to them. New one has a s/n only four numbers away from the first, inspected and test fired on the same day by the same person. What are the chances of that?

Now I'm leery about firing it and having it lock open after the last round just to beat up the slide notch again. I have another slide lock so I might mill off the tab that contacts the follower and not sweat the lack of a last round hold open. It's just a range toy anyway.

If the notch is rounding off and peening, the whole slide has hardness issues and not just that small area. But I understand your thought process. They were pretty behind with production when I sent mine in, they offered for me to wait an unknown time or take a refund. I accepted the refund and put the money towards the Browning 1911-380.