Rock island 1911s

[ky wonder]

Any love for these, thinking about buying one, green nib fs with 10q grips
Can pick up for 350

 

[03hemi]

1911 guys think they're okay for a range toy, but keep in mind they're at the bottom end of the scale. Personally, I'd save a little more and get something of better quality.

 

[silentflyer]

I have one, for the $$$ it's a pretty good firearm, not a Gold Cup or Kimber
but it goes bang and no real problems after a out of the box cleaning and about 200 rounds through it.

 

[Prohunter]

Have 2. Both 10mm’s. Full size and Commander. They are underrated pistols in my opinion. Hundreds of rounds of 10mm through each, over the counter week sauce stuff and a lot of full power Underwood. No issues after the break in, as any 1911 is subject to.

 

[Fishinfool]

Sounds like a good price on a very nice gun. I am a bit of a 1911 fan, and have owned several dozen over the years. Back about 15 years ago, I bought a Rock Island 1911 in .45 acp, NIB, for under $300. Mostly on a whim, at the recommendation of the shop owner. Besides, the gun looked pretty well put together.

Maybe 3 or 4 thousand rounds later, it has proven nothing but accurate and reliable. In fact, I like it so much, I installed a Burris FastFire ll on it, and get solid 2 inch groups at 25 yards with WW ball ammo. I have owned Colt's that were not as accurate or reliable. They are a heck of a good buy, I think. Pictured is mine along side a Kimber for comparison. I think a major difference between the RIA guns, and some of the competitors is that they are made in a country where labor is like $1 or $2 an hour, compared to say the US, or Germany. Mine has shown no unusual wear and tear compared to other 1911's with a similar round count.

Larry

 

[galena]

I have four, a government size and a commander size in .40SW, a government size in 9mm, and a compact size from Legacy that is also made by RIA. I agree with Prohunter above, they are underrated. I have fired several thousand rounds through all mine and never had any kind of a problem. For the money they are a good buy. Both the .40s have ramped barrels which I think is the key to running .40SW in a 1911. I had a high end Colt 1911 in .40 that would never function right, even after a trip back to Colt, it did not have a ramped barrel.

 

[JayFramer]

Not something you’d ever want to trust your life to. Mine was (and is) a jamamatic.

With a 1911, you get what you pay for, and there’s a reason Rock Islands are cheap. If it’s just a range toy or something you want to learn on, sure, but if this is for serious defense the cheapest I’d ever consider is something like a Dan Wesson in the $1600 price range and even then Id be sure to send it to a Smith for a full tune up and overhaul.

1911s are not like Glocks. They demand quality and intensive maintenance. My $0.02? Pinch those pennies, save up, and shoot for something like a Springfield Professional (can be had at or just under $3000) or the various Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom guns.

The 1911 is the world’s top fighting pistol and always has been. But like I said, it is one platform you do NOT want to skimp on.

 

[Farmer17]

I've owned Colt, Kimber, American Classic, and Rock Island 1911s and I would trust my life equally to any of them. The Colt and Kimber were very slightly better finished on the outside and had triggers that were maybe 10% better but the cheaper guns were just as good in every other way.

 

[Echo40]

Aren't Springfield's just rebranded Imbel 1911s?

Honestly, folks are so quick to praise Springfield Armory for their firearms when it is to my understanding that they don't actually make any of their own firearms, they just import them from other countries, slap their name on them, then charge $200 more than if you just bought the same exact gun from the manufacturer.

Personally, if I was going to buy a Brazilian made 1911 then I'd just buy a Taurus PT1911. They're cheaper than Springfield 1911s and have more features than the entry level models.

 

[scoobysnacker]

I have a High Standard gov model .45 made by Armscor (Rock Island's parent company) that I'd absolutely trust with my life. Got it for a song.

It's almost funny how good a deal these RIA/Armscor guns are, for the price. Not only do they run as well as any other mass-produced 1911 (Springfield, Ruger, Remington etc), the warranty is borderline obscene: gun, not original buyer, is covered. Buy it used, still covered.

My High Standard was made in 2006 and out of production, no bother. If I have any issue they will address it (confirmed when I sent an email to inquire about the gun).

 

[max]

I have COMPLETE faith in my FS 9mm 1911. I bought it on a whim because my LGS had it used and I was curious to try 9mm in a 1911. I have had it maybe 2 years and have fired it a lot. I have used mostly aluminum ammo and have had no failures of any kind.

I have Colts and a ruger and this one may not be as well finished or have quite the finish, but it WORKS. It is accurate and reliable, what is not to like.

 

[old tanker]

I got one of the plain Jane Rock Island pistols in .38 Super. I replaced the cheesy mahogany grips with a set of brown plastic GI ones. I replaced the flat mainspring housing with an arched GI housing with a lanyard loop. Looks pretty much like an arms room rack pistol, except when you look at the muzzle.

It's a good, reliable shooter.

 

[krsmith58]

i started off wanting a 9 mm 1911. watching and bidding on GB i wasn't getting what i wanted for the money i was willing to spend . i saw the RIA 22 TCM/9mm combo so after a little research on the TCM i bid on a RIA combo and won the auction . completely differant subject but check out the TCM if you have'nt already . any who , not thousands off rounds but several hundred in each caliber and no failures of any kind . i feel that i got more gun for my money than if i had went another route . personally i give the RIA high marks in the gun for money catagory .

 

[Gene L]

I have one now, and had another before. The consensus around here is they're fine pistols. The customer service is very good, too. I would absolutely trust me life with one. I wouldn't entertain paying $3K for a pistol that won't do anything more practical than a $400 RIA.

I've been around 1911s before 1911s were cool. I've seen problems with just about every brand of 1911 I've been around. I think CNC has greatly improved many guns, 1911s included. I had a Colt Gold Cup that wouldn't shoot a HP reliably, because they were made to shoot ball ammo.

So while I have a Colt Combat Commander, I don't think it's mechanically superior over a RIA. Looks better; yes. Dresses up nicely, yep. Not any more accurate than my RIA Govt model.

 

[Wise_A]

Aren't Springfield's just rebranded Imbel 1911s?

Honestly, folks are so quick to praise Springfield Armory for their firearms when it is to my understanding that they don't actually make any of their own firearms, they just import them from other countries, slap their name on them, then charge $200 more than if you just bought the same exact gun from the manufacturer.

Personally, if I was going to buy a Brazilian made 1911 then I'd just buy a Taurus PT1911. They're cheaper than Springfield 1911s and have more features than the entry level models.

*sigh*

Springfield imports frames and (IIRC) slides. Then they build from there, which includes drilling the various pin holes in the frame. Which is a big deal. You can mess up locating the holes badly enough that that gun will be incapable of ever getting a decent trigger pull without custom-making parts for it.

The Brazilian-made frames are poo-poo'd by the ill-informed, but the manufacturer is well-regarded.

But hey, don't believe me. Go buy an RIA, and take it to any reputable bullseye pistolsmith in the business. Ask him to make you a gun. He'll hand you the RIA back, and tell you to bring him a Springfield Armory Mil-Spec.

Are the RIAs garbage, though? Not really. They're inexpensive. They're not even that bad compared to other guns in their price bracket. But like all guns at that price, they're inconsistent. Sometimes you get a good one. Sometimes you don't. If I just wanted a 1911 to bang around, they're very well-priced. But I wouldn't base a build on one, or buy one with the idea of upgrading it.

 

[Grayfox]

I picked up a used RIA in .38 Super at a gun show pretty cheap. It was a jamomatic. I checked it out and I believe they made this 38 Super with a 9mm slide. I opened up the breach face just a tiny bit to fit the semi-rimmed 38 Super and its run like a top ever since.

 

[H Richard]

I bought this in 1987, and did most all the work on it myself. It was originally a basic GI 45. This gun has probably close to 100,000 rounds through it. It was nothing to go through 300-500 rounds in an afternoon practicing for a match, then another 300-500 at the match. I shot many expert and master level scores in PPC with it. It shoots as good today as it ever did. I originally paid $200 for it. Custom gunsmiths have used the RIA as the foundation for high dollar custom guns.

 

[Wise_A]

Custom gunsmiths have used the RIA as the foundation for high dollar custom guns.

I was thinking about it, and yeah, I know a couple guys that will work on them. They send a fair few back with "get a Mil-Spec" instructions, but they'll look at them.

As to high-dollar...okay, I admit, I do not understand the mentality of dropping serious coin and starting with an RIA as a base. You're gonna throw all the parts out anyway, and you're already spending a boatload, why not spend a little more and start with a Caspian frame and slide?

 

[BC38]

I have their CS model (officer sized) that I bought used and finish worn.
It needed a new recoil spring and the barrel bushing had a burr on it. When I wrote RIA about it, they sent me both replacement parts, no charge, no questions asked.
It has eaten everything I've fed it ever since, including a variety of my reloads. Accuracy is more than adequate for a CCW. Great value pistol and great customer service. I'd buy another if I felt the need for another 1911.

 

[Art Doc]

Not something you’d ever want to trust your life to. Mine was (and is) a jamamatic.

With a 1911, you get what you pay for, and there’s a reason Rock Islands are cheap. If it’s just a range toy or something you want to learn on, sure, but if this is for serious defense the cheapest I’d ever consider is something like a Dan Wesson in the $1600 price range and even then Id be sure to send it to a Smith for a full tune up and overhaul.

1911s are not like Glocks. They demand quality and intensive maintenance. My $0.02? Pinch those pennies, save up, and shoot for something like a Springfield Professional (can be had at or just under $3000) or the various Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom guns.

The 1911 is the world’s top fighting pistol and always has been. But like I said, it is one platform you do NOT want to skimp on.

You are the second person to complain about the RIA. Out of 100-150. Have you tried to fix the problem? I bought a new Colt that jammed every other round. It can happen to any gun. I had it fixed.

I have had a couple of RIAs and they were good. Not fancy. I like the Colts better. But for the money they are decent. Current RIA is a nickel 38 Super with polished bone stocks.