# Rock Island, good or bad ?



## mesz13

I want to add a 1911 style gun to my collection but dont have a lot of money available right now, Harley Davidson and chrome is another addiction to be discussed elsewhere. 

I have been looking at the Rock Island 45s and they seem very affordable, the question is are they worth the cash your going to spend, im not looking to use this as carry piece, more of a range weapon and maybe around the house for protection. Plan on going with a more expensive model at another time when i can afford the price of a quality weapon. Any thoughts good or bad will be appreciated. FYI I already have a Glock model 30 for carry when i want a heavier load.


----------



## Overkill0084

I don't own one. I have heard and read that they are pretty good considering their price class. Good shooters. I seem to remember that some were less than thrilled with the quality & durability of the finish. They seem to run $400 to $500 depending on model. A Springfield Armory GI or Milspec might be worth a look for only a little bit more if you skip the stainless.


----------



## GReb

RIAs are fine guns and really good for the money. Plus, they stand behind their product just like Springfield does. I know people who own 3 or 4 RIAs, so that should tell you something...


----------



## VAMarine

For the most part I've heard nothing but good things, the few problems I have head of have been well handled by their customer service guy in the states.

FWIW I've had some really nice 1911s but every time I see the Satin Nickel Rock Island Tactical I want to buy it but for some reason find a reason not too.


----------



## EliWolfe

VAMarineEDIT: FWIW I've had some really nice 1911s but every time I see the Satin Nickel Rock Island Tactical I want to buy it but for some reason find a reason not too.[/QUOTE said:


> That's a nice looking pistol. Maybe you just don't want it BAD enuff! I have to shut down my "Gotta have it" about once a week because I like eating and living indoors.
> Regards,
> Eli :mrgreen:


----------



## tony pasley

I have 1 and never had any problems from mine and niether has my daughters or the several friends that own thrm


----------



## BowhuntnHoosier

My son bought a RIA new from gunshop. It shot well at first then started having feeding problems. Upon further investigating found that the feed ramp was the problem. Had it ground down and polished and seems to be feeding much better. Almost looked as if they forgot to put a ramp on it at all. But for the price it is a very nice weapon. I would definately buy one if I were looking for a 1911.


----------



## ksblazer

I have 2 Rocks an A1 and a Compact Tactical.

Both have been reliable and accurate. One of the bettter buys out there for the $$ IMO.


----------



## Wheeler

My little brother has one and swears by it. He also has one of my old Kimbers, two Colts (I think it's two) and an old Remington. He's so satisfied with the Filipino RIA gun that he went and bought a Metro Arms American Classic, ATI FX Titan Stainless and an ATI FX Titan Blue. These are also Filipino .45s and he's as happy as a kid in a candy store. Oh yeah, my 'little brother' is a 57 year old retired Army SF SgtMaj.

My Kimber has had problems too. Probably caused by my 'limp wristing' it, but I can't be sure. The only two guns I've never had a problem with, from the beginning, were my CZ-82 9mm Mak, and my CZ-75B .40.

The ATI Titan pistols are really nice. Good luck..................


----------



## mesz13

*OK so i got the RI*

Decided based on the good things I have read to purchase a RI, my LGS found me one on this past Thursday and I picked it up that same night.

I figured with all the grease that it was shipped in, cleaning it before doing anything else was imperative. Since this is my first 1911 I went on U-Tube and watched a couple of vids on field strpping the gun, looked pretty easy so i after reviewing everything I decided to give it a go. Here is where it got interesting, I couldnt get past the first major step, moving the barrel bushing was giving me fits, so after about an hour or frustration and several major cuts from using screwdrivers and other items to help out I gave up and drove back over to my LGS. Luck for me my salesman was in a good mood and said no problem he would give me some help, well he had the same luck i did , so he took a short cut just removing the entire upper, with the barrel and springs intact, this took off a lot of the pressure and made removing the plug pretty easy, however when he went to turn the bushing he couldnt either. soooooooooo after playing with it a bit he took it back to the gunsmiths for help, after 15 minutes he came back and said they figured out the bushing wasnt cut properly and they couldnt even figure out how they got it in the gun in the first place. They did some sanding, buffing and what ever else they do in the back room and got the it apart and back together so it would work like it should. So now i got it home and after cleaning it I am ready to move on to the next step, shooting the bugger. Im hoping It will fire better then it comes apart. Since this is Michigan my options for live fire are a bit limited by the weather but hope to get out next week and see how it fires. Ill follow up with the results and hopefully a few pics. I am planning on adding a Pachmeyr American Legend grip shortly and will follow up with some other custom changes as time and money permits. Hoping I didnt get a lemon and looking forward to a long relationship with my RI.


----------



## Wheeler

Interesting. I've had .45s where the bushing could only turn one way fully in order to take it out. I know, it doesn't seem to make sense, but I guess that in an odd sort of way, it does. Gets one into a pattern of doing the same thing the same way all the time. Was that the problem?


----------



## ronmail65

mesz13 said:


> Decided based on the good things I have read to purchase a RI, my LGS found me one on this past Thursday and I picked it up that same night.
> 
> I figured with all the grease that it was shipped in, cleaning it before doing anything else was imperative. Since this is my first 1911 I went on U-Tube and watched a couple of vids on field strpping the gun, looked pretty easy so i after reviewing everything I decided to give it a go. Here is where it got interesting, I couldnt get past the first major step, moving the barrel bushing was giving me fits, so after about an hour or frustration and several major cuts from using screwdrivers and other items to help out I gave up and drove back over to my LGS. Luck for me my salesman was in a good mood and said no problem he would give me some help, well he had the same luck i did , so he took a short cut just removing the entire upper, with the barrel and springs intact, this took off a lot of the pressure and made removing the plug pretty easy, however when he went to turn the bushing he couldnt either. soooooooooo after playing with it a bit he took it back to the gunsmiths for help, after 15 minutes he came back and said they figured out the bushing wasnt cut properly and they couldnt even figure out how they got it in the gun in the first place. They did some sanding, buffing and what ever else they do in the back room and got the it apart and back together so it would work like it should. So now i got it home and after cleaning it I am ready to move on to the next step, shooting the bugger. Im hoping It will fire better then it comes apart. Since this is Michigan my options for live fire are a bit limited by the weather but hope to get out next week and see how it fires. Ill follow up with the results and hopefully a few pics. I am planning on adding a Pachmeyr American Legend grip shortly and will follow up with some other custom changes as time and money permits. Hoping I didnt get a lemon and looking forward to a long relationship with my RI.


Yikes!! I pulled the trigger on one of these last week -- the 9mm tactical model. I expect it tomorrow. Hoping I don't experience any problems. I've read many, many reviews and opinions on the RIA 1911s. Your post is the second one I've seen that cites any type of issue or concern. Everything else I've read, and people I've spoken with, has been nothing but positive.


----------



## mesz13

OK just as a follow up, the problem the best i understand it was that the barrel bushing was a tad long, since it sits on a ridge when its depressed there has to be enough room to move it down to that ridge and allow the nut to be turned, mine wasnt trimmed correctly i guess lol. My LGS which is Williams Gin Site in Mid Michigan is very good and has a full time service department. They figured it out and then ground it down to fit correctly. They had no clue how the gun was put together that way but it seems the problem was solved. 

Now for the good news, i took the RI to the range this morning and its sweet, I also took along my Glock 30 (45) for comparison, U expect the Glock to shoot well and it does, accurate easy and very comfortable in your hands. Now this is the first time for me with a GI 45 and wasnt sure what to expect. The gun is every bit as good as the Glock and maybe even a bit better. Very accurate even with the minimal sights that come with it, very easy to fire, minimal recoil and just a sweet shooter. I am very impressed, Now im faced with a dilema, do i keep on carrying my little sig 380 every day or do add the RI to the rotation? I really like it so far, and will add to this if anything else comes up.


----------



## Wheeler

mesz13,

Put another two to three hundred rounds down the tube, get comfortable with 'the drill', wear it around the house for a few days, ALL DAY, then decide if you want to carry it as a daily carry. What ever you do, keep that little .380. I carry my .45 often, all day when I do and have gotten quite used to (and comforted by) the heft. I also carry my CZ-82 in 9mm Mak, my CZ-2075 RAMI and my Bersa Thunder .380. Love the little Bersa, it's accurate and reliable. Something else it and the two CZs gives is the DA first round so it can be carried with the safety off, hammer down. With todays technology, just about any ammunition can be had with an effective personal defense capability. Remember, it's the hits that count, not the noise you make that gets the task done.

All that being said, I carried a full size 1911 for years (I'm 62) and still carry one whenever I might find myself in questionable territory.


----------



## ronmail65

ronmail65 said:


> Yikes!! I pulled the trigger on one of these last week -- the 9mm tactical model. I expect it tomorrow. Hoping I don't experience any problems. I've read many, many reviews and opinions on the RIA 1911s. Your post is the second one I've seen that cites any type of issue or concern. Everything else I've read, and people I've spoken with, has been nothing but positive.


Got it yesterday!! Quickly field stripped, cleaned, and oiled last night. I hope to shoot this weekend. A few initial observations / questions...

- If felt solid and mechanically sound - good fit.
- Stripped and reassembled fine... except I really struggled with getting the slide stop back in place. I'm new to 1911s, so maybe it's just a matter of practice and lining up the slide just right before popping that back in. Some edges on the parts were pretty sharp -- some additional polishing may have been in order.
- Magazine is very tight going in. I really have to push it in hard -- my Glock and Sig magazines slide in nice and easy. It drops just fine. Magazine spring seems a little "sticky", but I don't think there's anything I can do about it. Maybe these are break-in issues.
- Parkerized finish... not bad, not sure how well it will wear. The wood grips have a couple of small imperfections on them -- I'm knit picking a bit, but I wish they were perfect.

QUESTIONS -- Replacement magazines... can I go with a Colt 9mm 9 round mag? How about replacement grips (if I choose to do so), can I go with anything that fits a full size 1911? The paperworks says the parts are all interchangeable with the single stack Colts -- should I believe it?


----------



## ronmail65

Replying to my own question above.... I ordered 2 Mec-Gar mags which I understand work great with the RIAs and are quality mags. I also discovered another 1911 forum site out there with a specific Armscor/RIA category of threads. It's a great resource for RIA specific stuff.

Hope to shoot my new RIA tomorrow!


----------



## ronmail65

Piling on to my own 2 preceeding posts....

So I received, cleaned and shot my new RIA 1911 9mm Tactical. Put about 120-150 rounds through it. Functioned flawlessly. I got the new Mec-Gar mags in the mail and tried them out as well. The Mec-Gars worked great -- loaded up with 9 rounds just fine, emptied with the slide locked, and dropped fine. The spring in the Checkmate mag that came with the gun was very tight -- it was all I could do to get 7 rounds in it, but it functions fine as well. The gun has a little trigger creep and I don't care for the sights. But it was solid, steady, and felt good. I wasn't sure I'd like the smooth wood grips, but they were great. I don't think the parkerized finish will wear well in the long run, but I kind of expected that.


----------



## Richard373

*I have had them there ok for price.*

They shoot pretty good for what they are but under stand there not like hollow points becuase they do not throat barrels on there guns. But other than that not bad 1911.


----------



## aryfrosty

*Rock Islands`*

Don't take my remarks personally....I don't care for them, my opinion, because of the how and the where they are built. All I have ever know that was well made and came from the Rep of the Phillipines was San Miguel Beer and you had to watch that you didn't get green beer when you boutght it. I field stripped a Rock Island once and the ragged tool and file marks reminded me of a Llama. I've been told on good authority that they can even mess up a soup sandwich. If you lived there in the late 60s and early 70s it was a tossup, if you had a dog as a pet, over who was going to eat the dog first; The Phillipinos or the Boas.


----------



## Hawk 3/21

Hey, aryfrosty

Get your head out of your ass....dog tastes good.... Ate plenty in Vietnam and Thailand. Of coarse it could have been cat, still it was mighty tasty.

Sorry I didn't see your post sooner. So tell me, which arms manufacturer you worked for? So we can avoid them. How do the culinary preferences of 1960 relate to production values today? 
How much time have you spent shooting an RIA? I don't wan't to say you're talking out you're ass, but the fact that your post has no information about the actual product being discussed, nor the manufacterer in general, leads me to believe you're a bigotted POS. Hopefully I'm wrong and you're actually very knowledgable about the RIA tactical. Prove me wrong.


----------



## aryfrosty

*Rock Islanders*

I ain't gonna get into no dog...But I have enjoyed alley cat is downtown Sasebo. I admit to being no fan of inexpensive 1911s. And almost every one from a Philip mfr has problems. The internal surfaces are poorly finished and rough to the touch which causes all sorts of rough cycling.
I'll halt my ignorant postings about Armscor, sorry, RIA...and let you guys get back to the serious sides of junk firearms.
Man, I can't believe you ate a poor pooch.


----------



## Baldy

We have had four over the years in our family and a couple needed some minor adjustments but they all have run fine over the last couple of years. They have proven their worth to me. I have no problem carrying a RIA once in awhile. :smt1099


----------



## kali4kombatives

AryFrosty,
Your a 1st class moron. I'll put my RIAs against anyone's Kimbers in a USPSA match. It is quite possible that i shoot more a week than you do in a year so spare me the retort. In addition your " Boas eating dogs" comment is also ignorant. Boas are a new world constrictor ( Central and South America). The snakes of S.E. Asia that you are referencing are pythons.


----------



## Brettasaurus

I have a RIA GI and it is a great shooter. It eats all types of ammo, has a crisp pull and is as accurate as my Colt 1991 A1. I don't get into being a gun snob. I have Colts, Springfields, Sigs, Berettas and Tauri. All guns no matter where they are made have some weak points. I have thought about changing the sights and I put a set of VZ Aliens in G10. They really look good on the RIA.


----------



## Rockhound

I bought a full-size RI Tactical in 45 ACP about 18 months ago. It was my first 1911 platform pistol. Since it was my first 1911, and I didn't know if I would like the platform, I didn't want to invest a lot of money. All I can say is that I have learned to like the 1911 platfom. The RI that I received was well put-together. Very tight. Shoots very accurate also.

I have put quite a few rounds through the pistol and it still shoots great. No problems at all! I would not hesitate to recommend the Rock Island to any of my friends (and actually have done so). If you want to get into a good quality 1911 platform pistol and don't have the $600+ to buy a Springfield, Taurus, Remington, Ruger, Kimber, etc., then the Rock Island would be a great choice.


----------



## flgunner

Started with the .45 GI I use as part of my show and tell at book signings for my WWII D-Day novel. Liked it so much I have added a full size Tactical in .45 and 9mm, a .45 CS and a Kimber .22 on a FS RIA frame - all great pistols. Had Arnel (the RIA gunsmith) install a night sight on the CS. Pistols shoot great (FMJ, HP and reloads). I can afford Kimbers, but decided the RIAs were good enough for me, especially with the life-time guarantee and service.


----------



## yoopermike

I love my RIA great gun for the money! it needed a little fluff and buff but nothing unusual.


----------



## snakeman21

Well, I have been a lurker here for about a year now, and finally made a profile to add my $.02 to this thread. I have a Rock Island Armory M1911A1 FS. It is identical to the one pictured above my post, but with Pachmayr American Legend grips. I would *highly* recommend this gun. It has been my main carry gun for a little over a year now. I have about 3,000 rounds through it at the range, and not a single malfunction. It even eats hollow points with no fuss, which is something I expected it to have a problem with. As far as I can tell, it is equal in quality to any Colt or Kimber.

The only exception to this is the magazine. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this with their RIA, but the stock magazine was junk in mine. One day, I was shooting it at the range. I emptied the mag and dropped it, but I missed catching it with my left hand, and it fell onto only grass. On impact, it quite literally exploded. The plastic bumper broke and the spring sent the magazine whizzing into the trees. I never found all the pieces. But, I purchased two Chip McCormick mags, and thus far have been very happy with them.


----------



## DogRanger

I just shot my friends RI 9mm the other day and I was impressed...it was a good shooter and acurate...


----------



## JBarL

My Son Has a RI military version 45 auto He loves it I used it to go through my CHL Instructor class and I Shot better with it then I do my Para ordance and my Colt. My opinion Is As a Licensed Gun Dealer I would recommend this Firearm to people without hesitation. He never encountered any problems nor did I when we shoot it. And For the Price I may have to buy me a compact size to carry around. it's a great shooter and Very reliable. and the price is reasonable.

JBarL


----------



## trrogers24

I have the officer size and have never had a problem with. It is currently my carry gun


----------



## daveyjones

i have one of these its a good gun no hang ups the finish is a little rough but i work at a chrome shop so i dressed mine up a little it is a very nice entery level 1911


----------



## squirrelslayer

*rock island*

I was at the range last weekend and My brothers rock island 1911 had a case rupture, destroying a magazine in the process. The internal parts of the magazine like the spring etc fell to the ground along with what would be the rest of its meal of 2 unfired bullets. I must say the gun did great for having a case failure, It did knock the ejector a little out of whack nothing a light hammer tap and light file-down didn't fix.

My father has shot 10s of thousand of rounds in his rock island 1911. The worst thing that has ever happened to it that I can recall is when the connector link broke. the rock island is a easily serviceable and high quality gun for the price even if it did cost more(shh don't give them any ideas). I like them better than more expensive 1911 guns like kimbers.

I think the connector slapped the primer when the round was out of battery that is a common failure in the 1911 design but if it had been a glock for instance(a gun my father hates but I like) it would have been much more catastrophic. My brothers little compact 1911 looked like he never cleaned it and it has had maybe 1000 rounds of copper jacketed 230gn and about 4000 cast lead reloads though it and he never cleaned it. I think if the bullet was a double charge the grips would have blown off or the frame cracked a barrel bulge etc.

the chance of this type of malfunction is slimmer if you clean and maintain your gun every time you shoot it and inspect it before you shoot it too, something I didn't do seeing it was his gun and not mine. He is not a bad guy things happen I had a 357 blow a barrel band off because i didn't clean it and fired a lot of cast lead through it never cleaned it well and shot some copper and I was very lucky not to get hurt.

from now on I will clean his gun for him before we shoot and I will clean it before I leave the house for his safety and anyone next to him.

the little short barreled 1911 is doing fine now and waiting for its next meal of smokey 230gn reloads.


----------



## trrogers24

I have an Officer size and have never had any issues with it .


----------



## BearTaylor

I own four 1911s but none are RI. However, I saw a fellow shooting one on the range last month doing a darned good job of center massing hits on a B27 target. I certainly would not want that guy armed with his RI shooting at me.


----------



## Chucksolo69

My RIA CS compact has been excellent form day one. Only one failure in 800+ rounds. I would also recommend the RIA 1911's to anyone wanting a great pistol at a fantastic price.


----------



## numanf

Yeah, I have heard they are pretty good for the money too!


----------



## Jammersix

I have a Rock Island milspec that I won in a drawing.

It's a game gun, it's a .38 Super, so it doesn't get shot every time I go to the range.

It's a good gun, it's well put together.

For my money, I prefer weapons built overseas. The quality is there without the entitlement surcharge that American built guns have.

The Springfields, the Rock Islands and training are where I spend my money.


----------

