# RIA 1911 Tactical



## thetses (Nov 23, 2008)

I can get a RIA Tactical for ~500 dollars after taxes and the RIA non-tactical for ~420 dollars. Is the tactical worth the extra 80 dollars? Is this a good deal?

The tactical has a beaver-tail, lightened trigger and hammer, and better dovetail sights.

Also, does anyone have the bi-tone RIA 1911 and would it be worth an extra 20 dollars?

Thank you in advance.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

What are you going to use it for?


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## thetses (Nov 23, 2008)

tony pasley said:


> What are you going to use it for?


Mainly target practice.


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## forestranger (Jan 20, 2008)

IMHO it's worth the extra. Better sights and trigger alone made it worth it for me. Had the GI first, traded it for Tactical. No regrets.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

There's not a lot difference between the tactical and the other one. Mainly an ambi - safety. And some have the GI sites on them. Some people will say the triggers are different bit the both break at the same lb (5-5.25 lb.) and the trigger on a 1911 is pretty easy to get in there and polish up everything. RIA has a few burrs in em anyway in the new ones so a little polish work is always a good thing if you have the stuff to do it with. The bbl, slide fit is the same. It's for the most part the same gun one just has a safety on both sides and one don't. You can get an ampt safety depending on the maker around 40 bucks and up. They are not hard to put in but more often than not the grips will need to be altered in the back or on top depending what style ambi ya get. RIA uses one that makes you have to fit the grip panel from the top to allow the safety and the grip panel to fit. Most the other ones you have to make a small channel in the back of the grip panel. About 5 minutes with a Dremel tool and you can have it done no matter what safety you get.

If you are getting either make sure that you are happy with the sites that are on it. If by any chance they both have the same sites meaning the rear site is like a Novak type and a little bigger than the GI rear site. Also the slide is cut flat under the rear part of the rear site. That makes changing sites a lot easier. Well..At least it gives you more choices without needing any gunsmith work.

Both are pretty good 1911's. I wasn't real happy with the feed ramp but a little time polishing and they were fine. Truth be told I have yet to but an out of the box 1911 that I didn't think needed some work doe to it. That's why there are custom 1911 makers all over.

If it was me I'd not get the tactical (If it has the Novak sites anyway) and use the savings to tweak it some. One of the many really cool things about a 1911 is there is so much you can do to make your 1911 uniquely yours.

At any rate the RIA 1911 is a great entry level 1911. You get pretty good bang for the buck. (pun intended) Hearing that Para Ord is putting out a entry level 1911 now I might be inclined to hunt one of those down :smt033


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## Korben7p3c (Dec 23, 2008)

*Ria...*

...I'm trying to find out just where I can get one "locally" so to speak. I'd drive 1.5 hours for the right one with the right price. Not sure if the website has a dealer locater.


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