rock island 1911
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25,048 Posts
I have one the mil- spec I love it. never failed to function or fire for me .. and accurate enough for self defense.. not a target gun for sure.. I upgraded my grips with hogue Cocobollo wood I didn't like the factory smooth ones.. I use a DeSantis IWB thumb brake holster and love it..
Photo is with origional grips.. second photo with my ruger in Belt Side DeSantis and the 1911 in my Kydex paddle
Photo is with origional grips.. second photo with my ruger in Belt Side DeSantis and the 1911 in my Kydex paddle
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9,145 Posts
What kind of price are you looking at for one? The High Standard is made in P.I. the Remington is Indo-nim parts from India, Be sure to check out where the Rock Island is made. If there is only a couple hundred bucks difference between that and a Colt, you may be better off going with the Colt.
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1,078 Posts
I have a Citadel made by Armscor in the Philippines and really like it.
Some of the knock-offs seem to be as good as the old stand-bys before customization.
I bought mine as a low budget knock around plinker, if I'd have spent the $$$s for a Colt I would be scared to use it as such.
You can spend whatever you want ($450 on up) for a 1911 and then spend even more tricking them out. I guess it really depends on how deep your pockets are and how you plan to use the pistol???
-chris
Some of the knock-offs seem to be as good as the old stand-bys before customization.
I bought mine as a low budget knock around plinker, if I'd have spent the $$$s for a Colt I would be scared to use it as such.
You can spend whatever you want ($450 on up) for a 1911 and then spend even more tricking them out. I guess it really depends on how deep your pockets are and how you plan to use the pistol???
-chris
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25,048 Posts
Big Med Rock Island is made by Armscor also.. http://www.armscor.com.ph/
I paid just about 325 for mine .. . I would get this in a heartbeat.. 1911A1-FS PS NP
I paid just about 325 for mine .. . I would get this in a heartbeat.. 1911A1-FS PS NP
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9,145 Posts
At that price it isn't bad. The Remington's I have seen sell for a couple hundred less than the Colts. I got my Colt Defender last year NIB for $750 and the Remington was 675 IIRC.Gunjunkie said:
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360 Posts
i am looking for the best combination of cost and quality. That is why i was looking into RI. The cost is low, but it doesn't matter if the quality sucks. I don,t need a pretty gun, or one with lots of bells and whistles. (lights, chrome, grips..etc). If it shoots straight, feeds and ejects correctly it will work for me. I would us it for plinking, personal defense and carrying in the woods. I used to own a Springfield, had to sell it a dew years back. Between family and bills, I cant spend what I did on the Springfield. Thanks for all the feed back. I haven't heard a bad review yet, just points on cost and location of manufacturer. So it is sounding good to me.
milinnc
milinnc
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10,693 Posts
The Ruger SR1911 is just starting to hit the market at about $100 more than a base Rock Island, as far as the prices that I'm seeing go (I haven't seen one for $325 in the last couple years) with a lot more features, better sights, and everything is made in the USA, as opposed to the Philippines like the Rock Island. A buddy of mine just preordered one for $500. I've been thinking about selling my Dan Wesson bobtail commander (once I get to the jamming sorted out) and buying a Ruger with the proceeds of the sale.
Reviews are already up on youtube and look very positive.
Seems like a no-brainer to me.
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edited: photo added
Reviews are already up on youtube and look very positive.
Seems like a no-brainer to me.
edited: photo added
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2,575 Posts
mil,
I love my Rock Island. To be sure it is not a Kimber, spring or colt but you can have a new one for less than $500 and you can't say that about the other 3. True you ain't going to Camp Perry with the Rock, but it has nicer sights (than a mil-spec), wood grips, beavertail safety, ambi and all the other niceties that the big boys have. BTW, check out the .45 acp sites and you will find their customer service second to none, they are very good with questions/repair.
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I love my Rock Island. To be sure it is not a Kimber, spring or colt but you can have a new one for less than $500 and you can't say that about the other 3. True you ain't going to Camp Perry with the Rock, but it has nicer sights (than a mil-spec), wood grips, beavertail safety, ambi and all the other niceties that the big boys have. BTW, check out the .45 acp sites and you will find their customer service second to none, they are very good with questions/repair.
Attachments
It's very popular here in 1911 Country (UT), most guys buy the base model and have it tricked out for their use, i.e. reliability package, beavertail grip,etc. I have 2 Kimbers that are/have been flawless. Bought one new in 2000 (Govt CDP) and the Compact CDP used in 2007 ( I had another I traded for a rifle two years before,ha) A Classic Kimber, used, is not too hard to find. But, for whay you said you wanted it for, certainly nothing wrong with "The Rock"! I never quibble about spending a little money on making any 1911 user Friendly, it's not that expensive nowadays. "Best" woods carry round I've found is the Buffalo Bore +P 230JFN, accurate, hits with authority. While I don't want to tangle with a black bear up here, I feel I could work on him with this load. Good luck to you Pard!
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3,479 Posts
At the show today they had the RI's for $395/base model. You would have to do some work on it, I would think, to get it up and running (definitely needs sights and an extended safety) but it looked like a pretty solid pistol.
I did not see any of the Ruger 1911's... I was looking, though.
I did see a Taurus with a rail for about $650... I thought that was a pretty good deal for what you got.
I did not see any of the Ruger 1911's... I was looking, though.
I did see a Taurus with a rail for about $650... I thought that was a pretty good deal for what you got.
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18,026 Posts
I bought an RIA 1911-A1 about 18 months ago, the "Tactical" or "Enhanced" model, and liked it so much I went back and got another one a few days later. It's not a Colt, I equate it to the Norinco guns that were imported back in the early 90's.......or maybe a little better. The triggers are mushy but consistent, and I have yet to have a FTF or FTE that couldn't be traced to either a magazine or ammo problem.
I'd originally bought the first one to use the lower half on a carbine conversion, but decided it was too nice to be relegated to such duty, and bought the Base Model for thirty bucks less than the Tac. Both were tested enough to convince me that they were good enough to carry off duty, and I do that now and then with the Tac Model.
I wouldn't run a steady diet of Plus-P loads through them, I'd be worried about peening the frame from too much high-velocity battering, but with standard-pressure ammo they do just fine. Armscor has been making guns for a long time, some nicer than others, but their stuff sells, regardless. There are at least four companies offering their 1911's under different names, and they seem to sell pretty well. The stocks were pretty plain so I replaced them, but nothing else has needed changing or improving. The enhanced version had a full-length guide rod (which I removed the day I bought it) and the base model didn't. The other differences were better sights, a rowel-type hammer and better trigger, and a beavertail. I'd happily buy another Tac Model.
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I'd originally bought the first one to use the lower half on a carbine conversion, but decided it was too nice to be relegated to such duty, and bought the Base Model for thirty bucks less than the Tac. Both were tested enough to convince me that they were good enough to carry off duty, and I do that now and then with the Tac Model.
I wouldn't run a steady diet of Plus-P loads through them, I'd be worried about peening the frame from too much high-velocity battering, but with standard-pressure ammo they do just fine. Armscor has been making guns for a long time, some nicer than others, but their stuff sells, regardless. There are at least four companies offering their 1911's under different names, and they seem to sell pretty well. The stocks were pretty plain so I replaced them, but nothing else has needed changing or improving. The enhanced version had a full-length guide rod (which I removed the day I bought it) and the base model didn't. The other differences were better sights, a rowel-type hammer and better trigger, and a beavertail. I'd happily buy another Tac Model.
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1 Posts
**** carpenter
Just purchased RIA 1911 Tactical yesterday, said to be NEW? When you bought yours did you get any type of owners manual? All I received was a case, lock, weapon and magazine. Was told mine is BLUE (looks cheap finish) and now I see them parkerized and nickel! Don't get me wrong probably is a excellent weapon, but maybe I could have got a better finish than the blue. The blue really does not look that great.
mc
PS first post
Just purchased RIA 1911 Tactical yesterday, said to be NEW? When you bought yours did you get any type of owners manual? All I received was a case, lock, weapon and magazine. Was told mine is BLUE (looks cheap finish) and now I see them parkerized and nickel! Don't get me wrong probably is a excellent weapon, but maybe I could have got a better finish than the blue. The blue really does not look that great.
mc
PS first post
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18,026 Posts
Hi ****, welcome to the forum!
My RIA's have the same "finish" as yours, which isn't much, sort of a thin blue Parkerizing. It's serviceable but not much for looks. The rollmark is about the most anemic I've ever seen, you almost have to get a magnifying glass out to see it. What the guns lack in cosmetics they make up for in shootability and utility.
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Mine both came with a rudimentary "manual", I think I spent about a minute looking through it, didn't learn anything I didn't already know, and proceeded to the range to break it in. There were a few early FTF's, (not fully in battery) then it smoothed right out and shot as well as I can with open sights. The sights on the Tactical model are far better for my eyes, and I can shoot that gun better than I did the GI version.
I've entertained the idea of sending the gun off to have it redone in one of the Wonder Finishes, but it would cost almost as much as the gun did, and I bought this one to carry, not admire. I don't worry about scuffing it up, I just feed it good ammo and try to shoot it well. Beauty is as beauty does.
Let us know how you two get along after it's broken in. I usually give a new autopistol between 200-400 rounds to let the working parts wear in, keep it clean, and go from there.
My RIA's have the same "finish" as yours, which isn't much, sort of a thin blue Parkerizing. It's serviceable but not much for looks. The rollmark is about the most anemic I've ever seen, you almost have to get a magnifying glass out to see it. What the guns lack in cosmetics they make up for in shootability and utility.
Mine both came with a rudimentary "manual", I think I spent about a minute looking through it, didn't learn anything I didn't already know, and proceeded to the range to break it in. There were a few early FTF's, (not fully in battery) then it smoothed right out and shot as well as I can with open sights. The sights on the Tactical model are far better for my eyes, and I can shoot that gun better than I did the GI version.
I've entertained the idea of sending the gun off to have it redone in one of the Wonder Finishes, but it would cost almost as much as the gun did, and I bought this one to carry, not admire. I don't worry about scuffing it up, I just feed it good ammo and try to shoot it well. Beauty is as beauty does.
Let us know how you two get along after it's broken in. I usually give a new autopistol between 200-400 rounds to let the working parts wear in, keep it clean, and go from there.
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