Rock Island Armory?

[ranger250x]

So i might get a Rock Island Armory 1911. For $430 I'm not expecting it to be comparable to a more expensive 1911 variant. I am just wondering if anyone here has had any experience with this company? I did a quick search on google and it seems that most are satisfied with the weapons performance. Its not going to be a target or speed gun just a cheaper carry weapon. any input is appreciated

[81911SC]

Danny is the man to talk to.

[Big Baller]

I've got one in 38 super and its a nice gun for the price if you want something to develop your gun smithing skills on. If you want something to carry save your money and buy one of the regulars, Springfield, Glock, H&K

[Truegiant]

Danny is the man to talk to huh. That is cute.

1911's are 1911's. It all depends on what you do to it. If you clean and lubricate one its going to function and do what is necessary. I will be more than willing to polish the necessary areas for a functionability gunsmith job for you if you want. I can polish feed ramps, throat barrels, trigger jobs, etc. I enjoy tinkering with them. Its a fun job. Let us know what you decide to do.

[ranger250x]

well after doing more research I am going to purchase the gun on Monday or Tuesday. It seems as though the most common problem(if you want to call it that) is the magazine included with the gun. Said to be unreliable, but who just has one magazine...lol. I will keep you guys posted and I will have pictures of as soon as possible!

[Danny]

the RIA should run decently. Is it going to handle, and run as nicly as a custom or semicustom, no. But for 430 bucks its hard to beat. For that price range i would consider a springfield GI (used). 1911s are kinda like m4s, keep em wet (but not as wet as a m4).

1911s are a in a class of thier own, often they require some tweaking to get to run right. But generally the cheap GI style guns run better due to thier realitivly large tolerances.

RIA or springer GI, either way you wont look back. The RIA will make a decent build up gun too if in the future you get the gunsmitthing bug.

[Danny]

well after doing more research I am going to purchase the gun on Monday or Tuesday. It seems as though the most common problem(if you want to call it that) is the magazine included with the gun. Said to be unreliable, but who just has one magazine...lol. I will keep you guys posted and I will have pictures of as soon as possible!


order some new mags, never run the factory mags in a 1911 :D

i run wilson 47d's. some guys run the chip mags with tripp followers and springs with great success also.

[Danny]

Danny is the man to talk to huh. That is cute.




your cute. assmole :D

[81911SC]

:ninja:

[Truegiant]

your cute. assmole :D

You know I was just messin with ya. I was drunk as fug last night anywho.. Guys night out on the town turned into me getting a ride with a complete stranger because they wanted to drive around drunk and be stupid. I pulled rank, they didnt listen, I left.

[Truegiant]

Oh I got my new VZ grips in the other day. I really need to get around to uploading all my photos of my projects. Maybe I will do that today

[Danny]

Oh I got my new VZ grips in the other day. I really need to get around to uploading all my photos of my projects. Maybe I will do that today


awesome man. I got 2 new sets in. The reddish brown wood kinda looking ones, and some desert tan ones. Got em both used (but like new) for 80 shipped.

[Truegiant]

thats cool. i really need to get back on the 1911 sights for used parts. i got on this only buy from my dealers trend and am spending an arse load of money.

[ranger250x]

Picked up the pistol today.

[VTECking]

^Pretty nice, I own a RIA myself and I have had no problem with it at all other than the magazine having bullets stuck in it, and I fixed that problem with buying colt mags and now the gun shoots every time you pull the triger.

[ranger250x]

^Pretty nice, I own a RIA myself and I have had no problem with it at all other than the magazine having bullets stuck in it, and I fixed that problem with buying colt mags and now the gun shoots every time you pull the triger.

Is the magazine an ACT-MAG or the Novack? I will definately get a new magazine(s) but still want to see if this one works or is total fail.

[VTECking]

Novack

[ranger250x]

This gun came with a ACT and it is able to be disassembled so I might have lucked out. I'll test it out soon hopefully

[Danny]

Is the magazine an ACT-MAG or the Novack? I will definately get a new magazine(s) but still want to see if this one works or is total fail.


keep the mags as spares to your backup range mags. but 3 or 4 new mags for carry and practice. Or 2 new mags if funds are tight, and keep the stock mags for range/spares.


Gun looks good man. Detail strip time, clean and lube her up nicleyyyy. I am willing to bet you wont like those smooth wood grips.

[Truegiant]

Like danny mentioned. Look into getting some mags and a set of grips. You will notice a huge change with little money. I have a couple of spare triggers, sears, etc laying around if you free up some cash and would like to put a ultra sleek trigger job on it.


SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT and SHOOT!

Practice might not make you perfect but it will drastically help!

[ranger250x]

Yeah the grips have got to go even though they looks nice. Any particular areas on the inside that need mabey more/less lube? Disassembly is suprisingly easy. Not much to these guns, but I guess that is the reason they have stood the test of time.

[ranger250x]

Like danny mentioned. Look into getting some mags and a set of grips. You will notice a huge change with little money. I have a couple of spare triggers, sears, etc laying around if you free up some cash and would like to put a ultra sleek trigger job on it.


SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT and SHOOT!

Practice might not make you perfect but it will drastically help!

Money will be a bit short as my life insurance bill was on the counter when i got home. I plan on getting out to the range as soon as I can. I definately believe in practice and am looking forward to it


Thanks to all of you guys!

[Danny]

Yeah the grips have got to go even though they looks nice. Any particular areas on the inside that need mabey more/less lube? Disassembly is suprisingly easy. Not much to these guns, but I guess that is the reason they have stood the test of time.


field striping is easy. i prefer the captive method of field striping. The manuals usually tell you to take the bushing out, and the spring and all that goodness. To save wear on a well fitted bushing just slide the slide back to the take down notch, pull the slide stop out. Then take the slide off, wrap your fingers around the underside of the slide to catch the spring so it doesn't go flying. Reverse for reassembly. Just personal preference mostly.


lube. I use a q tip and slip 2000. Lube the frame/slide rails, cocking lug on the bottom side of the slide, and then all the fire control pieces. Make sure to lube specifically the sear nose and hammer face and notches where the sear slides. Also i thinkyour gun is parkerized, least it looks like it is, so you will need to detail strip and lube the whole frame and slide (all the black) every so often. Parkerizing holds oil, this is what gives it its antirust properties, and if all the oil dries up the gun will start to get surface rust. This isnt anything to worry about, just every so often whip it down with some gun oil, let it soak in, then whip the excess off.

This isnt the end all be all lube method, but its what i do.

I detail strip mine after shootinging it. In reaility you dont need to field strip and clean but every 800-1000 rounds, and detail strip ever 3000 rounds or so. But i have alot of money tied up in mine and just choose to clean and inspect very often. Also since i built mine it gives me time to inspect wear, and make sure everything is still good to go.

[Danny]

also, when lubing. If its shinny lube it well. That goes for all guns.

and by shinny i mean its polished the black finish off from friction.

[ranger250x]

Thank you for the tips. I will strip it and clean it after shooting it no matter what. Thats how we did it in the military and thats how I will do it forever. I am used to lightly oiling parkerized guns as my 870 is the same way.

[Danny]

Thank you for the tips. I will strip it and clean it after shooting it no matter what. Thats how we did it in the military and thats how I will do it forever. I am used to lightly oiling parkerized guns as my 870 is the same way.


cool. That works. Except dont bother with that white glove crock of shit the military tells you :D

[Truegiant]

cool. That works. Except dont bother with that white glove crock of shit the military tells you :D

blah blah blah..

I got your white glove waiting little guy.. haha

[Danny]

blah blah blah..

I got your white glove waiting little guy.. haha


lol.. come on, you know its just busy work for you guys :D

[Truegiant]

Busy work. Busy Work. Have you lost your god damn mind.

We dont need no stinking busy work. Infantrymen work in only two environments. In the field and on deployment. Fuck the busy work.

Oh BTW. I just got my Letter of Intent for my medical discharge today. I am at the house trying to print off and find all my military medical records. Now I get to start the 6 month bullshit MEB process. yay. .i will save that for another thread.

[Danny]

Busy work. Busy Work. Have you lost your god damn mind.

We dont need no stinking busy work. Infantrymen work in only two environments. In the field and on deployment. Fuck the busy work.

Oh BTW. I just got my Letter of Intent for my medical discharge today. I am at the house trying to print off and find all my military medical records. Now I get to start the 6 month bullshit MEB process. yay. .i will save that for another thread.


Bummer man, that sucks. So no deployment to africa now?

I have seen army people like their guns white glove clean, thats ridicules. You may not need busy work, but the white glove inspection is the definition of busy work lol

[Truegiant]

police calls (picking up trash around the company and barracks), sweeping off sidewalks in iraq, pulling guard on a container of water,

now thats busy work - and i have done it. GAY

[Danny]

now thats gaysauce busy work lol

[ranger250x]

Got out to the range today. only took 50 rounds(saved 8). Gun fired flawlessly. Magazine fed fine. I used Rem. UMC 230 gr FMJ. Only problem was the extractor was quite dirty after 40 rounds. I am probably to blame for that, but lesson learned. Recoil wasnt bad, very manageable. Still got 450 rounds to break in the pistol so it might take a while for me to really see how reliable this gun will be.

[Danny]

wouldnt worry about break in. some people swear by it, but the big guys in the 1911 industry say its a hoax.

Good quote i always liked on the subject, by Bob Rodgers i think: "if its worn in after 500 rounds, is it worn out after 1000 rounds?"

Especially these GI style 1911s, where the tolerances are more "fighting" pistol than a full custom IMO. These guns shoulld run great after a few mags to blow the crud off the contact surfaces.

The only problem you will have is the dreaded "what should i buy next for my 1911" problem. And trust me, its a baddd problem to get. Word of advice, dont shoot a custom 1911. Stick with the GIs and you will be golden :D

If you want to shoot mine just hollar, its a very similar base model like yours, except with a couple tweaks here and there. I am ready for some range time :D

1911 course this weekend, 150$ for GCO members. I recomend it for you, even though i have never taken it lol.

[Danny]

just checked, 100$ for GCO members! Dude you need to do this!
I am not sure if there are any pre-reqs for this course or not. But if your interested call Ken asap, should be some slots left. I am heading down but crack of dawn on saturday, your welcome to ride with me. Leaving from smyrna, so should be on the way regardless of where u live around atlanta.



The class will be held at a private range in Waco Georgia. Directions to the range are:
I-20 West to Exit 9, turn left across the interstate bridge and go 3/4 mile. There will be a white church on the right. Directly across the street from the white church is a 8 or 10 foot chain link fence with a double gate. Enter that gate and follow the gravel road to the range. If you get to a water treatment plant you have gone too far on the gravel road.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to call me (Ken) at 770-853-7883.

[ranger250x]

I appreciate the invite. Unfortunaltely money is just a little too tight. I want to keep the gun factory for as long as i can. I have a 10/22, and was bit by the modifying bug years ago; that has turned into an expensive .22 project. If I do end up modifying the 1911 it will be just to make it more reliable. If you ever want to go to Charlie-Elliot let me know. Its a good range and free most of all.

[Danny]

thats too bad man. :(

I think u mentioned earlier that you ejector got unusally dirty. can you elaborate on this, seem odd to me.

[ranger250x]

I think it was due to lack of any/much lube. I am curious how it happened as well. the next time i go out to the range I will pay more attention to this area. If it happens again i will for sure take pictures.