Armscor Rock Island 1911 ,45acp- $325?

[churchmouse]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...land-armory-1911-owner-satisfaction-poll.html

Take it for what it is, but it means a hell of alot more to me than the mumblings of the same dozen people on here who despise anything that isn't expensive.

No ones talking about trusting your life with it when you have other options.. I mean, Ive had good experiences with hi point after alittle work on them, but I would NEVER rely on one unless I had no other choice.

Not all guns are carry guns. Not all guns have to be the best or the most expensive.

Its humble to accept that everything has a place, even if its not on the top.

Stop dogging on the mop boy...

It is not about price. Never about how much. If it was a well made gun I would own more 1911's. If I could buy 2 of RIA's for the price of one Springfield/Smith then hell yes, bring it.
I am not a snob. just like a well made 1911. I have had issue with every entry level piece I have had.

Everyone has standards. I have a Springer RO that has maybe 500 total rounds through it. Had a good trigger and grouped nicely right out of the box. It is spread all over the bench right now getting a complete make over. All the OEM bits from it are now in an RIA my friend owns. It failed. I fit the barrel and trigger bits into the RIA and that thing runs like...well, like a Springer....

If I offended anyone with remarks about anything Armscor I do apologize. I meant no offense. I just see a lot of work in one to get it right. Right being my interpretation, not yours.

If it is all you can afford to get in the game....then get in the game.

 

[SERparacord]

I've owned my Rock Island now for 7 years and have had no problems with it. I bought it and upgraded it on an as needed basis with parts from Wilson and it shoots great!!!

Now it is a Wilson is why.

 

[88E30M50]

Actually I didn't coin that statistic, someone else did. And every Hoosier's guns constantly screws up, the metalurgy is always bad, the ammo doesn't work, they have mystery jams or short strokes or out of battery kabooms, etc ad nauseum. I can go to just about any other gun forum and no body is having any problems other than an occational part breaking which can be expected. I am worrying that all the manufacturers are sending their lemon guns to Indiana. Or is it operator headspace and timing.

Maybe we Hoosiers are just less tolerant of failures or more demanding of quality. Or, we could be a whiney bunch of pricks. I like the former better than the latter.

Even if a 1911 has a problem, their so simplistic that they can easily be made to run. Research them enough and learn them.

This is not always true. Sure, if you have an out of spec barrel, you might be able to fit a new one but sometimes the 1911 issues are much deeper. If the feed ramp is too shallow, it will never feed right no matter how many other parts you toss at it. If the mag well is not per spec, there is not much you can do to correct that. Not saying that RIA's have issues with the above, but just pointing out that a 1911 has nuances that may not be apparent immediately but that might make a paperweight out of a chunk of steel that's only off by a couple of thousandths of an inch.

My take on the RIA is similar to many others in that they can be a great pistol for the casual shooter. I have an RIA Compact that has around 700 rounds through it over 4 years of ownership. It's been a great gun but I don't push it hard. For a gun that gets taken out to the range once or twice a year, it will be fine and probably run for many years without trouble. But, if I were to run a thousand rounds a month through it, I think I would quickly see where it falls short of the higher end guns. If you are looking for a 1911 to add to the collection just because of how cool they are (yes, 1911s are that cool) and how well they shoot, but have no intention of practicing with it regularly or carrying it, an RIA can be a great way to add one without breaking the bank. If you are looking for a serious self defense weapon, one that you will get to know like the back side of your hand through years of practice, it pays to buy at a higher level than with an RIA. When it comes down to it, a Kimber is not that much more expensive. I paid $479 a couple of years back for my RIA and then 3 months later bought a Kimber Compact for $750. That extra $271 bought a whole lot more gun than I got with the RIA. Sure, the RIA has a trigger that's about as nice as the Kimber, and sure, they both run like a sewing machine but if I had to use one of the two in a last ditch attempt to save a family members life, I know which of the two I would trust more. But, when I wanted to play around and build something different, I used the RIA instead of something else because I have the RIA as a fun gun. So far, it's been nothing but fun.

 

[churchmouse]

Now it is a Wilson is why.

I was going to say that but it would just make me look like a gun snob.....

 

[SERparacord]

I was going to say that but it would just make me look like a gun snob.....

Some confuse snobbery with the voice of experience. I wasted my share on sub par models. I'd just rather buy one that works out of the box now, instead of making it work.

 

[copperhead-1911]

The price seems low, but they are pretty good guns. Just a fair warning. Rock Islands are VERY picky with hollow points. I have found Corbon, Hornady Critical defense, and Guard Dog to work well in them

 

[88E30M50]

Some confuse snobbery with the voice of experience. I wasted my share on sub par models. I'd just rather buy one that works out of the box now, instead of making it work.

I think that's pretty much were I'm at now days. I've been fighting to get a Remington to work consistently and it has put me off a bit on some of the promise of lower level guns. I love working on guns but there comes a point where you want to work on your skills as a shooter instead of needing to work on your skills as a gunsmith.

 

[SERparacord]

I think that's pretty much were I'm at now days. I've been fighting to get a Remington to work consistently and it has put me off a bit on some of the promise of lower level guns. I love working on guns but there comes a point where you want to work on your skills as a shooter instead of needing to work on your skills as a gunsmith.

I'm just old and have less patience.

 

[sensor5]

I own a RIA GI model 1911, two Colt 1911s (70 and 80 series), Kimber Custom II, Springfield Loaded 1911, and two Ed Brown Special Forces (one is the bobtail carry model). Of course, the best are my two Ed Browns, but I really love my Springfield loaded too after I replaced the MSH (didn't like the locking feature). I will say that my RIA is definitely a better shooter than the Colts or Kimber. My 70 series QC is horrible and the Kimber continues to be a problem. The Colt 80 series shoots fine, but hell it is an 80 series.

 

[Wesley929]

I've probably posted 10 times that I must be one of the lucky ones.
My RIA has been a blast to shoot and I know I'm over 5k rounds.
I've put it through a few 1500 round classes. I've had a few fail to feeds when it gets dirty. Clean it and it runs fine again.
I spent $318 out the door on mine 9 years ago. Love it.

 

[Expat]

I always get confused when threads get resurrected over and over...

 

[churchmouse]

I think that's pretty much were I'm at now days. I've been fighting to get a Remington to work consistently and it has put me off a bit on some of the promise of lower level guns. I love working on guns but there comes a point where you want to work on your skills as a shooter instead of needing to work on your skills as a gunsmith.

I used to build race cars/bikes and a few very fast boats. Then I restored cars and won a few car shows. All that took major time and money. Having neither in abundance anymore (retired) I am now tinkering with my guns. Have yet to ruin one. Learning every time I get deep into a project. That is another reason I love the 1911. Nothing really just bolts on. Everything has to be fit to the gun in front of you. It requires some level of patience and some decent skill sets.
This allows me to set my standards maybe a bit higher when it comes to fit/finish/performance.
Taking a brand new $800 1911 apart and beating on it with abandon is not for the un-skilled or weak of heart.
Setting a base line for performance/accuracy and improving both through your own work I find very rewarding.