Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: PFactorDave on May 15, 2011, 09:24:16 PM

Title: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 15, 2011, 09:24:16 PM
Took my new toy out for a spin this afternoon.  It is a Rock Island Armory M1911-A1 .45 Auto.  Which is a basic Government model pistol, no bells and whistles.  It came with what turned out to be some fairly nice dark cherry colored grips, which I didn't think I would like when I ordered the gun.  I had already bought a $12 set of Hogue rubber grips, so I went ahead and replaced the wood grips.

Sorry about the cell phone pictures, didn't feel like getting the real camera gear out.

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w220/Davis_Andrews/IMG_20110515_210357.jpg)

Right out of the box, the fit and finish of the weapon is pretty good.  It is a parkerized gun, which I am not a huge fan of, but overall I was pretty impressed by the quality of what is actually about a $400 gun.  Rock Island Armory guns are made in the Phillipines.

It has the military style fixed sites.

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w220/Davis_Andrews/IMG_20110515_210454.jpg)

But at 25feet it shot pretty nice groups with cheap PMC 240grain FMJ ammo, the cheapest I can buy around here.  Here is a shot of the first magazine I put through the gun.  There are 2 four round groups here.  I was quite pleased.  And yes, that is an Elmo sticker in the middle of the paper plate!   :rofl

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w220/Davis_Andrews/IMG_20110515_142254.jpg)

It only came with one, 8 round magazine.  But I bought 3 cheap Chip McCormick magazines and 2 more expensive Wilson Combat magazines, all of them functioned perfectly.  I shot 2 boxes of ammo with zero malfunctions.

In short, if you are looking for a Government 45 pistol, but don't want to spend $800-$1200, you might want to take a look at the RIA M1911-A1s.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Buzzard7 on May 15, 2011, 09:37:15 PM
2 boxes and no stoppage?
That is pretty good. Sure beats my old CZ52. Damn feed ramp in that CZ is way to steep.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 15, 2011, 09:57:55 PM
2 boxes and no stoppage?
That is pretty good. Sure beats my old CZ52. Damn feed ramp in that CZ is way to steep.

Yup, functioned flawlessly.  No fail to feeds, no fail to fires, and no fail to ejects.  The gun feels pretty tight too, not sloppy at all. 

Have you tried polishing the ramp on the CZ?  That might help...  Maybe.  Best bet is probably to get a good gunsmith to bevel the bore a little bit so the rounds have a little more wiggle room as they feed.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: dyna76 on May 15, 2011, 10:08:15 PM
You missed Elmo............. :bolt:
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 15, 2011, 10:24:01 PM
You missed Elmo............. :bolt:

There is one hole that is clearly where Elmo's center mass would be if his entire body was shown!   :lol
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Jayhawk on May 15, 2011, 10:25:10 PM
There is one hole that is clearly where Elmo's center mass would be if his entire body was shown!   :lol

HA!   :aok
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: SmokinLoon on May 15, 2011, 10:32:47 PM
I own that exact pistol.  I love my RIA 1911-A1.  I find it amusing that I can shoot %95 as well with my $390 (bought in Nov '02) as those bananas who come to the range with their $1500 Kimbers and suedo race guns.  The only think I want to do is get a set of USGI wood grips with checkering.  The bland wood grips it came with are smurfy.

The RIA 1911-A1 is an awesome buy for the $$$.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 15, 2011, 10:41:20 PM
I own that exact pistol.  I love my RIA 1911-A1.  I find it amusing that I can shoot %95 as well with my $390 (bought in Nov '02) as those bananas who come to the range with their $1500 Kimbers and suedo race guns. 

I have seen a lot of guys like the ones you are talking about.  They come to the range with a hopped up gun that they spent a crap load of money on, but on the line, their trigger control is horrible so they shoot like crap.  Of course, they think there is something wrong with the gun, so they take it back to their favorite gunsmith to put a few hundred dollars of additional upgrades into it.

They never quite figure out that they just suck at shooting.  Drives them crazy when you out shoot them with some cheap little gun.  My favorite is outshooting guys like that with an old Bersa .380 that I bought almost 20 years ago.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Jayhawk on May 15, 2011, 10:45:05 PM
A bicycle and a corvette will both get ya to the store, but if money wasn't an object, what would you choose?  :aok

But, I get what you're saying; too many don't learn basic marksmanship and expect all the bells and whistles to correct bad habits and form.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Latrobe on May 16, 2011, 12:03:36 AM
I love that pistol! Wish I had one  :( :cry

One day I will own it, one day.  ;)
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Nefarious on May 16, 2011, 06:08:13 AM
Nice pistol!  :aok
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Plawranc on May 16, 2011, 06:13:32 AM
Meet the most potent legally owned firearm in Australia.

(http://meteorites.wustl.edu/lunar/layers.jpg)

 :cry
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: F22RaptorDude on May 16, 2011, 06:16:10 AM
Meet the most potent legally owned firearm in Australia.

(http://meteorites.wustl.edu/lunar/layers.jpg)

 :cry
:aok :rofl
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: VonMessa on May 16, 2011, 07:23:47 AM
Meet the most potent legally owned firearm in Australia.

(http://meteorites.wustl.edu/lunar/layers.jpg)

 :cry

Never underestimate the lethality of a well aimed stone released from a sling.  :aok
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 16, 2011, 12:51:34 PM
Meet the most potent legally owned firearm in Australia.

(http://meteorites.wustl.edu/lunar/layers.jpg)

 :cry

That's funny and sad all at the same time.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Grayeagle on May 16, 2011, 10:24:29 PM
-best Michael Palin accent-

''s not a fire arm if 't doesn't go *BANG*!'

-Frank aka GE
(just sayin -TM Pasha)
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: Buzzard7 on May 16, 2011, 10:33:10 PM
Yup, functioned flawlessly.  No fail to feeds, no fail to fires, and no fail to ejects.  The gun feels pretty tight too, not sloppy at all. 

Have you tried polishing the ramp on the CZ?  That might help...  Maybe.  Best bet is probably to get a good gunsmith to bevel the bore a little bit so the rounds have a little more wiggle room as they feed.
I could but then it would no longer be original.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 17, 2011, 11:08:48 AM
I could but then it would no longer be original.

Perfectly understandable.

Don't know if you can get a wadcutter style ammo for your pistol, but if you can, you might give them a try.  Sometimes a wadcutter will feed into a steeply ramped pistol.  Although, some pistols will just fail to feed even worse with wadcutters.  Would be worth a try, just on the off chance that it helps.
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: SmokinLoon on May 17, 2011, 11:19:56 AM
Perfectly understandable.

Don't know if you can get a wadcutter style ammo for your pistol, but if you can, you might give them a try.  Sometimes a wadcutter will feed into a steeply ramped pistol.  Although, some pistols will just fail to feed even worse with wadcutters.  Would be worth a try, just on the off chance that it helps.

no no no... forget the actual "wadcutter" bullet.  I highly suggest the "semi-wadcutter" instead.  It still provides the clean crisp cut on the paper yet it still has the cone nose to help with riding up the feed ramp (far fewer feeding problems).   :aok
Title: Re: Rock Island Armory M1911-A1
Post by: PFactorDave on May 17, 2011, 11:34:27 AM
no no no... forget the actual "wadcutter" bullet.  I highly suggest the "semi-wadcutter" instead.  It still provides the clean crisp cut on the paper yet it still has the cone nose to help with riding up the feed ramp (far fewer feeding problems).   :aok

Ya you're right.  Semi-wadcutter is what I meant, thanks for the correction.   :salute