Rock Island Armory

[meak99]

So most people are picking the PT1911 over the RIA GI/Tactical Models in this thread... does anyone here have experience with the RIA 1911A1-45FS Match pistol? I've read that the slides are hand fitted to the frames in the Armscor custom shop, and have read many great reviews about the RIA Match (mostly at least a few years old, though). I haven't gotten a quote from my dealer yet so I don't exactly know what to compare it to, but would you all rather have a top-end RIA or a low end "brand name" 1911?

[gunderwood]

So most people are picking the PT1911 over the RIA GI/Tactical Models in this thread... does anyone here have experience with the RIA 1911A1-45FS Match pistol? I've read that the slides are hand fitted to the frames in the Armscor custom shop, and have read many great reviews about the RIA Match (mostly at least a few years old, though). I haven't gotten a quote from my dealer yet so I don't exactly know what to compare it to, but would you all rather have a top-end RIA or a low end "brand name" 1911?

The frame and slide are the best part about the RIA. The internals are low quality, but they make a great platform to build upon. If you were going to carry either out of the box, I'd go PT1911.

[dick0550]

I have a RIA 1911 GI that I bought from my buddy because he wanted a Tactical. I want to do quite a bit of custom work, and figured a the GI would work great for that. Anyway, I haven't had one problem with the pistol. No hiccups, or FTF or FTE. Even with the crappy sights that come on the GI it shoots fairly well. I think they are fine guns, and from what I've heard they have excellent customer service. I don't think you can go wrong with one.

[Micro]

I don't own an RIA 1911 but I had the chance to examine several examples at the gun show in Hampton. Don't know how reliable they are, but I was impressed by the slide to frame fit when viewed from the rear. The rear of the slide contoured precisely into the frame. There were no gaps around the rails or the ejector.

If Armscor can do this on a $450 gun, why can't Colt do it on a $900 gun?