RIA 1911 .45

[Dannyboy53]

Here is my favorite close quarters partner! For several years I've heard a lot of negative things said about these pistols, two friends of mine own the RIA .45's and love them. I bought mine about a year ago and it's a real straight shooter. I use ACT-MAGS and Chip McCormick, all 8 round mags and have never had any problems whatsoever.

I have owned two Colts and in my opinion this one is just as good as either of them, I paid less than half what a Colt costs today! It has been a lot of miles with me and shot a lot of rounds, mainly Hornady 185 grain HP.

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[Worm]

Wow what a beaut! I've heard mostly good things about these. Glad to hear yours is trouble free too! I was thinking about a 1911 purchase as my next handgun. I may need to think about this. Colt's cost a lot like you said.

[Dannyboy53]

Worm I paid $449 for this one at a local gun shop in Heber Springs and I have seen others online for a few dollars less. But I am very pleased with the quality of mine, I don't see the real bad tool marks inside like I have read about from those bashing the pistol and, again, I have not had any problems with functionality with mine. I feed it mostly hollow points without a hiccup.

I still have a copy of an email from a representative of ArmsCorp saying they are rated to fire +P ammo although I don't use it.

Also they are a clone of the venerable old GI .45 so parts and accessories are almost never a problem.

[Worm]

Worm I paid $449 for this one at a local gun shop in Heber Springs and I have seen others online for a few dollars less. But I am very pleased with the quality of mine, I don't see the real bad tool marks inside like I have read about from those bashing the pistol and, again, I have not had any problems with functionality with mine. I feed it mostly hollow points without a hiccup.

I still have a copy of an email from a representative of ArmsCorp saying they are rated to fire +P ammo although I don't use it.

Also they are a clone of the venerable old GI .45 so parts and accessories are almost never a problem.

Nice price!! I don't shoot +P ammo either but it's cool to have the option. I like the GI versions too.

[Dannyboy53]

I agree on the +P, I suppose it doesn't hurt but I still don't want to feed my .45 a steady diet of that strong stuff. If my 185 grain HP Hornady won't stop an assailant I don't figure +P will make much difference!

I have run across a few things, mostly accessories like some of the ambidextrous safeties, that you have to watch out for when buying because some will not fit the Rock Island. But all the internal parts are supposed to be interchangeable.

[Worm]

I agree on the +P, I suppose it doesn't hurt but I still don't want to feed my .45 a steady diet of that strong stuff. If my 185 grain HP Hornady won't stop an assailant I don't figure +P will make much difference!

I have run across a few things, mostly accessories like some of the ambidextrous safeties, that you have to watch out for when buying because some will not fit the Rock Island. But all the internal parts are supposed to be interchangeable.

The internals are the important parts though 

I agree, while I shoot 9mm mostly, i think my hornady HP critical defense should be able to stop a guy. I don't feel like pushing my gun to its limits while I don't have to.

[Dannyboy53]

Many people worry about caliber (bigger isn't always better!), and ballistics but the bottom line is be proficient with what you have, make it count.

[Dannyboy53]

Nice pistol Danny. Love the grips.

Thanks 06, the one complaint about the RIA is the smooth grips they come with. These Pachmayr grips cure that problem for me.

[Dannyboy53]

Does anyone know if it will damage the ejector to fire steel case ammo in these pistols?

[Galahad]

RIA makes a fine pistol.  Sturdy, reliable, and accurate, they are probably going to become some sort of "standard" for 1911's.  If Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, and Nighthawk Custom are the Gold Standard then RIA is likely part of the Silver Standard along with Colt and SA, among others.  My collection is pretty estensive but the RIA is along on most every range trip.

As for steel cased ammo, I wouldn't make a habit of shooting it but have occasionally reloaded it and had no problems.  Personally I wouldn't use it as a steady diet as steel on steel is always harder on things than brass on steel.  That said, the average SKS can fire tens of thousands of steel cartridges and with proper care won't be any the worse for it.

[Dannyboy53]

Thanks Galahad for the info. I have considered steel cased ammo in the past for the RIA but kicked that idea out the door!

There is still a lot of dislike among the .45 auto ranks for the RIA but many have been finding out they were misguided. I have had two Colt .45's and this one has been as good as either of them.

I don't know if Rock Island makes their own springs or contract them from someone else but the springs should have lasted longer than a year in mine. It's running fine now, the kit I put in it recently had an 18½lb spring.

[Greasemonkey]

Personally I hate to think of the amount of steel cased ammo I've fed through my weapons. I've never noticed any excessive or funky wear from steel or suffered a broken extractor. Now, I'm not saying some weapon won't break something, but an extractor is, typically a wearing part, a consumable, it is subjected to severe abuse given it's location. I would guess if it were going to break with one type case, it was bound to break with another type of case, if given enough time. The steel case is typically a very mild soft steel, while it is harder than brass, it still has to be soft enough to flex to aid in trying to seal the chamber.
 
The biggest aspects I find with steel, is the steel wont expand when fired like brass allowing gases and soot to bypass the case, creating a dirty nasty chamber and other parts. Now this dirty nasty chamber/unburnt powder get mixed it any oil or even just on it's own could act as a lapping compound. It's a mild abrasive, over time, with the pressures generated, it could in effect wear something out. Along with the dirtiness, the coating used to prevent deterioration of the steel case, a.k.a. lacquer what have you, when it gets hot, it melts, trapping the filth/debris and eventually the fired cases.  The hot pressurized gases, could act as a flame cutting torch, they may not cut deep, but each cracked case, bypass of hot gasses could remove very small micro amounts of chamber, like a microscopic cutting torch. This is where I think the issues with steel come from, dirty, sticky chambers, and the combined filth acting as a lapping compound on some weapons, and micro amounts of steel being cut away with cracked cases. 

So I can see breaking an extractor, the case sticks in the chamber due to filth, if its a semi rifle, the gas system cycles after the shot, bolt flies back, pop goes the extractor, same on a bolt rifle or a handgun. if the case doesn't extract when fired, what is the first thing a hand gunner will do, try to cycle the slide, pop goes the extractor.

Some weapons were designed from the word go, while others, maybe not. Yea, the manual may say brass case ammo only, but like back in the day when auto manufactures said 3k oil changes , it's to avoid warranty issues, comebacks, complaints and/or to keep from redesigning the parts of the auto or weapon. If you scare enough owners with the manual, with "brass only", I'm sure a majority will do it, their is smaller number who will use steel, saying screw the manual, and even smaller number, maybe a percent of a percent, might actually break something.  So, the scare tactics by the manufacture obviously work, and only that percent of a percent are going to say "their junky product broke"

 But, I have yet to wear any one weapon out to the point it just won't hit a barn wall from inside the barn.    Easy fix for me, typically, I believe in spare parts cache, so if and when I do break an extractor, at least I have a spare.

Just my opinion, yea, just like bungholes, everyone has one and some just plain out stink.

[Dannyboy53]

Greasemonkey you bring up a very good point...spare parts. I have several spring kits with items that "go south" simply from normal wear and tear for our SKS's and pistols. Of course spring kits don't contain parts like firing pins or extractors, items I want to stock up on.

My Dad Squirrel hunted for several years with an old semi-auto .22 rifle that belonged to his mother. During hunting season one year he had to hunt without it for about a month because he had such a hard time finding and replacing a broken part.

It's my belief that the day may possibly come when we will no longer have the luxury of time/availability in obtaining replacement parts. Not a good thing if the firearm has become critical to survival!