Rock Island 1911?

[asianak]

RIA is good to go. My buddy has one and he loves it. I plan on getting one down the road. Excellent guns the only thing that needs changing is the grips and sights, other than that great 1911's IMO.

 

[Rahllin]

Hmm I guess one of our sponsors was yanking my chain. Good to know, thanks.

The frame, slide, and barrel are made in the Philippines, but the trigger group and internal parts are made and assembled in Texas... At least that is what information on the STI website tells me.

http://media.stiguns.com/WebPress/M1911.org/1911Forums-STI-Spartan.pdf

The STI Spartan utilizes a steel cast frame, constructed of 4140 grade steel. The slide is constructed of extruded steel, with the same grade of metal. The slide has angled front and rear cocking serrations. These serrations are not sharp, but do provide a very good gripping surface for racking the slide or for press checking. The empty pistol weighs in at 35.3 ounces. Herein lies a major factor in the economical price of the Spartan. Both the frame and the slide are manufactured by Armscor in the Philippines. In addition, the barrel is also provided by Armscor. The barrel starts out as a piece of round bar stock, which is
then dimensionally cut by a CNC machine, with the final rifling process taking place in a conventional manner. Inspection of the bore (after field stripping) revealed accurately cut, sharply distinctive rifling. The barrel bushing is match-fitted to the barrel for improved accuracy.

.....


Unlike the pistols provided by some of its competitors, STI uses its own internal parts, and these are fitted at the company's state-of-the-art facility in Georgetown, Texas. During initial function and safety tests of the mechanisms of the gun, every action was smooth and positive. The trigger squeeze was non-gritty in its operation, and the thumb safety clicked into the on and off positions quickly, without any hesitation, drag, or grittiness.

 

[dwr461]

I heard what Rolling said.

Dave

 

[cnodie1]

RIA is good to go. My buddy has one and he loves it. I plan on getting one down the road. Excellent guns the only thing that needs changing is the grips and sights, other than that great 1911's IMO.

How would you change the sights on on a GI model like the base line rock islands? I may just be completely in the dark about them but I thought you couldn't change out the basic GI sights

 

[Leadfoot]

The sights on a G.I. model of any maker can certainly be changed.

However, new sights may require having the slide milled to accept sights of various manufacturers.

Each manufacturer, such as Heine, Novak, etc. all use a different dovetail that is milled into the
slide in which the sight fits.

Some sights will fit into a stock G.I. dovetail, but your choices are limited.

Any competent gunsmith will have the equipment and knowledge to mill the slide to fit the desired
sights.

ETA:

For the above reason, it may be in your best interest to look at a Citadel or another model of Rock Island
that already has the dovetails (front and rear) cut in the slide that will allow you to change the sights with
alot more ease and less cost.

The sights will still have to be hand fitted into the dovetails, but the labor cost for having this done is a lot
cheaper than having to have the slide milled.

Depending on who does the work, you're looking at probably $100 plus the cost of the sights to have them
installed if you choose a sight that requires the slide to be milled.

 

[cnodie1]

The sights on a G.I. model of any maker can certainly be changed.

However, new sights may require having the slide milled to accept sights of various manufacturers.

Each manufacturer, such as Heine, Novak, etc. all use a different dovetail that is milled into the
slide in which the sight fits.

Some sights will fit into a stock G.I. dovetail, but your choices are limited.

Any competent gunsmith will have the equipment and knowledge to mill the slide to fit the desired
sights.

ETA:

For the above reason, it may be in your best interest to look at a Citadel or another model of Rock Island
that already has the dovetails (front and rear) cut in the slide that will allow you to change the sights with
alot more ease and less cost.

The sights will still have to be hand fitted into the dovetails, but the labor cost for having this done is a lot
cheaper than having to have the slide milled.

Depending on who does the work, you're looking at probably $100 plus the cost of the sights to have them
installed if you choose a sight that requires the slide to be milled.

Ahh I figured milling had to be involved. Thanks for the info leadfoot

 

[Leadfoot]

Here's a link to the Citadel at Bud's Gun Shop.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/56897

The Citadel is made by ARMSCOR (Rock Island) and is just a step up from the G.I. model but it comes stock with Novak sights
and a beavertail palm safety, which you are most certainly going to want if you plan on doing a fair amount of shooting with a 1911 style pistol.
(Slide bite is a bitch)

In my humble opinion this particular gun is just about the best BUDGET 1911 made. I owned a Commander sized Citadel and it really was a good
quality gun.

 

[cnodie1]

Here's a link to the Citadel at Bud's Gun Shop.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/56897

The Citadel is made by ARMSCOR (Rock Island) and is just a step up from the G.I. model but it comes stock with Novak sights
and a beavertail palm safety, which you are most certainly going to want if you plan on doing a fair amount of shooting with a 1911 style pistol.
(Slide bite is a bitch)

In my humble opinion this particular gun is just about the best BUDGET 1911 made. I owned a Commander sized Citadel and it really was a good
quality gun.

Truthfully I like the GI sights I was just trying to see how they would be changed out...

However I would like to replace the beavertail because I have experienced slide bite once and that was enough for me. Is it difficult to replace that piece?

 

[slinkyonrampage]

Truthfully I like the GI sights I was just trying to see how they would be changed out...

However I would like to replace the beavertail because I have experienced slide bite once and that was enough for me. Is it difficult to replace that piece?

I am actually with you on this too. I like the GI sights, but I plan on adding a beavertail this summer. I am tired of the hammerbite. From what I have read, you can buy a drop in beavertail from wilson and a commander style hammer, and they are pretty easy to put in.

 

[Leadfoot]

Truthfully I like the GI sights I was just trying to see how they would be changed out...

However I would like to replace the beavertail because I have experienced slide bite once and that was enough for me. Is it difficult to replace that piece?

No, it's not difficult to change. Only problem I find with the "drop-in" versions from say Ed Brown or Wilson is well.. they're drop in. They don't LOOK like an original part of the gun. They look like
something someone added. I would personally prefer that the safety was fitted to the frame. But hey, to each his own. I will say its USUALLY cheaper to get the gun with the beaver tail already than
it is to add it afterward.

 

[Adam490]

Another budget 1911 is the Para GI Expert. I really like mine so far and have had 0 failures in ~200 rounds. I added the Wilson beavertail to mine and some nice VZ grips and the gun feels great in your hands.

 

[Col_Sanders]

I have personally been looking into the Metro Arms American Classic II lately. I am ABOUT to buy one. Academy Sports just got some in stock at $449.99 and I have yet to find a review on the gun that said anything bad about them. The fit and finish is by far the best I have seen on any 1911 in the price range, and like I said, I haven't been able to find a bad review of one. Come by Academy on Siegen, and I would be glad to show you one. I will be purchasing mine in the next week or two for sure.

I have one. The fit and finish are better than RIA and that is what caught my attention. I bought it for $400 OTD with low expectations and figured if nothing else, I have a good base to start on. The only thing that would it would feed out of the box was WWB hollow points. The factory barrel throat was too tight and no other ammo I tried would fully chamber. I have seen one other person with the same problem. I emailed and called Metro Arms and a couple of their "certified gunsmiths" and never heard anything back. I got a good price on a factory Springfield barrel and installed it and so far I have 100 rounds through it without any problems.

I really havent read anything bad about the RIAs from anyone other than gun forum snobs. I put a couple hundred rounds through one before I bought my American Classic II and really liked it. They are good guns and I would not mind having one.

 

[Guate_shooter]

You would be better off buying this Charles Daly, I own a CD as part of my 1911 collection and she is a NICE shooter and better quality than the RIA IMO, and comes with features.

http://www.louisianasportsman.com/l...sifieds&event=view&action=single_ad&id=285333

 

[Rahllin]

You would be better off buying this Charles Daly, I own a CD as part of my 1911 collection and she is a NICE shooter and better quality than the RIA IMO, and comes with features.

http://www.louisianasportsman.com/l...sifieds&event=view&action=single_ad&id=285333

I am PRETTY sure that Charles Daly's 1911's are made by ARMSCOR who... makes Rock Island Arms' 1911's as well... so they are probably of the same or similar quality.

But that is a pretty good deal that you linked to.

 

[Guate_shooter]

I am PRETTY sure that Charles Daly's 1911's are made by ARMSCOR who... makes Rock Island Arms' 1911's as well... so they are probably of the same or similar quality.

But that is a pretty good deal that you linked to.[/QUOTE

didnt know that eventhough I own one that is stamped built in the Philipines , the tolerance on the CD is MUCH better when compared side by side to the RIA

 

[Leadfoot]

The Charles Daly's WERE made by ARMSCOR, but I think they have since parted ways.

Guate's may be an ARMSCOR manufactured gun, depending on when it was made.

 

[Guate_shooter]

I was trying to be funny, I knew they were made by them

 

[Baldrik78]

The Charles Daly's WERE made by ARMSCOR, but I think they have since parted ways.

Guate's may be an ARMSCOR manufactured gun, depending on when it was made.

Charles Daly is no longer in business.

 

[TigerOnTheHill]

Cnodiel1,
I bought my first 1911 about 6 month ago, an American Classic "Commander." After nearly 300 rounds of hardball, it's doing just fine. Also has handled JHP's and SWC handloads well. I'm very pleased. Fit is tight. Blued finish is dark and nice. At the time I got the AC, I was also considering a RIA. Nothing against the RIA, but even though the AC was only $25 more expensive, the AC had better sights (Novak style vs. GI low profile), nicer finish (blued vs Parkerized) and a few other features not on the RIA (extended slide stop, Beavertail, oversize safety, combat hammer combat trigger). The AC is now one of my EDC guns. My out the door cost was about $450. I'd make the same purchase again if given the choice.

A few weeks ago I bought a Citadel "Concealed Carry" (Officer's frame). I've only put about 75 rounds through it, but it's also doing very well. The Citadel is made by the same manufacturer, Armscor, that makes RIA. I think I'm really going to like the Citadel, as well, but I'm having a hard time warming up to it's Parkerized finish... The Citadel was on sale at "Gun Genie" when I bought it. Final price was about $475.

From my experience, I think you'd do well with either an AC or RIA/Citadel. Armscor and AC both seem to have a good reputation for customer service. I'd go w/ whichever one has the specs you want at the best price. Sure, neither are as refined as a Kimber, Springfield, or some others, but they appear to be solid guns that should serve you well.

 

[jhco50]

I have one and I have never had a failure of any kind. Goes pop every time I pull the trigger...unlike my son-in-laws custom Colt.