Rock Island 1911?? yea or nay?

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  • Topher Durden

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 12, 2011
    97
    8
    Noblesville
    I'm looking at getting a Rock Island Armory 1911 9mm for target shooting and beginning competition. I'm wondering if the gun is a great deal or a pile of junk. Anybody with experience or advice, please voice your opinion loudly! I dont want to make a mistake one way or another! Thanks for any info.
     

    Clay

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    81   1   0
    Aug 28, 2008
    9,648
    48
    Vigo Co
    I've had one for 3 years now Goes bang every time I pull the trigger. Price is great, looks good. No complaints. I think you will get a LOT of the same out of anyone who owns a RIA, because Ive seen a LOT of this from the people on this site.
     

    Ahgo

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Dec 1, 2009
    198
    16
    New Haven, Indiana
    I have an RIA in 45 and love it. Works everytime. The only thing that I don't have are adjustable rear sites which you might want for competition. Other than that it is a very reliable gun.
     

    Hornett

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Sep 7, 2009
    2,579
    84
    Bedford, Indiana
    Love mine.
    It has never failed.
    I had to drift the rear sight to my point of aim when it was new and since then it's been great.
    They are plain jane, rock solid, shooters.
    IMHO
     

    JetGirl

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    May 7, 2008
    18,774
    83
    N/E Corner
    Anybody with experience
    please voice your opinion loudly!

    I'm trying to really like my RIA, but in all honesty it's been back to Armscor's smith twice. The recent return trip was accompanied by a phone call saying, "if it happens again, just call and we'll send parts."
    I really didn't want to hear "if it happens again". That doesn't instill much confidence, if you ask me (and you did).

    However, I'm sure just like every other RIA thread...a zillion more posts will follow mine, saying what a perfect shooter for the money it is.
    I'm not saying that others haven't had that experience (lord knows *I'd* like to)...but don't brush past posts like mine in the meantime. It happens.
    YMMV :twocents:
     

    Topher Durden

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 12, 2011
    97
    8
    Noblesville
    Thank you Jet Girl. This is the sort of thing i was looking for. Its easy for everybody to get online and tell me how great they are. i'm glad to hear a word of caution. I think ultimately i will go with this gun, but i do realize i will be taking a few chances. Thanks all.
     

    JetGirl

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    May 7, 2008
    18,774
    83
    N/E Corner
    Thank you Jet Girl. This is the sort of thing i was looking for. Its easy for everybody to get online and tell me how great they are. i'm glad to hear a word of caution. I think ultimately i will go with this gun, but i do realize i will be taking a few chances. Thanks all.

    I just wanted to clarify that I was not endorsing the avoidance of purchasing a Rock Island... I really hope mine turns out like the rest of the poster's Rocks.

    And thanks for replying to my post. I've commented about my specific experience with Rock Island several times and you're the first person to acknowledge that anything contrary to "wonderful/awesome/perfect" was posted. I appreciated my comment not being brushed aside in favor of the "ain't it great" bandwagon again. :yesway:
     

    Topher Durden

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 12, 2011
    97
    8
    Noblesville
    "ain't it great"s are nice, but i want to know about what problems people have had. Even if mine has issues, then i will know that i went into the decision fully informed. That's what happened with my Sig Sauer Mosquito. I purchased it expecting to experience difficulties and i have been pleasantly surprised. If this is great, then awesome, if not...surprise, you get what you pay for. At least i will be prepared.
     
    Rating - 100%
    61   0   0
    May 16, 2010
    2,146
    38
    Fort Wayne, IN
    I think most of the issues I have read about are from the compact officer size model. I had one, it shot awesome but would fail to return to battery. I sent it back to Armscor (on my dime btw) and they sent it back. I shot it a bit and then sold it. No more issues from me or the new owner.

    RIA makes descent guns for the $$ but imo their service sucks when they make you pay to return a gun that is not working properly. I wouldnt buy another one simply for that reason.
     

    abnk

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Mar 25, 2008
    1,679
    38
    Numerous failures to feed and broken/misfit ambidextrous safety lever within the first 100 rounds. Their customer service seems OK, but I don't want to pay for shipping something that I expect to work out of the box.
     

    David

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 3, 2011
    331
    18
    , but i do realize i will be taking a few chances. Thanks all.

    Spend the money for a Wilson and there is still a chance that you will encounter a warranty issue, everyone makes an occasional lemon. I own a variety of 1911s including RI and in my opinion, you can find a better gun but you wont find a better bargain. My Rock Island is the least expensive of my 1911s but if I had to start thinning the herd it would not be the first to go.
     

    Littlejoe

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Feb 4, 2009
    224
    16
    Elrod Indiana
    I'm looking at getting a Rock Island Armory 1911 9mm for target shooting and beginning competition. I'm wondering if the gun is a great deal or a pile of junk. Anybody with experience or advice, please voice your opinion loudly! I dont want to make a mistake one way or another! Thanks for any info.
    I have had the 9mm for 6 months. Great shooter. Have had some feeding trouble with hollow points. I have 2 mags and both have had trouble when the mags are full. It will FTE every time on the first round. If i leave 1 round out of the mag it works fine. I think for Target shooting it is great. I would never carry it everyday. To heavy and i can't trust it. I will say it has got better with hollow points after 600 rounds. Hope this helps.:patriot:
     

    Bluedragon

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Apr 17, 2008
    2,145
    63
    Muncie
    For what it's worth my girlfriend's brother picked up a Rock Island 1911 a few weeks back, and so far he has no problems with it. After purchasing the gun we took it out shooting immediately thereafter, after a 100 rounds fired there were no jams or failure to fire, and the gun was on target.
     

    JetGirl

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    May 7, 2008
    18,774
    83
    N/E Corner
    after a 100 rounds fired there were no jams or failure
    You know...I wonder if this might have something to do with it.
    How much have people shot theirs before they say it's 100% hunky dory? When I have given info about mine, I'm not talking a few hundred. It's considerably more than that. Although, when it comes back from the smith, the round count resets to my first trigger pull (post smithing) being "One".
     

    Bluedragon

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Apr 17, 2008
    2,145
    63
    Muncie
    Point taken, but the gun was bought used and it had decent wear on it, so there is no telling how many rounds were fired before the previous owner traded it in. I'm just saying the first 100 rounds fired had zero problems so that should at least say something.
     

    LtScott14

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   1   0
    Apr 13, 2008
    1,516
    83
    Porter County
    Only had 1 issue with my RIA. The link on the barrel wasn't exactly round for the pin and would bind up after firing. Gun was used, I took it to a local gsmith who replaced the link, ran it through a magazine of 230gr ball, perfect. Sold it to finance a different project, would buy one in a heartbeat. Good luck.
     
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