Well this sucks!

[TheFireArmorer]

So I picked up a brand new RIA Tactical 1911 over the weekend. Whenever I buy a gun I always give it a good look over. Everything seemed fine and I went through with the transaction and all was good. I took it home, wiped all the excess oil off, and proceeded to put a box of rounds through it. No problems! Shot great in fact.

Here it is:

Later I went to strip it down and clean it up real well. After I disassembled it I noticed that there was a place on the slide that had the finished scratched away at the very of corner of the frame in the pic:

Upon reassembly i noticed that on the right side (looking at the gun from the muzzle) the frame was touching the slide:

While on the other side there is quite a bit of space between the slide and the frame:

Obviously I missed this in my initial inspection at the gun shop. So now I'm just wondering if you guys know if RIA will fix this? What's the process of sending it to them?

This is my first 1911 but I am sure this isn't a normal problem. I've heard good things about RIA customer service so i'm hoping it will all turn out alright. Just had to get on here and cry around about it lol.

 

[churchmouse]

I have considered Buying an RIA but to many folks have had issues. They are an entry level 1911 and they are priced that way.
Where did you buy it, Private are gun shop??

 

[MadBomber]

Rock Island has excellent customer service. Call Ivan Walcott at 775-537-1444. I had an RIA tactical that had an issue and he went over an above to take care of it, even thru in a couple extra mags when he sent it back

 

[Que]

You said the gun shot well. I believe you are looking too closely at the cosmetic issues. I can be wrong, but I don't see where anything you mentioned will prohibit the gun from functioning properly. As mentioned, the RIA is not a high-end gun, but they function great. I've not heard about anyone having major issues with them.

 

[sgreen3]

My brother has one that has the same thing as your talinking about the slide. It dont hurt the guns performance at all. Between myself and him there is probably a 1k rds through it now without a hicup one. Its not a Kimber or something like that and the 325 dollars he paid for shows that. I guess you could call RIA they would probably take care of it though if its that much of a problem.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

Rock Island has excellent customer service. Call Ivan Walcott at 775-537-1444. I had an RIA tactical that had an issue and he went over an above to take care of it, even thru in a couple extra mags when he sent it back

Thanks for the tip, I'll do that!

 

[TheFireArmorer]

You said the gun shot well. I believe you are looking too closely at the cosmetic issues. I can be wrong, but I don't see where anything you mentioned will prohibit the gun from functioning properly. As mentioned, the RIA is not a high-end gun, but they function great. I've not heard about anyone having major issues with them.

I just think that if I wanted to buy a gun that just shot well then I would have bought a used glock. I bought this brand new and I believe that if you pay for a brand new gun, no matter what company, it should be in relatively good shape. The frame scratching against the slide right out of the box just doesn't seem right to me. It's like buying a brand new car that drives great then get home and find a huge gash in the back seat... sure it doesn't affect the performance but I wouldn't be too happy with a big ol' cosmetic problem after paying all that money.
I realize $530 bucks for a 1911 ain't much, but it's still a decent chunk of change to have a problem like that.

Also, I would think that the friction from the frame gouging into the slide would eventually affect performance, i might be wrong too but parts rubbing together that shouldn't seem like they could cause problems, like a timing issue that could cause FTE's from the slide being slowed down.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

I have considered Buying an RIA but to many folks have had issues. They are an entry level 1911 and they are priced that way.
Where did you buy it, Private are gun shop??

Gun shop brand new that's why i'm not that happy about it.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

That looks sad

Go get them 50 lol!

 

[Que]

I just think that if I wanted to buy a gun that just shot well then I would have bought a used glock. I bought this brand new and I believe that if you pay for a brand new gun, no matter what company, it should be in relatively good shape. The frame scratching against the slide right out of the box just doesn't seem right to me. It's like buying a brand new car that drives great then get home and find a huge gash in the back seat... sure it doesn't affect the performance but I wouldn't be too happy with a big ol' cosmetic problem after paying all that money.
I realize $530 bucks for a 1911 ain't much, but it's still a decent chunk of change to have a problem like that.

Also, I would think that the friction from the frame gouging into the slide would eventually affect performance, i might be wrong too but parts rubbing together that shouldn't seem like they could cause problems, like a timing issue that could cause FTE's from the slide being slowed down.

I get your point and I hope it works out.

 

[David]

My guess is that all you have is some slop in the frame/slide fit, see if you can wiggle the frame back and forth on the slide. If that's all it is, you don't have a problem, in fact some people like loose frame/slide fits as they say it improves reliability. Accuracy won't be hurt as that is more a product of barrel/bushing fit and barrel lockup. I have a Colt (that I bought new) that is so loose I can make the slide touch the frame on both sides. It shoots fine.

 

[churchmouse]

My "old" series 70 is so loose it rattles if you put the slide on the frame without recoil spring tension. Shoots just fine.
The G.I. Colt my uncle carried in Korea (learned to shoot with that gun) is a real clunker by today's standards. It got him through bad times without a hitch. I have the gun and we still shoot it.
I understand how you feel and yes, it should sit square on the frame. If it was dragging enough to effect operation you would have a very hard time reassembling it.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

My guess is that all you have is some slop in the frame/slide fit, see if you can wiggle the frame back and forth on the slide. If that's all it is, you don't have a problem, in fact some people like loose frame/slide fits as they say it improves reliability. Accuracy won't be hurt as that is more a product of barrel/bushing fit and barrel lockup. I have a Colt (that I bought new) that is so loose I can make the slide touch the frame on both sides. It shoots fine.

There's no rattle to the gun at all. It's pretty damn tight. That's what i worry about. No play from side to side.

 

[churchmouse]

There's no rattle to the gun at all. It's pretty damn tight. That's what i worry about. No play from side to side.

All of my Springfield's are very tight tolerance in slide to frame fit. The Trophy match is scary tight. Are you checking this tolerance with the recoil spring in tension??

 

[Fordtough25]

My "old" series 70 is so loose it rattles if you put the slide on the frame without recoil spring tension. Shoots just fine.
The G.I. Colt my uncle carried in Korea (learned to shoot with that gun) is a real clunker by today's standards. It got him through bad times without a hitch. I have the gun and we still shoot it.
I understand how you feel and yes, it should sit square on the frame. If it was dragging enough to effect operation you would have a very hard time reassembling it.

+ 1

 

[KG1]

If it was mine I would probably contact RIA customer service and maybe even e-mail the pics and voice my concern and see what they have to say. That gouge where the frame is rubbing the slide would make me pause and go hmmm, especially since you've said there is no play from side to side.

 

[David]

You bought an entry level gun. If it shoots reliably and accurately you got your moneys worth. When Rock Island starts rejecting guns for aesthetic concerns like yours, their prices will go up. Shoot the hell out of it, one of two things will happen. Either your frame scratch will blend in with the normal wear, or if there is a defect in the gun it will show up and then you can exercise your warranty.

 

[Hookeye]

It should only rub for a while

BTW there is a reason why better guns cost more money.

Yours shoots good but rubs.

The next RIA or a factory fix of this one might make it not rub, but shoot worse.

If you're going to be ultra picky, then spend more money on something from a higher reputation manufacturer/builder to start with.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

It should only rub for a while

BTW there is a reason why better guns cost more money.

Yours shoots good but rubs.

The next RIA or a factory fix of this one might make it not rub, but shoot worse.

If you're going to be ultra picky, then spend more money on something from a higher reputation manufacturer/builder to start with.

I guess i'm just having a hard time understanding how i'm being picky. This isn't some cosmetic thing, it's not like i bought the gun and went home discovered it had a scratch, if that were the case i'd get over it. The fact is that the slide sits crooked on the frame, so badly that it's causing a gouge in the slide. so this is where i'm worried that i got a messed up frame.

Entry level i understand, but all i ask is that my slide and frame fit together decently

 

[jbrooks19]

You have every right to expect to buy a new gun and it be perfect (Entry level or not) Ignore the people saying your picky or whatever, they are nuts my next purchase is a RIA 1911, iv done a ton of research on them and shot a bunch of them and they all function perfectly; that being said, i would call them and see what they may be able to do abou tfixing this issue. Good luck!

I guess i'm just having a hard time understanding how i'm being picky. This isn't some cosmetic thing, it's not like i bought the gun and went home discovered it had a scratch, if that were the case i'd get over it. The fact is that the slide sits crooked on the frame, so badly that it's causing a gouge in the slide. so this is where i'm worried that i got a messed up frame.

Entry level i understand, but all i ask is that my slide and frame fit together decently