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Review: Rock Island 1911

adam sr said:
I have a Baby Rock and I like it. Haven't had any problems with it. Need to get one in 40.
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I'm fond of my Baby Rock as well. I don't own a traditional RIA 1911, but I have the XT22M in .22 Mag to go with the Baby Rock. I don't have any experience with their .45 acp 1911's, but their innovative 1911-inspired offerings in other calibers are a blast to take to the range.
 
I have three SA 1911's and I'm still impressed with my RIA 51632, especially for the price I got it for and its features that are basically found on higher end 1911's. It may not win any beauty contest but the park finish is deep, smooth & dark.
 
KillerFord1977 said:
I’ll take a Springfield base model over a Rock Island all day including Sunday.

thats just me ...
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When the Defenders were around $400, I'd agree with you...but when they’re north of $600, and the base RIA’s are still $389...if I just wanted a basic 1911, If be going with the RIA.

If I was looking at something I could customize up, however...then the Springfield would be the way to go.
 
I have 3 SA's, 3 Colt's, 2 Kimber's and one Ruger. I've read and heard good reviews of RIA 1911's and since they're pretty much at a lower price point, one of these days I intend to get one (or 2), in 9mm or 45.
 
HansGruber said:
When the Defenders were around $400, I'd agree with you...but when they’re north of $600, and the base RIA’s are still $389...if I just wanted a basic 1911, If be going with the RIA.

If I was looking at something I could customize up, however...then the Springfield would be the way to go.
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I considered those factors also.

The RIA 51632 (9mm) model comes with a skeletonized trigger & hammer, upswept beavertail grip safety, checkered slide release, ambidextrous extended manual safety, adjustable trigger, flat and checkered mainspring housing, Novak-style sights, and a full-length guide rod.

All those checked off all the boxes on my list of custom features, and I paid $550 (with all shipping & FFL fee costs) which was $100 more than the base model I could get at a LGS.

Trigger pull is 5..75 lbs and crisp, and the thumb safety is crisp.

There's an equivalent .45 acp model, but wish RIA made an equivalent in .38 Super.
 
I have no knowledge of Rock Island Arms, so I lack basis for an opinion.

Truth transcends time: we get what we pay for with the caveat that higher price does not always translate to better quality. Some iterations of the 1911-A1 are many thousand of dollars more expensive than the Springfield Armory TRP. Based upon my TRP experience, I feel safe in writing that the thousands of dollars premiums for other brands' 1911-A1 iterations do not translate to superior quality. It's probably true that the TRP is superior to other brands' 1911-A1s costing more than twice the price of a TRP.

If a handgun's intent is to save its owner's life, he should consider buying the best quality he can afford.

I've owned a couple other American made brands of 1911-A1s. I never completely trusted either.

About five years ago, I bought a Springfield Armory Loaded Model. It's intended use was between trout bites, relatively inexpensive entertainment for my kids. It's value greatly exceeds the price I paid. I did get an excellent deal on it. That gun has been absolutely flawless. It's far more accurate than were my other 1911-A1 brands. I was and remain so darn impressed with my Loaded Model that I sold my other 1911-A1 brands and bought an EMP 3 9MM for concealed carry, a TRP .45 ACP for wilderness self-defense, and a Professional Model .45 Auto that I've yet to fire. I would be completely secure carrying my Loaded Model for wilderness survival. Due to harsh Rocky Mountain conditions, I wanted ArmoryKote that's standard on the TRP. Anyway, all of my 1911-A1s are Springfield Armory.

Competition is beneficial for consumers. However, options must be carefully assessed to determine whether they are authentically competition. Since I lack knowledge of Rock Island Arms, I cannot definitively write that RIA is a legitimate competitor of Springfield Armory. I will add that if RIA does not use forged slides and frames, I could safely conclude that it's not SA's competition.

I'll almost exclusively buy American products if I can.

Based upon my experience, it's always right and never wrong to go with Springfield Armory's line of 1911-A1s.
 
Talyn said:
I considered those factors also.

The RIA 51632 (9mm) model comes with a skeletonized trigger & hammer, upswept beavertail grip safety, checkered slide release, ambidextrous extended manual safety, adjustable trigger, flat and checkered mainspring housing, Novak-style sights, and a full-length guide rod.

All those checked off all the boxes on my list of custom features, and I paid $550 (with all shipping & FFL fee costs) which was $100 more than the base model I could get at a LGS.

Trigger pull is 5..75 lbs and crisp, and the thumb safety is crisp.

There's an equivalent .45 acp model, but wish RIA made an equivalent in .38 Super.
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Yep, that’s their next-step up model (or two steps up, if you got the one with VZ grips). I had one in .45 for quite some time that I shot the snot out of; only thing I did was replace the grips with Pachmayrs and the FLGR with a GI setup.Know the guy that has it, it’s still going strong.
 
SATRP said:
I have no knowledge of Rock Island Arms, so I lack basis for an opinion.

Truth transcends time: we get what we pay for with the caveat that higher price does not always translate to better quality. Some iterations of the 1911-A1 are many thousand of dollars more expensive than the Springfield Armory TRP. Based upon my TRP experience, I feel safe in writing that the thousands of dollars premiums for other brands' 1911-A1 iterations do not translate to superior quality. It's probably true that the TRP is superior to other brands' 1911-A1s costing more than twice the price of a TRP.

If a handgun's intent is to save its owner's life, he should consider buying the best quality he can afford.

I've owned a couple other American made brands of 1911-A1s. I never completely trusted either.

About five years ago, I bought a Springfield Armory Loaded Model. It's intended use was between trout bites, relatively inexpensive entertainment for my kids. It's value greatly exceeds the price I paid. I did get an excellent deal on it. That gun has been absolutely flawless. It's far more accurate than were my other 1911-A1 brands. I was and remain so darn impressed with my Loaded Model that I sold my other 1911-A1 brands and bought an EMP 3 9MM for concealed carry, a TRP .45 ACP for wilderness self-defense, and a Professional Model .45 Auto that I've yet to fire. I would be completely secure carrying my Loaded Model for wilderness survival. Due to harsh Rocky Mountain conditions, I wanted ArmoryKote that's standard on the TRP. Anyway, all of my 1911-A1s are Springfield Armory.

Competition is beneficial for consumers. However, options must be carefully assessed to determine whether they are authentically competition. Since I lack knowledge of Rock Island Arms, I cannot definitively write that RIA is a legitimate competitor of Springfield Armory. I will add that if RIA does not use forged slides and frames, I could safely conclude that it's not SA's competition.

I'll almost exclusively buy American products if I can.

Based upon my experience, it's always right and never wrong to go with Springfield Armory's line of 1911-A1s.
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Well, to be technical, Springfield’s 1911’s used to be made in Brazil, they are now made here but I can’t remember when they started to manufacture them here, been a few years I think.
 
Annihilator said:
Well, to be technical, Springfield’s 1911’s used to be made in Brazil, they are now made here but I can’t remember when they started to manufacture them here, been a few years I think.
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My first SA 1911 is a Brazilian gun.

The Phillipines have been in love & making 1911's for a long time, so I think they have it figured out.

My 51632 is tighter than the two Colt Gold Cups I had in the 80's. I got rid of them & moved to SAs.

Now, for the price point the RIA 51632 & it's .45 equivalent is hard to beat.
 
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