1911 ??'s - Rock Island, ATI etc....

[Foto Joe]

My primary carry gun is a S&W Gvt. 1911, I love the gun but in states that do not allow open carry (in TX currently) the barrel tends to expose itself if I'm not using a shoulder rig. A month or so ago I took my neighbor to his first gun show in Corpus and he came home with his first handgun an ATI compact 1911. Before heading home I took him to an indoor range and we put a few dozen rounds through it and I've got to say, I was impressed. Now...

Yesterday I found a buyer for my Bond Arms 45/.410 Derringer so I've got some money burning a hole in my pocket. I'd like to pick up a compact 1911 but I DON'T want to spend what I did on the S&W. My price range is $450-$600 max. I've been browsing on GB and seen a number of compacts that the prices don't look too bad on, one of which is a Rock Island but since the vast majority of my experience with guns is 19th century Colts I'm not much of an authority on the different makers of 1911's.

I'd like to hear some opinions of the Rock Island as well as the ATI or any others that might fit into the price range I've mentioned.

 

[dogmush]

I've had real good experiences with my 3 Rock Islands. Good guns at a good price. All are reliable.

That said, 1911's with less then about a 4.25" barrel can be touchy. Many folks run compact 1911's just fine, but IME when you get shorter then a commander, the tolerances are *very* tight to have the gun run right. You are much more likely to get a finicky or unreliable 1911 in the compact size range. Just food for thought.

ETA: FWIW I have a 4" 1911 that I'm building up to be a CCW, and I'm going up to 4.25".

 

[bannockburn]

My experiences with RIA M1911s has been very good as well. A quality product at a reasonable price. I would also recommend something along the lines of a Colt Commander in terms of a somewhat shorter barrel/slide length.

 

[bigfatdave]

My Armscor compacts run great. Keep an eye out for the RIA CS tactical (better sights are worth the minor price increase over the CS GI) or the Citadel compact, which is essentially the same gun with different cosmetics.

 

[Aceoky]

Another RIA 1911 lover here!

 

[tarosean]

If it were my money I wouldn't buy a budget 3"-3.5" 1911 no matter the name on the slide. The big names have issues with them and often need to be tuned perfectly. Springs need to be changed often to keep this state of tune. Just don't see how a gun that uses inferior everything could keep being reliable..

 

[Satasaurus]

I've heard good things about RIA and I shot a full size RIA 1911 and it didn't have any problems. I probably should have gotten one for $400 when I could of a few months ago ...

 

[Greg528iT]

I was just at the range Sat. With my NEW STI Spartan.. Frame and slide made by Armscor. It is a nice frame and would not hesitate to get a Rock Island or other brand coming from that factory. ( I was looking for the 9mm 4.25" barrel (Commander) and the local Cabela's had them in stock and I had $200 in Cabela's points.

I also had my Springfield Ultra Compact.. Officer Frame and 3.5" barrel... I ran some unknown name JHPs (reloaded from supplies I bought form a buddy's cousin) then all fed and fed,

 

[springer99]

I've had good experience with the RIA's I've owned, currently including a GI Officers Model w/ 3.5" barrel. Yes, I've heard internet chatter about short barrel 1911's not being reliable, but have to say that mine has been flawless so far using ball, various HP's and even LSWC's.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Since others have covered the pistol aspect fairly well I will only add a bit of opinion. I would not carry a 1911 with a barrel length less than 4.25". Any less than that and reliability can be spotty. My current 1911 carry gun is a Colt combat Commander.

May I ask if you have considered an IWB holster to keep the barrel from poking out?

Sent from my HTC One X

 

[StrutStopper]

Ruger now makes a commander model of the SR1911, should run about $650. If it's anything like the full size SR1911 it's definitely worth checking out.

 

[nathan]

Get the Ruger Commander size. I ve handled one at the store and is super nice.

 

[wisconsin]

I picked up a SAM Elite from Fleet Farm, they make a compact model. The full size is shockingly well built for only being $400, and the quality looked to be the same on the compact.

 

[hey_poolboy]

I've only got about 2k rounds through my compact tactical RIA, but it's been a great shooter. I had one problem with the safety not working, but I ended up installing a Wilson combat safety that I liked the feel of better, and it's worked perfectly fine since.

 

[Drail]

For carry use, get a Commander size. That's about as far as you want to go with chopping down a 1911. With a good rig it's comfortable and invisible.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I don't have any experience with the Rock Islands but I did own a Metro Arms American Classic and it was a really great 1911. Of all the ones I've owned it was the smoothest and most reliable of them all. The finish was really nice and the fit and finish of the pistol was on par with much more expensive 1911s. I would give it a look if I was you.

 

[Greg528iT]

I read ALL the time, 1911s shorter than a commander have spotty performance. Usually without reference to an actual gun someone owns. I read and say very often, "my 3.5" runs flawlessly". I'm starting to think the "shorter than 4.25" is an internet myth. I'd like to suggest people only post relative to guns they own. But I kid myself it's an internet forum, people will continue to post internet "facts"
!

 

[tarosean]

I read ALL the time, 1911s shorter than a commander have spotty performance. Usually without reference to an actual gun someone owns. I read and say very often, "my 3.5" runs flawlessly". I'm starting to think the "shorter than 4.25" is an internet myth. I'd like to suggest people only post relative to guns they own. But I kid myself it's an internet forum, people will continue to post internet "facts"

What to you think there is some Internet conspiracy against the size of the gun? Could we just as easily ask you to prove yours is reliable or that it has over 2000 rounds down the pipe. etc. etc.?

Besides this is an enthusiast board where bias and strong opinions should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[HankR]

I have the High Standard "Crusader Compact". It works fine with 230 grain ball and 200 grain JHP. I don't recall any break in issues or any other problems with it. I probably haven't run enough through it to wear out anything (change the state of tune mentioned above), but it's worked fine from day one. I can't recall any failures (but there may have been some isolated instances that I don't recall). I see these for sale now at $550, I'm sure I paid 100-150 less than that (albeit a few years ago). At the time I thought it was a good deal for the money, but I'm also a Ruger fanboy, and if the commander length SR1911 can really be had for $650 I'd probably go that way if I was buying today.

 

[Greg528iT]

What to you think there is some Internet conspiracy against the size of the gun?

No. More of a case of saying.. Please don't add to the crap on the internet. I already take everything with a grain of salt.

As someone here says.. "it's a machine, it does not have a choice in whether it works or not."

I have 2000 rounds down the pipe. But that's all the proof I can offer. At least I comment on how my gun works.

 

[12Bravo20]

I own two RIA 1911s, a full size tactical model and a compact model. I bought the full size brand new and the compact was used. My compact as been every bit as reliable as my full size with 1000s of rounds through each one.

 

[nathan]

The PHilippine made 1911s have improved a lot. They are a great buy. The stereotyping that they dont work as good is a misnomer. They cannot be selling those if they arent working. A lot of excellent reviews in the last decade or so . They are good to go for the money. If i were to get one, get the best they have the Rock Island tactical . I thnk Centerfiresystems has them in stock.

http://centerfiresystems.com/firearms_handguns.aspx

 

[CZ223]

I've got a 3.5 Rock island

with the improved sights, etc. Mine has been a good gun but I have broken 2 slide stops. The next one will be something a bit more robust. The gun has never failed to feed any commercial ammo including lots of hollow points. The only reason I don't carry it is that I have five or six commanders and two Kimber Ultras that also work as well. If I need to go small I might as well go light. I would not hessitate to buy another RIA. I have my eye on a brand new Citadel that is identical to my RIA, other than the name on the slide of course.

 

[Foto Joe]

Alrighty Then....

I appreciate the responses that everybody has posted to this. Since I originally posted this I've talked to a "custom" 1911 gunsmith in Beeville TX. The answers he gave me were just what I would have expected to hear from somebody to does custom work on one of the most successful firearms ever made. His opinion parroted the theory that ANY compact 1911 will have problems, unless of course you hand it over to him and let him do $1,000 worth of work on it.

I followed the link that nathan posted and had a look at the Rock Island compact. It didn't reach out and grab me in any way but man the price is impressive. I was also following a S&W compact on GB but it had a price of $950 on it and that's a bit over what I want to spend, not to mention more than I paid for my stainless S&W 1911 Gvt.

So at this point in time I'm thinkin' that either the RIA or the ATI will probably be what I pick up. I can fully understand the "why" of feed problems on compact 1911's and given that I DO NOT shoot factory ammo other than my self defense rounds getting one of these little critters to eat hand loaded lead ball cartridges will be a BIG issue with me. Although I'm not a fan of blued guns it looks like that's about all the choices that are out there for the compacts. I guess when the bluing starts to wear off I could always strip it off, polish and brown it, that would set it away from the crowd.

 

[hey_poolboy]

If it's any help to you my compact RIA gets a steady diet of lswc. That's about all I shoot. I only occasionally shoot jacketed or plated.

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