RIA GI 1911?

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The Exile

The Exile

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I've made a decision that after school I'm moving to California which has many upsides and many downsides, I'm sure you guys can think of a few of the downsides that comes with living in California. But on the bright side it's a good excuse to buy a 1911 over a G19; I was watching a video from Hickock45 comparing a RIA 1911 to a $3k and from what he said basically the RIA gets the job done. Now that being said I don't want to just say "right that's all I need to know" because I've heard other 1911s are pretty good too but I don't really know where the optimal price point is. I could walk into the gun store slap 500 on the table and walk away with a shiny new 1911, but I could also up my price to 750 then I can start considering options from Remington, Springfield, Kimber, and probably a few others. Your opinions on the matter?

I'm not even gonna bother with CC in California so this is just gonna be a night stand/fun gun.
 
For the price, a RIA is hard to beat. Accurate, good parkerized finish, but lacking in modern controls and sights. Remington reviews are hit or miss. Same with Kimber, especially if you need warranty work. If you are looking for a decent 1911, nicer than RIA, I would suggest Ruger, but, still, a RIA would take care of your needs.
 
Crime can happen not only in the middle of the night. It also happens to good people at all hours of the day.

If you believe in having a nightstand gun, you really need to also consider a CC gun. And if you can only have one, the CC gun should take precedence over a larger nightstand gun. That smaller CC gun can do double duty til you can save up and buy a larger nightstand gun.

And yes...have heard good things about RIA.
But perhaps a G30 ( you'll have to check if it's CA approved) is worth considering...then later on get the larger 1911.
 
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I bought one used a few years back that has adj sights it is my favorite 1911, it doesn't have a preference for mag manufacturers like my Colt or Springfield, one thing I found out was it will surface rust if you use it as a truck gun, I think that is what plastic guns are for.
 
In the "what 1911 should I get" threads, the two things I always tell folks to decide up front is do you want/need ...

- Fixed or adjustable sights

- A GI or beavertail grip safety

Choose wrong on either of these and you're spending some time and money grinding or welding on your gun to fix your choice. Not all 1911 sight dovetails cuts are the same and not all grip tangs are the same meaning not all beavertail grip safeties will fit on all 1911's, without modifications.

The key thing to remember is a 1911 is not a Glock (or AR). Glock's are like Lego toys, snap a part out, snap a part in. Only one company makes Glock's and they are all pretty much the same, so parts, even those from aftermarket makers, snap right in.

I think there are currently about two dozen companies making 1911's and there have been others in the past that have made them. Almost none of them are the same, and this doesn't even take into account the dozens of aftermarket parts makers that don't make their parts all to the same standard.

As an example, all Glock (and probably SIG P22X, and Beretta 92, etc., within their families) sight dovetails are the same. Here's an example of some 1911 sight dovetail cuts from Kensight https://stores.kensight.com/common-1911-sight-dovetails/

If you just stay in the Colt line-up, they have models that use a Colt Government, Novak, and possibly both Bomar and LPA (I don't follow their adjustable sight models that closely). This doesn't even take into account what all the other 1911 makers are using.

My point is, pick the gun that has the options you want already on the gun before you buy it. Having the gun changed after purchase will cost you more time, effort, money, and possibly heartache.
 
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The Exile said:
I've made a decision that after school I'm moving to California which has many upsides and many downsides, I'm sure you guys can think of a few of the downsides that comes with living in California. But on the bright side it's a good excuse to buy a 1911 over a G19; I was watching a video from Hickock45 comparing a RIA 1911 to a $3k and from what he said basically the RIA gets the job done. Now that being said I don't want to just say "right that's all I need to know" because I've heard other 1911s are pretty good too but I don't really know where the optimal price point is. I could walk into the gun store slap 500 on the table and walk away with a shiny new 1911, but I could also up my price to 750 then I can start considering options from Remington, Springfield, Kimber, and probably a few others. Your opinions on the matter?

I'm not even gonna bother with CC in California so this is just gonna be a night stand/fun gun.
Click to expand...
For self defense buy a Glock .
If you must have a 1911 buy a Colt as it’s the ONLY 1911 that will hold its value.
J
 
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I tend to buy my guns from the used gun market & it has worked well for me. One of my 1911's is a pre-WWII military issue Colt Government pistol that was well used when I bought it in the late 70's & it is still shooting well today. If it's true that 1911's other than Colts don't hold their value you can buy a higher end used gun for the same price or even lower than a brand new basic model.
 
RIA GI is a great gun for the price ($400 or lower), but for $500 you can get into a new Springfield Mil Spec, some Remingtons, or a used Ruger.
 
JTQ said:
In the "what 1911 should I get" threads, the two things I always tell folks to decide up front is do you want/need ...

- Fixed or adjustable sights

- A GI or beavertail grip safety

Choose wrong on either of these and you're spending some time and money grinding or welding on your gun to fix your choice. Not all 1911 sight dovetails cuts are the same and not all grip tangs are the same meaning not all beavertail grip safeties will fit on all 1911's, without modifications.

The key thing to remember is a 1911 is not a Glock (or AR). Glock's are like Lego toys, snap a part out, snap a part in. Only one company makes Glock's and they are all pretty much the same, so parts, even those from aftermarket makers, snap right in.

I think there are currently about two dozen companies making 1911's and there have been others in the past that have made them. Almost none of them are the same, and this doesn't even take into account the dozens of aftermarket parts makers that don't make their parts all to the same standard.

As an example, all Glock (and probably SIG P22X, and Beretta 92, etc., within their families) sight dovetails are the same. Here's an example of some 1911 sight dovetail cuts from Kensight https://stores.kensight.com/common-1911-sight-dovetails/

If you just stay in the Colt line-up, they have models that use a Colt Government, Novak, and possibly both Bomar and LPA (I don't follow their adjustable sight models that closely). This doesn't even take into account what all the other 1911 makers are using.

My point is, pick the gun that has the options you want already on the gun before you buy it. Having the gun changed after purchase will cost you more time, effort, money, and possibly heartache.
Click to expand...
So just so I know exactly what I'm being told can you explain what you mean by GI or beavertail safety?
 
The Exile said:
So just so I know exactly what I'm being told can you explain what you mean by GI or beavertail safety?
Click to expand...
As shown above it is the type of grip safety on the pistol.

For additional information

If you chose the RIA GI gun, it comes with a GI grip safety. https://armscor.com/firearms/ria/gi-series/gi-standard-fs/

If you don't like that type of grip safety, and many don't, you can have it replaced, but to get a "perfect" fit, you need to grind on the gun frame grip tangs. Not too hard for a competent gunsmith, but it may be a little much for the "Average Joe" as far as tools, skill, and patience.

Also note the little GI sights on the GI gun, and the front sight doesn't sit in a dovetail. You can have them changed, but most sight upgrade options will require you to have the slide milled. Generally not a do-it-yourself project.

For a little more money, you can get the Rock Standard FS with a beavertail grip safety and Novak-ish sights.

https://armscor.com/firearms/ria/rock-series/rock-standard-fs-45acp/
 
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I'll also add, the Novak sight cut is a very common dovetail on 1911 pistols, and there are a lot of sight options for that dovetail. However, the RIA "Novak" dovetail is not exactly a Novak dovetail, and you may require a gunsmith to fit sights to the gun.
 
@JTQ you just HAD to post that link, didn't you? I had seen it before, forgotten about it, and had just convinced myself that a 1911 with the features I want, would cost more than I could justify for a range toy. Now, I gotta go look at my budget again. Thanks a lot! ;)
 
You really need to shoot some model 1911s to decide whether or not you would be happy with a GI type grip safety and spurred hammer. I can shoot them OK but find the beaver tail grip safeties more comfortable. Some people find the GI type grip safeties to have sharp edges that bite into their hand and some get "hammer bite" from the spurred hammer. If you are one of those people, you definitely want to buy a pistol with a beaver tail grip safety and "commander" style hammer.

Pay attention to JTQs comments regarding the sights. GI "replica" style model 1911s have tiny sights just like the WW1 and WW2 vintage model 1911A pistols had. If you have anything less than excellent visual acuity, which general implies youth, you may find these all but unusable and they are not easy to change. If you want usable sights, buy a model with dovetailed sights front and back.

I own the RIA Rock Standard Full Size. I also own a Springfield Armory model 1911. The RIA shoots well but I had to do some modifications, parts swaps, and other work to get it where I wanted it. I will say that the beaver tail grip safety on the RIA Rock Standard is very comfortable and the trigger action is quite good. I did swap the front sight for a Hi-Viz Novak front sight with fiberoptic insert. As JTQ said, I did have to do a bit of trimming of the Hi-Viz sight to fit the RIA dovetail, but it was not too onerous.
 
I owned an inexpensive GI 1911 45acp and it shot just fine, but the tiny sights became difficult for me to use. It was a Turkish Tisas that cost me $399 plus shipping and FFL from Bud's.

I had to trade the 1911 towards something else, but I intended all along to replace it.

After only about a week of checking Gunbroker, I got a brand-new RIA two-tone 1911 with much larger sights. It cost me $420 plus shipping and FFL. It's much easier for me to shoot. The trigger and controls on all of my 1911's (I have several and they're all inexpensive) are pretty similar. The main thing to me is that I want sights larger than the tiny GI ones.
 
RIA 1911s are great. And in my worthless opinion. Are probably just as good a colt or any other brands 1911 function wise.
 
IMHO, one of the big things the OP should consider are whether the sights on the GI RIA are best for a night stand + fun gun. For me, the smaller sights are great for target shooting, but not so great for low light or quick acquisiton scenarios.

The RIA GI is a great pistol. Just consider how you want to use this tool, and whether it has the right configuration/options for that role.

I have a Springfield GI, which is a very fun gun. But not in my rotation for carry or home defense. In those roles, I use 1911s with larger sights and/or night sights.

I picked up a gently used Colt Commander about 18 months ago, for $575 ... not a ton more money than the RIA GI. A lightly used Ruger SR1911 would give you a TON of options for both fun and night stand scenarios ... again for not a whole lot more money.

Yes, you might start with a $400 RIA or R1. But you may very quickly find that you really could use (and even need) some of the options in other pistols that cost a bit more.
 
You want an inexpensive 1911? Check out the ATI models. I got my Commander size gun for $319 delivered to the FFL. And guess what. It is an incredible tack driver. So tight and accurate I can see my offhand results much improved over my Ruger SR 1911 9mm Commander. And it was so cheap I have been able to afford besutiful G10 grips, aftermarket ambi-safety, miiled slide with Cerakoting, and red dot sight. I love this gun and plan more upgrades like a custom level trigger/action.
 
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Charlie Martinez said:
I tend to buy my guns from the used gun market & it has worked well for me. One of my 1911's is a pre-WWII military issue Colt Government pistol that was well used when I bought it in the late 70's & it is still shooting well today. If it's true that 1911's other than Colts don't hold their value you can buy a higher end used gun for the same price or even lower than a brand new basic model.
Click to expand...
I have a coworker that recently purchased a 40 + year old Colt National Match in amazing condition for about $1400 that he could sell tomorrow for $1500 street price.
He also has a brand new Dan Wesson Valor that was closer to $2k now if he chose to to sell that tomorrow he would take a fairly big loss.
J
 
I have owned a RIA 1911, and for about $30 more in my area is Auto Ordinance, which is 10X better than the RIA was , and A/O doesn't have the best reputation out there. I would buy a Springfield if you can, but I would consider Tisas or AO over RIA. That said, my RIA was a lemon, most are not. The factory declinied to fix mine, and told me to politely F myself, so I don't have a lot of faith in them to fix the few lemons the let out.
 
When I bought a 1911 I made a mistake of buying one with the GI style safety. Needless to say it beat up the web of my hand and was not comfortable to shoot after 20 rounds. This is something that you will not find out by simply holding the gun at the gun shop. You actually need to fire the pistol to feel how the GI style safety interfaces with a web of your hand.

Initially I've regretted not getting the beaver style safety. However I have learned to grip the gun a little harder so that the GI style safety no longer bothers me.

But, If I had to do it all over again I would choose the beaver style safety.

(However if you ever decide later to carry a beaver style safety 1911 appendix in the waistband, I am not sure if that would be comfortable. You would have to try it for yourself to see if it matches your body type.)
 
My first 1911 was an Auto Ordnance 1911A1 I bought 30 years ago. Guys told me all the modifications I could make, but I wanted to shoot the “John Wayne” version. I happily put thousands of rounds through that gun.

Later I bought a WWI era Colt and experienced hammer bite for the first time. Still, shooting it was worth the pain.

When I decided to carry a 1911, it was a new Colt with the beavertail grip safety.

Any of those guns will do for the nightstand; buy the best one you can afford for fun at the range. My opinion: you can’t go wrong with John Wayne.
 
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