Rock Island Tactical on the way

[wlewisiii]

So I ordered a Rock Island Full Size Tactical 1911 in .45 ACP (http://us.armscor.com/products/tac-1911-fs-45acp) and a couple of Mec-Gar mags for it. I should be able to get to the range after work on Thursday.

The last 1911A1's I used were worn out POS in the 1980s US Army and have been hesitant to get any 1911 again as a result. Still, from everything I've read here, there & elsewhere these seem like one of the best bang/buck compromises around. I'll know soon enough ...

Any tips or tricks to this particular model? How is it with non-hardball? I did pick up a bunch of WWB FMJ for breaking it in.

 

[Green Lantern]

FWIW, I kind of impulse-bought a GI model from the same company, the only ammo to be had at the moment of purchase was some PMC 185-gr hollowpoints. Mine ate a few mags of them without a hiccup.

 

[bikerdoc]

Mine has only been fed 230.

 

[ljnowell]

I had a RIS CS1911(officers model) and it was fantastic. Literally are anything I threw at it. Gold Dots, SWC's, LRN, etc. very reliable and very accurate also. I had no problem shooting great groups at 25 yards. Not as tight as sigh my bullseye comp guns but very tight groups.

 

[Wishoot]

Congrats!

I had a chance to shoot this very same model at the range last week. Now I think I must have one.

 

[hardluk1]

My tac fs I think can feed and shoot anything. I have used loads from HP bullets from several companies guy let me try or to reload from 185gr hp P+ to 230 hp 200 gr swc . Also manage to fina guy that had some old full wadcutter bullets and they cycled fine. It will even cycle empty brass. Take time to add a light polishing to the ramp and chamber , the top mainly. Also there sooo much of some kind of packing lube in it plan on doing a full break down to clean.

I know longer have the eyes for 25 yard groups. Patterns ?? yes. but at 12 yards It and I can still shoot ragged hole groups, 1 1/2" tp 2"

Front site is hard for me to work with . Panted it white , then added a small brite red dot to the top.

Stock recoil spring us to be junk . So pick up a couple wolf spring.

I polished all my trigger group parts while in there and played with the main spring and got a nice sharp 3 1/2ln trigger. Mine was 5.5lb new.

 

[Browning Guy]

Have some fun!

I have had my RIA Tactial almost a year. Haven't shot as much as I'd like mainly due to ammo availability. Mine has about 400 rnds of 230 gr hardball through with 'nary a hiccup. Now ammo is showing up better and I have added about 100 rnds of Remington and Hornaday HPs through it and still no problems. Mine had a blemish on the barrel finish. It didn't affect accuracy or function, it just "bugged" me. RIA took it in replaced the barrel,bushing,bushing spring and guide rod while they had it and sent it back with a "thank-you and have fun".

I'm sure you will enjoy yours

 

[MikeJackmin]

I had good luck with my RI, it was their low-end full sized model. Only complaint was that the rear sight need to be move about a millimeter to the side. It ate everything I fed it without complaint.

Keep in mind that most feeding problems can be resolved with a quality replacement magazine. Pick your favorite brand and keep one on hand in case any issues crop up down the road.

 

[wally]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I've one of the early RIA "Tacticals" and well over 10,000 rounds later its still a great pistol.

 

[tekarra]

The only thing I changed on mine were the grips as the factory grips were too smooth for sweaty hands.

 

[wlewisiii]

Got it today. Stripped, cleaned and Frog Lubed it. Plastic grips that are going to need changing and the full length guide rod may go bye-bye but otherwise it looks and feels great. I'm looking forward to getting out to the range later this week.

 

[flphotog]

I have an RI Tactical in 9mm. After a trigger job which included replacing all of the internals with Ed Brown parts and getting the trigger to a nice crisp 3.5 lbs it's a great gun.

 

[viking499]

When I had mine, I replaced the factory grips with Kimber rubber grips. Changed the feel completely.

 

[frankiestoys]

I'm on my 4 th one ,two compacts , one 2011 rail model and I recently bought a 9mm tactical All of them but one (compact) ran 100% .There not real pretty but very functional

 

[mnhntr]

My RIA GI model has eaten over 5k rounds of reloads without a problem. (After the break-in of 250rds)

 

[Furncliff]

This RIA .45 was my first 1911.
I changed the grips and slide stop. It's accurate and has been reliable with all manner of .45 bullets, including LSWC.

 

[BobTheTomato]

I have a GI model. Runs like a champ with fmj.

 

[palmetto99]

I've had a RIA Tactical for a couple of years. I had a gunsmith Cerakote the pistol to tone down the billboard on the slide. While he had it apart, polished a few things and cut the ambi thumb safeties down and rounded them. I took the double diamond grip panels that came on my RIA Match and put them on the Tac. I've only run 230 grn fmj through it and my RIA Match. Never had a hiccup.

 

[gennro]

I wouldn't buy any other 1911.