Which is the stronger and better built pistol ?

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tercel89

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One is a Rock Island Armory 1911 full size in .45acp
The other is a Ruger P94 in 9mm.
Which one is the more stronger and tougher over time with hard use and consistant shooting ?
I have both and like them equally. I know the Ruger P-Series is tough as nails for sure. It has the cast aluminum frame but is still tough and well "overbuilt".
The Rock Island has a cast steel frame and nice too. Both have digested factory ammo and my own reloads .
I am trying to decide which to give to my son for his 18th birthday.
I keep going back and forth on the two.
 
ruger is a better brand

based on the few seconds of internet research i just did, RI has some quality control issues, and very mixed reviews. not saying ruger has no problems.


http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/21_1171/Handguns/1911s/page/1/sort/6a

RI 1911s are literally almost the cheapest 1911s you can buy, i was always taught to never buy the cheapest anything. i'd go with the p94, or select another gun within your budget. then again a lot of people say RI is a solid gun for the money. to me it would just be too risky to buy something that far below the standard price point.
 
Just be sure if you give your RIA 1911 to your son, he doesn't trade it in on a Taurus 66 .357 like mine did. :p

Either way he's getting a good gun. I don't own a P-series, but I've shot many over the years; always a reliable gun, and accurate. Wouldn't be my first choice for CCW, though.

I did carry the RIA for a short while before I gave it to my son. In all fairness, I must admit; I am a gunsmith, and bought the RIA when it came into the shop. I did go through it and did the standard reliability work; polish and 'melt' the ramp, fine tuned the locking rings, etc.
 
Failures in pistols that have survived a few hundred rounds aren't usually a function of being "stronger and tougher." Are you asking about expected reliability? Need for service/replacement of wear parts? Tolerance for dirt or other foreign material?
 
P94

In 9mm I would expect any of the Ruger P-Series to go around 300,000 rounds with annual spring replacement and keeping it clean.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
All I am asking is which is an all around better pistol . Strength , durability , corrosion resistance , and on and on.
They both function fine now with all ammo and my own reloads .
For the most part , my son will be plinking with it and when not plinking it will be for home defense while he is at home here with us for the next 4 years ( he is going to college locally) .
 
To answer the question - the R I

I have 2 R I 1911s full size and officers. I have shot the Ruger. Just my opinion, give him the Ruger and keep the good one for yourself.
Or better yet after he blows out the candle say "did you wish for the Ruger or the R I?"
Problem solved.
 
Or better yet after he blows out the candle say "did you wish for the Ruger or the R I?"
Problem solved.
Click to expand...

That's the idea IMO. Let him decide, assuming you're indifferent as you seem to be.

Take him to the range for a little father/son time and before you leave, put them both on the bench and tell him whichever he likes the best is his.
 
Rock Island makes a nice 1911 for the money, with all the 1911 positives and negatives. The Ruger P-series autos were pretty big and clunky, with poor triggers, but excellent reliability. IMO the Ruger is more likely to digest any load you can find with less maintenance than a 1911 from any manufacturer. Not trying to bash the 1911-I love them, but there are certainly better options for many shooters.
 
I don't personally think that you or your son could wear either of them out. Spring replacements will be necessary, but your slides aren't going to fly off, and the parts probably wouldn't ever wear out of tolerance for a few hundred thousand rounds. To answer the question, I think the P94 would last longer, just due to the design. Both are tanks though.
 
We have been to the range quie a bit with both of these guns. He likes them both. I reload 45 and 9 and my son always likes to use them both when I tell him to go shoot my new reloads to test them to check my reloads for if they cycle properly.
 
Lord Teapot said:
RI 1911s are literally almost the cheapest 1911s you can buy, i was always taught to never buy the cheapest anything.
Click to expand...

There's a difference between cheap and inexpensive. RI guns are inexpensive.
 
I asked for and was given as a gift an RIA 1911-45 about seven years ago. It has held up well and shoots as good now as it did new. I have seen no indication that it is wearing except for some finish wear on the high spots. Since then I have purchased two more RIA's a 1911-.45-.22 combo and a commander length 9mm. I've used RIA's customer service dept. twice on the 9mm. Both times the company paid shipping both ways. I'm still trying to work out a fte issue on the nine ( I'm still tuning a new extractor), however both .45's have been nearly flawless.

Are the RIA's inexpensive? Yes. Are they cheap? I don't think so. The company seems to be genuinely concerned about the quality of the product and it shows with the quality of customer service they provide. I have only one Ruger ( a revolver), its a great company putting out excellent products overall. I think your decision should come down to ... should I give the 9mm or the .45? Does he shoot one of these pistols better than the other?
 
ruger is a better brand

based on the few seconds of internet research i just did, RI has some quality control issues, and very mixed reviews. not saying ruger has no problems.


http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/i...page/1/sort/6a

RI 1911s are literally almost the cheapest 1911s you can buy, i was always taught to never buy the cheapest anything. i'd go with the p94, or select another gun within your budget. then again a lot of people say RI is a solid gun for the money. to me it would just be too risky to buy something that far below the standard price point.
Click to expand...

Having owned a Rock Island for a few years and three or four dozens over the years, I wouldn't agree with that assessment. The RIA's are very good guns. The Ruger P-series doesn't appear to be in production any more but they were always on the low end of the price spectrum. I paid $550 for my RIA. So I'm not sure how that is part of the equation.
 
If it were a gun that MIGHT be used for self-defense, I'd feel more comfortable with a P-series, hands down. If it were just a fun gun for shooting at the range only, I'd rather have the RI 1911
 
You are comparing a 45acp handgun built to withstand 45acp abuse to a 9mm handgun built to withstand 45acp abuse.

The 9mm will last longer. The 1911 will still have a soul.

Also, if you can afford the amount of ammo it would take to wear either out, you can afford to have either properly maintained, and buy a replacement whenever you want, just because.
 
It's probably a toss up, but if you ever do break a part on either, you'll be able to get a replacement part for an RIA 1911 for practically forever. You may not be able to get a part for the Ruger if it broke today. The Ruger P94 has been out of production for quite some time and Ruger no longer supports it.
 
I sent my RIA 1911 Target model to my smith to have trigger work done prior to installing a NightHawk 22 conversion unit. He gauges the frame and said he was amazed that everything was exactly where it was supposed to be. Said in many less expensive frames he finds pin centers off which makes doing a really fine trigger difficult. He was surprised at the quality. This is his website to see what he builds. http://rickhebert.com/pics.html

Stu
 
I have a Ruger P-85 that has untold rounds through it but has gotten ammo sensitive over the years. I don't shoot it much anymore because I have better options now but it is rugged and reliable. In the early years it would shoot any ammo I put in it.

9mm is a lot cheaper to practice with than is .45 so take that into account. If it were me I would give him the Ruger and keep the .45 for purely selfish reasons.
 
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