UPDATE: Rock Island Armory 10mm 1911s - Good or Bad?

[Quick Draw McGraw]

Jul 16, 2021 18:52:17 GMT -5 cas said:

AKA "humping dogs. lol

Common for things like Glocks, SIGs, HK, etc etc, to avoid holding down the slide release on those inferior designs.

Not a fan.
My question is always how do you shoot one handed? With your thumb out in space?
Almost no one does, they hold it differently. To me having two different grips for one gun isn't a good idea.
But that's a different topic.

I actually agree and am not a fan of this grip either.  But in the case of ensuring I wasn't the problem, the grip proved helpful this time.  I normally keep my thumbs down and have no issues with  hitting the mag release.  But in this case, I wanted to be dang sure it wasn't me causing the problem.

[Quick Draw McGraw]

Well, it was just over 24 hours and the RMA came in.  I have dropped the gun at FedEx and the email I received said turn around time is 4 to 6 weeks.  Here's hoping it's quicker, but as long as it gets fixed I am fine with waiting.  Here's a picture of where the magazine is scraping into the slide.  I circled it, but it's pretty obvious.

[cas]

I don't own an RIA, I've been tempted but there's a couple little things that keep me away. But I do own an STI Spartan (Armscor Philippines made frame, slide, barrel) and I had a love hate relationship with it for many years. Chasing malfunctions for years (used as a match gun so always at the worst time and never able to examine then.) Originally it would feed, but not chamber that last smidge. Eventually realized the rims weren't getting under the extractor during feeding, so it had to "snap over" the rim every time, which it did not.

Replaced that extractor and solved that problem, but ejection was wonky. Played with that extractor, and ejector, eventually changing both. Fiddled with those parts a while, it worked 100% but ejected straight over my head. So happy to have a match gun that finally ran, I used it that way for a couple years but eventually tried to fix it again.

I determined that no matter what I did, I couldn't get good consistant extractor tension because the tunnel was machined wrong in the slide. Played Dr. Dremel and solved the problem... for a while. May have changed the extractor again then too? Was okay, but had the occasional hiccup. Then I switched to an Aftec extractor. Put it in, didn't try to adjust it or even check it. It worked and I used it like that for a few years, it was 100%. Until one day out of the blue it wasn't. Of course in a big match it started to puke several times a stage. I later changed the Aftec springs and did some traditional extractor style adjustments and it's been good since.

It's been nothing but heartache for me, but I truly love that gun. I've said it before, I own Colts, a DW, a real STI and a Baer, if I had to keep just one, based on enjoyment shootin shooting (price, sentimental value and I guess cosmetics as well aside lol) it would be that stupid Spartan.

It could just be that the grips just fit me really well. lmao

[cas]

Saturday morning ramble, already too hot to go do what I should be doing.

The Spartan was sold as "Armscor made slide, barrel and frame, STI made everything else"? I don't know if that's true or not, some of the small parts were the crudest thing about the gun. My stock slide, barrel and frame. Maybe the original guide rod? Everything else has been changed, some of them a couple times. Still has the LPA sights. Some people don't like them, I do, never had a problem. If the RIA's had them I'd buy. I do not like the sights RIA puts on most of them and that's a big part of what's kept me away.



Many many many many thousands of rounds and it's still tight and accurate.

I'd buy another given the chance though lol. I just missed a 9mm locally at a great price (for today) and was really bummed. Still regret not buying another 45 from a friend 10 years ago who sold it dirt cheap, 1/3 or 1/4 of what they go for now. Stupid stupid stupid.

[Quick Draw McGraw]

Well, I got it back last Thursday.  Impressively, the turn around time was exactly 2 weeks.  As you can see in the picture, they cut a channel into the bottom of the slide that removed material causing the problem.  The magazines seat much more easily while being firmly in place and having the appropriate amount of play.  They also replaced my four magazines, though they did not ask me to return the 3 magazines I hadn't sent.  I took it out to the range and put 100 more rounds down range, 50 hot, 50 not.  I experienced one FTF that struck me as a normal thing in any firearm.  No more mags dropping out, so that problem is fixed entirely.  HOORAY!  But...

Three of the four magazines have trouble locking open on the last shot.  Not a big deal, but a tad annoying.  Any thoughts on what I might do to resolve this one?

Here's a picture of the slide where you can see the channel they cut into the slide to fix the issue.

[rjm52]

Glad things are working out....

Have had very few problems with slides not locking back with a 1911 but when I have it has always been the interface between the magazine follower and the slide stop tip... Have a Kimber that only prefers one kind of follower. It will usually work with a standard flat one but every time with the solid ones that Kimber puts in their mags...

If all your mags come from the same place and some work and some don't, try changing the slide stop and see if things clear up.

If you have one of two of the magazines that work every time, try pulling the spring and follower out of one of them and put it into the iffy mags to see it that clears things up...

Bob

[tj3006]

I believe Bob Serva, Who know runs Fusion firearms, and was in Change at Dan Wesson when the switched to 1911s was hired to upgrade the product at RIA, I had a Ria in 9mm, never a problem, And was great for the money, I just think full size steel frame 1911 in 9mm, is just to damn heavy,.
I am thinking another fusion Firearms gun might be in my future. A freedom series 10 MM long slide maybe ? But they run around 1200 I think !...tj

[Quick Draw McGraw]

I spoke with the gentleman that fixed the slide abd he is sending me a new slide stop. He thinks that may be the issue. I gotta hand it to RIA, they have really run with this once they got their hands on the gun.

[tj3006]

My Experience with RIA is a 9mm Full sized , With the adjustable sights and red fiber optic, The gun worked very well,
But I just don't get the 9mm Government Model thing, If i am going to carry a 5 inch 1911 all steel, it might as well be a 45 or a 10mm. Some how i like the 38 super way more than the 9mm, even though the difference is not that big. But I can not complain about the RIA at all. And I might like a LW commander in 9mm real well...tj

[Quick Draw McGraw]

I ran through 115 rounds with 7 magazines. No issues. Everything is working. Very happy with RIA's response.