The humble RIA

It's easy assume that money equals quality, but in the case of a RIA 1911, as long as one understands the dimensions/tolerances of a RIA, one can build a great bullseye gun on the cheap. Still a toss up which gun I'll use for my main gun. Currently using a KC Crawford workedup pistol.

I found a cheap place to get a RIA GI model online that came with a duracoat finish for looks and I gave it to my local gunsmith to work on. He didn't change out any of the parts except the bushing, barrel link, mainspring housing (at my request), Clark scope mount, and trigger (to a Greider long trigger). Barrel was welded up, and shims put in the slide lug.

Here is the pistol without the red dot on it...



Here is the best target off a Ransom Rest at 50 yards.



Without the flier on the right, it would have been a 1.4" group. With the flier, 2.2".

The next one is my normal match load which also did pretty well:




Not bad for a cheap gun.

My buddies all carry RIA's GI compact. They are nice. I've even shot them at 50 feet and shot groups that would have scored in the low-mid 90's. Really good for a carry gun!

How did it do stock? I am looking to pick one up for night stand duty.

Looks good!
dsd

The compact RIA that I shot a 90+ with (slow fire) was bone stock.

That is great!! I could do a ball gun on the cheap.

Your smith did not peen down frame rails, swage in slide rails or solder them up to tighten, in any way? Very impressive.

Tightness of frame and slide having very much to do with accuracy is a myth, its more about a tight lock up of the barrel lugs and bushing.

Would this qualify as a legit CMP leg gun?

I think all it would need is the rail removed and target sights put on. As far as I can tell.

yes, only thing would be to replace the sight mount with target sights. Putting on target sights would require cutting a slot as the gun comes with plain Jane GI sights.

Shorten the scope rail, mill a couple more scope mount slots in it, add iron sights and you have a dual purpose ball gun/wad gun. I did this with my ball gun and it can serve as my backup or loaner. If I can figure out how to post a picture I'll post one.

Scott Carroll wrote:Shorten the scope rail, mill a couple more scope mount slots in it, add iron sights and you have a dual purpose ball gun/wad gun. I did this with my ball gun and it can serve as my backup or loaner. If I can figure out how to post a picture I'll post one.

But to shoot it in ball matches the rail still has to be removed.

You couldn't see the sights with the rail still on David!!

Rob Kovach wrote:You couldn't see the sights with the rail still on David!!

There are examples of weaver rails and iron sights that can be used together, in fact RRA sells a bolt on rail with iron sights. My post was just to say the CMP is very strict rule wise and for those reading may not know guns with rails are not allowed.

I own two RIA 1911s. Both Government Models with one being in 45 ACP and the other is a switch barrel between 38 Super and 9mm Luger. I'm hoping to use both of them this summer in matches in Indiana after I retire from the Army in a few months. I'm glad to see that these pistols are getting positive notes on the forum for this newbe Bullseye shooter to read up on them.
Bruce

Sorry.

You probably shouldn't dual post your message on two threads.

I got the 9mm RIA "tactical" model which came with the extended beavertail safety, etc. and was impressed right out of the box. I gave it to my 1911 smith and gave him the green light to do whatever he thought would tighten the groups. A new bushing and barrel turning along with a bit of trigger work was the extent of his work. Believe it or not, I choose to shoot this "cheap" gun in matches. It outshoots everything else in the safe and there are some pretty fine pieces in there. I have a Burris FastFire II mounted on it. Yeah, the dot is not as sharp and small as a Matchdot but it works plenty well enough.
I then got a RIA 9mm/22 TCM. It is the double stack version of the 1911 and it too shot well right out of the box. Off to the smitty to have both barrels fitted to the same new bushing. I could not be more pleased with the way this RIA shoots. Some of the metalurgy and finish work may be on the rough side but they work.