RIA (Armscor) 1911 GI 45

....Just received one of these on a trade.  Is it worth upgrading for bullseye?

I have used one or two of these as platforms for experimental guns I have built.  They worked fine in that role, but I would not put the money into having a BE smith turn it into a true bullseye gun.  Mine tended to loosen up  and need re-tightening fairly quickly, whereas we expect a  true wadgun to hold up for tens of thousands of rounds.

On the other hand, if you can do the work yourself its a cheap platform to learn on.

Not very good imo much better choices out there

I believe I asked this same question once and I got most if not all the same answer. It’s not worth the time or trouble and it would save you a lot of headache going with something like a Springfield frame or a Foster frame. The Rock Island will make a good project gun but not a good competitive gun. It could make a decent lower for a conversion unit but the fear would be in achieving a good trigger. If the sear and hammer pivot pin holes aren’t parallel or lined up good then it could make the trigger job a nightmare. Trigger pull could be inconsistent from one shot to the next.

RIA have good construction,but for a future Bullseye Pistol wadgun project,Go with Springfield. in my working experience in armory and handle various 1911's including colt,Ruger,Springfield,kimber and RIA,Springfield have better slide to frame fit,no play between slide to frame,great construction and better price than others.

Posted on the Clark Custom Guns website:

NOTICE: We will not work on any 1911 manufactured in the Phillipines or any size smaller than Commander model 1911s.

That about says it all.

Yep my brand new RIA M1911 A1 in 38 Super is just a project gun.  It I like the caliber i will pick up a gun that will be able to be made in a good BE gun.   It will be ok for punching holes at 5yds with the rest of the people at the indoor range.  Don

I'm working on one now. I'll give feedback later.
Jon

Well so far I have put a set of Altamont targer grips on. and one of Frank's trigger shoes, a 9lb recoil spring.  I have a KC Battle Axe roll trigger on order and a EGW slide dovetail mount and a Vortex Viper Dot.  I have exceed the price I paid for the gun.  BTW besides the iron sights suck so does the trigger.  Don

A buddy has been playing with a Rock Island 1911 in 10mm. He had to send it back, because of problems. I didn't get specifics, but he is very experienced and kinda laughed at himself for thinking the pistol would hold up.

Magload wrote:Well so far I have put a set of Altamont targer grips on. and one of Frank's trigger shoes, a 9lb recoil spring.  I have a KC Battle Axe roll trigger on order and a EGW slide dovetail mount and a Vortex Viper Dot.  I have exceed the price I paid for the gun.  BTW besides the iron sights suck so does the trigger.  Don

One time at the range, a guy had a brand new RIA GI model.  The first shot out of the pistol, the front sight flew off.  Needless to say, I was not impressed.

cdrt wrote:

Magload wrote:Well so far I have put a set of Altamont targer grips on. and one of Frank's trigger shoes, a 9lb recoil spring.  I have a KC Battle Axe roll trigger on order and a EGW slide dovetail mount and a Vortex Viper Dot.  I have exceed the price I paid for the gun.  BTW besides the iron sights suck so does the trigger.  Don

One time at the range, a guy had a brand new RIA GI model.  The first shot out of the pistol, the front sight flew off.  Needless to say, I was not impressed.

The front sight on this gun is so thin I can not see it very well at all.  if it fell off I probably wouldn't even miss it.  My two handed groups even at 7yds look like I am not using it anyway.  The trigger just plains sucks.  Hey but the gun was cheap.  Don

Picked up some 185 gr Federal Gold Medal Match SWC and took it out to the range the other day.  Took a few rounds to figure out where to place the stock GI iron sights (they really are crappy sights) on paper, but this is standing, one hand, 25 yds.  I was actually pretty surprised:

 

48-2x in 5....yep...

Many of us would like those scores in a 5-shot string.

bruce.drake wrote:48-2x in 5....yep...

Many of us would like those scores in a 5-shot string.

I have found the gun shoots petty well and even better now that I have put a KC trigger assy in it.  Plus i found this mount on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L97361W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  which fits very well.   The people selling this mount have great CS as I messed up a part and they sent me a replacement.  I now have a Vortex Venom on the gun that has really helped my old eyes.  I bad mouth this gun petty bad when I first got it but for $451.04 I didn't expect much in the first place.   I just wanted to get setup shooting and reloading 38 Super while I send the new 9mm RO off to KC to have him make a BE 38 Super out of it.  Don