RRA or SACS for a hardball gun

I'm interested in buying a proper hardball gun and am trying to decide between the SA Custom Shop National Match Hardball and the Rock River Arms NM Hardball.  Both have about the same MSRP and both seem similar on paper.  Any feedback concerning either (or both) of these guns would be appreciated.

Thanks!

you might want to look at delivery time.

I think you will find both guns to be fairly equal and very satisfactory. So maybe it would come down to availability and how soon you wanted it.

I have a SA NM hardball, have been shooting it as my main gun for 5 years.

Excellent fit and finish. Barrel fit wasn't the best in the universe, very good hood fit, ok lower lugs minimal contact upper lugs. Good bushing fit.

Slide to frame fit was excellent, trigger job was excellent. It probably has a TI firing pin and heavy mainspring you will want to ditch asap. Easy $15 fix. CA drop safety BS.

The checkering, in particular is very good. The most razor sharp 20lpi of anything I have seen, including RRA.

The "Armory Kote" finish is awesome. Worth every extra penny. After 5 years of many, many thousands of rounds, it only shows wear on the rails and places where barrel mates to slide. Cleans up like a teflon pan.

I don't know what the wait time is, I paid way the hell too much for mine because I was impatient. Like $2200 if I recall, back when they were GI safety.

Disclaimer: I just looked at the new model NM harball SA has listed on the custom shop website and it looks like a totally different gun from what I have. Looks like a worked over range officer. Black T instead of Armory-Kote, and I can tell by the hi-res picture the checkering is not as sharp. Has beavertail and new style hammer. So keep in mind literally everything i said is about an old (made in 2013) model, new looks like totally different gun.

For what it’s worth... I shot 290 this past weekend in a service pistol match with a Range Officer where the only thing that was changed was the control fire group and mainspring/mainspring housing. In time as you progress as a shooter you can always have it rebarreled, and maybe refinished at some point if you don’t like the park finish from the factory. They are a more than capable gun for a new shooter and can be made into a “proper” hardball gun as you take your journey down the bullseye shooting road. For me, I fully intend to leg out with the one I shot this past weekend.

I know I don't "need" to spend $2k+ on this, it's more that a) I can afford it, and b) I really like nice 1911s in general, so c) why not?

sean10mm wrote:I know I don't "need" to spend $2k+ on this, it's more that a) I can afford it, and b) I really like nice 1911s in general, so c) why not?

You’re better off buying a match gun. Check out some used ones if you can find a quality one

I was taking a look at both a minute ago. I really like the nicer finish of the Rock River Arms Pistol.

The RRA is probably a better pistol than the SA custom shop pistol. The SA custom guns I have seen are ok but close to being dimensionally off in my opinion and can affect the build. The RRA pistols have been pretty darn nice and consistent. Also dimensionally better. A used pistol from a good smith also is a good option. The mileage on the used pistol can make a difference though. The RO is a nice pistol for a future build but will need tons of work to get close to the RRA quality. They will all shoot 300’s
Jon

Call Jon, KC, Dave, Roddy, or ? and ask what they would build. 
Roddy made me a LesBaer frame up HB gun that was very accurate. 

I would today consider working over a Range Officer. 
Either complete redo now by one of the above. 
Or at least a KC sear/hammer set and a Colt sear spring, and grip tape. 
Then  see how it works.  Work on fundamentals.

I went distinguished in 1 year with a Rock River NM Hardball gun.  Excellent barrel, bushing and slide to frame fit.  It did have a couple issues that my gunsmith corrected along with a proper short roll trigger...