[Bennett]

I see a lot of these in our part of the country for sale for about $200
I dont know anything about them but my son is thinking of buying
an HD gun.
I would like to hear pros and cons ,please

[snooperman]

I saw one at a local gun show and I think they are made in the Philipines Islands. I would rather put my money on a good used American made gun such as Remington, Winchester, Mossberg, or Ithaca. These can be bought in very good condition for about the same price as a new one from RIA and will last a life time. Just a thought.

[Bennett]

thanks snooperman,
I did not know anything about them. I am very glad to know the point of origin
on them. That tells me all I want to know
thank you so much

[Fred Fuller]

Bennett,

They appear to be a slightly updated clone of the old High Standard FliteKing pumps, one of the smoothest shucking of all pumps. That's the case because the 'top' of the HS action is very similar to the Winchester Model 12, with a rear locking tilting wedge bolt that locks into a notch milled in the top of the steel receiver. The 'bottom' of the HS action is very similar to the Mossberg 500/590 in design. The 'update' is that the RIA gun has twin action bars instead of the single bar of the HS design.

I've handled one, that was on the rack at a local FFL. It appeared to be solid, and the bolt would open all the way when the action lock was depressed with the muzzle pointed straight up even on a brand new gun. How well they'll hold up over time I don't know. Not a lot of aftermarket bling available for it either, if he's interested in that.

http://www.armscorusa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=69

http://www.houseguns.com/shotguns.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVZ45ra1Pr0

[Bennett]

thank you very much for all the good information and pictures
I was surprised to see the RIA being a somewhat copy of the
Winchester 1200. I have a couple of these and a 1300 defender
and like them so that gives me a comfort level with the RIA
and the lifetime warranty will appeal to my son.
again thank you

[rcmodel]

the lifetime warranty will appeal to my son.The lifetime warranty is only good as long as the gun manufacture in the Philippines still makes parts, and RIA is still around to work on it.

In my 50+ years of being a gun nut, and collecting and gunsmithing them?
I have lost count of the numbers of guns like this that have come & gone, never to be seen or heard from again.
Until it breaks and you can't get parts for it.

Buy a good used Remington 870 Wingmaster for the same price and you won't need a lifetime warranty.
And you willl still be able to get parts everywhere if it ever does.

rc

[Fred Fuller]

Bennett,

NOT a copy of the Win 1200/1300, but a 'top half' copy of their predecessor, the Model 12. The 1200/1300 use a rotating bolt, not a tilt-locking bolt like the old Model 12 and the High Standard Flite King and the RIA clone.

This one is the Sears/JC Higgins copy of the Flite King sporting shotgun, but you can see how much it looks like the RIA. Note the detail pic of the bolt and ejection port, with the locking wedge clearly visible at the rear of the bolt and the Mossberg style lifter in the elevated position.

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/289428000/289428999/pix158185349.jpg

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/289428000/289428999/pix341995618.jpg