Rock island 1911 Q's

[devildog4329]

Ok guys im a new 1991 owner. I ordered my Rock island tactical today. Ive always been a 1911 fan but just now getting around to buying one. So my questions might seem dumb but remember im new to 1911's. First question is im looking for cheap reliable mags and im not sure what sizes would fit and what manufacturer to buy from. I would like wilson combat mags. Second what companies make night sights and can i even put them on it? Third im thinking about doing the tough gun coat from Macs on it so how does that affect the gun ie. will they coat the inside of the frame, slide and what about springs and things. Fourth who makes grips that would fit it. Thanks alot guys and Semper Fi

 

[Beagle-zebub]

The Tactical comes with a Novak sight-cut, allowing it to accept Novak sights. This opens you up to a range of possibilities, including several styles of night sights. Take a look!

For all I know, that may not even be an exhaustive account of the possibilities open to you, regarding sights.

 

[rondog]

Yeah, AFAIK, that single feature alone makes the Tactical model a helluva value in itself. The GI models have a standard GI dovetail and a tenon front sight, and you're looking at expensive machine work to change sights on those. BTDT. I have Novak low-profile tritiums on one of my RIA's, and it was a very expensive modification. Great sights though!

As far as magazines, any standard full-size 1911 mags will work, I personally use Chip McCormick Shooting Stars from Midway. My three RIA's like 'em just fine. I prefer flat-bottomed mags anyway. Not particularly interested in the more expensive Wilsons for the kind of plinking I do, but if that's what you want they'll work just fine in your Rock.

 

[bannockburn]

devildog4329

A friend of mine just purchased a RIA M1911 standard model, but with a nickel finish. I was very impressed with the overall fit and finish of the gun, especially for the amount of money he spent on it. Then this past weekend we went to a gunshow and we saw RIA Tacticals priced at around $460. For the money, that would have been my choice, but my friend is very fond of his shiney toys. For magazines, I would go with Wilsons or Chip McCormick as well. And welcome to the M1911 Owners Club.

 

[FoMoGo]

Devildog... looks like your questions are pretty much answered.
The RIA Tactical takes standard Novak sights, standard 1911 mags, standard 1911 grips.
I use Wilson 47D mags in mine.
Enjoy your new pistol, I know I do.


Jim

 

[Quiet]

IMO...

The (Armscor) Rock Island Armory 1911 Tactical is the best 1911 on the market for under $800.

 

[bpl]

Midwayusa has Wilson and I think Chip McCormick mags on sale right now, bye the way.

 

[devildog4329]

Thanks alot guys you were a big help. Im glad i made a choice. i was going to get the compact model but a buddy told me that foe the extra $40 bucks go with the tactical and from what you guys say he was right. So thanks again guys big help.

 

[devildog4329]

New question guys. Are there any other companies that make a novake style tridium with white dot night sight that may be a little cheaper than the novakes. also does anyone know the width difference between regular side plates and hogue wrape around rubber grips. The reason i like the 1911 is the small grip of a single stack but dont want it to be to wide like a glock because i have small hands. Thanks dad. But any info would be appreciated.

 

[jay524288]

The Tactical comes with a Novak sight-cut, allowing it to accept Novak sights. This opens you up to a range of possibilities, including several styles of night sights. Take a look!

The front sight is definitely NOT the same as Novak's. On the RIA Tactical dovetail is .085" deep, while Novak's is a max of .075". And since it's deeper, there's no way to make the Novak sight fit correctly.

I found out the hard way on this one.

Here's a drawing of the RIA front sight I got from another forum (http://forum.m1911.org/)

 

[devildog4329]

jay524288 so what company makes tritium night sights that i can put on my pistol? FoMoGo said that it will accept Novak sights.

 

[jay524288]

I don't know who makes night sights that will fit. I too bought the RIA tactical expecting that Novak sights would fit. I'm pretty annoyed that they don't.

You could try asking their rep:

Ivan Walcott
Armscor Precision/Advanced Tactical
775-537-1444
[email protected]
​

 

[rondog]

I'm very surprised and dismayed to hear that they DON'T fit! I'd been told that they did. That's a real drag.

 

[Girodin]

I too had heard that they would fit. I'm glad to get more info on this. What does it cost to have a slide dove tailed and new sights added. I would like to buy a compact model but would like better sights than the GI sights it comes with.

 

[wally]

The rear appears to be the standard Novack's cut. The front is close enough to the Kimber dovetail that a few strokes of a small file (on the sight) is all it took to switch in a Dawson's fiber optic front to my Tactical (I ordered the Kimber front sight of the appropriate height for my Tactical).

--wally.

 

[devildog4329]

Ok guys so does anyone have a RIA with after market sights and if so what kind. Thanks guys

 

[rondog]

Ok guys so does anyone have a RIA with after market sights and if so what kind. Thanks guys

Well, yeah, I do. But mine was a GI model that I had the slide machined for Novak sights. I wouldn't recommend it, very costly in the long run. I damn near could have bought a new Tactical for the cost of the machining and the Novak low-profile tritiums, and the bluing job afterwards.

As mentioned in post #12 above, call Ivan. He can tell you what sights will work on the Tactical slide. He may recommend Champions, I don't know.

 

[wjm103052]

Armscor/RIA Novak Style Sight Cuts

Here is some info I posted on another forum. Hope it helps:

"If the RIA Novak style sights are the same as on the Armscors and I'm pretty sure they are, then the rear dovetail is 0.487" x 50 degrees according to the drawings Armscor provided me. The Novak low-mount cut is .495" x 65 degrees. Another factor to consider is that the Novak dovetail center is located .770" from the top rear of the slide while the front of the Armscor dovetail flat is located 1.335" behind the breech face. I haven't put the calipers on mine yet but I think that just enlarging the dovetail may result in the sight overhanging the rear of the slide. I would be interested to know if anyone has tried to do this yet using a 65 degree file and how they feel about the results? BTW, the Armscor front site dovetail is .330" x 50 degrees while Novaks is .330" x 65 degrees. The center of the front dovetail on Armscor is .325" back from the front of the slide while Novak is .320"."

I missed that the front cut is also deeper than the Novak.

Bill

 

[devildog4329]

So i emailed Ivan the armscor rep and asked basically the same question. He sent me back an amazing email saying " Novaks will fit" thanks for the help guy. So basically what im getting from all this is save up and just by another 1911 from another company because im not going to be able to modify this one for less than another pistol will cost. WJM thanks for the specs also, i appreciate the help.

 

[Beagle-zebub]

So i emailed Ivan the armscor rep and asked basically the same question. He sent me back an amazing email saying " Novaks will fit" thanks for the help guy. So basically what im getting from all this is save up and just by another 1911 from another company because im not going to be able to modify this one for less than another pistol will cost. WJM thanks for the specs also, i appreciate the help.

Did you say that people are finding that Novaks don't fit the front sight-cut? He might mistakenly think that they are Novak cuts.

 

[jay524288]

All these different sight dimensions are frustrating!

I just took the front sight off of my RIA 5" Tactical and measured it. I also measured 2 other Novak-style front sights (one from Dawson Precision and one from Fusion Firearms).

The RIA sight's base is .082" thick and .314" front to back.

The Dawson sight's base is .066" thick and .331" front to back.

The Fusion sight's base is .072" thick and .331" front to back.

I don't have any way of measuring the angles on the sights, but they look about the same. But I don't know if I could see 5-15 degrees difference on pieces this small.

You could file the Dawson or Fusion to fit, but that seems like a lot of filing. You'd not only have to file the front and back of the sight's base but also the bottom of the blade, I think.

The RIA sight doesn't look like it matches the specs for a Novak sight, but maybe the tolerances are higher than I expect.

It doesn't seem to me (as a non-machinist) that it would have added any expense for Armscor to get the dovetail closer to the typical Novak dovetail. I shouldn't complain too much - the pistol was only about $400.