Rock Island 1911 9mm

I have never a bad word about rock island from anyone who actually owned one. There customer service is pretty good too.

Chop, if you decide to buy one, drop me a line, I just picked up a really beautiful RIA in 9mm and its priced right.

I have heard nothing but good things about RIA.

I've got the RIA "Tactical" 9mm, it is approaching 10,000 rounds shot thru it. So I'd say get one, among the best bang/buck guns out there. Its one of the few 9mm guns my wife enjoys shooting -- the weight of all steel really dampens recoil.

You probably should budget some grips you like as RIA skimps here to help hit their price point, but its a good place to do so as no matter what, some one will prefer something else.

We really like the Pachmyer Rosewood/Rubber combo grips -- any full size 1911 grips will fit.

Unless they've recently added to the product line you really only have three choices in 9mm -- the GI, Tactical, and 1911-A2 Widebody (Para P18 clone).

IMHO the Tactical is the "best buy" because it has all the creature comforts and better sights.

I have an RIA 9mm tactical. Superb gun. The only issue I've had is shooting hollow point rounds. The magazines which will reliably feed them are spotty. Some will feed them. Some won't. Especially in higher capacity mags...9 or 10 rds. On the bad mags, when fully loaded, the top round will nose dive into the feed ramp and stop the gun. I had play around with different mags to find the ones that worked best. It fed 9mm FMJ out of any mag. But then the RIA manual does state that the gun is designed for FMJ ammo only.

As soon as I saw that SN article I knew the jig was up. the RIA 1911 in 9mm is a sweet sweet gun. I don't own one, but its on my list, and a guy I shout IDPA with runs one and it works like a top. Its a great gun.

I own 4 RIA pistols. I bought the 9mm commander used and it is now back at RIA for repairs for the third time. My other RIA's have functioned very well, and I know that RIA will take care of me on this latest problem, they pay shipping both ways and communicate well. I have no idea if the issues with my commander length pistol are related to the barrel length but I'm going to recommend the full length tactical just the same.

I also have four RIA 1911's, and one is a 9mm Tactical model. I think it's a wonderful pistol, the only problem I've had is getting the last round into the magazine, but RIA/Armscor didn't make that, it's a Checkmate mag. I wish I could afford more RIA pistols, I'd get one of everything they offer! .38 Supers, 10mm, Mid-Size's, Longslides, Match, you name it. RIA's are loved and respected by their owners, and the word is spreading.

My twin brother has one & it's got to be the best bang for the $$$ in a 9mm. 1911.

Plain one in stock; tac on backorder:

http://centerfiresystems.com/AC-RI1911-9MM.aspx

I've got RIAs in .45 and 10mm, they're a great value for the money. After reading the other posts it appears a 9 mm is now in my crosshairs. Damn, that's all I need is another 9 :banghead:

If you're willing to wait a while, I hear they're getting rid of the billboard on the slide in favor of a much more discrete logo. I would view that as a major improvement.

Madcap_Magician said:

If you're willing to wait a while, I hear they're getting rid of the billboard on the slide in favor of a much more discrete logo. I would view that as a major improvement.

Click to expand...

You are exactly right. I emailed them to see. I'm waiting awhile to purchase one, myself.



I've owned a rock island in 45 and the fit was just as good as the over priced Kimber CDP II I had....just not as pretty.

I'm digging the almost blank slide.

The second they do a .22 TCM in a single stack (With the 9MM barrel conversion), I'm all over it.

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing a while ago, but in another thread I was told it won't work, the rounds will only work in a double stack.

Unless they've recently added to the product line you really only have three choices in 9mm -- the GI, Tactical, and 1911-A2 Widebody (Para P18 clone).

Click to expand...

There are more options now.

I have - and highly recommend - the compact tactical from RIA.
Mine has been doing well with HP ammo, and it takes fairly inexpensive Metalform mags.

I was thinking the same thing a while ago, but in another thread I was told it won't work, the TCM rounds will only work in a double stack.

Click to expand...

I'm sure curious how this could be, the P18 double stack mags feed from a single column at the top, hard to see how a single column all the way down wouldn't work as well.

Only thing I can think of is most single stack 9mm mags have a spacer to keep the shorter, tapered, 9mm rounds from moving around under recoil, this probably means they'd need separate mags with a single stack 9mm/TCM pistol since the TCM rounds probably wouldn't fit with the spacer in the 9mm mag.

I'm digging the almost blank slide.

Click to expand...

Has RIA moved away from the horrible-looking slide billboards their pistols have been sporting for the last few years?

Has RIA moved away from the horrible-looking slide billboards their pistols have been sporting for the last few years?

Click to expand...

See post 15, I guess this is the new logo.

I'm sure curious how this could be, the P18 double stack mags feed from a single column at the top,

Click to expand...

I honestly can't remember who said it wouldn't work, or why. Just that whatever they said made sense when I read it.

I've got a Compact CS, and I love that little monster. It needed a little work, but RIA took care of it. Shipping paid both ways, tuned it and polished the feed ramp at no charge (had nothing to do with the issue it was having), and sent me some free goodies for my trouble.

500 flawless rounds later, it's my go-to 1911. It's more accurate than my full sized Turkish pistol, isn't picky about mags, and gobbles whatever I feed it.

There is something to be said about presenting a gun the size of a Glock 26 only having to stare down that cavernous nearly-half-inch hole

A RIA 9mm is on my radar.

Also, if anyone is interested, there are some really good tutorials on how to mute the RIA billboard on the slide. I dulled it up with a cold bluing kit, some steel wool, and about an hour of my time. Doesn't look too shabby.

I want their 'compact tactical' in .38 Super!

DPX makes a real good round just for such as this.

Deaf

buy a gun where the gun, not good customer service is the point to tout.