Rock island GI spec 1911

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You will love the G.I. spec Rock Island. This is mine in 9 MM. It has one of the best triggers of all of my 1911 pistols. The only thing I changed was the grips. I found a set of these Dan Eagle grips on Amazon, and they dressed up the gun really nice. They are also a bit thicker, and really help because I have large hands.

View attachment 871603

Pretty Grips! :D
 
The beveled ejection port and high sights make the RIA most definitely not "GI spec." I used one as the basis for a WW2 clone, but I had to replace the entire slide.
 
He's gonna be moving out of state in a few weeks hence in desperate need of cash. After reading everyone's response I talked with my wife and checking to see what these things go for . We've decided to give him and his family $325 for it. Its gonna leave me alittle tight on cash as I wasnt planning on buying another handgun just yet but seems like It would be highway robbery for me to only give him $250. .....

THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is the definition of "High Road". Good on you, sir.
 
Thank you everyone for your insight and suggestions. I'll be paying him and picking the gun up on Thursday. My wife says it's my early Christmas gift haha. I'm good with that.
I'm not worried that it isnt a exact replica. It's a 1911 and shoots well enough then I'm good with that.
The only person not thanking me is my poor wallet but we'll be good till next oaycheck.

I definitely want better grips, probably checkered and I think I'm gonna get a wilson combat mag ( not sure if a 7 or 8 rounder).
 
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"I definitely want better grips..."


This may or may not apply to the RIA's...

My FiL got a Filipino 1911 with a different label. I'm unclear if it's actually made by RIA or not - I've heard it explained both ways.

Anyway... he removed the grips to refinish them or replace them, and he managed to mess up the little inserts under the grip that the grip screws actually screw into (please forgive the terrible nomenclature).

The ones on his were partially metric and partially standard, if I am remembering correctly. Be gentle with them; he had a lot of trouble finding exact replacements.
 
Anyway... he removed the grips to refinish them or replace them, and he managed to mess up the little inserts under the grip that the grip screws actually screw into (please forgive the terrible nomenclature).
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Grip bushings.
 
"I definitely want better grips..."

This may or may not apply to the RIA's... My FiL got a Filipino 1911 with a different label. I'm unclear if it's actually made by RIA or not - I've heard it explained both ways. Anyway... he removed the grips to refinish them or replace them, and he managed to mess up the little inserts under the grip that the grip screws actually screw into (please forgive the terrible nomenclature). The ones on his were partially metric and partially standard, if I am remembering correctly. Be gentle with them; he had a lot of trouble finding exact replacements.

Whenever you try to replace grips on a 1911, it can turn into an adventurous project real fast. I always tell people to order an extra set of grip screw bushings, as well as a grip screw bushing tap, to chase the threads in the frame if the bushings should back out. They are a very fine and uncommon thread, (.255 - 60 TPI), and they can get messed up easily. Brownell's sells several different taps, both standard, as well as oversized, that will work nicely should you need them.

Also be advised there are several different bushing lengths. Short for thinner, and tall for thicker grips. If your gun comes with thick grips, and you want to install thinner one's, you may have to change out the bushings to shorter one's, or else the thinner grips will not fit properly, if at all.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...s-oversize-thread-bushing-tap-prod105049.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-p...hings/slim-grip-screw-bushings-prod41874.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/grip-parts/grip-bushings/1911-stock-bushings-prod618.aspx
 
1km is sending me some grips but thanks for the suggestions everyone!

Looking at buying a magazine now. Thinking about just sticking with a wilson combat 7 rounder to start out with. ?
 
There's somebody out there making repro mage with lanyard loops, I've hear mixed report on reliability, but, for looks, empty, would e hard to beat.

Oh, just be careful looking at the all-leather holster, belt, and mag combos--they pair with that GI 1911 look really well [:)]
 
Looking at buying a magazine now. Thinking about just sticking with a wilson combat 7 rounder to start out with. ?
Wilson 47, 7 rounders are my full size mag of choice. However, Wilson probably sells 10 times more 8 round full size and 7 round compact mags than they do 7 round full size and 6 round compact mags.

I've lost count of the number of forum members across a variety of gun forums that have complained about the fit of their 7 round Wilson mags, and how to grind on the base pad to get them to fit only for them to discover they bought a 7 round Compact mag instead of a 7 round full size mag for their full size 1911.

If you're ordering from Wilson, it seems pretty easy to me to order the correct size mag, as their website gives you all the options to choose, but for some reason lots of folks seem to end up with the wrong size mag.

Act fast, they are currently on sale.

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/7-Round/products/370/
 
Do you recommend the raised base plate or flat base plate?
Wilson has two versions of their full size 7 rounder, the 47 and the 920. Wilson made their reputation on the 47 Series mags and that is my default mag of choice.

Wilson 47 https://shopwilsoncombat.com/1911-M...ize-7-Round-Standard-Base-Pad/productinfo/47/

Occasionally, I'll buy a 47C ( https://shopwilsoncombat.com/1911-M...nd-Lo-Profile-Steel-Base-Pad/productinfo/47C/ ) or 47C-HV ( https://shopwilsoncombat.com/1911-Magazine-45-ACP-HD_P-Full-Size-7-Round-Lo-Profile-Steel-Base-Pad/productinfo/47C-HV/ ) to get the low profile steel base pad, but I generally like the base 47.

The 920 Series is a new offering. I don't own any and they haven't been around long enough, or really been popular enough, to have much opinion generated on the forums. Wilson's previous attempt at a flush fit 7 rounder was a rebranded CheckMate and I don't really know who is producing the 920 Series. It may be Wilson, but it probably isn't CheckMate. It is probably related to the McCormick Classic mag ( https://www.cmproducts.com/Classic-Full-Size-1911-45-ACP-7-Round-Stainless_p_365.html ) as they are part of the Wilson family.

Bottom line, the 920 Series may be a fine magazine, but it doesn't have much of a track record. When somebody recommends a Wilson 7 round mag for a Government size 1911, they are generally talking about the 47 Series.
 
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Let me add... If you're looking for a "GI-type" mag, the 47 Series probably isn't what you want, because the bumper pad will stick out of the bottom of the gun, but it is a mag that functions very well.
 
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