How does SDS Tisas compare to RIA?

Snowdog · Mar 20, 2021

I recently made a trade with a buddy of my 1921 DWM Luger and RIA 1911 for his Suzuki Boulevard (low miles).
I was not overly fond of the luger but I did enjoy the RIA 1911 quite a bit. Unlike my Kimber Classic Custom, it fed all my SWC reloads.

I found and purchased a SDS Tisas 1911 GI model to replace my RIA and it should be at my FFL within a week.

Though it seems the general consensus for the Turkish-made Tisas is good, does anyone know how they stack up against the RIA?

Thanks in advance.

CoalCrackerAl · Mar 20, 2021

All my 1911's are RIA'S except my 22lr ones. But i own Turkish made 9mm's my Caniks and i have a CZ 457. My son has a SAR 9mm. They all have served us well. I think you will like the Tisas too.

snowman357 · Mar 20, 2021

My brother sold 72 tisas in the last year and half, look cheap but nobody has complained or return one, I know a few have been used a lot while I'm sure some are safe queens.

HisSoldier · Mar 20, 2021

I think the percentage of Filipino gun makers who dream of cutting American heads off every night is far less. That means a lot to me the same as not buying chinese goods so they can build up their war machine to attack the USA, all else being equal I'll buy from our friends, not our enemies. To me that seems like a practical concept.
Having said that I love my second RIA 1911. I gave the first one to my brother as he had no self defense weapon in the house, I'm very pleased with the quality/expense ratio of RIA guns.

bannockburn · Mar 20, 2021

Snowdog

No experiences with the Tisas 1911 but I worked on an RIA for a friend of mine (he wanted a beavertail safety and a round hammer along with an extended safety and slide release), and I have to say I was as impressed with the overall fit and finish on the inside as well as the outside of the gun. The nickel plating was especially evenly applied and had full coverage throughout the slide and frame. And the aftermarket parts all fit with very little need for filing or sanding. I would like to think that a Turkish made 1911 is probably every bit the equal of one made in the Philippines.

Tallball · Mar 21, 2021

I have owned both.

The Tisas functioned perfectly with various kinds of ammo (same as my RIA's). The finish wasn't that great (but no worse than a lot of RIA's).

I don't recall the trigger being particularly good or bad (same as my RIA's).

It functioned just fine with various aftermarket magazines (same as my RIA's).

From what I've read and experienced, I would expect either one to function fine. I would feel comfortable with either brand, and would simply buy the pistol with the features I wanted. The price difference should be small either way, and a small price difference doesn't make a real difference if you own the pistol for a long time, so you might as well get the one you like.

Conelrad · Mar 21, 2021

I have a Tisas Regent .45. Superior in fit & finish to any, and shoots point of aim every time.

Conelrad

Snowdog · Mar 25, 2021

Well, I received my Tisas GI 1911 this morning and... wow. Even in the post-covid era I feel like I stumbled upon an awesome deal. The fit and finish in on-par to anything I currently have, including my Kimber Classic Custom. How is that? I paid $479 after shipping and I honestly believe I couldn't possibly have done better for anything near that price.

Though I will certainly be sad to see my RIA go as it's been so reliable, I am quite smitten by this Tisas GI 1911. If it proves as reliable as my RIA, I will be over the moon.

This pistol is quite the looker. Though I did replace the plastic grips with walnut grips (and yes, I know the WW2 1911s were fashioned with similar plastic grips) this pistol has all the boxes checked as far as aesthetics. The fit is impressive, especially for the price.

Again, I have nothing but love for the RIA, however this Tisas is amazing for the price. I will post images of both for comparison later (Flicker is proving to be challenging currently).

Snowdog · Mar 25, 2021

RIA left, Tisas Right

Tisas right, RIA left

MAKster · Mar 25, 2021

Probably no significant quality difference but the RIA pistols are sold by a company with a significant US operation while Turkish guns seem to change importer frequently. That might be less of an issue with a 1911 which is standardized so you can get parts and mags from other makers. But if SDS stopped importing them there could be a warranty issue.

How does SDS Tisas compare to RIA?

Snowdog

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