Is Rock Island/Armscor doing it right?

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WestKentucky

WestKentucky

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Today I received an email about new products from Rock Island, specifically touting the Ultra line and the BBR line. I know that I am not normal with my taste for firearms, but scanning through their catalog there is a product in each category that I would very strongly consider. The Rock series seems a very functional gun in any arrrangement, 9mm/22tcm especially intrigues me. The 10mm ultra also has my attention. The BBR is a shrunken 1911 much like one I had previously and regret trading off so it's in the running. The recent addition of the 22tcm bolt rifle is certainly interesting, as is the 22 mag as they appear to be going after the cz market, and last but not least is an affordable nickeled pump shotgun.

With all of these products in play, are they setting themselves up to be a major player in the gun industry beyond value based mediocre 1911s? I kinda hope so.
 
We have a nice example of the 9mm/22tcm combo in the shop.

I tell ya, that's an amazing level of quality for the price.

It functions as well as it feels and looks.
 
The head honcho of RIA occasionally shows up on the Guntalk radio show.
It was encouraging to hear how when it became apparent that their 1911s were not up to par, he found and hired an expert in the field to make them right.
And with great success, it seems, from all reports.
 
I'm not a fan of "everything for all people" manufacturing. BUT: Rock Island 1911s have been among my favorites. Less finicky than the higher end guns, and all I've shot (except one weird long-frame example) have been accurate and reliable. I require nothing more, really, from 1911s. I like "pretty", but my pretty ones have been finicky as well.

Rock Island fan here. I have "officer", "commander", "tactical", and "match", and love them all. One is really pretty, but the rest shoot just as well.
 
Well, all I can say is I really like my Tactical. Super good price, super good trigger, and very accurate. (with hardball - now if I can just get it to eat Remington Gold Sabre)
 
Liberty,

Try a mag with feed lips better suited to hybrid tips if you haven't already done so. Checkmate mags as one example have solved that problem for many.
 
I have owned two RIA/Armscor pistols, still own one.

I think the answer to the question is "yes". They're staying "low budget" for the most part on MSRP while making a product that works well. The RIA guns aren't as polished and smooth as an Ed Brown, for example, but they also cost one fourth as much.

As for the move into the larger firearm market, I hope so. First, I can expect some working guns at decent prices. Second, competition in an industry is always good for the consumer.
 
I have not owned one, but they intrigue me because they're made right here in the town I live in. I feel kinda obligated to check them out! :)
 
My RIA 1911 tactical is my favorite handgun. It's the real deal.

edit: the only thing I have against RIA is that , sometime after I purchased mine, that put that big ugly "Rock Island Armory" in white on the parkerized slide. It looks too much like a sticker.
 
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I have a citadel 1911 which supposedly from armscor. It's great!

I had several Armscor M206 .38 specials . I say several because the first one was junk...the second replacement one was junk and the third one was junk as well as being used or a shop gun.

All had major timing issues. The second one was so bad it blasted my face with lead firing off rotation. The third would light primer strike and jam up with target rounds. Had nothing but issues with ri/Armscor warranty. They lost the first gun after it made it to them. I had to beg a distributor to call them and get a reply. They ignored my calls.. They ended up sending another and then it was bad before I even left the gunshop then a third gun was shipped. When it was all said and done it was a 4 month fiasco. I ended up taking the third warrantied gun to a Smith and he fixed it. I sold it off in short order and picked up a pre Taurus Rossi. The Rossi has been a great reliable carry gun.

I liked the Rossi because of the colt .38 look. But the $200 more for a real used colt would have saved me a bunch of headaches.
 
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rdhood said:
My RIA 1911 tactical is my favorite handgun. It's the real deal.

edit: the only thing I have against RIA is that , sometime after I purchased mine, that put that big ugly "Rock Island Armory" in white on the parkerized slide. It looks too much like a sticker.
Click to expand...
They no longer do that it's now just a small one on the back of the slide by the hammer. 90c7z7.jpg
They make great solid value working guns from their 1911s to their 38 special revolvers it's hard to go wrong with them
 
Agreed. I don't particularly care for the 1911 but it is one of the few autos i would consider. For the money I can keep buying old smith wheelguns...but with the 22tcm/9mm combo thrown in the realm of options I can see myself swaying from the handejector.
 
Mediocre 1911s, I think not. Very reliable in my experience.
Click to expand...

+1. The one I have has been rock solid. I'm amazed they could put out such a piece at the price I paid for it.
 
RIA

Just got my first RIA yesterday. Its a 1911 Fs Tacticsl Match 45 acp. Traded for it.. I was , well still am, a bit skeptical . Haven't had a chance to shoot it yet....will on a couple of days.
The question I have is: I traded a Glock 23 gen 4 for this RIA. Was it a good trade?
 
rdhood said:
the only thing I have against RIA is that , sometime after I purchased mine, that put that big ugly "Rock Island Armory" in white on the parkerized slide. It looks too much like a sticker.
Click to expand...

You know, I actually like the rollmark on mine. It looks classy, and mine was done in silver. They may have changed it now, but I appreciate how it looks.

Armscor / RIA has the best customer service you'll ever get out of a firearms company, too. My first 1911 Tactical had some accuracy issues. The nickel finish was also turning black in some areas, but I figured it just needed a thorough cleaning with something like Flitz. I called them about the accuracy issues, and they told me to just box it back up, and they'd arrange a pickup. The UPS guy showed up at my door and collected the gun.

When they got it back, they took one look at the finish and called me to tell me they were going to give me a brand new gun. Through no fault of their own, my sweat was interacting with the copper base of the finish and causing it to degrade. Not their fault; some peoples' body chemistry just doesn't agree with certain finishes, and I didn't know that beforehand. They let me choose the finish I would get. I chose parkerized. They hand-selected the replacement for me, gave it a basic tuneup, and shipped it out. They paid for shipping both ways. My new pistol is so much nicer than the original, in all respects.
 
I don't like RIA's firearm offerings at all but I have to say that I am keen on their new 22 TCM round and I hope that it catches on in a big way.
 
I recently bought a Glock 42, and took it to the range last week. It was a Jam-O-Matic, and when I did get a round into the chamber, it was spraying bullets all over a 9" paper plate at 30'. Every paper plate target ended up with 4 holes out of 6 rounds, on average.
Only one brand of ball ammo was accurate enough to put all rounds on the target.
I lucked up and traded it for a Tactical 9mm Citadel 1911A1(made by Rock Island). It was lightly used also, and we traded straight up.
At the range today, I was shooting 40' pistol targets at 50' with the Citadel. With 23 rounds remaining in the box, I put 22 of 23 inside the 8 ring, and 1 stray in the 6 ring.

Yes, Rock Islands rock! This is my 5th one. I have Officer's, Commander, stainless Tactical, and Match in .45ACP, and now Tactical in 9mm. ALL keepers.
 
I also looked at their ever expanding selection of 1911 style offerings. They sure have a gun for everyone, at sensible prices. Weather you want a traditional 22, 9mm, 45 or a 22 TCM, they have a caliber and style for everyone, I especially liked their 6" match Guns in 45 and 10mm. I think RI is a sleeping Giant, that is flying past the Colt and Remington style problems and will soon surpass all of them as a leader and innovator in the field.
 
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