Stock vs souped up 1911

I looked at the picture of a Rock Ultra. The "huge" rear sight is just one of the sort made to give adjustments and fit the Novak dovetail. It has all the "features" I would want on a gun for sport shooting; although I would bet on it needing trigger adjustment.
 
Not sure where your getting your information. Here is the latest Firearms Manufacturing Report stating a whopping 12 pistols.
Their Pistols are imported.




AFMER_Excel_2023_RunDate09July2024
APP_LICENSE_NAMEAPP_PREMISE_CITYAPP_PREMISE_STATEPSTL_22PSTL_25PSTL_32PSTL_380PSTL_9MMPSTL_50PSTL_TOTL
ARMSCOR PRECISION INTERNATIONAL150 N SMART WAYNV
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12​
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12​
Yes all of the RIA 1911's along with their revolvers are imported. They do make their RIA 5.0 models here in the US. Their other non importable models are also made in the US.

https://www.armscor.com/ria-usa
 
Bought a RIA GI version from my son when he moved on to something else. Didn't like the GI sights so I had Dawson fiber optic front and combat rear sight installed. It had Packmier finger groove grips installed. I like it just fine.
 
My $0.02, if you want a 1911, and you haven't had one before, it's hard to beat a GI Rock Island. Not because it's the best 1911, but it might arguably be the best 1911 for the price. Either that one or Tisas, and if I'm going to pick between patronizing a foreign country for a luxury/optional purchase, I'll go Philippines before Turkey every day of the week.

With a GI-style 1911 by Rock Island, you'll get the GI experience and if you shoot it a bit, you'll learn what bugs you about the GI design, and that will teach you what features you personally actually want on a 1911. And if you end up not liking it, you're not out as much money and can probably recoup at least half of it in a sale. If you do like it, and you're a tinkerer, you can start swapping parts and doing some home gunsmithing on what is still an inexpensive gun.

Plus Rock Islands tend to run pretty well. I've had better luck with reliability from them than I have from Colt or Springfield Armory, sadly.

If you have a little more money or you already know a few things, go for an upgraded version with dovetailed sights and an upswept beavertail grip safety and lowered and flared ejection port. Those are low-bar improvements to the design that almost everyone will end up wanting.

The one caveat is that there isn't a standardized dovetail cut for 1911 sights, so it can be surprisingly frustrating to figure out what aftermarket sights to get for a given gun.

Now, if you get into high-end production, Dan Wesson is definitely the entry level to that and the best gun under $2,000, I think.

If you get into customs, most people seem to like starting with Colts as base guns for the pony cachet.
 
I had an RIA GI I bought used at the shop I worked (and now work again) at. Good gun, but as has been mentioned, there are some mods that greatly improve the 1911 experience. I replaced it with a Taurus PT1911AR, and 13 years later when the ambi safety broke, decided to upgrade the innards to Wilson, and put the T&S Shim kit in as long as I had it apart.
 
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after shooting genuine colts, kimbers, llamas, auto ord and rias i have a messed up perspective. i would just go out and buy three or four rias and shoot them.
.... the one that shoots like a gold cup and functions like a 45 on active duty back when i would keep. sell the others. just saying.
 
If you buy a Rock Island or a Tisas and put a lot of expensive brand name parts in it, it’s still a Rock Island if you want to sell it.
you would be better off with a quality pistol to begin with.
That's a nice Les Baer 6' you have there....
 
Recently purchased a Springfield Armory 9mm 1911. The stainless steel Garrison model, 4.25" barrel and standard 1911 grip.
My normal procedure is to disassemble any new firearm for inspection, lubrication and de-burr as needed.
This pistol had right from the factory a clean crisp 4# trigger pull with virtually no overtravel. Slide / frame fit was excellent as was the barrel bushing and lockup. The pistol needed essentially no work to be a tight, ready to go pistol. I polished the working ends of the 3 prong trigger / grip safety / sear spring. That's all. Pistol shot to point of aim & functioned reliably from the first shot. No parts needed replacement & the only improvement. was to bend the 3 prong sear / trigger return spring a little to give me a 3 1/2 lb. trigger. This was my eighth 1911 over a 50 year period & the only one that will not be used in competition.

IMG_1930.JPG IMG_1930.JPG
 
Back when I first started carrying a 1911 (1983). You didn’t buy a 1911 to carry or compete with. You bought a kit. In a Colt box.

Then took it to a trusted local gunsmith or, sent it out.

At minimum you would get:
A beavertail
Short trigger
Flat mainspring housing
A fitted bushing
Lower the ejection port.
Throat the barrel
An extended thumb safety and,
Real sights. Fixed. Bomar or even S&W adjustable sights.

Now. You can buy a gun that has 90% of the work already done.

In 1989, I bought a brand new Colt series 70 and, without even firing it, sent it to Wilson’s for master Grade 130 package.

All the above but add:
Hand Checker front strap 30 lpi.
Match barrel and bushing
Tighten slide to frame fit.
Hard chrome the frame.
And a few other niceties.

That was $350 for the gun. $800 for the work.

Now, factory guns are fitted up almost as well. CNC machines spit out a gun with almost all those features. No more paying a guy with files, stones and Dremel tools.

And, honestly, when you get to the top tier manufacturers. Who start with an almost perfect 1911 and parts and THEN do some hand fitting. It’s as close to perfect as you will get.

The current crop of top tier factory guns are probably about the equal of the big custom manufactures of the late 70’s, early 80’s.

My humble, though long winded, opinion.
This is the absolute truth, back in the day, if you wanted a top drawer gun capable of all but Camp Perry level Bullseye matches. Truth be told, my Bullseye comp days were over before 1983, but I still like a better trigger, throat & ejection port work and tighter/more reliable ejection with 200 gr LSWC's.

But I've been surprised a few times with stock guns. The Rugers, SR1911 and CMD, that I bought when they first came out, needed no work, not event the triggers, to satisfy my 2+" at 25 yds desires.

The CMD, in particular, was and still is, reliable with Colt Series 70, 9mm & .38 Super slides when I switched out the uppers. All that was needed was an ejector that worked with the narrower case and new magazines. The .38 is actually a bit more accurate than the original, factory .45 upper; and it's a hellofa lot easier to find those nickeled cases in the grass than well worn .45 hulls.

Pic below with the .38 Super slide/bbl., I think, in place. This is the configuration I keep the gun in, as I have other preferred .45's and I like the softer recoil from the Super as I've aged. Best regards, Rod

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I'm surprised no one mentioned the SigSauer 1911's Those guns are IMO near perfect out of the box. I've owned a Colt 1911 Series 80 for a long time, but it wasn't my favorite gun by any stretch, yet about 12~13 years ago, a shop owner I knew talked me into handling a Sig 1911 and I bought it on the spot. It's still one of my all time faves, it shoots spot-on, it's not picky about the ammo, it simply works great. Even after 6~7K rounds through it it looks like new. One of the best bangs for the buck in 1911.

Sig 1911 - 002.jpg
 
Back in the 90s it was a "thing" to buy Norinco 1911s and turn them into race guns. The theory was you were just going to trash everything except the frame so why spend money on it? Meh!
Do the math on a Springfield with some bells and whistles vs a "basic" tisas or rock island and then start adding parts. Where do you hit the break point?
That's your answer.
Not necessarily, I would argue the first question is does one want the end product to be built or bought. The answer is different for different people and different situations.

It’s (potentially) more than a financial question, sometimes.
 
My first 1911 was the Ruger SR1911 - my "souped-up" firearm. I spent a while looking at different manufacturers and their offerings and the Ruger had what I was looking for. The integral plunger tube was a nice addition. Hindsight is 20/20 though - After running/carrying awhile I can don't really need the extended thumb safety. That's just me and a very minor point. I am VERY satisfied with the firearm.

Everything else has been Colt (1), Rock Island (2), Tisas (1). All basic GI models , all reliable after a little fiddling with the Rock Islands - they got replacement slide stops. I am also very satisfied with these firearms. I have reliable and reasonably straight shooters.

The Ruger - At the range one afternoon and the front sight snaps off. Well that's weird (MSM?). A couple of quickie emails and a phone call later that said ship the slide to Prescott -"Just the slide? Yup." Oh Boy - USPS and no FFL. Had it back in a week. They did allright by me with this one.
 
I'm surprised no one mentioned the SigSauer 1911's Those guns are IMO near perfect out of the box. I've owned a Colt 1911 Series 80 for a long time, but it wasn't my favorite gun by any stretch, yet about 12~13 years ago, a shop owner I knew talked me into handling a Sig 1911 and I bought it on the spot. It's still one of my all time faves, it shoots spot-on, it's not picky about the ammo, it simply works great. Even after 6~7K rounds through it it looks like new. One of the best bangs for the buck in 1911.

View attachment 1246730
Yep, for out of the box features and accuracy, I've found my Sig 1911 RCS to be outstanding as a carry piece. Great Novak type night sights, checkered fore and aft grip, bump on the grip safety for sure release when firing, sensibly sized controls, match bbl., relieved ejection port, match trigger, "officer's" length grip frame with 4" bbl. rounds it out.... and none of the mall ninja doo dads that clutter up an other wise good pistol.

1737312396169.png
 
I don't know; seems like your buddy wants you to buy an inexpensive 1911 so he can tinker with hit. Whatever you decide to buy, I'd suggest you shoot it some before you let anybody tinker with it. It might suit you just fine without any modifications, by your buddy, or whoever.

And as others have mentioned, decent 1911s are available now days with many of the features we paid gunsmiths to add back in the day.
 
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