I've suddenly got the desire for a 1911 and I know very little about different brands. I know there is a huge price difference between Rock Island and Springfield but right now those are the two I'm comparing. To me the RI looks more like what a 1911 should look like. I've compared the two in a shop that allows customers behind the counter so I spent over an hour today playing with them. The RI that I tried has a much better trigger than the SA. The finish on the two is about the same but a few years down the road who knows. I'm not all that concerned about the price difference but I want something I can rely on. I've read that the magazines that come with the RI are not so good and if that proved to be true buying better mags would add to the cost. The grips on the SA are much more attractive but I don't like the deep checkering so the RI grips would suit me better. I would have to replace the grips on the SA.
Any advice.......other than buying both? How do the compact models of each compare with the full sized models? TIA

Sounds like your already sold on the RI... Its a good choice, should be much cheaper than the springer too.. the ria are good values, but be careful make sure your paying the rite price, check gunbroker and make sure they are around the same.. If the gun on gb is $425 with $20 shipping and 3%cc fee, then $465 plus tax is fair to pay at the gun shop.. I found a HUGE difference between Gunbroker and local shops for RI 1911's...

A real good price on a RIA Tactical.
I have a GI and it has been ultra reliable as have most that I have read about. I had an issue with it not shooting straight due to the bore of the slide not being concentric. It was fixed quickly, and another $100 worth of work was done for free as far as custom tuning, their, highest end barrel, trigger job, and a few other things.
It would feed anything and everything before though, and it does the same now. It just shot about 3" left of the bullseye at 20 feet. It is dead on now.


The issue with mags.

I don't care what brand pistol you buy, the mags are the weak point. Mags are the life of a semi auto anything, especially a 1911.

You will want to get a few Chip McCormick mags for it. To carry without them is not a good idea for any 1911. You can get them on sale fairly cheap quite frequently.

The only other thing I would do, and it's mainly for carry ammo, is a Wolffe18.5 lb recoil spring. It's cheap, helps in reliability, and it won't wear as fast as most standard type steel springs.

The Springer is very nice as well, normally a lot nicer finish and fit as well. The last one I had though, ( or rather my ex had ), was a micro compact with reverse tapered/cone barrel. It was a tack driver and very reliable, except I did have to modify my 225gr SWC lead loads. Just had to crimp them a tad bit more.

That's a different animal, and was in 2005, so I can't really give you personal experience as of late with them.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/featured/rock-island-tactical-1911.html?utm_source=PSA+012412&utm_campaign=Constant+Contact&utm_medium=email

The prices locally are probably more than online or in larger cities where there is more competition the RI full sized 1911 with the parkerized finish and ACT mags is $467 and the Springfield is near $800. I looked at two compact models that I liked really well. I'm going back again today and play with them some more. I'm 74 years old and I've about decided to just get both since I can't take $$$ with me.

Thanks for all of the information. I really do appreciate your taking the time to help.

Congrats!

I don't want to be accused of working for RIA, like I have for a few other companies, but as I posted above, he went above and beyond to get my pistol right. It's a very good shooter considering I'm out of practice, bad, my eyes are worse, and the sights are small GI sights, and the gun is a $350 gun.

The target below was done free hand standing from 12 yards in misting rain, close to dark, and I anticipated recoil on the two on the bottom. I called those. The rest, are about the size of the palm of your hand. 10 rounds.

I'm an unabashed RIA cheerleader. When I worked at a gun store we had one out of a few hundred sell that didn't work out of the box. Shipped it back for the customer, and a week later it came back dolled up, with a lot of custom work done just because it came back.

From what I've read here and other forums I'm sure I'll be happy with the RI. The feed ramp on the RI is at least as good as any other pistol I own and better than some. I field stripped it this morning and after doing the same on Glocks and Berettas it's a whole nuther experience. It'll be easier next time but I have some arthritis in my thumbs and I had a little difficulty pushing the barrel bushing and recoil spring in far enough. I want to change grips on both guns to a rubber grip like Hogues. I'd like to find some without the finger groves but I'm not sure Hogue even makes them any more since I can't find them on the net.

I'd like to get to the range today since weekdays are slower than weekends. Having to stop and wait for the 100yd. rifle shooters to saunter slowly down range uses up a lot of range time but lately I've found that an hour is enough unless I'm shooting S&W 22

Thanks for the information about RI's customer customer service!!

I am also considering a RI 1911, however i was thinking about the GI 9mm for cheaper ammo to practice with. Is it possible to put a 45 acp barrel on the same frame since its GI? Or does rock island make a different frame/slide for their 9mm?

I finally made it to the range Tuesday. Wind was very light here in town but at the range there was a pretty good (bad) breeze and I was cold and shaking a little. I shot the RIA, Colt New Agent and a Sig Target 1911. I only fired a couple of mags through each as I was getting colder and shaking more. Out of the box the RIA was easily the most accurate followed by the little Colt. The Sig was the worst by far. There were no malfunctions of any kind with either gun. I was very pleased with the RIA and I'll be going back to the range in a few days to give it and the others a good test from sand bags.

I call the RIA my Johnny Cash 1911

owned 2 springfields a GI and a loaded and owned a RIA right after they first came out,got it for 300 bucks. the RIA was a hundred percent reliable,the springers weren't. i'd get a RIA its a great gun