I recently posted and got quite a bit of advice on a new RIA 38 Super that was biting the crap out of my hand when I shot it. I debated doing the work myself. In the end I took it to my local gunsmith, had a bevertail safety put into it, commander type hammer & strut, & lastly I had him mill it for Novak sights. It's like getting a new new gun. I have wood double diamond grips for it that I haven't put on it yet. I get a discount & free shipping from Brownell's, so I got all the parts. I paid him $149.00 including tax to do the work. I am very happy with the gun. It feeds Cor Bon hollow points just fine, as well as round nose. I have a holster made for carrying it cocked and locked. I was really hyped about going to the range with it when my heart started acting up again. I just hope it settles down so I can get to the range. Thanks for all the advice.

Thanks,
Mark

IMHO OP you did very well in re the price you quoted for the work done. Over the last 30 years or so I have built a decent number of "carry 1911s" based on Springfield Armory G2 models. Don't know if they still offer that specific model or not but it was a great starting point.

I did trigger jobs with bobbed hammers, fitted Nat Match bushings, Millett f & r sights, beavertail grip safeties, replaced a few springs, polished feed ramps, and did some slide to frame tightening work. These guns are able to hold 1-2 inches at 25 yards from a Ransom rest with ball ammo. They feed a variety of hollowpoints and truncated cone cast bullets as well. Back in the day the base pistol was about $400. I did my work for an additional $200 including parts. Wasn't making a lot of money at it but have a lot of very happy customers from them.

RIA is a solid starting point for a smith who knows what he's doing. Def middle of the road as a starter.

There is a place in the world for "boutique" guns of all kinds. There is also a place in the world for lesser PRICED variants tweaked by someone who knows what they are doing. All but the MOST DEMANDING shooter will be very well served with the latter, and spending the difference in ammo, practice and range time.

Anyone ever wonder why the Russian "Buran" space shuttle mock up looked exactly like our Shuttle. It is because there are NOT multiple versions of aerodynamics, ie Us and Russian versions.

Same thing applies to firearms in a lot of ways. Within the basic framework of a given firearm, there is only so much that can, or needs to be done, to achieve a given level of performance from a given design. In many cases it can be done for a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars. I have owned Wilsons, Ed Browns, and a few others over the years. And to be perfectly honest, I bought them to give them a thorough going over to see what if anything they were doing differently.

If you are capable of it, AND NEED one hole groups, you need a firearm capable of delivering that degree of accuracy. If you need 1-3 inches of minute of center of mass at bad breath distances, well then that is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

AND, I am a big fan of the 38 Super cartridge. A 1960s vintage 38 Super 1911 was in my safe for quite a number of years. Met a man who loved it more than me, so now it is his.

Enjoy your gun buddy

Thanks for the info. I have had 10 different 1911s, 4 of them Rock Islands. I have a Springfield Armory Stainless Loaded that I sent to the old Performance Center at Springfield Armory to the tune of about $1000.00. It shoots very accurate, but is finicky on ammunition. The closer to 2000 rounds I get through it the less it seems to care what ammo I use.  When I want super accuracy at the range I have a Sig 226 X6 L1 with a Vortex Venom on it. Also a CZ75 Tactical Sport Orange with the same red dot on it. I don't shoot these two much anymore because they are 9mm and tend to eat a lot of ammo at the range. I have been fond of the 38 super for a long time. Had one and sold it because it was jamming so bad. Turns out I was using some crappy ammo from a company that is no longer in business. I found this out after I sold the gun through my local gun shop. I have some 38 super brass and did manage to get some decent 38 super ammo, so I might reload it. I have a progressive press, but have found reloading to be really boring for me.

Thanks,
Mark

I own only one 1911 with a spur hammer. Thankfully, it doesn't give me hammer bite. I sold my grail gun, a Sig P-210 that DID give me hammer bite, enough to draw blood after a couple of mags.

Quite honestly, I'm surprised that mfgrs still are determined to use spur hammers. To me that's like still having a 3 speed on-the-column.

My first car was a 65 Chevy Biscayne with a 230cui inline 6 cylinder and a 3 speed on the tree. It wasn’t a babe machine.

That 65 Chevy might be a babe magnet now????