Posted: 1/7/2004 6:32:18 AM EDT
| I'm looking for a carry pistol for my fiancee. She shot a Kimber Gold Cup, and a Springfield compact and loved the Springfield. I've been pricing 1911's and looking for a cost effective option. I've seen the Rock Island Compacts for around 350. How are these? Decent carry gun? Frankly the only requiremets are a compact frame and a rounded or square combat hammer. Need some help with picking a pistol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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I think you might be better off with a Kimber Pro Carry II (short slide, full-sized grip) or Compact Carry II (short slide, compact grip). They are usually pretty good, reasonably priced, and are more pleasant to shoot than GI-type 1911s due to their wider beavertail safety and rounded hammer as opposed to the GI's regular safety and spur hammer which can "bite" sometime. Also, RIA's are made in the Phillipines... Ghost |
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I've got 2 Rock Islands. I'm no armorer or expert shooter, but I have owned various types of guns in the last 25 years. I saw my first Rock Island and took a chance on it since it was only 325. The only problem I had was it bit the back of my hand. But I still put 500 rounds thru it that day with no problem. I didn't even clean it in that first 500 rounds. I did have a kimber also that day and after 200 rounds the slide would not close completely and I had to continuously clean the chamber so the bullet would seat properly and the slide would close properly. Well I eventually got rid of the Kimber and bought the compact Rock Island and a lower unit for an AR-15 and some .45 ammo for my new Rock Island. I went to the range and put 400 rounds thru it without a problem. I have .45's in Glock and 2 .45's that are Rock Island. Both are fun to shoot and very accurate. I put that cheap alumminum case .45 cci through the rock Island and it shot very very well and very very accurate. I've also shot some cor-bon through it with no problems. Some people have had problems with the magazines but I guess I've been lucky. I bought some extra Mec-Gar mags and haven't had a problem . |
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I just boguth a Rock Island 5", havent shot it yet. I will say that I narrowed my choices down to it and the Springfield Mil-Spec, and I felt the RIA was a better gun, both in price and quality. The poor magazine issue seems to have been solved, as they are now being shipped with Novak mags. |
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I just bought one, haven't had it out to the range yet. I have stripped it all the way down, and the parts look pretty good. I'm planning on using it for a base to build a carry gun. Mods will include, slim grips, better trigger, beaver tail, cylinder & slide hammer/sear kit, and sights. I did check the trigger pull, and it is a heavy 8 lbs. I'll do all the work myself. I looked at a lot of officers models, and decided that this was a good value. |
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Own one, have about 200 rounds of FMJ through it with no failures. Have 50 rounds of Hydrashoks through it with multiple jams. I did some "buffing and fluffing" and haven't tried hp's since. I need to pick some up to try. Seems like a solid gun. I don't know how you could get hammer-bite with my gun. The beavertail extends all the way underneath the hammer. It can't hit me. The safety is also stiff enough that it doesn't come off by accident (I've read some people griping about that on some other 1911's). Seems very accurate. I was hitting a cranberry juice jug at 35 paces. J |