Posted: 11/6/2013 7:58:22 AM EDT
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I have heard stories, and it may be incorrect but...
During the war in the Philippines, Colt set up shop to manufacture 1911's. After the war ended, Colt sold and left all the manufacturing equipment there rather than ship it all back to the US. Is it true that Rock Island 1911's are manufactured on Colt machinery? I've also heard that a S&W/Kimber employee moved to the islands and now works for RIA? I must admit, I've handled a few RIA 1911's and I am impressed with the smoothness of the slide. I'm in the market for my first 1911 and I'm looking at the affordable RIA Tactical? Or the pricey Sig Sauer 'Nightmare'. The RIA, I can buy right now, the Sig, I'd have to put on layaway...The Sig is beautiful! But the RIA is affordable... Decisions decisions... Edited 11-23-13 to add: Well? The decision has been made. I figure, once I get the Sig, I won't need the Rock Island. I pick it up tues! 
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I think Armscorp is the company that actually owns that plant but it produces pistols for RIA, what used to be Charles and Daly, Metro???, Citadel. Probably a few more but I don't know about the Colt story. As far as pistols, they use investment casting in their manufacturing. They are great pistols for the price and features. I bought a RIA tactical b/c I wanted a decent 1911 and I was not satisfied with the old Argentine 1911 I had. The tac is a nice gun but my dad has it now.
As far as your story, that story is true of the Argentine 1927 Colt Sistemas..... That plant was built by Colt and turned over to the Argentines. Those are good guns too but not quite the deal the used to be. |
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Yeah, Armscor in its present form didn't really start until 1952. I believe the rumor about Colt your quoting had to have been started by a gun shop commando.
From Wiki: The Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) is familiar to many firearms enthusiasts for its inexpensive 1911-pattern pistols, revolvers, shotguns, sporting rifles, firearms parts and ammunition. It traces its beginnings to a Manila gun retail store (Squires Bingham & Co.) in the year 1911, though the present corporation was formalized in 1952. Armscor manufactures its own line of firearms but also takes on manufacturing contracts for other companies' firearm lines, such as Twin Pines' Rock Island Armory (RIA) pistols. In addition to the Rock Island Armory 1911 series pistols, Armscor is also the source of pistols for STI's Spartan pistol and Charles Daly as well as Auto Ordance 1911 style pistols. Armscor is an ISO 9001 certified compliant company which manufactures weapons using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment. |
| I purchased a Taylor Tactical which is a gussied up Armscor. Have pumped 200 or so rounds through it without cleaning only lube. Accurate except sights being a little off, about 1/8" holdover at 7 yds. Had one FTE using Winchester fmj. .45 I payed $620 otd. I like it so far..... |
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I purchased a Taylor Tactical which is a gussied up Armscor. Have pumped 200 or so rounds through it without cleaning only lube. Accurate except sights being a little off, about 1/8" holdover at 7 yds. Had one FTE using Winchester fmj. .45 I payed $620 otd. I like it so far..... Sounds about right... 
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Quoted:
I have heard stories, and it may be incorrect but... During the war in the Philippines, Colt set up shop to manufacture 1911's. After the war ended, Colt sold and left all the manufacturing equipment there rather than ship it all back to the US. Is it true that Rock Island 1911's are manufactured on Colt machinery?.. Uh, no, not true. First off, the Japanese occupied the Philippines during most of the war. There is no way that Colt would have or could have set up any equipment to manufacture 1911s in the Philippine Islands during World War Two. Rock Island pistols are pretty decent guns and a good value in their own right. Forget all the stories about being built on old Colt machinery and all of that nonsense. Judge the Philippine guns on their own merit, they have a lot going them. |
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Quoted:
Yeah, Armscor in its present form didn't really start until 1952. I believe the rumor about Colt your quoting had to have been started by a gun shop commando. From Wiki: The Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) is familiar to many firearms enthusiasts for its inexpensive 1911-pattern pistols, revolvers, shotguns, sporting rifles, firearms parts and ammunition. It traces its beginnings to a Manila gun retail store (Squires Bingham & Co.) in the year 1911, though the present corporation was formalized in 1952. Armscor manufactures its own line of firearms but also takes on manufacturing contracts for other companies' firearm lines, such as Twin Pines' Rock Island Armory (RIA) pistols. In addition to the Rock Island Armory 1911 series pistols, Armscor is also the source of pistols for STI's Spartan pistol and Charles Daly as well as Auto Ordance 1911 style pistols. Armscor is an ISO 9001 certified compliant company which manufactures weapons using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment. So Kahr bout Auot Ordnance then started just buying Philipino guns and re-badging them?  Well concidering AOs history it was probably the smartest move (if true).
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RIA is great. I love mine x2 --- The RIA will give you instant gratification and is nice enough to be a keeper forever --- the Sig is obviously a nicer machine in a lot of ways , but not really more reliable --- regarding my RIA Officers length, how do I get more reliable than 100% ? Add a dream gun to the stable later , -shoot an RIA today  -- it will always make a good truck gun or rough use gun when you don't want to soil your Nightmare/Nighthawk/Delta/TRP etc
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I have both a Sig and a Rock Island.
The Rock Island is the compact model and I carry it daily. I love it. The Rock Island did have some crap springs when I got it from the factory and it didn't feed/eject reliably. I contact the company (USA division in Vegas) and they sent me an RMA parepaid to Vegas. They recieved it, replaced all the springs in the pistol, polished the feed ramp and tweeked the trigger a little and mailed it back with 2 extra magazines a bunch of stickers a pin and a catalogue. This was done in about a weeks time all free. If you want a good shooting intro. type 1911 you cannot go wrong with Rock Island and they have great Customer Service, as I described above. |
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We like ours. Mine has seen thousands of factory and reloads. My wife's has only seen a few hundred so far since she bought it last month. Only thing I have done to mine is replace the slide stop last month since mine was becoming loose and causing some minor issues with certain mags.
Mine 
Hers 
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I have both a Sig and a Rock Island. The Rock Island is the compact model and I carry it daily. I love it. The Rock Island did have some crap springs when I got it from the factory and it didn't feed/eject reliably. I contact the company (USA division in Vegas) and they sent me an RMA parepaid to Vegas. They recieved it, replaced all the springs in the pistol, polished the feed ramp and tweeked the trigger a little and mailed it back with 2 extra magazines a bunch of stickers a pin and a catalogue. This was done in about a weeks time all free. If you want a good shooting intro. type 1911 you cannot go wrong with Rock Island and they have great Customer Service, as I described above. You might have just sold me on the Rock Island |
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We like ours. Mine has seen thousands of factory and reloads. My wife's has only seen a few hundred so far since she bought it last month. Only thing I have done to mine is replace the slide stop last month since mine was becoming loose and causing some minor issues with certain mags. Mine http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/RIA1911/Right.JPG.thumb.jpg Hers http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/RIA1911/RIA-NewGrips.jpg Wow those are some really nice grips! Where did you find those? |
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Wow those are some really nice grips! Where did you find those? Quoted:
Quoted:
We like ours. Mine has seen thousands of factory and reloads. My wife's has only seen a few hundred so far since she bought it last month. Only thing I have done to mine is replace the slide stop last month since mine was becoming loose and causing some minor issues with certain mags. Mine http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/RIA1911/Right.JPG.thumb.jpg Hers http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/RIA1911/RIA-NewGrips.jpg Wow those are some really nice grips! Where did you find those? My double diamonds are from woodgrips.com, the wife bought hers off EBay for I think $45. From the business card included with them..."C&N Custom Engraving" out of NC. |
| I have heard nothing but good things about RIA, I have a springfield loaded stainless in 9mm and hope one day after I add a semi auto shotgun to my collection and get my current guns the way I want that I will add a RIA to my collection. I hope to add a 2011 in 9mm, which is like seeing a 4 leaf clover. |
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Look at the Citadel, made by RIA. I love mine. Both made by armscor while your story about colts machinery being used to make RI guns is not true, RIs are still good guns. I bought the wife one, no issues 
EDIT: all I did internally was change out the full length rod and spring for a wilson GI Rod, spring and plug |
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Both made by armscor while your story about colts machinery being used to make RI guns is not true, RIs are still good guns. I bought the wife one, no issues http://imageshack.com/a/img692/4589/dawnpurple.jpg EDIT: all I did internally was change out the full length rod and spring for a wilson GI Rod, spring and plug Quoted:
Quoted:
Look at the Citadel, made by RIA. I love mine. Both made by armscor while your story about colts machinery being used to make RI guns is not true, RIs are still good guns. I bought the wife one, no issues http://imageshack.com/a/img692/4589/dawnpurple.jpg EDIT: all I did internally was change out the full length rod and spring for a wilson GI Rod, spring and plug Nice gun, nicer legs! |
| I bought an RIA GI last year. It was a great price for what I wanted. I've done a couple mods to it, beaver tail grip safety, loop hammer, extended slide release & an 18# recoil spring. I feel comfortable doing more indepth work on it in the future because of the price point. I'd rather mess up a $450 gun than a $900 gun. All in all, I can't recommend the brand enough. |
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Quoted: So Kahr bout Auot Ordnance then started just buying Philipino guns and re-badging them? Well concidering AOs history it was probably the smartest move (if true).Quoted: Quoted: Yeah, Armscor in its present form didn't really start until 1952. I believe the rumor about Colt your quoting had to have been started by a gun shop commando. From Wiki: The Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) is familiar to many firearms enthusiasts for its inexpensive 1911-pattern pistols, revolvers, shotguns, sporting rifles, firearms parts and ammunition. It traces its beginnings to a Manila gun retail store (Squires Bingham & Co.) in the year 1911, though the present corporation was formalized in 1952. Armscor manufactures its own line of firearms but also takes on manufacturing contracts for other companies' firearm lines, such as Twin Pines' Rock Island Armory (RIA) pistols. In addition to the Rock Island Armory 1911 series pistols, Armscor is also the source of pistols for STI's Spartan pistol and Charles Daly as well as Auto Ordance 1911 style pistols. Armscor is an ISO 9001 certified compliant company which manufactures weapons using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment. So Kahr bout Auot Ordnance then started just buying Philipino guns and re-badging them? Well concidering AOs history it was probably the smartest move (if true). |
| I had a RIA Officer 3.5" model with which I had nothing but problems with. However I think I got a lemon because most buyers report little to no issues with RIA guns. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another full size RIA for the right price. But, I've been spoiled by my SA TRP and don't see myself getting any more 1911's in the near future. |
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I had a RIA Officer 3.5" model with which I had nothing but problems with. However I think I got a lemon because most buyers report little to no issues with RIA guns. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another full size RIA for the right price. But, I've been spoiled by my SA TRP and don't see myself getting any more 1911's in the near future. Don't get me wrong, but as a Firearms Instructor and Range Officer, 90% of the 1911s I've seen that people have functioning problems with, are the 3" models. 2 Springfields and a Kimber Ultra Carry II I remember specifically, but I've also had some people going through my Action Pistol stages have issues that I didn't get involved enough to know what the guns were. |