Posted: 3/30/2010 9:17:32 PM EDT
I'm thinking of picking up a RIA Compact in about a week to be my CCW gun with my PA permit. Heard lots of good things about RIA 1911s so I'd figure I'd try them out. How are these little guys on reliability? I had a Kimber UCII at one time and it was 100% out of the box all the way up until I sold it so I'm not turned off by these little 1911s in the slightest. Let me know what you think other than the GI sights suck that is. 
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| I just picked one up a few weeks ago and it has ran perfect with ball and HP ammo. Check out Bellshireguns on gunbroker for a freaking smoking good deal. I got mine 390 delievered. I dont really like the look of the grips, but that can be changed later on. Can't go wrong with a RIA. |
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I just picked one up a few weeks ago and it has ran perfect with ball and HP ammo. Check out Bellshireguns on gunbroker for a freaking smoking good deal. I got mine 390 delievered. I dont really like the look of the grips, but that can be changed later on. Can't go wrong with a RIA. Wow that is a good price. |
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I just picked one up a few weeks ago and it has ran perfect with ball and HP ammo. Check out Bellshireguns on gunbroker for a freaking smoking good deal. I got mine 390 delievered. I dont really like the look of the grips, but that can be changed later on. Can't go wrong with a RIA. HA! I've been looking at Bellshireguns for the past week. Those are great prices and is who I will be buying from and having shipped to my FFL. Sounds like a good deal for nice compact 1911 to me. Any issues with slide stops can be remedied with a new slide stop or modify the stock one. I'm no stranger to 1911s and working on them myself but hopfully I won't have to with this model. Going to buy one today from GB! Thanks guys! |
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I just picked one up a few weeks ago and it has ran perfect with ball and HP ammo. Check out Bellshireguns on gunbroker for a freaking smoking good deal. I got mine 390 delievered. I dont really like the look of the grips, but that can be changed later on. Can't go wrong with a RIA. HA! I've been looking at Bellshireguns for the past week. Those are great prices and is who I will be buying from and having shipped to my FFL. Sounds like a good deal for nice compact 1911 to me. Any issues with slide stops can be remedied with a new slide stop or modify the stock one. I'm no stranger to 1911s and working on them myself but hopfully I won't have to with this model. Going to buy one today from GB! Thanks guys! Good luck! |
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Oh, if you get one with the upgraded beavertail and sights, expect it to shoot low. It is simple to fix by filing the front site. Well the model I'm getting has a beavertail and skeleton hammer but everything else is GI including the sights. I know what model your talking about and for a $75-$100 more your only getting a skeleton trigger and Novak style sights over the model I'm getting which I'm not to worried about. I'll get better nightsights for the GI style if I want to upgrade. |
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I had one. It worked perfectly, mechanically, but I sold the vicious little thing because it was a pain in the ass to shoot, and nearly as much trouble to carry as my Gvt model. I'm sure it did but I'll ask.....did it have a dual recoil spring set-up? I'm wondering if the springs will match up to Kimber UC II springs. I have a set from Wolff that are the same weight as the stock set-up on my Kimber UC II and the Kimber was a pleasure to shoot as much as my Government models where and just as accurate. |
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I had one. It worked perfectly, mechanically, but I sold the vicious little thing because it was a pain in the ass to shoot, and nearly as much trouble to carry as my Gvt model. I'm sure it did but I'll ask.....did it have a dual recoil spring set-up? I'm wondering if the springs will match up to Kimber UC II springs. I have a set from Wolff that are the same weight as the stock set-up on my Kimber UC II and the Kimber was a pleasure to shoot as much as my Government models where and just as accurate. No, it had a single spring set up. |
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I had one. It worked perfectly, mechanically, but I sold the vicious little thing because it was a pain in the ass to shoot, and nearly as much trouble to carry as my Gvt model. I'm sure it did but I'll ask.....did it have a dual recoil spring set-up? I'm wondering if the springs will match up to Kimber UC II springs. I have a set from Wolff that are the same weight as the stock set-up on my Kimber UC II and the Kimber was a pleasure to shoot as much as my Government models where and just as accurate. No, it had a single spring set up. Really? Interesting. I thought most of the smaller 1911s were going with dual recoil spring set-ups. Wonder if another manufactures dual set-up would fit and help in the RIA compact.... |
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Quoted: Why fix something you don't know to be broke ?Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I had one. It worked perfectly, mechanically, but I sold the vicious little thing because it was a pain in the ass to shoot, and nearly as much trouble to carry as my Gvt model. I'm sure it did but I'll ask.....did it have a dual recoil spring set-up? I'm wondering if the springs will match up to Kimber UC II springs. I have a set from Wolff that are the same weight as the stock set-up on my Kimber UC II and the Kimber was a pleasure to shoot as much as my Government models where and just as accurate. No, it had a single spring set up. Really? Interesting. I thought most of the smaller 1911s were going with dual recoil spring set-ups. Wonder if another manufactures dual set-up would fit and help in the RIA compact.... Run a thousand or so rounds through it and then start messing with it if you have a problem. |
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Why fix something you don't know to be broke ?
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I had one. It worked perfectly, mechanically, but I sold the vicious little thing because it was a pain in the ass to shoot, and nearly as much trouble to carry as my Gvt model. I'm sure it did but I'll ask.....did it have a dual recoil spring set-up? I'm wondering if the springs will match up to Kimber UC II springs. I have a set from Wolff that are the same weight as the stock set-up on my Kimber UC II and the Kimber was a pleasure to shoot as much as my Government models where and just as accurate. No, it had a single spring set up. Really? Interesting. I thought most of the smaller 1911s were going with dual recoil spring set-ups. Wonder if another manufactures dual set-up would fit and help in the RIA compact.... Run a thousand or so rounds through it and then start messing with it if you have a problem. Well I'm just curious since I'm used to seeing dual recoil spring set-ups on these smaller 1911s. Heard countless stories of the single recoil spring set-ups of small 1911s being finiky so I'm wondering what might fit just in-case. Like to be prepared ahead of time. |
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My experience with compact 1911s is limited, but all positive.
I read a while ago that when Colt(?) first came out with their line of compact 1911s it was during their switch to heavy automation, due to the switch in machinery problems were common in their compacts, as well as other size 1911s, but the combination of new compacts coming out with problems gave the guns a very stick bad reputation. Since then the bugs have been worked out, but the stigma remains. |
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I had a RIA compact. After buffing the feed ramp and smoothing things out around the chamber, it fed pretty good. It still had an issue with bullets hitting the slide stop causing it to lock open prematurely. I got tired of messing with it and sold it. Had a similar problem with mine. To be fair, I didn't ask for support from the lifetime warranty, just didn't want to mess with it. It was the CS officer's length model (3.5" barrel). |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I had one. It worked perfectly, mechanically, but I sold the vicious little thing because it was a pain in the ass to shoot, and nearly as much trouble to carry as my Gvt model. I'm sure it did but I'll ask.....did it have a dual recoil spring set-up? I'm wondering if the springs will match up to Kimber UC II springs. I have a set from Wolff that are the same weight as the stock set-up on my Kimber UC II and the Kimber was a pleasure to shoot as much as my Government models where and just as accurate. No, it had a single spring set up. Really? Interesting. I thought most of the smaller 1911s were going with dual recoil spring set-ups. Wonder if another manufactures dual set-up would fit and help in the RIA compact.... The problem I have had with the Officer's ACP was the the little tab on the bottom of the recoil spring plug tearing away. The springs themselves weren't really an issue.  ... as you can see on the Haart's recoil plug I broke after they went out of business. AFAIK, the drop-in Sprinco unit I'm using now hasn't been made in over a decade.  This is another drop-in option from Evolution Gun Works, and they have an Officer's ACP (3.5" bbl) length option in the drop down menu: http://egw-guns.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34_25&products_id=275 |
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I have had a RIA CS and love it. As with all 1911's they do require a break in period of about 500 rounds. So if you have picked one up yet dont be discouraged if it shoots off or if you have minor issues. Everything will break in and come to be a great shooting pistol.
So good I bet you plan on another or even more :) |
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I have had a RIA CS and love it. As with all 1911's they do require a break in period of about 500 rounds. So if you have picked one up yet dont be discouraged if it shoots off or if you have minor issues. Everything will break in and come to be a great shooting pistol. So good I bet you plan on another or even more :) Well considering at one time I had a Kimber Ultra Carry II, Taurus 1911, Taurus 1911AR and SA Mil-Spec I'm sure I will. Just picked up a Regent 1911 last week and will be getting the Compact in another week. Yea....I like 1911s. 
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I had a compact Charles Daly that ran flawlessly. I sold it do fund something a little nicer, but I have nothing bad to say about it. In my opinion, they are too heavy to carry, but thats a personal thing. Yea they are heavier than the plastic frame guns but when you heft an all metal gun there is something about it when its in your hand and when you shoot it. Even having one on your hip....I mean you know your gun is there whatever its made out of but the extra weight is a non-issue with a proper belt. I've had plenty of plastic framed guns like 4 XDs, a few Kel-Tecs, Ruger 22/45, Walther P22, Ruger P95, etc. They just don't match as well with me as an all metal gun. I like the extra weight. 
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I have had my RIA compact for a week now and with the weather I've only put about 150 rounds down range. The extractor was very tight and needed a bit of an adjustment but aside from that I'm pretty happy. The extractor was tight enough to impede feeding from my colt mags but the ACT mag worked fine. Both work well now. Darn accurate for a short gun, ejects brass from about 2 to 3 o'clock. First time out, fired two mags, turned around and there was no brass behind me. Finally realized it was throwing the brass out front. That's really my only complaint.
Brian |