RIA GI compact .45 (PHOTOS ADDED!)

[CJB]

The compact .45 from RIA came in today.

Overall, quite impressive! Only field stripping so far, but, all the inside and outside surfaces are smooth and tool mark free. I placed a straight edge (machinists straight edge) down the length of the slide and there is a bit of light coming thru under the edge, but... not much. The surface of the side of the slide are dead smooth and I'd almost say they were ground, then fine grit blasted. The frame is beefy at the trigger guard. Everything is "series 70", aka no firing pin block.

The fit of the barrel is perfect. Perhaps too good for a defensive pistol. The fore-aft play is nearly undetectable, a good thing for 1911s. No up down play could be felt. I mean... scarey. The slide feels like it is riding on Acc-u-rail setup. Dead smooth, no wobble, no shake. This pistol is the best fit of any of the six other 1911's I've got. That is sayin something! That includes Colt, Springfield, Viking, and several Caspian framed pistols.

The trigger is clean, crisp, and probably about 4.5lbs. Again, not much to complain about.

Now the bad.

The trigger itself is mid length and has a really sharp grooved surface that is sort of stair stepped to an apex that runs the middle of the trigger's finger bearing surface. Its not comfy.

The grip safety whale tail is terribly fit. The gap at the frame is fine, but the edges that should have been smoothed down are not, and they're sharp. Dry firing is painful.

Neither of those is the end of the world. I can fix both. And for $425 how much can you really expect? I don't know how they can fit the slide and barrel so well, and totally lose it on the grip safety.

And, as things are, there is a very slight ding in the top of the rear sight. I don't like the sight but its pretty much GI, with a deep U notch rear and nub up front. It will do and I can hide the ding. Something happened along the way from the far east to the west it seems.

The magazine is blued, and longer than an OACP mag, but.. it also sticks out the bottom of the grip a bit, and has an extended base pad that is hard plastic. I don't like it, but it functions as I hand cycled ammo through things.

Ok, the plan - rather than rework the grip safety, which I don't like anyway (don't like whale tail safeties), I'll replace it with a stainless one from Colt, and whittle it with the Foredom a bit to clear the Commander-esque hammer. I'll fix the sight (a very tiny file swipe... very very tiny). And I'll comfy up the trigger. Put some matt grey gunKote on it, stick a fork in it and call it done.

Pictures Saturday!

[Alfonse]

You've been finding some cool, well priced pistols lately. Congrats.

[JohnR]

It would be interesting to compare it to my Citadel officer model.

[yqtszhj]

It would be interesting to compare it to my Citadel officer model.

Those RIA Officers models are highly valued on the net. My RIA govt. model runs like a champ. I couldn't find one when I got my Citadel (Armscor).

Hey John, Does yours look like this one? CJB got a better deal than I did though. Got me some Bawanna grips.
http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o706/yqtszhj/IMG_5282_zps86c0e0a0.jpg

[CJB]

Loading pictures to photobucket as we speak....

[JohnR]

Mine looked like that when I bought it (minus the grips). Now:

[CJB]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1203_zpspcqxpbo8.jpg
A nice job of it up front. Nice bevel at the front of the slide, which wasn't expected. The fit of the barrel there is pretty good too. (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1203_zpspcqxpbo8.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1204_zpsd28tqrwj.jpg
The trigger from hell. Look at that meat grinder! I don't mind a textured trigger but... jeezleweez! I've got some dark grey GunKote coming from KalGuard, so I can do a little doctoring to that trigger and give it a finish coat that won't be too far off from the Parkerizing. (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1204_zpsd28tqrwj.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1205_zpskcpvun6b.jpg
Yikes. They be sharp edges there. While hideous, and downright as uncomfy as making love to battery terminal cleaner, I've got a stainless "standard" replacement (non whale-tail) inbound too. Most of my 1911's (except the Colt and the Springfield "compact" 4" which are stock) get the snip job in the back. Reason being - if there's nothing to get pinched between, you wont get pinched - AND - its snag free.

(http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1205_zpskcpvun6b.jpg.html)http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/Firearms/IMG_4906.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/Firearms/IMG_4906.jpg.html)
Like this one, on my stainless Officer's ACP

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1207_zpst0m3ttyv.jpg
Came with a nice dingus in the rear sight. I can hide that for now and touch it up with the GunKote. I'll probably change the sights anyway, so its more like an annoyance than anything. (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1207_zpst0m3ttyv.jpg.html)


(http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1213_zpsoftjctmo.jpg.html)

[CJB]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1208_zpse7cs9vem.jpg
Fit and finish in the back are nice. (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1208_zpse7cs9vem.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1209_zpscudp5ndz.jpg
Happy with the bevel at the mag-well. Obviously a cast frame, MIM small parts, and machined slide, btw. I'm ok with that. That's exactly what FN has done with Browning HP's since at least the mid-1990's (or earlier). (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1209_zpscudp5ndz.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1210_zpscv7cc5sc.jpg
They could have made the relief cut for unfired cartridges a bit deeper, but.... it works.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1211_zpsb28cydqo.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1210_zpscv7cc5sc.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/bandersnatchreverb/RIA/DY2A1213_zpsoftjctmo.jpg
Inside, things are very crisp and well fit. (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bandersnatchreverb/media/RIA/DY2A1213_zpsoftjctmo.jpg.html)

[Bawanna]

Those RIA Officers models are highly valued on the net. My RIA govt. model runs like a champ. I couldn't find one when I got my Citadel (Armscor).

Hey John, Does yours look like this one? CJB got a better deal than I did though. Got me some Bawanna grips.
http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o706/yqtszhj/IMG_5282_zps86c0e0a0.jpg

I remember those clearly. Some I remember, others I don't. Figured they'd stay in my head forever but guess some slip out.

[Bawanna]

That looks purty durn good CJB. It's early for me and my brain is still warming up but that seems like a strange barrel bushing, actually it's not a bushing I realize but how do you get it out for disassembly.

I agree that trigger is a ugly beast but an easy fix. Plenty strong on aggression for sure. Never seen one like that either.

The barrel looks plenty heavy, the barrels on my MRI's are like that.

Suppose to meet Alfonse this afternoon at the local monthly gunshow. I'm gonna see if I can find one of those to hold in person.
Don't got the loot to bring one home as usual but they usually let a fella fondle for free.

[yqtszhj]

Cool, they got the important stuff right.

[yqtszhj]

That looks purty durn good CJB. It's early for me and my brain is still warming up but that seems like a strange barrel bushing, actually it's not a bushing I realize but how do you get it out for disassembly.
.

If his is like mine you retract the slide a bit and do the paperclip thing. I'm having a hard time remembering which shows its been too long and i need to get the bugger out and shoot it.

[JohnR]

Yeah, I hate the bent paperclip thing. Give me a barrel bushing every time.

[CJB]

That looks purty durn good CJB..... strange barrel bushing....how do you get it out for disassembly.

I agree that trigger is a ugly beast but an easy fix. Plenty strong on aggression for sure. Never seen one like that either.


By The Book:
You gotta pull back the slide, stick a PAPERCLIP into a little hole....take off the slide, then finagle the paperclip and the assembly out of the slide. Strangely, the assembly will go into the slide with no paperclip. Well, since females are fightin' now, maybe if you're in a fix, and need to pull the barrel out for some reason, you can ask one of them for a hair pin or other such rot as lives in their girly tote.

CJB method:
You retract the slide, pull out the slide stop when things are lined up. Take the whole top assembly off the receiver. At that point the recoil spring guide moves backward about 1/16 inch. Using your thumb, press in the recoil spring reverse plug, which leaves a gap between the slide and plug inside the slide. Stick the bottom plate of a standard magazine into that gap and pull the plug back ward until it clears the slide. Take out the recoil spring guide and spring.

F'em and the lizard they rode in on! I don't want to have to use tools to take apart my 1911's!

You can also muscle the recoil spring plug back with your fingers but it takes a strong hand to do. With a magazine... its easier than using the girly wussy paperclip method.

This also means I can red LocTite that two section recoil spring guide together, so the damn thing doesn't unscrew and jam up the works just when I'm about to take the second shot of an "El Presidente" double tap.

[gb6491]

Nice pistols folks! :)

CJB,
If you are of a mind to contact Rock Island about that sight.
Email: support@armscor.com
Phone: (632) 656-5344
Fax: (632) 942-0682

https://www.facebook.com/ArmscorPrecision/?fref=ts
http://www.1911forum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=64

I've found them to be very responsive to customers. I had a mid size RIA. I bought it in a pawn shop and later found the serrations on the slide to be out of spec (too sharp and too deep, cut almost into the extractor tunnel). I contacted Ivan (ivan@armscor.net) and explained the situation. They asked for the pistol and returned it with another slide; cost to me was only my shipping costs to them.
http://i30.tinypic.com/2s0eo14.jpg
The other time I contacted them was about an improved mag latch. I called and talked with Shawn. They sent the latch for free and threw in some advertising goodies.

I like to parkerize small parts (all parts really). I have a cheap microwave in the garage and use that to quickly heat solution for the smaller jobs.
http://i15.tinypic.com/6qcti4i.jpg
http://i5.tinypic.com/817fj35.jpg
http://i19.tinypic.com/6s72fiq.jpg

Regards,
Greg

[CJB]

Nah, I've probably got a half dozen of 'em sitting in my parts hidey-hole.