Gun Tests Magazine June issue:Kimber vs RIA

[spacemanvic]

Soooo......the RIA standard GI held it's own


Gun blog entry on the article:
http://extranosalley.com/?p=45317&utm_source=feedly

Back When, You Could Pick Up A Beater 1911 To Learn On For Five Bucks
Posted on June 6, 2013 by Stranger

Just after WWII many gun shops had beater 1911′s and other weapons for very little money. Many budding gunnies picked up a beater or two and learned to fit surplus parts, polish slides, grind broken files into engraving tools that would deepen “weak” markings, and so on. These days, even the parts bin guns are expensive.

The June, 2013 issue of the excellent Gun Tests has a “shootout” between the Kimber Custom Eclipse and the lowly Rock Island Armory 45. And no, it was not a runaway in favor of the Kimber. Gun Tests rated the Eclipse an A, the Rock Island a B, apparently because of the GI sights on the GI clone.

Gun Tests essentially said “perfect function, better than expected accuracy, and low price” make the Rock Island an attractive choice for a shooter on a budget. I have to agree with that. And of course if you want to tighten groups or gussy Betsy up with bits from Cylinder and Slide, Wilson’s, or any of a host of other companies – Brownells, Midway, and others have the parts and that is how you learn to ‘smith your own.

But unless I were going to try competition, I would leave those GI sights alone. They were designed by people who had seen a lot more up close and personal combat than you and I ever will. For the times you get your behind in a crack, you won’t be worrying about “sight picture.” You will be worried about getting that first shot “‘tween wind and water” in who or whatever is a threat to you or someone else.

Stranger

See the article here:
http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/25_6...es/6047-1.html

[harold63]

Soooo......the RIA standard GI held it's own

Dude, I love GI sights. They work super good if you're shooting at 50 yds. They should since they resemble rifle sights, at least to me they do. For up close and personal stuff, you don't even need sights with a 1911. Just use the top of the slide as a reference and go.

Lycanthrope says why pay so much more to get only 15% better. I fully agree with him and in some cases, it isn't even 15%. If you want a bling 1911, then that's cool, or you want a sho nuff out of the box fighter, then cool, too. I won't lie and say I don't want one. Some folks here know my want baby is the Kimber Super Match II. But for the everyday stuff, the RIA is fine. Tight budget? The most I would do with one is let someone give it a reliability tune up if you don't know how to and you're good to go (Oh yea...get rid of the 2X4 grips). JMHO

[spacemanvic]

Dude, I love GI sights. They work super good if you're shooting at 50 yds. They should since they resemble rifle sights, at least to me they do. For up close and personal stuff, you don't even need sights with a 1911. Just use the top of the slide as a reference and go.

Lycanthrope says why pay so much more to get only 15% better. I fully agree with him and in some cases, it isn't even 15%. If you want a bling 1911, then that's cool, or you want a sho nuff out of the box fighter, then cool, too. I won't lie and say I don't want one. Some folks here know my want baby is the Kimber Super Match II. But for the everyday stuff, the RIA is fine. Tight budget? The most I would do with one is let someone give it a reliability tune up if you don't know how to and you're good to go (Oh yea...get rid of the 2X4 grips). JMHO

Too right! Especially on the sights. What did Cooper say, blessed are those who see the front sight?

I had to get rid of the fat thighs my RIA came with. Went with black poly grips instead. One day, long from now if ever I get the $$$$, Id like a trophy Colt. But for now, RIA does what I need her to do. Just thought the article was cool.

[Zet70]

Basically this article sums up everything I've been telling my buddies with new Kimbers. They're still ignoring me while I part together my AR15 pistol with the money I saved buying a Charles daly ad after I added all the Wilson goodies to it!

[rovert97]

The ink complaint I'll ever have about my RIA is the finish could be better. That's it. It can and has out shot most other 1911's I've put it up against. Love it for what it is.

[snakeman21]

The ink complaint I'll ever have about my RIA is the finish could be better. That's it. It can and has out shot most other 1911's I've put it up against. Love it for what it is.

^^^Absolutely^^^

I carry mine every day, and trust it just as much as I'd trust a higher-end model. This gun is great, and for the price you pay, it can't be beat.

However, I was surprised to hear that most people have good experiences with ACT mags. My RIA came with an ACT mag, and I was turned off the brand for life. It would not feed most hollow points at all. At first, I thought this was a problem with the gun until I tried some other mags and they all fed beautifully. Then, one day at the range, I was shooting with the ACT mag, and on the third shot, the magazine literally blew apart. But plate simply broke and flew off, followed at high speed by the spring. These two parts bounced off into oblivion, I never saw them again. The follower and remaining ammo dropped to the ground.

Now, I have a Chip McCormick mag and two mags that I have yet to find out the brand. I bought them used out of a box of random mags at the The Armory in Brodheadsville. I don't know who makes them, but I LOVE them. I bought them because I was looking for mags that would drop freely from the gun for IDPA, something my ACT mag didn't do, and every mag 1911 can be very different in tolerances. So I brought the gun with me to test mags before buying. He had two of them in the box, I took both. They seem to SHOOT out of the gun as if springloaded and coated with Teflon. Upon range testing, I found them to feed anything I gave them so reliably that I could ride the slide slowly forward and chamber rounds. Even my Chip McCormick won't do that.

[harold63]

I'm taking the two 10 rd CM mags I just bought to the range this morning to test them, as soon as my buddy gets here...he is late. My other CM mags work perfectly.

[spacemanvic]

I'm taking the two 10 rd CM mags I just bought to the range this morning to test them, as soon as my buddy gets here...he is late. My other CM mags work perfectly.

My LGS has Chip mags, was on the fence getting them. I can get the Kimber for $19 each, the Chip's are $32 each....

[skeelo]

I'm picking up my RIA 2011 tomorrow, I'm giddy with anticipation. I've been looking into spare mags...most people say CM or Mec-Gar. Anybody try MG? They seem to be going for $23 a pop on eBay which seems like a pretty good deal.

[kel ruger man]

don't be mislead with these worthless "shootouts" sure the ria will shoot when you pull the trigger, and be accurate. but lets see the test after 30,000 rounds, take them apart and see how they compare. I don't own either gun, but there is a lot more that goes into building a pistol than some 200rd comparison.