Been thinking of Buying a Rock Island Tactial

[AndyH]

I am really on the fence on this one. I am looking for an other .45 and don't want to break the bank so to speak.

Was doing some reading on the Rock Island tactical and the reviews are all positive.

They offer a nickel version that can be purchased for $485 shipped.
Seems like a great price.

Looking for anyone with real world positive/negative experience with the tactical model

Your comments would be appreciated

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[fromotoc]

It's a great gun, but you could probably find a used taurus pt1911 for the same price, there is one on arfcom for $460 shipped right now. It isn't nickeled though. I haven't owned a taurus 1911, but I have owned the RI tactical. Most of the online threads of "taurus pt1911 vs. ria tactical" end in the taurus being the winner. I think once you get up to the $500-ish mark, you should spend an extra $100 and get an STI spartan, a much better gun. You won't be dis-pleased with the rock island at all, they are great guns, but part of what makes them great is/was the low price.

Or you can find used stainless/chromed colts with the same work done on them for $100 more than what you want to spend, too.

 

[AndyH]

Or you can find used stainless/chromed colts with the same work done on them for $100 more than what you want to spend, too.

I have been looking for quite some time for just such a thing.... No luck as of yet.

As for the Taurus had a few over the years nothing wrong with any of them that I can recall.. Just ended selling them off to get something new and shinny.

Thanks for the input though
Whats ARFCOM?

Started looking into the STi spartan.... Looks very promising. Can be found on GB for under $600. This may just knock me off the proverbial fence.
Interesting that Both the STI spartan and RIA tactical are made by Armscor.


Andy

 

[KENOC]

I had both a full size tactical and a compact tactical. They each cost about half what my colt cost, and were just as good of a gun. They also have about the best customer service in the business.

 

[jkraig]

Every gunsmith I have talked to has preferred the RIA over the Taurus 1911.

 

[swoop]

If you bring home a RI OR STI your Fusion will never speak to you again.

 

[AndyH]

Got A offer I could not refuse on the Fusion.... so sadly it is gone.

I have ordered a New fusion with the proceeds, but that was my last 1911 and 16 weeks is a long time to be with out one.

Thus the interest in a quality budget 1911.

 

[KENOC]

RIA's are cool but Fusions rule. I am not sure if they make them better than a Fusion at any price.
And highly doubt they they make any thing better than an RIA at it's price point.
Can't go wrong with either of them.

 

[swoop]

Wow, 4 months for a build? but they are very nice, and well worth the wait.

 

[torpedoman]

If you bring home a RI OR STI your Fusion will never speak to you again.

and you wont really care, the R.I. will feed and fire everything you can fit in the mag, and with accuracy just what more do you want a pistol to do?

 

[fromotoc]

The STI Spartan uses RIA frames and slides and they are assembled in the Philippines, but I am pretty sure that the internals are STI, and they are extensively quality control checked by STI, and I believe some of the parts are fitted by STI too, but I am not sure about that. But you get alot in the Spartan for the price.

 

[swoop]

and you wont really care, the R.I. will feed and fire everything you can fit in the mag, and with accuracy just what more do you want a pistol to do?

Relax man, notice the big grin there..My brother has a 1911 RI that he and I both like a lot, but we like my colt series 70 better, and Fusion is in a whole different place. Then RIA is a good gun for the money, I agree with ya.

 

[AndyH]

I care about all my guns.... One may just save my life one day.:buttrock:

 

[NK777]

I had one and later swapped it out for a new Taurus. I never had a problem with it except for the fact that it was wearing out quite quickly and never was very accurate because in mine my barrel was fitted badly and only one lug locked up. Darn thing shot all over the place. It did feed anything however but fired it everywhere.

I would recommend you spend another $100 or so and get a gun that is made of better stuff like forged steel not cast. I know Tuarus has a bad rep. but honestly the new ones are good and have everything you want already done.

 

[AndyH]

Well I took the plunge and orderd myself the Rock island, I gave serious consideration the the STI Spartan but in the end I went with the Rock.

 

[KENOC]

I had one and later swapped it out for a new Taurus. I never had a problem with it except for the fact that it was wearing out quite quickly and never was very accurate because in mine my barrel was fitted badly and only one lug locked up. Darn thing shot all over the place. It did feed anything however but fired it everywhere.

I would recommend you spend another $100 or so and get a gun that is made of better stuff like forged steel not cast. I know Tuarus has a bad rep. but honestly the new ones are good and have everything you want already done.

The cast vs forged argument is proven time and again to be bogus. And RIA is typically better quality than Taurus. And RIA's customer service stomps on Taurus. Why spend $100 more for a lesser product? Does not compute, sorry.

 

[NK777]

The cast vs forged argument is proven time and again to be bogus. And RIA is typically better quality than Taurus. And RIA's customer service stomps on Taurus. Why spend $100 more for a lesser product? Does not compute, sorry.

My experience has shown that the opposite is in fact true but to each their own.

 

[swoop]

Well I took the plunge and orderd myself the Rock island, I gave serious consideration the the STI Spartan but in the end I went with the Rock.

Good for you Andy I think you made a good choice...let us know how it shoots.

 

[AndyH]

Now I need to find a nice set of grips to replace the cheap black plastic one.

I am thinking a set of black/gray horned lizard grips will look nice.

http://davidsonknives.com/grips/hornedl_lizard.htm

 

[yotehunter]

yeah those grips look awesome.