Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Inspected and shot an RIA 10mm last week

Got my hands onto an RIA 'tactical' 10mm 1911 finally. At first looking and handling it I was and still am VERY impressed with the fit and smoothness of the various parts. The slide to frame in particular is as good as it gets on a 1911 IMO. A good copy or clone of the Novak adjustable rear sight, semi beavertail safety with a good bump in it, slightly oversized but not garish ambi safety levers, etc. Terrific grips but a bit too sharp in the checkering for extended shooting with hot loads. Shot a few magazines full with my rather warm hunting loads and the sharp checkering will really wear into your palms and fingers. Not a problem if the gun is for serious defensive use only but for a Bowling Pin match or a full day of plinking is sure a good way to draw blood without some gloves. Probably the best feature of the gun is a fully ramped barrel that supports nearly 100% of the cartridge case. No trouble digesting and eating up my loads with 180gr Gold Dots at 1375fps. Only tossed the cases 18-20 feet compared to my Delta Elite that tossed them 35-40 feet before I had the barrel replaced and the whole deal re timed.

We did not clean or oil the gun on purpose, in fact did quite the opposite so as to 'accelerate' the breaking in proccess <G>. We shot it fast and furious for a couple of hundred rounds then the owner accidentally dropped the new gun into the soft red mountain dirt and this gave me an idea.... I dared him to walk over to the gun and knock it around some in the dirt, getting it fully coverd in nasty red grit and dust. He did and we picked up the gun and began firing it again. At first we had to use a little bit of forward assit on the slide some of the time to get it to run but fire and feed it did. Then we merely poured some drinking water over it to clear out some of the grit and it ran fine for several magazines worth and we declared it 1) reliable and 2) broke in nicely

Last test, we poured my mix of synthetic Auto trans fluid and Mobil ONE motor oil all over it and inside of it to the point of it being soaked and dripping with my mix and fired it some more. Ran perfectly with that gross over oiling treatment.

We did not do any serious accuracy testing but the gun was reasonably well dialed in from the factory and we were hitting the various cans and spinner targets at will from 10-25 yards out. The gun points nicely and feels good outside of the very sharp grip checkering abrading ones hands.

Overall I think that RIA has a big hit with this one. A nicely appointed 1911 that will handle heavy handloads safely for under $700 seems like quite a good value to me. I was and am impressed. It weighs a few ounces less than a Delta Elite as well.

I took some pictures but only with my I-phone and I have not yet learned how to get them from my phone to my copmputer. When I learn this method I will post the pictures here. The Pistol being fired all covered in red dirt and silt will make some of ya'll have a high blood pressure attack

Download The Photobucket App OnYour Phone. Then, Load From Your Phone And The Pictures WillBe InYour Account.

Ohhh how cool....I wonder if they will get a model approved for sale in the communist state of CA...hmmmm...I love my RIA and would love to have one of these 10mm's

THANKS! Great tip there! Now, to figure out how to download an app.

MARK

Thanks for the review Safariman.

Was it blued or stainless? How's the trigger, and did you chrono those loads through the RIA or Colt?

Thanks again,

Jason

You are welcome, JAson.

Bluedsteel with some type of flat black coating of some type. Chronoed the loads through the Colt DE. Trigger was very good, easily better then that of my Delta Elite before Kevin Gibson worked on it.

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sounds like it may be the one I have been looking for....?

Might be. I sold my Delta Elite (which I thought I never, ever would sell) and bought one for myself. The difference in values is coming in handy during tough times, and the RIA is a nice set up IMO.

More reports to follow now that I can test one fully and thouroughly. Don't look for a real good accuracy test, though as I am not that good of a pistol shot. Might get someone who is better to help me test it.

Wow...

You gave up the Delta an took up the Rock Island.

Says alot about the RIA.

Been lusting after the 22tcm.

Sure hope it is in your future for you and your bride to make it to NM.

If I had extra cash the RIA 22TCM would also be in the stable.

A lot of my decision to downgrade was pure finances. The difference between what I got for the DE and this firearm helped us out tons during some tough times right now. The good news is that the RIA is such a nice firearm. Can't really say as how I miss the DE.