Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Rock Island 1911's

What's the opinions on Rock Island 1911's, just ordered one in 38 Super but I've never handled one. Also, they only come with one mag, what's the best replacement mags for them. Might end up ordering a replacement barrel & bushing, we'll see how this one shoots.

Dick

Metalform mags have been my choice for my 1911s for at least a decade. I've never had a problem with one. They make them for .38 Super.

Best of the cheaper 1911's IMO.

MM

Best replacement magazine...

There's that word "best".

The reality is, of the more common manufacturers of 1911 magazines, they're ALL excellent. Your chances of getting a bad magazine from one of the major makers is pretty slim. Everyone has their pet 1911 magazine and swear by them, but they all work and most work VERY well.

For the price just can’t beat metal form. For my 10mm rock I bought 7 mags at $22 each on sale through midway and all have functioned excellent. I’ve put about 300 rounds (180 grain bullet over 8.6 grains of power pistol ) down my RIA and it’s been perfect.

What Gun Geek said. Don't know about their 38 Super mag but so far the one that came with my RIA 45's been perfect. Only problem with that is that any mags I've tried have worked just as well whether it's Federal 230 ball, various self defense loads or gun show hand loads.

I like the RIA’s, they clean up pretty well and are reliable. The finish is fairly bad but use it a bit, smith on it, then get it refinished. I like Wilson mags, worth the extra.

I had two Rocks, a FS and a Compact, both .45's
The Compact was finicky, too finicky for EDC.
The FS was a locomotive.
I like Checkmate mags.

I agree with Gun Geek. I was expecting the ACT mags that came with both of my RIAs to be junk. They functioned flawlessly. I have a good collection of Chips and Colts and have yet to have a problem with them as well.

The best forum responses are those that don’t criticize the use of a word based on your arbitrary determination of what’s acceptable.

My example of one is the GI model. Out of the box, it had occasional misfeeds that were cured by tuning the extractor. The trigger is very good. Accuracy was pretty good, but got better after replacing the loose fitting bushing with a fitted one from EGW. The parked finish is wearing off. I find the Checkmate mags to feed smoother than the Novaks that came with it. All that said, I wouldn't be afraid to buy another.

What brand do you prefer?

I've never bought a mag for a RIA 1911. Does Mec-Gar make any for them?

I used Mec-Gar magazines in my double stack RIA, although I always heard that MBX-Ps were the *best*. In my multiple STI double stack guns I've primarily used tuned STI magazines with Dawson baseplates and Grams springs-followers, but their factory Gen2 mags are all reliable if you don't need the extra 2-3 rounds.

*EFS

The very BEST 1911, single stack magazines have Tripp Research on them.......................there are other good mags for sure, but Tripp is the BEST.

That's my story & I'm stickin' to it.

MM

What makes a Tripp a better choice than a Wilson?