Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Standard 9mm – Product

Rock Island Armory (Armscor)
1911
FS
Standard
9mm
–
Product Review
I really wanted to dislike a 9mm
version of the 1911. I was
actually looking forward to
disliking it, which would
solidify a statement that I once
made to the effect of, “If I
need a 9mm pistol that acts like
a 1911, I’ll buy a CZ75.” With
that highly biased statement
made, it led me to realize that
since I had not tried a 9mm
1911, how could I justify such a
statement? Well, I was about to I fix that!
I needed to find a 1911-based pistol in 9mm.
After doing some research, and after I finally talked myself
into trying the 9mm 1911 platform, I narrowed the choice down
to two that seemed to fit the bill while keeping the outgoing
bills for the pistol at a minimum; The Springfield 1911 Range
Officer Champion 9mm and a Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard.
There were several differences between the two pistols that
helped solidify the final decision:
Cost – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer Champion 9mm
is obviously the higher of the two in cost.
Barrel systems – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer
Champion 9mm uses a “Bull” or tapered barrel that does
not require a barrel bushing; whereas, the Rock Island
1911 FS 9mm Standard uses the more conventional straight
barrel and barrel bushing.
Recoil Spring and Guide – The Springfield 1911 Range
Officer Champion 9mm uses a Dual Spring w/ Full Length
Guide Rod with an internal bushing and the Rock Island
1911 FS 9mm Standard utilizes the single-spring system
with a full length guide rod and external bushing.
Feed System – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer
Champion 9mm utilizes a feed ramp that is integral to
the barrel (thumbnail feed ramp) whereas the Rock Island
1911 FS 9mm Standard uses the more conventional frame
feed ramp.
Barrel Length – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer
Champion 9mm has a 4-inch barrel and the Rock Island
1911 FS 9mm Standard has a 5-inch barrel.
Frame and Slide – The frame of the Springfield 1911
Range Officer Champion 9mm is Forged Lightweight Alloy
(thus the use of the barrel-integrated feed ramp) with a
forged steel slide. The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm
Standard, on the other hand, has a forged steel frame
and slide.
Thumb Safety – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer
Champion 9mm incorporates a left-side only safety. The
safety on the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard is
ambidextrous.
Finish – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer Champion 9mm
and the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard have Parkerized
finishes.
Grip Safety – The Springfield 1911 Range Officer
Champion 9mm and the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard
have beaver-tail grip safeties.
Sights – the Springfield 1911 Range Officer Champion 9mm
comes with Fiber Optic Front & Low-Profile Combat Rear
sights while the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard has a
Dovetail Fiber-Optic Front Sight and a LPA MPS1-Type
Adjustable Rear Sight; the front or sear sight contains
no dots (more on that later).
Rock Island (Armscor) 1911
Standard 9mm
After a lot of mind-wracking, I decided that I needed to give
the 9mm 1911-based pistol a fair shake. Since I already own
several Rock Island 1911-based pistols, and carry either the
2nd-generation Rock Island 1911 FS Tactical or a 3rd
generation RIA 1911 MS Standard as my EDC, it only seemed
logical to me to continue on with a Rock Island Armory
(Armscor) product that had the features that I was looking for
should I ever decide to carry it. Besides, the Springfield
cost about $200+ more dollars and I would not get the key
features that I was looking for. Again, that key feature will
be presented later.
Rock Island (Armscor) 1911 FS Standard 9mm Specifications
The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard, part of the “Rock”
series of pistols, follows the convention of the earlier “70”
series Colt 1911 with its standard barrel, bushing, and frameintegrated feed ramp. The full-length guide rod (FLGR) is
immaterial to me as I can live with them and I can live
without them. With the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard, there
is no more complexity with disassembly and assembly of the
pistol than with a 1911-based pistol with a standard guide
rod. Perhaps, I am just used to them and accept FLGRs as a
matter of course. Some of the other RIA pistols (for example,
the MS and CS series), which also have full-length guide rods,
but are more complex in disassembling and assembling the
pistol.
The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard is much more than your
“Standard GI” model. Better sights and better controls are
pluses in my book as these modern additions are now “standard”
on most 1911-based pistols. I like an extended thumb safety
control on a 1911-based pistol and the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm
Standard, as with the Rock Standard FS 45ACP, has what I like.
There is virtually no learning transition between these two
pistols. There are also a couple of things surprising between
the two. The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard is slightly
longer than its .45ACP counterpart and with a full capacity of
ammunition it is heavier than the .45ACP version. What this
translates to is less recoil and less recoil is always good.
The barrel is a nice piece of work and while most people shun
long barrels I like the 5-inch “Government” model barrel
length for accuracy and a few more feet-per-second out of the
9mm round (or the .45Acp round, for that matter). Given a
1911-based pistol with identical grip lengths, I can carry and
conceal a 1911-based pistol with a variety of barrel lengths.
The barrel locks-up securely when in battery. Although I carry
a “Commander” length 1911 as EDC, I will swap out with the
“Government” length more often than not. The one thing that I
like about the RIA series of pistols is the “11-degree Target
Crown” barrel. This helps to protect the exit of the barrel
from damage.
hard rubber Grip Panels Are
Now Standard Fare
The Rock Island Armory
(Armscor) Is Now Outfitted
with CZ Grip Panels
The provided rubber grip panels with the Rock Island Armory
logo are a welcome addition to the new breed of RIA pistols.
They are standard width grip panels and the hold on them is
very positive, which also helps in recoil management. Grip
panels are probably the most changed on 1911-based pistols,
and I am guilty as anyone in doing so. With that said, I
decided to change the hard rubber grip panels provided with
the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Standard 9mm. After
removing the grip panels for cleaning, I noticed that the
mounting holes for each rubber panel lacked what I would call
a “ledge” – a place for the mounting screws to seal the panels
to the frame. Even though I doubted that the grip panels would
just fall off of the pistol, I decided to change them out with
something, I felt, would be better secured. I had removed a
set of new VZ grip panels from the RIA 1911 MS Standard after
it was revealed that the grip screws were backing out under
recoil. I felt that since the RIA FS 9mm Standard has a lot
less recoil, the possibility of the grip screws backing out
would be lessened greatly. The VZ grip panels fit the pistol
perfectly, look great, provide a good gripping surface, and
they have the “Ledge” to ensure that they will seal to the
grip frame. If the grip screws do happen to back out under
recoil, the blue Loc-Tite will have to be used.
Another feature of the pistol is the vertical serrated lines
on the front strap of the grip. Even some higher priced
pistols do not have these.
The extended beaver-tail grip safety is also a welcome feature
for me. The beaver-tail grip safety enables you to get the
hand as high on the grip as possible without worrying about
the dreaded “’Hammer Bite” that virtually all 1911 operators
have come to know at one time or another. The beaver-tail grip
safety is also handy to guide the hand up the grip when
drawing from the holster. The “Commander” style roiled hammer
nestles nicely in the beaver-tail grip safety and the two are
a very workable package.
The Slide Stop lever nicely checkered for positive operation
with either the thumb of the firing hand or the thumb of the
support hand (which I find myself using more and more).
The Rock Island (Armscor)
1911 FS Standard 9mm Boast
an Ambidextrous Thumb Safety
– A feature
prefer
that
I
now
The one feature of the RIA line of 1911-based pistol (with the
exception of their GI series) that I really have come to
appreciate is the ambidextrous thumb safety. Many people do
not like ambidextrous safeties, but would soon come to
appreciate them if they ever have to run the pistol lefthanded. The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard has a substantial
ambidextrous thumb safety. While I would like the edges to be
more rounded, I have no issues with what comes on the pistol.
Note, that I also use a holster that does not have a sweat
guard and an extended thumb safety will eventually find its
way imbedded into the sweat guard. I prefer to have the grip
area well clear of anything that could cause the safety to go
in the unsafe direction. The ambidextrous thumb safety has a
good feel and positively engages and disengages with just the
right amount of tension. I would rather have a thumb safety
that is a little too stiff than a little too loose.
At First Glance You Would Be
Hard Pressed to Identify
What is .45ACP and What Is
9mm
The Business End Shows
the Difference Between
Calibers
The first thing that is noticeable when handling the Rock
Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard, as compared to its .45ACP
counterpart, is how easily the slide functions. Original 1911
recoil springs were sixteen-pounds in spring rate, which was
considered normal for the ammunition at the time (230-grain
ball running at 850fps). The recommended spring rate for the
RIA FS is eighteen-pounds due to more modern ammunition. The
standard spring rate for the 9mm version of the full-size (FS)
RIA 1911 is twelve-pounds. This spring rate makes the Rock
Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard’s slide very easy to manipulate
and should appeal to shooters with weak hand strength. The
spring rate should also accommodate a wide range of standard
range and defensive ammunition (not +P). Although all Armscor
pistols are +P rated, the use of this ammunition should be
limited (I would also suggest to increase the spring rate to a
#14 unit) to prevent damage to the pistol. I’ll be ordering
some spare #12 and #14 recoil springs in the near future.
The obvious different between the 9mm version of the 1911 to
its larger bored counterpart, the .45ACP, is the bore
diameter. The barrel is also thicker to accommodate the slide,
which is about the same dimension as the .45Acp version. The
thicker barrel also adds weight, which also translates to less
recoil. The barrel utilizes the John Moses Browning swing link
that, again, reflects the history and tradition of the 1911based pistol. As with the .45ACP barrel, dual locking lugs in
the slide ensure a positive barrel lock-up every time. The
barrel has a small feed ramp that tilts down to accept a new
magazine-fed round. The cartridges are fully supported within
the chamber.
Since the barrel is essentially the same thickness as the
.45ACP counterpart, there is going to be obvious difference in
the feed ramp. The feed ramp and chamber opening is smaller
and it should be obvious that the chamber, feed ramp, and
magazine feeding must work in harmony with each other, as they
must with a larger caliber 1911-based pistol. It is even more
critical with the 9mm version of the 1911-based pistol.
A single 9-round, flush-mount magazine ships with the pistol,
and for me, it is the first thing to be replaced after the
initial test firing. The ACT-Mag that came with the pistol
gave no problems during the test phase for the pistol, but I
will be adding Wilson Combat magazines (although expensive) if
the pistol is to be used for other than for range practice.
Plain Jane Ramped Front
Sight – Drift Adjustable for
Windage
Plain NOVAK-Style Read Sight
– Windage Adjustable
If you are used to three-dot sights (night sights or
otherwise), the sights on the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard
may take some getting used to as they have no dots. The front
sight; however, is thick enough to view in the notch of the
rear sight. I have also noticed that the rear sight contains
“pockets” on each side of the viewing area that can be filled
with paint or other sight materials to create a two-dot rear
sight. Armscor publishes a sight guide on its website (in the
FAQA section) to help you when replacing the sights with
something better, and I have included the sight dimensions
here as well.
The one thing that I can say about the RIA line of 1911-based
pistols is that their triggers are consistent; a very short
take-up, a wall that takes about 4-pounds of pull to pass (on
this particular pistol), a crisp break, and almost nonexistent
over-travel. The long, skeletonized trigger incorporates an
over-travel adjustment screw. It is a rare case where you
would have to adjust this setting, however.
The application of the Parkerized finish is excellent although
you may detect difference between component parts of the
pistol. This, according to the manufacture is due to varying
times in the Parkerizing process, which will result in varying
shades of grey almost to black. I have noticed difference in
Parkerizing tones in even high priced 1911-based pistols and
it comes down to what you can accept and what you cannot.
Finally there is the fit of the slide to the frame. Unloaded,
there is a slight hint of movement between the slide and
frame, but that is not bad. Once the pistol is locked-nloaded; however, any trace of movement disappears.
DISASSEMBLY, INSPECTION, CLEANING, LUBRICATING AND ASSEMBLY:
There is no need to go into detail concerning
the disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and
Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard, as it
standard with all 1911-based pistols. Since
the mechanics of
assembly of the
is pretty much
the Rock Island
1911 FS 9mm Standard is a “Government” model of pistol,
disassembly and assembly is easily performed without tools,
especially since the recoil spring is light as compared to its
.45ACP brethren.
Since RIA likes to ship their pistols with an abundance of
oil, most of the time was spent trying to get rid of as much
of it as I could. The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard is
quite the “leaky” fellow. Especially important was to clean
the firing pin and firing pin channel. Brakleen is a wonderful
thing to have on hand for this sort of thing.
Lubrication of the pistol was as my usual; Lubriplate NO. 130A applied to all the rails, guide rod, bushings, and barrel. I
did not notice any abnormities during the inspection and the
pistol’s internals passed enough mustering as I could perform.
Some say that I am over-lubricating the pistol, but I believe
that wherever there is metal-to-metal contact it is to be
lubricated. I don’t run my vehicles or my guns without proper
lubrication.
When assembled, the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard felt as
slick as Owl… (well, you get the picture) and after working
the slide a few times I deemed it worthy of “giving it a go”
as they say.
RANGE TIME:
No matter how good a pistol looks, “If it cain’t shoot a lick,
it ain’t worth a lick!”
After a teardown, cleaning, and lubricating the Rock Island
1911 FS 9mm Standard, It was high time to hightail it to the
range and see if the Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard was, at
least, worth its weight in forged carbon steel.
I had 100 rounds of 124-grain FMJ from Georgia Arms (rated at
1150pfs) that would be used for the initial break-in and
function testing. This ammunition is less in energy than some
but higher than some others. I felt that it would be a good
round to at least “test the waters” of this 1911-based 9mm
pistol.
A standard silhouette target was hung at 10-yards, I had a 9mm
1911-based pistol, a full magazine (the magazine that came
with the pistol and the only one that I had), and there was
only one thing left to do. I wanted to run 50-rounds slow
fire, strong hand supported to get a feel of the pistol and
establish a POA. Then, change out the target and fire the
second 50-rounds strong hand only, strong hand supported, weak
hand supported, and weak hand only. I felt that this was the
best way to get a full feel for the pistol and allow the
pistol to get bedded in with its new owner.
After the shooting session, I walked away with an appreciation
of the 1911-based pistol in 9mm. Due to the weight of the
pistol, recoil was negligible. If fact, it felt more like
firing a .380 caliber round through a light-weight pistol.
Since the pistol is a 1911-based pistol, total familiarization
of external controls was in place for me. For me, the pistol
was an absolute pleasure to shoot.
HOW IT CARRIES:
9 Little Ladies All Ready To
Go. Ten-Round Magazines on
Order
Tucked n’ Tite in a
“Cumberland” IWB Holster
from
Simply
Holsters
Looking
Leather
Holster
Rugger
Comfy in a
Creek
OWB
Perfect
Fit
In
a
Modified SHTF Gear IWB
Holster
The beauty of the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Standard 9mm is that it can be housed in any holster that fits
the 1911-based pistol. The weight of the pistol, while not
comfortable, is comforting and by virtue of the weight
dictates that it be carried in a holster that is wellsupported by a good belt. The butt of the pistol, as with any
full-size pistol, is the most difficult to conceal. I normally
carry a 1911-based pistol in a modified SHTF Gear IWB holster
intended for a 5”-barreled (Government model) 1911. The
modifications include the removal of the sweat guard to ensure
no interference with the thumb safety and adjusting the cant
of the holster to place the butt more to the centerline of my
body. The holster is worn just behind the right hip and a
modified Remora double-pouch ammunition carrier holds two
spare magazine just forward of the right hip. In between the
holster and the magazine pouch is where I clip my Perry
suspenders.
If you are not used to carrying a pistol with any kind of
weight to it, carrying one that weighs close to three pounds
loaded may seem like a bad idea to you. Consider that the
1911-based pistol was carried long before lightweight pistols
came along, and somehow they were carried just fine in
holsters far inferior to what is available to us today.
I always wear a T-shirt and my outer shirt is normally
unbuttoned and not tucked into the trousers. (This is true
even during the hot, summer months.) In cooler weather, I am
normally found wearing a non-tactical looking vest of some
sort (usually a barn vest). While aiding in concealment, the
vest also offers some weight against the pistol that a simple
shirt cannot accomplish. The additional weight is necessary
for a sweep to the pistol by the shooting hand when it is
necessary to engage fire power. In cold weather, I may wear an
additional jacket or coat over all; however, the shirt, vest,
and outwear all remains unbuttoned as often as possible.
The holster keeps the butt of the gun tight against the bottom
of my ribcage so that if I happen to bend at the waist, the
outline of the gun butt is minimized due to the modified
forward cant of the holster. I am more concerned with
concealment than with the weight of the gun.
I have carried the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Standard 9mm and its brother the Rock Island Armory (Armscor)
1911 FS 45 Tactical from the time I have awoke and dressed
until the time I am getting ready for a shower and bed with no
ill effects. Once the weight of the pistol is accustomed to,
it’s nice to know that you have a full-sized fighting handgun
at your disposal. That is not to say that I don’t enjoy
carrying a lighter-weight, smaller pistol because I certainly
do. But, feeling the heft of the gun and sliding it into the
holster doesn’t weigh heavy on my mind, in my hand, or on my
hip.
The Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Standard 9mm carries
just fine if you are willing to carry it.
SUMMARIZING:
Rock
Island
Armory
(Armscor)
1911
Standard 9mm
FS
When I have the opportunity to shoot a 1911-based pistol in
.45ACP, I pretty much know what to expect by this point in
time regardless of the “series” of the pistol. With the 9mm
version of this pistol, I expected less recoil, but was not
sure of anything else. The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard is
a pleasant surprise. The pistol is low in recoil and high in
accuracy (if I do my part). I really don’t think that the
Springfield Range Officer Champion could have done any better.
The Rock Island 1911 FS 9mm Standard is off to a good start
with me.
As I look at this example of an RIA 9mm 1911-based pistol
before me, and with two exceptions, I really don’t have the
propensity to change anything about it. While I won’t say that
the pistol is perfect, the pistol’s weight (which some might
say is too heavy), the ease of shooting it, and the familiar
feel of its design and current “standard” features appeal to
me. The two exceptions are the addition of better magazines
and replace the recoil spring with a known spring rate.
Something interesting happened when I ordered this pistol.
When I first called my LGS to inquire about it, there were 4
at the warehouse. It took me about 15 minutes or so to review
funds and decide to purchase the pistol. In the 15 minutes
that it took me to get back with my LGS, two of the four had
already been ordered by other LGSs. My LGS placed the order to
the distributor as I was on the phone with him to ensure that
there would be one available for me.
Is it heavy? Is it big? Is it long? Is it an effective pistol
for self defense, target shooting, and/or competition? Why,
yes it is on all counts. So, what’s the problem?
I really don’t have any negatives regarding the pistol.
Granted I would like to see better sights, but that can be
easily fixed. The RIA is a low-end priced pistol, after all.
Some may say that the full length guide rod is a negative, but
I have no problem with them; the pistol breaks down just as
easily as with a 1911 with a standard guide rod arrangement.
The hard rubber grip panels are much better than the smooth
wooden grips these pistols used to be come with. I would like
to see the pistol come with two magazines, but I have no
problem keeping good magazine manufacturers in business. And,
I have no complaints with how the pistol shoots
Apparently, a 9mm 1911-based pistol is more popular than I was
aware of. If you like the 1911 platform, but you also prefer
the softer recoiling 9mm cartridge over the .45 ACP, several
examples of the 1911-based pistol can be found from Armscor
and other manufacturers.
Finally, I have to ask myself, as I do with any handgun, would
I be willing to carry the pistol for the purpose of AS or HD?
Yes, I would.
RESOURCES:
Rock Island (Armscor): http://armscor.com/
Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Standard 9mm:
http://armscor.com/firearms/rock-series/rock-standard-fs
-9mm/
Video review by Hickock45 (Note that the pistol used in
the video is the 2nd Generation and which was called the
“Tactical” model. This pistol is now called the
“Standard” model at the time of this review):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKkloQcBp2M
Rock Island Armory (Armscor)
1911
FS
Tactical
(2nd
Generation) – Owner’s Review
RIA 1911 FS Tactical
I have owned the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical
for quite some time now and I had never carried it as my EDC
until recently. The pistol had a few minor issues that I had
to straighten out before I considered it as a viable firearm
to carry. Until now, I had no reason to write a review on it,
but now I do, and here it is.
You may notice in the title that I referred to this pistol as
a “2nd Generation” RIA product. This reference is somewhat of
a misnomer. The 1st Generation of 1911-based pistols had a
roll-mark on the left side of the frame that contained the
Rock Island logo and ROCK ISLAND ARMORY. It was a simple
affair and roll-marking is not an uncommon practice. Perhaps,
someone ask someone what pistol they were shooting (or
carrying) and they did not know unless they looked at the
pistol’s slide. What I call the 2nd Generation of Rock Island
Armory pistols is because Rock Island Armory not only decided
to leave the roll-marking as large as it was but also added a
silver color to it. In short, the pistol became a billboard
and “ROCK ISLAND ARMORY” was readily identifiable. The newer
pistols do not include the large roll-marking and color fill
on the slide. Rock Island Armory now has placed their logo on
the rear of the slide just above the thumb safety lever. I
find it very unpretentious and somewhat pleasing to the eye.
Perhaps, somebody complained about the billboard and Rock
Island Armory listened. I consider the newer pistols with the
RIA logo on the rear of the slide just above the thumb safety
lever as 3rd Generation.
The Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical pistol that
I own is a 2nd Generation pistol, which means that if I tend
to forget what I am carrying I can simply look at the slide.
Essentially; however, there is little no other differences
between generations of each category of 1911-based pistols; FS
(Full Size or “Government” model), MS (Medium Size) or
“Commander” model, and CS (Compact Size or “Officer” model).
Those familiar with 1911 history will be familiar with these
terms – all others need to do some homework.
The Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical is a full
size, full weight, piece of hand-held fighting pistol and is
chambered in.45ACP as John Moses Browning intended a 1911 to
be. However, the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical
does have a few features that makes it “Tactical” that seems
to be the order of the day these days.
So, let’s get to the review.
Here are the specifications for the Rock Island Armory
(Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical:
RIA 1911 FS Tactical Specifications
Note that with the exception of the grip type, the
specifications are essentially the same as my pistol (the
specs are for the 3rd Generation)
So, let me present the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Tactical to you.
First of all, the pistol is chambered for the .45ACP
cartridge. This is readily apparent looking into the very
large hole at the end of the muzzle. While you are doing that,
you just might take notice that there is a barrel bushing. The
Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical also has a onepiece guide rod, which has its proponents and opponents of
this feature. Personally, I can live with it and I can live
without it.
“Plain Jane” Front
Post (Dovetailed)
Sight
The front sight is the usual blade type that is dovetailed
into the slide and blends in well with the pistol while
providing a no-snag surface to holsters and clothing. While
the front sight contains no dot, it is more than adequate for
defensive use and that is what this pistol is intended for.
The frame and slide is Parkerized, which is no different from
many carbon-steeled pistols on the market today. The pistol’s
slide, although the same as on previous models, does have the
“Rock Island Armory” billboard on the left side of the slide.
The slide incorporates a relieved and lowered ejection port,
which aids in ridding the pistol of expended shell casings.
Early in the history of the 1911-based pistol this was a
“custom” feature; today, it is commonplace as a “standard”
feature.
NOVAK-style Rear Sight is
Drift-Adjustable for Windage
The rear sight is a “Novak-Style” unit, is dovetailed into the
frame, secured by a “hex” head screw (loosen the screw and
drift the sight for windage), and is not adorned with two dots
or other type of sighting indicator. The width of the notch is
enough to provide spacing to adequately view the front sight
blade with just a hair of space on each side of the front
sight. From what I understand, there are now sights available
that will fit the Rock Island Armory 1911-based pistols, which
was not true in the early times of these pistols. However, I
have no problems with the sights and, if need be, I can paint
the front sight to make it more visible.
The left side of the pistol sports the usual 1911 fare; takedown/slide lock lever, magazine release button (not extended),
and an extended thumb safety lever. The take-down/slide lock
lever, magazine release button, and an extended thumb safety
lever all have been Parkerized and blend well with the rest of
the pistol.
The magazine well is slightly beveled, which aids in locating
the well and inserting a magazine. The Rock Island Armory
(Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical comes with an 8-round flush fit
magazine of unknown origin. The pistol; however, runs well
with virtually any 1911 single-stack magazine. The Wilson
Combat magazines work well as do those from Meg-Gar.
The front strap of the pistol has vertical serrations to aid
in gripping the pistol (some higher-priced 1911-based pistol
do not even have this). The trigger guard is nicely rounded
and large enough to accommodate a gloved finger. The
mainspring housing is a checkered polymer affair that now
seems standard on even the most expensive COTS (CommercialOff-The- Shelf) 1911-based pistols.
Adding to the features of the pistol is the nicely up-swept
beaver-tail grip safety with memory bump, which helps to keep
the shooting hand as high as possible without experiencing
slide or hammer tattoos to be imprinted into your hand. The
“combat” skeletonized and roiled hammer provides for easy
cocking and de-cocking when necessary (or desired). The hammer
also received the Parkerizing treatment and blends nicely with
the rest of the pistol.
The hammer has a “half-cock notch” that operates virtually the
same as every 1911-based pistol that I know of. When decocking the hammer, the thumb and forefinger of one hand holds
the hammer and controls the hammer fall while the trigger is
pulled. If the trigger is pulled and then released, the hammer
can be lowered to the “half-cock notch” that keeps the hammer
from contacting the firing pin. This is, and is not,
considered a safety. If the trigger is pulled and held back
while the hammer is being lowered, the hammer will come to
rest against the firing pin. The half-cock notch is closer to
the hammer’s full decocked (at rest) position. This way, even
if you pulled the trigger while the hammer was half-cocked,
the hammer’s fall couldn’t impact the firing pin with enough
force to set off the primer in the chambered shell (it
couldn’t “go off half-cocked”). In order to place the hammer
in the full rest position if the hammer is resting in the
“half-cock notch”, the hammer must be first moved rearward
before the “half-cock notch” is engaged and supported while
the trigger is pulled and held fully to the rear. If the
hammer should slip while pulling the trigger fully rearward,
the hammer would strike the firing pin and, if a round is
chambered, it would be fired. One should always exercise care
when decocking the pistol with a live round chambered
(Condition 2).
Grip panels are smooth wood of some origin unknown to me. They
actually feel good in the hand (at least they do in my hand).
However, they were later swapped out with a grip panel that
provides more of a hold on the handle, which is something that
you need when the hands are sweaty and/or cold. Stainless
steel, Hex-head grip panel screws (an upgrade on my part) hold
the grip panels securely in place.
Skeletonized
Trigger
with
Over-Travel Adjustment
The trigger is a long, skeletonized type and incorporates an
over-travel adjustment screw. The trigger face is serrated and
flat that, I understand, is an excellent design. Since I use
the first joint when shooting, the squared edge of the trigger
tells me when the trigger is in the “sweet spot” on my finger.
The trigger has also received Parkerizing. In fact, the only
thing shiny on this pistol is the chamber of the barrel when
the pistol is in battery. Trigger pull weight on this
particular pistol is four and three-quarter pounds out of the
box. It exhibits very little take-up before you hit the
familiar “wall”, after which a crisp release of the sear is
felt as the trigger is pulled rearward. Over-travel is
virtually non-existent and trigger rest is very short.
Ambidextrous,
Extended
Safety – Now a Much Desired
Feature For Me
The right side of the frame incorporates the feature that has
my interest – a thumb safety lever. Ayup! The Rock Island
Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical comes equipped with an
extended ambidextrous safety. I used to scoff at ambidextrous
thumb safeties on a 1911-based pistol, but that has changed,
and of course, I am going to tell you why.
After I had participated in the Bare Bones Gunfighting course,
which was taught by the more-than-capable CR Williams, I began
to develop some of my own drills. One, in particular, involves
transitioning the pistol from the right hand (my strong side)
to my weak hand (and vice-versa). The drill also includes a
reload (weak and strong hand). Now, releasing the magazine
release is not a problem when using the trigger finger of the
left (weak side) hand nor is releasing the slide lock with the
same finger. Operating the safety lever; however, requires a
different (and alien) set of pistol-handling skills.
RIA 1911 FS Tactical (Right
Side)
I talked to one of the folks at the LGS, who is left-handed,
and he told me that he shoots his 1911 left-handed with his
left thumb on top of the thumb safety – on the left side.
Obviously, this impacts the grip on the pistol. His right hand
(weak side support) provides most of the support. I tried this
and I cannot do it. Now, I have two methods that I use to run
the safety and slide lock lever on the 1911 using the right
hand when shooting the pistol left-handed. As the left trigger
finger presses the magazine release button, the right hand
loads the fresh magazine. Once the magazine is shoved into
place, the right hand is used to release the slide in a
“slingshot” method. Since the right hand is already in
position at the rear of the slide, the right hand either comes
over the rear of the pistol, or beneath the left (shooting)
hand, to operate the thumb safety (if the safety is off). In
most cases, I can push the safety lever on with the trigger
finger of the shooting (left) hand. It is pushing the safety
off safe that is the challenge. Having an ambidextrous thumb
safety lever eliminates the need for right hand (weak hand)
intervention when operating the 1911 left-handed. A simple
press of the lever with the left thumb on the right side of
the frame does the dirty deed of making the pistol “ready to
rock.” The safety can also be placed in the safe position by a
simple upward motion of the shooting hand thumb, while
maintaining a good grip on the pistol when the fight is over,
but yet remain ready to “flick the switch” if the fight is to
continue.
The thumb safety has a good feel when moving from safe to fire
positions with enough of a detent to makes it secure in either
position. The plunger spring housing, like most 1911-based
pistols, is staked to the frame and the internal spring is
healthy enough to hold the slide lock and thumb safety lever
but not stiff enough or interfere with proper operation. (With
my Springfield 1911 Loaded, for example, a small screwdriver
is necessary to press the slide lock plunger inward to install
the slide lock/take-down pin assembly.)
All external controls also receive the Parkerizing treatment
and they blend well with the slide and frame Parkerized
finish.
As a final note, I could not find any trace of tool marks on
the external surfaces of the slide or frame.
That takes care of the “pretty” stuff.
Disassembly:
While some complain about one-piece guide rods, disassembling
the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical can be done
without tools (unless you really want to use a bushing wrench,
but that is up to you).
Caution! The guide rod bushing is under extreme spring
pressure and is a potentially dangerous amount of energy
stored in the compressed guide rod spring. Always wear safety
glasses and keep the guide rod pointed away from you, any
bystanders, and especially curious cats and dogs. I normally
do this operation by feel and with a shop rag covering the
entire muzzle of the pistol.
After the pistol is made safe, cock the hammer and push the
thumb safety up to the safe position. This prevents the slide
from moving rearward as you apply pressure to the guide rod
bushing.
1. While holding the pistol vertical, press downward on the
guide rod bushing just enough to clear the barrel
bushing. Maintain pressure on the guide rod bushing
while twisting the barrel bushing clockwise.
2. Once the barrel bushing clears the guide rod bushing,
slowly release the guide rod bushing from the slide (the
left hand can help prevent the guide rod bushing from
flying skyward by holding the guide rod spring as the
guide rod bushing is removed.
3. When all spring tension is removed, remove the guide rod
bushing from the spring and set it aside.
4. Move the slide rearward until the take-down notch aligns
with the take-down pin/slide-lock lever.
5. Push the take-down pin/slide-lock lever assembly out of
the pistol and set it aside.
6. Remove the slide from the frame.
7. Remove the recoil spring from the recoil guide rod.
8. Remove the recoil guide rod from the rear of the slide.
9. From the front of the slide, twist the barrel bushing
counter-clockwise and remove the barrel bushing from the
slide.
10. Remove the barrel from the slide through the front
opening.
Disassembly is now complete.
I have talked about the pretty exterior stuff so let’s move to
the interior stuff that, while not pretty, is essential to the
pistol’s operation.
CLEANING, INSPECTION, AND LUBRICATING:
I normally clean parts like the barrel, guide rod, and guide
rod spring with Brake-Kleen to start, which removes all
lubricants from these assemblies. The barrel is further
cleaned with Hoppes, nylon bore brush, and bore jags with
appropriately-sized patches. Everything else (except the grip
panels) gets a wipe-down with appropriate cleaning chemicals,
soft brushes, and then wiped down with a light coat of
Ballistol.
The slide incorporates an internal extractor and the frame-
mounted ejector is substantial. The breech face showed signs
of firing (a test round) and that was cleaned with an
appropriate brush to remove any leftover debris from the test
firing. Everything looked great!
The Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical pistol is
built in traditional classic 70 series design and is delivered
with Rock Island’s top quality production and engineering
standards. This pistol has a 5.0” button rifled barrel
supported by a full length guide rod. The barrel, as was
mentioned earlier, is a standard barrel and incorporates the
John Moses Browning designed swinging link.
The slide rails are inspected to detect possible wear points.
The slide contact points are coated with a light coating of
Lubriplate NO. 130-A. The barrel locking lugs, internal to the
slide and external to the barrel are also Lubriplate NO. 130-A
treated. Lubriplate NO. 130-A is also used on the guide rod
and the outside of the barrel itself.
While the above seems like overkill, I know people that run a
new 1911-based pistol dry. When I asked why, the response that
I received is that running a slide dry will allow to metal-tometal contact to “bed” them in – whatever that means. To me
that philosophy is akin to buying a car and then running the
engine without oil so that the rings will “bed” with the
cylinders.
The inside of the slide is well machined and finished, which
is surprising as one would expect an inexpensive pistol to be
roughly machined and finished. The internal extractor blends
perfectly with the rear of the slide and there are no “look
see” or other indicators that the chamber is loaded. The frame
is as well machined and finished internally and I could not
find any machining marks. The manufacturer states; “All Rock
Island 1911’s, each is built using 4140 ordinance steel on the
industries best CNC machines while being hand fitted and
tested to strict tolerance guidelines for unmatched quality
and value.” From what I see, I believe it.
Everything checked out. Now comes the fun of assembling the
Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 Standard MS. This is one
time that I do use a barrel bushing wrench.
ASSEMBLY:
Assembling the pistol is pretty straightforward and I am not
going to go into detail here. Although the Rock Island Armory
(Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical pistol incorporates a full length
guide rod, the installation of the recoil spring bushing is
the same as with a standard 1911.
I lock the slide into place with the thumb safety to prevent
it from sliding rearward. While my left hand is supporting the
front of the pistol and also provided some support for the
recoil spring, I simply press the recoil spring inward toward
the pistol with my thumb while keeping the stuff that could
fly up and out away from the face. Once the recoil spring
bushing just clears the barrel bushing, I use my left hand to
move the barrel bushing over just enough to catch the edge of
the guide rod bushing. Once I am assured that nothing is going
to fly upward and take out the ceiling and the hardwood floor
above my office, I grab my trusty bushing wrench and finish
installing the guide rod bushing.
Now that assembly is over, I place the safety in the “run”
position and perform a function check.
The fit of the slide-to-frame is tight. This is not your Grand
Daddy’s 1911. While the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Tactical pistol may resemble an updated old warhorse, it is a
far superior firearm to those of yore and can provide “warm
fuzzies” as only a good 1911-based pistol can.
With all that out of the way, one obvious question should come
to mind; “How does it shoot?”
RANGE TIME:
When I first took the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Tactical pistol to the range, several issues arose. First, the
recoil spring was too weak; the pistol would not chamber a
round fully regardless of the method used. Fortunately, I keep
several recoil springs for various lengths of 1911s in the
“.45 Possible Bag.” I installed a #18 Wilson Combat recoil
spring for a full-size 1911. (Note that I have not had an
issue like this with any other RIA product. The originallyinstalled spring was just too light.) After installing the new
recoil spring that, incidentally, took a lot more exertions to
install than did the recoil spring that came with the pistol,
the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical pistol would
chamber a doorknob if it was sized to the chamber.
With the chambering issue fixed, the next step was to check
accuracy. Unfortunately, the POI was well lower than POA with
230-grain FMJ. The front sight has a front slope to it and I
calculated, by using the most advanced calculations known to
man, how much I needed to take off the top of the front sight
in order to bring the POI up. The range day pretty much ended
after this.
A week passed and I was able to file the front sight down to
the exact dimension that I needed according to the most
advanced calculations known to man, which means that I eyeballed it. Essentially, the front rearward slope of the front
sight was removed so that the top of the front sight was
parallel with the slide. After that was done, the face of the
front sight was painted with a white base-coat and then
fluorescent red to make the front side stand out a little
better than stock. Additionally, the top of the front sight,
which had to be filed down, had to be painted and a coat of
flat black took care of that. The next trip to the range told
the tale. Aiming just a “shy high” of the bull was resulting
in a series of holes appearing within the bulls-eye. In other
words, cover what you want to hit with the barrel, pull the
trigger, the skies part, thunder rolls, and .45 caliber holes
appear pretty near where you want them to – if I did my part.
At that point, the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Tactical pistol was deemed glorious and relegated to the safe,
as I was carrying another pistol at the time. Since the Rock
Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical pistol is now my EDC,
until the next pistol comes along, a few changes had to be
made to the pistol, but not really that many.
RIA 1911 FS Tactical (2nd
Generation) with Updated
Grip Panels and COntrasting
Stainless Steel Grip Screws
The front sight had already been painted, but the stock grip
panels of smooth wood had to go. A set of Uncle Mike’s rubber
checkered grip panels were installed after some minor
“fitting” to clear the safety levers on both sides. These grip
panels, coupled with the serrated front strap and nicely
checkered main spring housing, really made a difference in
gripping the pistol. To add somewhat of an accent to the
pistol, I opted for a set of stainless steel, short, hex-head
grip screws. While not enhancing the accuracy of the pistol,
they do accent the silver, roll-marked billboard on the slide.
Armscor
Rock
Island
1911
Sight Specifications
I may add better sights to the pistol and Armscor publishes
much needed sight dimensions on their website. If nothing
else, I would like to add a fiber-optic front sight, as is
included with many fine pistols of the day. However, I have no
problem with the existing sights and find them useful enough
for defensive use.
The Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical pistol has
performed as well as any 1911-based pistol that I own, have
owned, or have shot in the past.
SUMMARY:
RIA 1911 FS Tactical In a SHTF Gear (Modified) IWB
Holster
RIA 1911 FS Tactical In a Leather Creek OWB
Holster
RIA 1911 FS Tactical In a “Cumberland” IWB Holster by
Simply Rugged Holsters
I initially chose the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS
Tactical pistol because of my experience with the RIA 1911 FS
“Government” model and wanted another 1911-based pistol with a
few more bells and whistles without breaking the bank. I
welcome the beaver-tail grip safety, the NOVAK style sights,
and especially now, the ambidextrous thumb safety. The
extremely nice skeletonized trigger with over-travel
adjustment is a nice touch after using the short trigger of
the standard “Government” model that, by the way, has an
excellent trigger. The one-piece, full-length guide rod
garners much discussion, but the way I feel about it, if it
works – let it be. If nothing else, it add about one-ounce of
weight at the barrel end anything that can help with recoil
management I am all for.
In comparing the performance of the Rock Island Armory
(Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical with other 1911-based pistols, I
have found no flaws. Accuracy, operability, and reliability is
on par with any COTS 1911-based pistol in its class. The RIA
shoots as well as the Springfield Loaded, the Ruger SR1911,
and the Para Ordinance Expert – all at a less cost than the
others. While the lack of 3-dot sights may be an issue to
some, the sights can be changed later on to something better
if you so desire.
The Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 FS Tactical is not your
Grand Daddy’s 1911. While the overall heftiness belies its
origin as an all-steel fighting pistol that developed ion 1909
and was in use from 1911 until 1986 by the U.S. military (and
other organizations such as the Mafia and FBI, to name a
couple), modern materials and manufacturing processes are
churning out 1911-based pistols with a degree of quality and
features unheard of in reasonably-priced pistols.
While I will grant you that the Rock Island Armory (Armscor)
1911 FS Tactical is no lightweight at 2.87 pounds loaded, and
just that may turn some away from even considering it,
remember that the forerunner of this pistol had seen the halls
of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli and everything in
between. Many men, like my Father, brought the 1911 back home
with them after the wars were over. Really, how can you expect
more from a fighting pistol than being able to go home after
the battle? Stick an 8-round magazine in this thing and you
have a truly, lean, mean, fighting machine to work with. With
that said, I have to admit that carrying the Ruger SR1911CMD-A
is pleasant carry, but I don’t feel that I have as much
continuity with my “inner warrior” when carrying it. Sorry, I
was waxing philosophical.
I will also grant you that it takes a bit to conceal this bad
boy, being a full size fighting pistol and all. With proper
attire, a good gun belt, and a good IWB or OWB holster, I can
conceal this pistol as well as I can a Springfield XDs.
The bottom line is that if you are looking for a quality 1911,
in one or all of the three different flavors (small, medium,
and family-economy size), I have no qualms in steering you to
what is perhaps one of the most under-rated brand of 1911s
available, the Rock Island Armory (Armscor) pistols. In fact,
I have a new Rock Island Armory (Armscor) 1911 Standard MS
pistol in .45 ACP (51443) on order, as I really like the
“Commander” length barrel for concealed EDC. I’ll be writing a
review on this one in the near future.
RESOURCES:
Armscor/Rock Island Armory: http://armscor.com/
Armscor/Rock Island Armory 1911 Product recoil Spring guide:
Rock Island Standard Compact
(CS) 45
Rock Island Standard Compact
(CS) 45 (Current Model)
Whether you are looking for a range gun, a plinker, truck gun,
house gun, or something to carry in .45 acp, Armscor/Rock
Island may have a model that may interest you.
I purchased one of the Rock Island Standard CS 45 pistols
quite a while back when it was known as the Rock Island
Tactical Officer. I have had no regrets in doing so, with one
caveat that I’ll cover later in this article.
Disassembly and Assembly Is
Not Easy – Read Article As
To Why
The Rock Island Standard CS 45 is your basic “Officer” length
1911-based pistol with a 3.5”, 6-groove, and 1:16 RH twist
barrel. As found on many 1911 clones these days, the barrel is
tapered at the muzzle end. After about 600-rounds through the
pistol, the barrel locks up tight.
With a 1911-based pistol of this type, a full-length guide rod
is a necessary evil and evil it is. Although it helps with
reliability and possible accuracy, it does not help when
disassembling and assembling the pistol. I’ll touch on that
later.
Hogue Rubber Wrap-Around
Finger Groove Grips Soon
Replaced the Smooth Grip
Panels
My pistol originally came with smooth wood grip panels of
which were changed out to Hogue rubber wrap-around finger
groove grips, which I believe is almost a necessity with this
pistol, both from a recoil control aspect and controllability
of the pistol. The smooth wood grip panels would probably work
for most shooters but I like a larger grip. Because of the
finish on the standard grip panels in the early model, I would
not be surprised that the user would change them out for
something better. The newer model; however, comes with doublediamond and checkered grip panels.
Slide to frame fit is excellent and tight; I could not detect
any play between the two. The frame and slide are Parkerized,
and so far, this finish has held up well.
Front and rear sights are plain Jane, although the rear sight
is sloped rearward to prevent snagging. I painted the front
sight with white sight paint to help them stick out a bit.
This gun is not a target gun, but can be an effective UCAP
pistol for self-defense. As long as I can catch that front
sight at least I know that the pistol is pointing in the right
direction. I have not tried to swap out the sights for
something better; the existing sights are fine for defensive
work and I have heard that it was difficult to fit sights on
this pistol (and all Rock Island) pistols because of the sight
dovetail dimensions. I don’t know if that is true but I am not
willing to spend the money to find out; These sights will do,
thank you.
The Back End
One issue on my particular pistol was the thumb safety; the
plunger spring was weak and there was too much play (for me)
with the safety. An aftermarket plunger spring and extended
thumb safety was installed by my favorite gunsmith and now the
thumb safety is stiffer and very positive moving in and out of
safe. Note that the thumb safety that comes with the pistol is
extended. The safety is left-side only.
The beaver tail grip safety is nicely done with a memory bump;
it extends far enough to keep you hand from crawling up too
far on the grip. The mainspring housing is polymer and has
vertical serrations. The hammer is skeletonized and serrated
for easy cocking/decocking.
The slide lock is standard fare, but checkered for ease of
use. I can reach the slide lock lever easily without really
changing my grip – even with the Hogue rubber wrap-around
finger grove grip. Your experience may differ, however.
The magazine release is not extended but is easy to reach and
is also textured for easy purchase. The left-side only
magazine release button releases magazines with no drag and
magazines insert fully and lock in positively when inserted
fully into the beveled magazine well. Magazine capacity is 7rounds and a Nighthawk Custom Act-Mag magazine comes with the
pistol. The RICS uses any 1911 magazine so replacements are
easy to find.
For a pistol in this price range, the trigger is excellent and
is a short-throw trigger. My RICS has a skeletonized trigger
but lacks the over-travel adjustment of later models. Overtravel on my version of this pistol is virtually non-existent
so no adjustment is needed. The trigger breaks crispy-clean at
4.5 pounds with very little take-up. In fact, I have more
expensive 1911-based pistols that have more take-up and overtravel than this with this pistol.
The slide has fine vertical serrations on the rear of the
slide for gripping. No press check capabilities are provided
(front serrations), nor is a way to check for a chambered
round; this must be done by slightly pulling the slide
slightly rearward – just like in the old days. Of course, if I
see a closed chamber, I automatically think that the pistol is
loaded and chambered.
My
version
is
roll-marked
on
the
slide
but
lack
the
highlighting of later models.
The RICS, like “real” 1911-based pistols utilizes an internal
extractor and “70” series features. On the same side as the
extractor is the lowered and flared ejection port.
The RICS is very reminiscent of the original Colt “Officer”
model with the exception of the finish; don’t expect polished
blued steel on this one. With that said, and with this pistol
made of steel, the pistol is heavy and weighs a healthy 2.16
pounds unloaded and 2.43 pounds with a full magazine of seven
rounds and just a tad more with 7+1 rounds.
Remove and Install the Guide
Rod “Assembly” from the
A Heavy Paper Clip May BeInside of the Frame
Required
for
Complete
Disassembly and Assembly –
And Usually Is
The
Guide
Rod
“Assembly”
Held
Captive By the Paper
Clip
One of the major complaints is the disassembly technique with
pistols using one piece guide rods. Unfortunately, with a
pistol of this length of barrel, one piece guide rods are a
necessity. Disassembly of the pistol is not that bad, really.
After ensuring that the pistol is unloaded and the magazine
removed, cock the hammer. Then, pull the slide rearward to
engage the slide stop.
move the slide to the disassembly notch and remove the slide
stop pin. Then, while holding the slide and frame, carefully
slide the slide off the frame. There are two precautions in
doing this; the recoil spring is not captive and if you are
not careful, you can pinch the hand as the slide moves forward
under tension – that will hurt. I usually force the slide
rearward to the disassembly notch with the left hand. Then use
the right hand to hold it in that position as I remove the
slide stop with my weak hand. While still holding the slide, I
use the left hand to slowly remove the slide from the frame.
Once the slide is off the frame, you can remove the guide rod
and recoil spring; it might take some wiggling, as the there
is a guide rod bushing that holds the guide rod in alignment.
Once the guide rod and recoil spring is removed from the
pistol, the guide rod bushing is removed toward the rear of
the slide. The barrel can then be removed. In some cases;
however, the guide rod is too tight inside the bushing to
clear the frame that surrounds the swing link. In this case,
the guide rod must be pushed forward under spring tension
until the “captive” hole clears the front of the slide. A
heavy paper clip is then inserted slightly through the hole.
The paper clip holds the guide rod, recoil spring, and guide
rod busing as an assembly. Then, the paper clip is bent
forward, which allows the recoil guide “assembly” to be
removed and the barrel is removed in the usual fashion. That
was fun, huh?
Dissembling
the
“Captive”
Guide Rod
Modified Barrel Bushing
Wrench Makes Disassmbling
and Assembling the “Captive”
Guide Rod Assembly Easy
The “captured” guide rod assembly can be disassembled for
cleaning and lubrication and I have made a special tool to do
the disassembly and reassembly. Essentially, a hole was
drilled in the center of a standard bushing wrench. The hole
is slightly smaller than the base of the guide rod bushing. I
can simply push the guide rod bushing downward while
maintaining pressure on the assembly with the wrench. I can
then remove the paper clip and slowly allow the guide rod
bushing to come off the assembly while maintaining pressure on
it with the modified bushing wrench. Reassembly is just the
reverse; place the guide rod, recoil spring, and guide rod
bushing into place. With the modified bushing wrench in
position on the guide rod bushing, compress the recoil spring
until the hole in the guide rod is revealed. Place the paper
clip into the hole and gradually allow the guide rod bushing
to seat against the paper clip.
The best is yet to come – assembling the pistol.
Guide Rod Bushing
Butts Against the
Inside of the Slide
and is Held In Place
under Spring Tension.
In early Models, the
Guide Rod Will Ride
Up and Prevent the
Slide
From
Being
Installed
On
the
Frame
The barrel is slid into the slide as usual and then it gets
crazy. The “captive” guide rod is pushed in from the rear of
the slide. Note also that the guide rod bushing has a cutout
that matches the mating surface of the slide.
In some pistols, the guide rod “assembly” can be pushed
forward, and while holding the guide rod in place under spring
tension, the paper clip is removed and the guide rod released
slowly until it rests against the swing link base. The base of
the guide rod tries to ride up and over the swing link and the
frame cannot slide onto the slide fully, as the guide rod base
prevents it from doing so.
Slightly push the guide rod forward and hold it against the
barrel Slide the slide onto the frame, release the guide rod
once it is in the frame, locate and press the slide stop
through the swing link, and align the slide stop with the
slide stop notch in the frame. The slide will be under spring
tension until the Slide Stop is fully seated.
Pull the slide slightly to the rear to release the Slide Stop.
Then, while holding the slide, allow the slide to move forward
slowly until it is in battery.
Perform a function check.
The Working End of
the Rock Island
Standard Compact –
Note Marks on Recoil
Guide Bushing From
Using the Large and
heavy Paper Clip
Used
During
Disassembly
and
Assembly
Aside from the problems of putting the pistol into pieces and
putting it back together, it is a good range performer. The
RCIS is actually more accurate than a Colt Series 80 MKIV
“Officer” model that I once had. The RICS really likes 230gain ammunition and has fed ball and hollow point bullets
without interruption. With the weight of the pistol,
accompanied by a good set of grip to help with control and
recoil, the pistol is quite capable of “combat” accuracy at 15
yards although I would keep defensive ammunition somewhat
below 900 fps to reduce muzzle flip – and this pistol has some
healthy muzzle flip with anything above 850 fps (which, by the
way, was the original velocity for 230-grain ball ammunition).
With that said it did well with Remington 230-grain Golden
Saber and it would be a good defensive round to carry in this
gun.
Rock Island Standard Compact
Rides Nicely in a Modified
CBST Holster (The same
holster that I now use for
the Ruger SR1911CMD-A)
Although not pretty, the Rock Island Standard Compact 45 is
more than fit to fill the role of personal defender. It has
many of the features found on more expensive 1911-based
pistols, has an excellent short throw trigger, and is a
reasonably-priced package.
Aside from the initial light plunger spring and loose fitting
thumb safety, which was easily corrected, the pistol has been
a fine shooter with no failures to date. While slightly on the
heavy side for concealed carry, it would make a fine pistol to
have in one’s vehicle or when in environments where you do not
want to bang up that more expensive defensive tool.
UPDATE 01/17/2016 – Bottom Drawer Pistol – Top Drawer
Performance:
100 Rounds, 230-grain
FMJ,
10-yards,
offhand from Modified
Weaver. First shot
was high To Get My
Bearings – NinetyNine Subsequent Shots
Were Not
This morning was range time and I decided to take the Rock
Island Armory CS Standard with me. I have been working on this
pistol; trying to correct what a “gun smith” did in replacing
the thumb safety. While I have made the thumb safety better in
moving from one position to another, I still have to do some
very minor buffing to the “detent transition area” for lack of
a better definition. A combination of factors contributed to
the issue; a heavy Plunger Spring and an over-sized thumb
safety pin, which made it extremely difficult to engage the
thumb safety. But, I digress from the purpose of this posting.
Granted, the Rock Island Armory family of 1911-based pistols
are not top drawer. In fact, some would consider bottom
drawer. Since I am a bottom drawer type of fellow, I own a
couple of them. The first RIA pistol was a FS Standard –
essentially the G.I Model. The RIA CS Standard was my second
RIA purchase and it came with a somewhat loose thumb safety;
it was quite the floppy fellow. I turned it into a gun smith
for a replacement thumb safety and went from too loose to too
tight. I doing the work myself to find a happy medium.
Yesterday, I got the thumb safety to work better but it was
still stiff – stiff enough to make my thumb sore trying to get
it into the safe position. I thought that I would run the RIA
CS this morning to (hopefully) loosen up the safety just a
tad. While that did not happen, the performance of this pistol
had several people considering the Rock Island Armory line of
pistols.
I ran 100 rounds of 230-grain FMJ ammunition through three
different magazines; a flush fit 7-round TRIPRESEARCH,com, a
7-round ACT-MAG that came with the pistol, and a Wilson Combat
7-round magazine with bumper pad. All three magazines worked
just swimmingly. However, that is still not the point in all
of this.
The accompanying image show the result of 100 rounds of 230grain FMJ going downrange at 10-yards distance. My first shot
was the one in the 9-ring. Once I figured out that the pistol
is a POA pistol, the remaining 22,770 grains of JHP went in
the 10-ring. Shooting was offhand and slow-fired from a
modified Weaver with box stock sights (plain Jain “tactical”
with no dots) and trigger that I can only say is fantastic
considering the price of the pistol. There was also no
failures out of this “Officer” model bottom-drawer 3.5-inch
barreled pistol.
In my opinion, the Rock Island Armory 1911-based pistol
family, like the Bersa family of pistols, is very underrated.
See the complete line of Armscor/Rock Island pistols @
https://us.armscor.com/products/