For those of you at all interested in purchasing a quality 1911, you should surf over to TOS where there seems to be some discussion about another run of ADCO-spec Rock River Arms 1911s. I am biased given the one I have that I love, but I think they are the best bang for the buck in the 1911 market and will stand toe to toe with ANY 1911 out there from any big name gunsmith. I want to see this happen as I want another just like mine. If you like a great 1911 at a great price, you’ll want to see this happen as well.
I’ve told them I want two just like mine: 30 LPI with Heinies and an S&A grip safety. From what I understand, different batches had Novaks, Ed Brown grip safeties, and 20 or 25 LPI on the frontstrap.
I dunno about all that. I just want one like mine. Maybe with a blended S&A magwell.
If Adco spec guns were to be offered again, it would be the same concept: a no frills fighting gun, designed for hard use. Good sights, trigger, and a surface treatment that supplies ample grip whether you’re going through presentations on the range, or forced to defend yourself while on the side of the road with bearing grease on your hands. If you want a custom spec’d 1911, let me know, I would gladly refer you to one of the many gunsmiths I have personally grown to know and appreciate.
Frankly at that price point I’m not all that picky about individual parts, and really don’t care what brand trigger/sights/grip safety/thumb safety you use.
I personally happen to think that leaving the front-strap plain allows everyone to eventually wind up with exactly the treatment they want by doing what they want to it after the fact. Hell, it might even make it cheaper on the front-end.
That’s also why I happen to like the fact that it’s parkerized. It is more than functional left alone, but is the ideal base layer for anyone that wants to apply another finish after the fact. Same concept.
I don’t think the folks that are interested in this are after a custon gun; they’re after a solid 1911 that you really don’t need to send to anyone. I think what you’re seeing is people trying to influence what that spec will be but more or less everyone wants about the same basic setup.
Just for input and not knowing what the original ADCO spec was other than a looser tolerance for slide to frame fit:
Single trit pinned front sight
10-8/Yost type rear sight (no trit)
25 LPI checkering
Properly beveled magwell but no extended magwell
Medium/short trigger (solid)
single sided extended safety
S&A grip safety
Thorough dehorn/carry bevel
Beadblast and manganese phos finish and if additionally finished in a bake-on finish then make the whole thing (barrel, trigger, etc) charcoal to black.
Lanyard loop built into MSH (optional)
Barrel crowned and flush to bushing (optional)
If it’s railed only a Dawson rail
One way to go this time around would be to announce the specs and take deposits. When you have enough deposits you place the order. It might help keep you from getting “stuck” with extra stock.
Will RRA make changes to the Basic Carry now? When it first came out they were selling it “as is”. I had also heard, but never tested the theory, that they strenuously resist requests to have the bushing fit loosened up. Hell, I thought this was even a battle for ADCO.
If RRA is willing to omit a couple of steps when they make one, then Dubb is right, we don’t need ADCO.
Now, who has the cash in hand and is going to call RRA to check on all of this?
The point is that the ADCO guns were spec’d as Steve and I thought a basic fighting 1911 should be. We didn’t ask any outsiders’ opinions, cause we didn’t want them. Still don’t. My thoughts on a fighting gun have evolved very little since then. I have personal preferences that I would keep out of the equation, but offer as upgrades, but that is it.
Though Steve stated that the issue of being “stuck” with guns was a big deal, I think it is safe to say that the biggest issue was people complaining that the guns “had this” or “didn’t have that”. Get real. If you want a custom to your specs, get out your cash, pick up the phone, and start waiting. What we did was huge. You have no idea. Not just Steve shelling out the dough without the current trend of “pre orders”, but getting a 1911 gunsmith to build a gun that he didn’t want to. Hell, I damn near had to break Chuck’s arm to get him to build the very first RRA bobtail.
So buy a Basic Carry, change what you want after the fact, and be happy. I don’t think you’ll ever see a return of the ADCO guns, because it was too much work, and was totally taken for granted.
