The local store has a couple of these in the case. Looked them over and they seem well made and finished. I’m not a 1911 guy, but these seem to be budget/entry level 1911’s. How’s their overall quality?
IME; “inconsistent”.
Have seen ones that wouldn’t run out of the box, and some that chugged along. QC seems poor.
I do believe their CS is responsive.
Pretty sure the Filipino kid that drilled / rifled the barrel in mine used a rock he had attached to the end of a stick somehow. Only thing I can think of that might explain how bad the thing collects copper fouling compared to every other pistol I have ever had.
Joking about the rock and stick but not the fouling. It collects and holds shit that good barrels do not with far fewer rounds being fired. It shoots ok but good lord it has got to be rough as a cob inside for copper to build up so fast and stick that bad.
Only other downside (that I read about) is that the slides are not hardened to the same extent that many other mfg’s harden their slides. The guys at 460Rowland have a list of guns that are ‘suitable’ for conversion (known to have slides hard enough to take the increased pressure and actually last). Nothing RIA will be found on that list. Not a big deal if shooting the ammo it was built for (45 ACP is fairly low pressure ammo) but perhaps not a good candidate for trying to build into something that will be eating a steady diet of hotter ammo.
For the price I am ok with the RIA being limited to regular 45 ACP ammo.
IIRC when I bought mine there was a rebate or something going on and I gave about $450 after all was said and done. ($550 out the door then a $100 rebate later)
I like the grips, the magwell, the trigger is plastic but has a very good ‘feel’ to it and is light. If you can forget about it being plastic - That trigger is nice.
Like the FLGR but smooth it is not. Machined with same rock that rifling was cut with perhaps?
No regrets with my purchase considering the price. It runs fine with the ammo it was intended to run with. Would never expect to see the same level of craftsmanship on a sub 500 gun as one would expect on something that cost 2 to 3 times as much…
I keep one as a “truck gun.” Mine’s (FS Ultra) run fine, with acceptable accuracy on hardball, Golden Saber JHPs, El Dorado Starefires, and Fedral Hydra-Shok. Likes CMC, Mec-Gar and Wilson mags. Perfect beater, and if it gets lost/stolen, I won’t be HAPPY… but it beats losing one of my S-A’s or Kimbers!
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Pretty much sums up how I feel about mine as well.
My opinion: buy it and leave it as is for a shooter. Don’t buy if you plan to customize it to your taste.
Had one of their 2011(?) more modern Ultra types (full rail under the barrel) in 9mm and it was great. Bought a ‘no frills’ GI model, also in 9mm, as for 300 bucks I could just not pass it up … and I like it better than the other one! Chugs away, never had a FtF or hiccup.
Hi,
^^^THIS!
My GI version has run flawlessly since I purchased it (Cheap). No complaints at all.
Hi,
I’ve had a couple and after a trigger job, using the original parts is a good shooter.
As was stated, would NOT use it as a “base gun” to throw more money at.
I just saw a new Auto Ordnance, that looked nice ($600) they were acquired by KAHR and their quality has gone WAY up!
Shit!
I guess I’m the guy who threw too much money into a RIA GI!
I had no Idea about the slide hardness, not being ideal for a build. (Slaps head)
Well, I found this thread way too late!
I bought my GI really cheap, due to a trashed barrel.
Long story short, fiber optic sights, ED Brown barrel, Caspian trigger, Wilson Combat BP safety, WC bp slide stop, WC bp hammer, WC bp grip safety, WC bp sear spring, WC compensator, WC 2 piece full sized guide rod, all personally hand fit, and I polished, and modified the sear angle.
It is a real pleasure to shoot, very accurate, and handles real good…but now this whole slide hardness issue has me kind of worried.
I own an Auto Ordnance M1 Carbine and it took a great deal of money and effort to get it to work reliably. If the quality of the 1911 is comparable, I would not buy one.
Not hard enough to make the list as a suitable 460 Rowland platform. Think 35k+ PSI instead of 20k
Should still be plenty hard enough to last a very, very long time shooting 45ACP.
Looking at your list - Damn… You threw a lot of money into that RIA! 
How was the factory barrel trashed? Shot out or damaged some other way?
I think it was a squib round, and then a follow up.
There is a nice, very noticeable ring in the rifling, about mid barrel.
And, yes I did throw a whole bunch into it…but man, she is sweet! And shoots better then any other pistol I’ve ever owned.
That is damn nice…
Absolutely love comped 1911’s. You got me wanting that barrel for mine now. Thanks a bunch. 
Thanks man! This is the first 1911 I’ve ever customized.
I was actually really intimidated, hand fitting all of these parts, but I think it turned out fantastic.
I’m itching to build one from the ground up.
Think the barrel upgrade was wise money spent on your part. Stinks that the old barrel was toast before you could shoot it.
I still own an older Rock Island Armory 1911 chambered in 9mm. It’s the old billboard model. I installed a made to order barrel bushing from Evolution Gun Works (EGW) and it shoots much more accurately than my Springfield Armory Range Officer model with target sights.
If you plan on shooting hollow point ammunition, 9mm or 45 ACP, buy the RIA 1911 with ramped barrel.
Yeah, it sucks. But in hindsight, now I have a match grade barrel, that most likely locks up tighter, then the original ever did. All I know is she is a very accurate machine, that seems to also be very reliable. I am very satisfied.