Had an RIA a while back and hated it... Was going to spend more than it was worth to get it in acceptable running condition... Traded it in for the top Springfield... Love it... Bought another Springfield, this time the Long Beach operator... Loved it more... So I bought another LB operator... Great guns...

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From my somewhat limited experience, owning 2 SAIs(1 Mil Spec and 1 GI), and one RIA GI, I found the Rock had a much better fitted barrel than the SAIs. But, the SAIs seemed to have better barrels. Of all the Rock barrels I have, which is 5(1x.45, 2x9mm, and 2x38Super), only one had no visible machining marks in the barrel.

 

If you're talking the GI RIA, the Springfield Mil-Spec will have better sights. They are taller and have three dots. The RIA will have little, bitty sights with no dots.

The Springfield also has a lowered and flared ejection port, that I don't believe the RIA has. This is an advantage for the reloader as your brass is less likely to get crushed during the ejection process.

 

This is good advice. I had a RI GI, and it was reliable and reasonably accurate but suffered from these two problems. I just had too much trouble with the sights. I much prefer the better sights and lowered and flared ejection port of the SA Mil-Spec. Plus, they have great customer service if you ever need it.

 

I believe SA claims they have a "match grade" barrel. I will say mine is very accurate. The finish, although a basic Parkerized one, is very well done.

Never owned a RIA, so can't help you there.

 

My deal isn't sighting either.
If that's the only major differences, Then the results are a fantastic
comparison.

 

Ooh, I almost forgot, the RIA has a flat mainspring housing vs. the arched mainspring housing on the Springfield.

Another point, that it seems only I notice, is the grip safety on the RIA seems oddly pointed and a little short. The Springfield has a more traditional (1911A1 at least) longer and more rounded look to me.

 

the grip safety is not right, you hit the nail on the head, I replaced both on my two so they wouldn't dig into my hand

 

I would say depends on which Springfield we are talking about, the Imbel GI, Imbel Milspec, or the current American made Springfield Milspec.

The simple fact is, I would take any over a gun made in the Philippines. I have Imbel made loaded models, GI, and some American made Springfields.

If you discount the GI because they don't make or catalog those anymore, as well as any other Imbel made gun, because those are no longer in production. With as cheap as the US made Milspecs are, I don't know why anyone would buy a lesser GI style gun.

Forged frame
Forged slide.
Throated barrel
Polished feed ramp.
Lowered and flared ejection port.
Very shootable sights.
US made
Lifetime warranty.
A gun a smith would be happy to work on.

Good luck trying to get a gunsmith like Clark to work on a RIA.

 

SA is a better made M1911A1

Springfield Armory is the best choice , I prefer the earlier IMBEL mfg in BRAZIL

SA is closest to GI specs / quality IMO

I like the older models like this one

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8f/04/1d/8f041d7673905df8dd2f00ae7281d503.jpg

 

Do you have a pic of the opposite side?

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Love these SA's

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I have 3 Rocks, and 2 SA's. The Rocks are pretty good guns, especially for the price. I really like my CS tactical in 3.5", a tad heavy, but it's all steel. Has been 100% reliable, and shoots just as well as my SA's. However, that said, I think the SA's are better guns overall, and worth the couple hundred difference in price. My RO Champion compact is a tack driver, and totally reliable, as is my Stainless Loaded. If I had to choose just one, it would be the SA.

 

I also enjoy a basic GI configuration. I've had my share of SA GI and MILSPEC and RIA. Pretty much every SA I had needed either the thumb safety or the grip safety modified. The thumb safeties would be way too tight. After a session of presentation drills that included sweeping the safety off (unloaded firearms safety Nancies, it should be understood) my thumb would be hurting a lot. Since I shoot thumb over safety the SA grip safeties needed modded because they would not fully disengage for me in a high firing grip.

The last SA Loaded I didn't have any issues with the safeties in terms of operation, but the ambi safety on it had a razor's edge to each side. I was worried about slicing my thumb just firing. I traded it off without looking back.

When shopping for a GI type 1911 I WANT the GI type sights. The taller, three dots on the SA and others really annoyed me. If I want better sights then it's onto the Novak type or similar.

My Rocks have all worked great. My current RIA GI is a bit newer. Works great, but the thumb safety is a little sharp on the edge. Not razor like the SA, but noticeable. I'm actually quite fond of RIA and have good service out of them.

All my RIA have lowered and flared ejection ports. Old rollmark and new, btw. I recognize the SA has a forged frame, but I've found the RIA to be great guns.

For reference my current 1911s are a Colt Combat Elite XSE and Colt M1991A1 (OEM). I've had several Colt over the decades and a Dan Wesson PM7. The DW was a superbly machined piece, btw. I'll stick with my RIA and the Colt CE for my 1911 fix. They cover both the basic and the fancy enough, but not to fancy for me.

 

Of my SA GI and the two Rocks that I have, the Rocks are by far higher quality, better fitted and finished out of the box. No contest as far as I'm concerned, I'd buy a Rock over SA. If there's an edge for SA it would have to be the warranty as SA has a stellar rep for service after the sale.

 

Well, I don't have a GI model RIA but I do have a full-sized "Rock" model 1911, and I also have an Imbel Springfield Armory "GI 45" model 1911A1.

The SA GI model is a sevice GI Government model 1911A1 replica with the non-beavertail grip safety, spurred hammer, small thumb safety, tiny sights, and short trigger. It also has a small ejection port.

I have handled the GI model RIA 1911s. They do have a lowered and flared ejection port. Otherwise they have features similar to that of the SA GI 45 except for the flat, as opposed to arched, mainspring housing.

I have had a lot of issues with my SA GI 45, primarily stovepipe jams and erratic ejection. This pistol had been to three different gunsmiths to rectify these issues, had undergone changes and modifications of the ejector and extractor, and numerous recoil spring swaps. The pistol was finally made usable by the third smith who further tuned the ejector and lowered and flared the ejection port.

The SA GI 45 is no longer made. The SA Mil-spec would be the closest. That pistol does have more usable sights and a lowered and flared port, which I regard as essential. It also has a stainless steel barrel and barrel bushing, which are departures from the GI service pistols. The slide cocking serrations are angled forward, unlike those of the service pistols which are vertical.

If you really want a GI replica pistol, I think the RIA is a good choice. I have had a few feeding issues with my full-sized Rock model, but they seem to be smoothing out nicely after a few hundred rounds. The lowered and flared ejection port is not true to the original model 1911A1 design, nor is the flat mainspring housing. The slide cocking serrations, trigger, sights, grip safety, hammer, and thumb safety are all more or less true to form.

If the price difference is not a concern and you do not need to have a "replica" pistol, I would choose the Springfield Mil-spec over the RIA GI model, however.

 

RIA - Looks alright, feels alright, accuracy alright, durability outstanding, reliabily fails. Out of thousands of rounds of different ammo, magazines, FPS designs and spring weights and 2 trips to Armscor... I still don't have what I consider "reliable". I've got it tuned to be decent... 1 fail out of 100 rounds. This is far better than the 1 out of 10 I was having. No bashing here, I understand the vast majority of RIA owners have better experience. I am highly impressed that every single little part has been a trooper and survived all of my many range sessions without a breakage. They are a solid gun!

Springfield - Looks great, feels great, accuracy great, reliability great, durability okay. I am a little bummed that my ejector came loose at about round 2,000. I understand that Springfield will pin it for free. Even though it came loose, reliability was never an issue. I cleaned it and re-glued it. I'll have Springfield pin it eventually.
In a nutshell, I like both. I think both are great options. In the long run, my Springfield is my favorite. Both guns are completely different and fill different rolls. And each is respected for what it provides.

Hope this helps