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What Was Your Best Out-Of-The-Box 1911 Experience?

32K views 182 replies 158 participants last post by  Jack19 
#1 ·
I finally bought a new 1911 after a long hiatus. I read reviews, forums and everything else I could find to try to figure out which production gun would give me the best experience. I must have made up and changed my mind a thousand times, then when I thought I knew what I wanted, I changed my mind again at the gun store. This is what I ended up with:



It is a Rock Island Armory 51448 TAC 1911 FS (Matte Nickel Plated).

I had the salesman show me every full-sized 1911 he had, a list that included RIA, ATI, MetroArms, Ruger, SA, Colt, Kimber, S&W, Remington, and Taurus. They all looked well made and felt tight. Some were better finished than others, and some had obviously ill-fitted parts. But, for the money, fit & finish, and just plain old good looks, this RAI seemed like the best deal in the store. I got it for $615.

It included Novak-style sights, extended beavertail, skeletonized trigger and hammer, lowered/flared ejection port, stainless barrel, speed bump grip safety, 4 lb. trigger (super crisp break), and full-length guide rod. The roll stamped logo on the slide is gone and has been replaced with a much more subdued laser etched logo as you can see in the photo. The other side of the slide has no marking. I was also attracted by the standard rear slide rail cocking serrations, some of the more aggressive front and rear serrations didn't appeal to me. The MSH checkering is a little aggressive, but the front strap grooves feel just right. Oh yeah, the feed ramp is smoothly polished and the barrel is throated and polished. It also has an extended ambidextrous safety.

I got it home, stripped it down, cleaned the oil off it, wiped it down with CLP and took it out back to shoot it. I shot 300 rounds, including 230 grain ball ammo and some weird Browning flat-nosed stuff the salesman talked me into. Using the supplied ACT-MAG, it fired all 300 rounds without a single hitch. All rounds cycled, fired, ejected and the slide locked back after the last round just like it was supposed to do. I shot it limp wristed and rapid fire trying to induce a malfunction, but the gun just kept on running.

A lifetime warranty also helped my decision. Just before I left the house I read where RIA CS was outstanding. Contact the company with a problem, they send you a shipping label, you send them the gun and get it back a couple of weeks later all fixed up and ready to run. That takes confidence in your product to offer such a warranty.

I must say, this was one enjoyable out-of-the-box experience. Now, let's see how it does after a few thousand rounds.

So, what was your best out-of-the-box 1911 experience?
 
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