Rock Island 1911's

Pierre

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Has anyone out there tried to replace the guts of a Rock Island 1911 with mil spec parts? Found most will work but the grip safety area doesn't seem to want to cooperate. Bought a Rock Island 1911 but didn't like the trigger pull so changed most of the guts to old WWll parts I got while stationed overseas.
Seems nothing but the original safety will function???
Also cannot put the extended beaver tail without modifying the receiver itself...
The gun now shoots better than my expensive 1911's with the modifications I did but was wondering???
 

RSCamaro

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Wondering what? It reads like you already replaced most of the parts with MIL Spec parts. I don't think fitting a beaver tail safety is going to be too awful a job for you. Somebody on You Tube has done the same job and had done it well.

...Ron
 

Pierre

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Wondering what? It reads like you already replaced most of the parts with MIL Spec parts. I don't think fitting a beaver tail safety is going to be too awful a job for you. Somebody on You Tube has done the same job and had done it well.

...Ron
Thanks, had polished all the mil spec parts previously. Worked on several 1911's belonging to friends so figured I needed an inexpensive shooter. The safety & the trigger will not cooperate. May just be the yahoo doing the work. But as they say if it ain't broke don't fix it. It a great shooter at the present. Will look on you tube...
 

Pierre

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Nice when something works well good on your up grades.
Heck I'm dyslexic, ambidextrous & can't hear out of my left ear...I meant to say hammer vs trigger.
That Rock Island is a well made gun but cannot figure out why some of the guts will not fit. Oh well...it's a shooter. Never had that problem before modifying 1911's.
 

seagiant

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Hi,
I've had a couple years ago and I think your question is how close does these pistol adhere to the GI blueprints???

I don't know but feel they are best left alone or just tuned with the original parts.

You can put top grade parts in them and still have a cheap gun when you go to sale it.

Better to buy a SA or one of the better name brand American made pistols if you want to get a base gun to improve.

Just my opinion and we know how those are!
 
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Pierre

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Hi,
I've had a couple years ago and I think your question is how close does these pistol adhere to the GI blueprints???

I don't know but feel they are best left alone or just tuned with the original parts.

You can put top grade parts in them and still have a cheap gun when you go to sale it.

Better to buy a SA or one of the better name brand American made pistols if you want to get a base gun to improve.

Just my opinion and we know how those are!
I think you opinion is right on...after many hours & a good amount of money came to the same conclusion...paid $350 for the gun then the time & effort...Godspeed
Hey at least it's a good truck gun...
 

STI

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I remember so many firearms brought into our store for trade in that owners had done work on and all that $$ lost for ever as said the cheap gun just got cheaper, start right with a good one is the way to go and in the long run you will be much happier, I admit I learned the hard way myself also!
 

RSCamaro

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I remember so many firearms brought into our store for trade in that owners had done work on and all that $$ lost for ever as said the cheap gun just got cheaper, start right with a good one is the way to go and in the long run you will be much happier, I admit I learned the hard way myself also!

What about me, Boo Hoo, read as sarcasm? I am the guy that buys those guns, I sometimes know what to look for. I've done both, Bought nice firearms at or near Market value, and I've found excellent deals on used overworked guns that in all honesty should have not been sold at all, they work so well.

...Ron
 

STI

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No negative intended as said I am also guilty of this we got in many mostly 1911's and shotguns some could be returned to original most could not.

Myself I could have bought a much better 1911 if all I spent was factored in to start with. I lost most all I spent in trade in also, guilty here for sure. These days I would look for 1 of 3, used STI Trogan #1 Remington R1 or Ruger single stacks 2 & 3 same to me. Speaking of a shooter/carry, if STI have to be unaltered any at all.
 

RSCamaro

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I wasn't looking at your post as a negative type.


I currently own 4 STI pistols only one of which I would carry.

Edge .40 w/ slide cuts, too much of a race gun to be worn as a CC. It hndles like it is a part of me.

Target Master 9mm, too long but is smoother than Clarks secret sled lube from the Christmas Vacation movie. Very accurate.

Target Master in .45, not as smooth as the above gun but I only have around a 1,000 rounds down the tube at this point. Very accurate.

Spartan 9, in 9mm. For a $650 gun is is spectacular. I would put this bottom end gun up against any manufacturers bottom line gun. I would carry this one, but for the fact that I carry a 3" 1911 .45.

I would be in the market for a Elektra in 9mm or .45 but have an AccurcyX build I'm trying to get rolling.

...Ron
 
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Pierre

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Thanks good to know. Never heard of STI but just looked it up. They are discontinuing there 1911 productions according to google search.
 

seagiant

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Hi,
Be advised, nothing wrong with a Rock Island and people buy the cheap GI Model, do a little tuning and use them to protect their life with!

Just sayin, a lot of good US Made 1911's these days, Remington, Ruger, Auto Ordanance (KAHR!) ect.,ect.

My last one (Rock Island) I tuned and sold to a buddy and he loves it and it sits on his night stand, trigger job, some polishing where springs ride, better grips and they are good to go!
 

Pierre

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What is a tuned Rock worth??? Just a ball park figure since I am clueless...like I said paid $350 but put a lot time into it.
 

RSCamaro

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Well, I have an ATI Titan LW that is my carry pistol. I bought it ued from a gun store. The original owners cost was somewhere in the $300-$350 range.

1 Trigger job
1 memory bump added to the beaver tail
1 Kimber recoil spring assembly
1 tighten the frame to slide
1 smooth the action
1 set of (incorrect for me) night sites
1 ACT Magazine

I paid $500 and have been told that I really made out well. I believe it since I really haven't had any malfunctions with it in practice other than trying to make it fail with limp wristing or 1 handed weak/strong type of stuff.. I only rotate ammo through it now since it has an aluminum frame nd I'd like it to last a bit. At least until I can fund a used STI Elektra.

...Ron
 

Pierre

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That's interesting. According to the web STI gun are very good & very expensive...but what do I know...I'm the guy that thought a $350 Rock was a great deal...again it's a good shooter now.
 

STI

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My STI is a single stack they are around used every now and then also look up SV and SVI guns very expensive, I have 3-4 friends shooting ones like mine never any issues with any of them, I broke a slide stop at 10 years service and they mailed me a new one NC in 3 days, lifetime warranty.
All loaded up and heading to range this am now, just glad I can do it and have no ammo worries as we prepared in Feb, and reload and cast both.
 

pistolgrips

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I wasn't looking at your post as a negative type.


I currently own 4 STI pistols only one of which I would carry.

Edge .40 w/ slide cuts, too much of a race gun to be worn as a CC. It hndles like it is a part of me.

Target Master 9mm, too long but is smoother than Clarks secret sled lube from the Christmas Vacation movie. Very accurate.

Target Master in .45, not as smooth as the above gun but I only have around a 1,000 rounds down the tube at this point. Very accurate.

Spartan 9, in 9mm. For a $650 gun is is spectacular. I would put this bottom end gun up against any manufacturers bottom line gun. I would carry this one, but for the fact that I carry a 3" 1911 .45.

I would be in the market for a Elektra in 9mm or .45 but have an AccurcyX build I'm trying to get rolling.

...Ron
That STI Spartan is based on the same exact frame and slide as the RIA. Both made by Armscor.
 
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