Armscor/Rock Island Armory
1911 GI Standard CS

by Jaime De La Parra

My introduction to the 1911 pistol was in the later part of the 1980’s when I was a teenager growing up in Texas. My grandfather was a law enforcement officer during the late 70’s and early 80’s, and he carried a Colt 1911 in .45 ACP as his duty pistol. Although I had shot my fair share of smaller caliber pistols as a kid, it was with his 1911 that he taught me how to shoot properly. I fell in love with that platform and that caliber right off the bat.

Fast forward to when I was going through the US Navy’s Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCC Class 27) training in the winter of 1999, and it was the good ole 1911 Government model that we used for pistol training on San Clemente Island off the coast of San Diego, California. I enjoyed shooting that pistol back then and scored well with it. Those old 1911s did give us a nice hammer bite. So, we were allowed to slap some Duct Tape on the webbing of our shooting hands to keep the hammer bite at bay. Although in retrospect, we could’ve just put on some gloves.

Hit the fast forward button once again and I found myself in the market for a handgun in the early part of 2024. I figured I’d go with a Glock 19 in 9mm. Not to mention I got a sweet deal on a new “Blue Label” G19 being a veteran. For those that do not know (I didn’t at the time), Glock has a purchasing program with some of their pistols that are specifically made for active-duty service members, first responders (law enforcement, fire fighters, EMT, etc.) and veterans at a lower price point than the standard retail models.

For whatever reason, I had never shot a Glock up until this point in my life. And honestly, it had been quite some time since I had fired a handgun all together. So, when I finally got around to shooting that new pistol, I probably should not have been too surprised that I was not hitting the steel targets as easily as I’d thought I would. I just thought my form was a bit rusty. But after a second day of shooting out in the desert with that Glock 19, it was obvious I was not shooting well with it. Later that same day my buddy, who had invited me to go out into the desert to pop off rounds, offered his 1911 for me to shoot. I hit steel, round after round, feeling that all too familiar grip and recoil. It was at that moment that I realized I had made a mistake in purchasing the Glock. I was convinced right there and then to sell the Glock and go find myself a 1911.

I began my search and was surprised to see how much the average 1911 was going for these days. Although I have plenty of money in the bank, just the thought of spending well over a thousand dollars on a handgun was a bit much for me to accept. God forbid you ever have to actually use your handgun in a self-defense situation and chances are you’ll never see that firearm again. Ask me how I know.

Nonetheless, I continued my search. I knew that I did not want or need all the latest and greatest tactical features all the cool kids were running on their 1911s. My days of runnin-and-gunnin are way behind me and I’m not looking to compete in the next gun Olympics. All I was looking for was a very standard, no bells and whistles 1911 reminiscent of those old Government models that I was familiar with, but in a compact version. Funny enough, those very same old-school M1911A1 handguns are now going for thousands of dollars as well.

Eventually, I found exactly what I was looking for in the Rock Island Armory (RIA) GI Standard Compact Size (CS) chambered in .45 ACP. As the name of the model implies, it is a clone of the Government M1911A1, but in a compact size. RIA does make full size (FS) and medium size (MS) versions of this same model. But the compact size was what I wanted. And the price being half of what all the other options were going for was what sealed the deal for me.

Lucky for me, SoCAL GUN in San Diego, CA, happened to have this exact model in their inventory. After handling it, working the action, and ensuring the grip fit my hand I pulled the trigger on it. Pun intended. I must also give a big shout-out to the crew over at SoCAL GUN for all their help during my purchasing process. Outstanding customer service.

But before I made my purchase, I did some research on RIA. Apparently, it’s just a brand name and the actual manufacturer is Armscor. According to their website, Armscor acquired RIA in the mid 1980’s. After combing through some older online forums (10 plus years), it appears that those early pistols had their fair share of reliability issues as budget 1911 models way back then. But it seems that in the past decade or so, RIA really got their production and engineering dialed in. I started reading more current reviews with nothing but positive feedback regarding their 1911 platforms. After more research and watching plenty of YouTube videos of RIA’s 1911s performing flawlessly, I was sold. Even the late great Paul Harrell posted a review video on his YouTube channel back in 2020 on his RIA GI Standard FS and recommended it. Paul’s approval on any firearm is as good as gold for me.

Speaking of reliability issues, the same can be said for the earlier days of the short-barreled 1911s. The 3.5-inch barrel chambered in .45 ACP made its debut in the mid 1980’s. One must remember that the 1911 was designed to shoot the .45 ACP round out of a 5-inch barrel. So, it should not have been much of a surprise that there were reliability issues with these shorter barrel models in the beginning. One would think that the original design of this pistol was altered without considering the physics and engineering that goes hand-in-hand with that particular round’s composition. Some experts say that sub-4-inch 1911 pistols should not be chambered in .45 ACP, but rather in a smaller caliber. Or, instead of firing a 230 grain .45 ACP round out of a sub-4-inch barrel, one should consider firing 200 grain rounds or less to avoid any issues.

In finding all this out for myself, I emailed RIA’s customer service and asked if they recommended firing 230 grain .45 ACP rounds out of their 3.5-inch barrel pistols for the reasons mentioned. This was their response…

Our factory ammunition is 230gr and we recommend this with FS, MS, CS pistols.

It has a bull barrel so shooting 230 grain should be fine. It is also +P ammo rated.

Feel free to respond to this email if you have other questions or concerns.

Respectfully,

As I stated earlier, I’ve read online mostly positive reviews on RIA’s pistols going back about a decade. Having watched as many videos as I could find on YouTube, I’ve seen nothing but reliable shooting pistols from RIA’s compact line going back 7+ years. So, I guess the bugs got worked out of the whole reliability thing for both RIA and the short-barreled 1911s. Once I made my purchase, I was eager to take my new GI Standard compact model out to the range and find out for myself.

Like with most brand new 1911 pistols, RIA recommends a break-in period of 500 rounds. Interestingly enough, my new 1911 came with two spent .45 ACP casings inside of a small envelope. This envelope was dated and signed by the individual who inspected and shot the pistol twice before shipping it out of the factory. I thought that was pretty cool.

But before I shot my new pistol, there were two things I did to it. Although I love the simple, low-profile iron sights that come with the GI Standard model, I painted the front sight to give it a visual pop. After taping up the back half and sides of the front sight, I made a fist-sized bowl out of aluminum foil. Then I shot a small amount of flat white spray paint into it to form a little liquid pool. Next, I used a toothpick to add a small drop of paint to the front half of the front sight. It took a few tries to get it how I wanted, but it finally came out just fine.

The second thing I did was field strip and clean the new gun with some SEAL 1 CLP Plus. This is when I took note of the well-polished feed ramp within the frame, as well as the breech of the barrel. Also noted were the tight fighting parts as I disassembled the firearm. All of these were positive indicators of the workmanship found within the pistol.

Side story: Back when I was shoehorned into running an armory at a former employer’s training facility, we had over seventy AK-47s in our inventory. These things were always malfunctioning. But then one day, Dwight Settle (owner of SEAL 1 CLP Plus) came in and presented his new gun cleaning product. Not only did all the AK-47s start working flawlessly, but he made a believer and lifelong customer out of me. In saying that, I thoroughly cleaned and coated my new pistol in the paste format of this product. And I do so after every time it is shot.

Side note: This pistol came with one 7-round magazine. So, I purchased a 3-pack of 7-round magazines off eBay. I took all four magazines to test out at the range.

My first day at the range I put 240 rounds through my new RIA 1911. The first 200 rounds were 230 grain full metal jacket. I experienced only one failure to feed from the ball ammo halfway through the process. The next 20 rounds were 200 grain jacketed hollow points. No failure to feed issues with those. The last 20 rounds were 165 grain JHP. Again, no failure to feed issues with those rounds either.

Shooting this pistol felt great in my hands (hand size reference, I wear a medium sized glove). I was a bit concerned about the lack of texture on the grips. On RIA’S website the grips are simply described as smooth wood. No idea what type of wood it is, but I like the looks of it against the parkerized finish of the gun. Nonetheless, the smooth wooden grips felt comfortable in my right hand, and I never felt my grip slip. Despite what most have said about feeling more recoil coming from short-barreled pistols chambered in .45 ACP, I did not experience anything I would deem uncomfortable or uncontrollable. For me, the recoil felt good and quickly brought back fond memories, like that of an old friend. All in all, this compact 1911 performed great on its first day. I had 260 more rounds left in the 500 round break-in.

The second day out on the range was more straightforward. I only shot 100 rounds of 230 grain FMJ. No issues whatsoever. Just 160 rounds left in the break-in

The third day on the range fell on Veterans Day weekend. On Sunday, November 10th, to be exact. Which happens to be the day the US Marine Corps was founded on. So, it seemed fitting to be at the USMC Camp Pendleton Recreational Shooting Range. I shot the remaining 160 rounds left in the break-in count. 140 of those rounds were in 230 grain FMJ. The last 20 rounds were in 165 grain JHP. The pistol fired flawlessly with no failure to feed issues. The only thing that occurred twice was that a magazine failed to lock the slide back after the last round. I should have made a better note of this, but I believe it was the magazine that came from the manufacturer. I’ll have to pay closer attention to this on my next visit to the range.

For all three days I set up two staggered targets in my shooting lane. Day one and day two targets were both set at 3 yards and at 8 yards. Day three targets were at 4 and 10 yards. Despite the lack of pistol shooting over the years, my groups were not all that bad. I’d like to think that it helped to do a lot of dry firing at home. The aim and accuracy of this handgun seems to be spot on, minus any shooter error on my part.

As with most 1911s, the trigger pull is great on this handgun. According to the specs on RIA’s website, the trigger pull is approximately 4 to 6 pounds. Although I cannot confirm the exact numerical poundage, I can say that it is short and crisp. Nothing like the Glock 19, that’s for sure.

There are a couple grip safety features I’d like to point out on this CS model that differ from the other GI Standard FS and MS models. This compact model has an upswept beavertail grip, along with a rounded hammer that sinks nicely into that beavertail. This type of design allows the shooting hand to get as high as possible into the pistol’s grip. A very desirable trait for more gun and recoil control. The FS and MS have the standard hammer and beavertail grip safety. Personally, from an aesthetic perspective, I’ve always liked the standard beavertail design. But after having shot this upswept version, I am now a fan of it. Especially due to no hammer bite, as it was designed to prevent that. As I mentioned earlier, the smooth wooden grips proved to be very comfortable for me, along with this upswept beavertail that did not impede my grip in any way.

The second difference in the CS model’s grip safety is that it has a raised pad where the palm of the hand makes contact for a more positive depression. Not properly engaging the grip safety upon unholstering the handgun is a typical concern with most standard 1911s. Having this more pronounced pad on the grip safety is a welcome feature that should decrease any failure to depress the grip safety in a stressful situation. But it is not so prominent that it felt intrusive in my hand.

And speaking of safety, the thumb safety has a very positive action to it. It would be extremely difficult to accidentally disengage it. This is something I can appreciate. I prefer to have a firm action that positively reports the on and off of the safety. It should be noted that this thumb safety is not ambidextrous and is set up for righthanded shooters only on this particular model.

One important thing to note is that RIA 1911 models do not have an internal firing pin block. This was something that Paul Harrell confirmed in his YouTube video review of the RIA 1911 GI Standard FS. This type of 1911 with no internal firing pin block is known as a series 70, as opposed to a series 80 that would have it. This lack of block is true to the original pistol design. Whether or not that is an important feature in a 1911 design with all of its other safety features, well, that seems to be up for debate. Some would argue that having the additional parts for this safety feature complicates the ease and simplicity of the trigger pull that this pistol is known for. But again, that is up for debate. I personally do not mind if it is not incorporated into this 1911 model.

Another point of interest is that you need to use a paperclip that has been straightened and specifically bent for the disassembly process of this handgun. After removing the magazine and ensuring the weapon is clear, lock the slide to the rear. Once the guide rod is exposed below the barrel, one will see that there is a small aperture within the recoil spring guide rod. Insert a ¼ inch length of the paperclip, bent to about a 90 degree angle, into that guide rod hole. Then slowly release the slide by controlling it until it makes contact with the inserted paperclip. Next, pull out the slide stop. At this point the entire slide assembly can be removed from the frame. Once the slide is removed, the recoil spring, guide rod, and reverse plug can be extracted as a single unit with the paperclip retaining the tension. After extraction, the reverse plug can be pulled back to release the tension on the paperclip. This allows the removal of the paperclip, reverse plug, and recoil spring from the guide rod. One would have to reverse the process for re-assembly. Although, in my experience with my handgun that has not been the case, and the use of the paperclip has not been needed for putting everything back together.

One final thing to note is the overall weight. With a full magazine, this CS model is approximately a 2.5 pounds. That can be a lot of weight for some people. I don’t mind it since I’m not adding it to a full combat loadout or anything of that nature. Carrying it in a leather holster outside-the-waistband on a thick leather belt at the four o’clock position feels like, well, a gun on my belt. I like knowing it’s there, but it doesn’t feel like it’s too much either.

As for the rest of the specs, look to RIA’s specifications sheet that will be attached to this blog.

This firearm appears to be a solid, reliable performer straight out of the box and holds great value at its price point in the $500.00 range. Or so I thought…

After a fourth visit to the range, I put another 100 rounds of 230 grain FMJ through this 1911 without any issues. That brings us to a total of 600 rounds. Once I returned home from the range, I cleaned the pistol and magazines as usual.

It wasn’t until a few days later, after clearing the handgun and manipulating the thumb safety, that I began to noticed the safety lock was becoming difficult to disengage. It was then that I saw the plunger tube was detaching from the frame, which caused the plunger pin to overextend across the safety lock rendering it immobile.

I also noticed at the rear of the frame, next to the hammer, a small piece of that inside corner had chipped off the frame itself. This pistol has never been dropped. So that chip had to have occurred during the shooting process. Talk about breaking in your gun.

Right there and then I jumped online and registered my pistol on RIA’S website (I know, I know… That’s the first thing I should’ve done when I brought the gun home) and filled out their online warranty form.

As the proverbial saying came to mind, you get what you pay for, I had to remind myself that many of the well respected and much more expensive 1911s on the market have their fair share of quality control and reliability issues. The following day I took my pistol back to the gun shop so that they could ship it off to RIA’s warranty department. I asked the gentleman at the counter assisting me how often they see QC issues with RIA pistols. He said, never, and that this was the first time. Lucky me.

After only a couple of weeks from sending off my RIA, I found myself contemplating whether or not to I should purchase another 1911. In the end, two important points won the argument in my head:

Better have two in the event that one goes down. Two is one, and one is none.
If I am wanting to shoot .45 ACP (currently I have well over 1,000 rounds of 230 grain FMJ) I may as well own a full size 1911, since this caliber was designed to be shot out of a 5 inch barrel.

So, back to SoCAL GUN I went. As fate would have it, a few days prior they had just received a barely used Springfield Armory 1911 Mil-Spec. This is one of Springfield Armory’s Defend Your Legacy Series models that was designed to the original M1911A1 specifications with a few modern upgrades for better performance. It was love at first sight. At an unbelievable price, I bought it right there and then. Think about it… if it had not been for this whole RIA warranty issue, I probably would never have gone back into the gun shop in time to find this gem before someone else would’ve snatched it up. Talk about seeing the silver lining. Lucky me.

According to RIA’s Limited Lifetime Warranty, their turn-around time for repairs is 4 to 6 weeks. My pistol got shipped off at the beginning of December. So, I figured that the upcoming holiday season would cause some delays in the repair work. I got a call from SoCAL GUN in the middle of January 2025, exactly 6 weeks after my pistol was shipped off to warranty. It was back and ready for me to pick up.

I retrieved my pistol the very next day, which was a Friday. The plunger tube had been set back in place against the frame. But the small chip at the rear of the slide was still there. Either way, I was happy to have my gun back and took it out to the range that following day on Saturday. I shot a total of 100 rounds of 230 grain FMJ with no issues whatsoever.

So, would I recommend the Rock Island Armory GI Standard Compact Size 1911A1? Absolutely. I love everything about it. Despite the quality control issues that occurred, they still did not interfere with the pistol’s ability to send rounds down range. And for the interest of this blog review, it was worth while to experience RIA’s warranty service that went as smoothly as possible.

And what about that Springfield Armory M1911A1? I have taken it to the range twice and have shot 400 rounds of 230 grain full metal jacket through it, with 6 various GI style 7-round magazines, with no issues whatsoever. So far, so good. 100 more rounds to go to fully break it in. But that might be a review for another time.

 

About the author:

Jaime De La Parra joined the US Army straight out of high school and served from 1991 to 1994. After an Honorable Discharge and a 4-year separation, he reenlisted into the US Navy from 1998 to 2000.

Following a Medical Discharge from the Navy, Jaime went on to work as a military contractor out of San Diego, CA, where he met Jon Heffron after watching one of his videos on the Wingman115 YouTube channel. Since then, Jaime has been a guest host for multiple videos on various topics on the Wingman115 channel.

Jaime resides in San Diego where he continues to work alongside the military community. With his spare time, he teaches traditional archery and instinctive shooting. For more information, you can visit Jaime’s website…

www.jldarchery.com