Tokarev Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 For reasons I can’t readily explain, I have wanted one of these since I first saw one about a year ago. Maybe it’s the simple WWII styling or the bright chrome finish or the cheap price. Whatever the reason, I finally decided to fork out the cash and buy one. What is it? It’s a Rock Island Armory/Armscor .38 Super. I found a good price on one of these from ak-47man.com and ordered one via the telephone. These people were a pleasure to deal with and I’ll be buying from them again in the future. They were nice enough to email me a digital photo of the gun so I’d have something to look at while I waited and they also called me the day they shipped the gun and gave me the tracking number. There were no hidden charges or fees and they shipped the gun as soon as my dealer’s FFL arrived. The gun came in today and I eagerly picked it up this afternoon. The guys behind the counter both liked the looks of this gun and I think they were a little jealous. Anyway, I immediately took the gun home for a detailed cleaning and inspection. My initial impressions of the pistol were good. The gun comes in a typical plastic carrying case with a decent owner’s manual and one magazine. There is also the usual trigger lock and a fired casing. Strangely, the casing that came with my gun is a .45ACP and not a .38 Super. How the factory managed to fire a .45 in a Super is beyond me. Needless to say, the .45 case went into my .45 brass bucket. Actually, I’m guessing either the importer or dealer grabbed the wrong box when they shipped the gun. Who cares? Back to the pistol; the gun is made from castings and the grip safety and hammer show some slight casting flaws. There are a few casting marks in the magazine well but the outside of the gun is well polished with no machine marks or sharp edges. The inside of the slide is also nicely finished. The magazine release and recoil spring plug look like they feature hand cut checkering. Frame and slide fit is as good as most production 1911’s. The only parts of the gun that are a little sloppy are the barrel bushing and the grip safety. The gun came with a nice set of smooth wooden grips. I replaced these with a set of checkered walnut to enhance the gripping surface. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the barrel is ramped and features a Wilson/Nowlin cut. The gun is straight 1911 GI with the exception of a scalloped ejection port and flat mainspring housing. After cleaning and oiling everything, I grabbed some ammo and headed for the range. I took along 50 rounds of Aguila ball and 50 rounds of Winchester Silvertips. I took two Chip McCormick ten-rounders, the Mec-Gar that came with the gun, and two Wilson Combat magazines with me. My first disappointment came when I tried to use the CMC magazines. Neither will fit in the gun. My initial thought was that the grip screws were screwed in too far and where dragging on the magazine. This isn’t the case so I guess the magazine well is a little too small. Maybe the chrome plating in the magazine well has caused this problem. Anyway, the Mec-Gar and Wilson magazines fit fine. I fired all fifty rounds of the ball and most of the Silvertips at fifteen yards. The gun will put ten rounds into a ragged hole at seven yards and will put a magazine into about two inches at fifteen yards. Due to fading sunlight, I didn’t have time for 25 and 50 yard accuracy testing. The gun runs perfectly with the Mec-Gar and the Wilsons when they are loaded with ball. For some reason, one of the Wilson magazines wanted to jam with the Silvertips until three or four rounds had been fired from the magazine. The other Wilson magazine and the Mec-Gar gobbled through hollow points and ball perfectly. I’ll have to run a few hundred rounds through this gun before I give it a hearty recommendation. So far, though, I have to say that I’m very impressed. I’ve had several of the cheapo 1911’s over the years and they've been total junk. It looks like Armscor may have finally figured out how to balance quality with cost! I’ll have to call Wilson and see if they’ll replace the finicky magazine for me. If this gun continues to be a shooter, I’ll have a beavertail grip safety and Commander hammer installed and get a set of Novak sights for it. I’m going to keep the gun as “stock” as possible in order to maintain its retro styling. This thing should make a great ESP for IDPA, which is really why I bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midvalleyshooter Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 Great looking gun. If you just add the sights and hammer (maybe also a hardened sear and a trigger job) you won't have to refinish the pistol. If you add a high ride beavertail that nice chrome will have to be redone:/ K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 Thanks for the report. I always like reading about the high end custom guns on here, but it's nice to see a good shooter at a reasonable price too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 See Purple Guy..... You aren't the only one that can Pimpify.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 Tokarev - IIRC, Wilson Combat offers a beavertail grip safety that doesn't require modifying the frame. If your gun is made to standard 1911A1 specs, it oughta fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 Tokarev - IIRC, Wilson Combat offers a beavertail grip safety that doesn't require modifying the frame. If your gun is made to standard 1911A1 specs, it oughta fit. They do offer one that is made to fit the standard 1911 frame. I had one on my Colt 1991 .38 super. It looked great from the side and it worked really well. From the top or bottom there were large seams in the fit. For the $25 or so that it cost I thought it was great. I also put one of the Wilson Speed Chutes on that gun, and a couple of others, and that has been a nice magwell as well. If you go that route makes sure to get the more expensive one that replaces the MSH. The $25 model hooks over the lower grip bushings and unless you mill out the grips they stick out. Two more items that you should consider, and then I will stop spewing advice , are an adjustable trigger and some nicer sights. McCormick makes a nice adjustable trigger (takeup and overtravel) that dropped right in my Colt and, along with a 17lb mainspring, gave me a very nice trigger pull. They also make a nice sight that goes in the factory dovetail and gives you a lot more substantial rear sight that is easier to pick up. Just my 2 cents worth. I hope you enjoy your new blaster. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted October 10, 2004 Author Share Posted October 10, 2004 Well, I shot this pistol in a local IDPA match this morning. Accuracy is good and I like the gun. On the down side, I had the slide stop bounce up on me a couple times. I have filed a small detent notch in the slide stop and that should be the end of that. I also need to tweak the extractor, as I believe extractor tension is too tight and I'm getting some failures to go into battery as a result. The extractor appears to a cast part as well so I'll probably replace it with a better part. For $400, I guess I can't complain. I've got a Kimber with the new "improved" extractor and it isn't reliable at twice the cost of the RIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted November 14, 2004 Author Share Posted November 14, 2004 I bought a bright chrome .38 Super a few months ago and have been using it as my "sleeper" IDPA gun. As many of you know, the RIA guns are pretty much no frills GI guns. The sights on my Super were GI-type and were chromed along with the gun. The sights were small anyway and with the chrome plating they became all but worthless. I took the gun into Nelson Ford in Phoenix today along with a Colt Series 80 rear sight and an Ed Brown narrow tenon front sight. Mr. Ford swapped out the sights and installed a brass bead into the front sight. I like the brass bead, as I think it goes with the retro styling of the pistol. Nelson also shined up the feed ramp for me so the gun should now run with hollow points. Mr. Ford said he thinks the RIA guns compare well to the Springfield Milspec line with regard to fit and parts. If anybody in the Phoenix area is looking for a 'smith to work on an RIA, I recommed Nelson Ford. He was quick and fair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted April 24, 2005 Author Share Posted April 24, 2005 Here's the gun in its final form. I finally got the beavertail installed and got some Novak tritium sights put on. The gun is accurate and reliable with stock 9-rounders. It feeds fine from a ten round Chip or Wilson mag but neither will lock the slide open all the time. I've got just over $600 into the gun now and it's a good shooter. I've fed it mostly 160 cast reloads with a few boxes of Winchester Silvertips thrown in. I also stuck in a heavy spring and ran some .38 Super major through the gun. One of these days I'll have to see if it'll run with 9x23. All in all, not a bad gun for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 Bought one in .45 from a Forum member who replaced the innards with Chip McCormick stuff. Tight, pretty and accurate! I don't think it is as tight as a Norinco but it sure works. Good buy for the bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted April 25, 2005 Author Share Posted April 25, 2005 Bought one in .45 from a Forum member who replaced the innards with Chip McCormick stuff. Tight, pretty and accurate! I don't think it is as tight as a Norinco but it sure works. Good buy for the bucks. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi, Merlin! You bought that pistol from me. I'm glad you like it. I've thought about selling this RIA and getting a "name brand" Super but can't see any real difference between this and a high dollar Colt. Of course the Rock Island doesn't have any pride of ownership but it's fun to shoot well at a match and then tell the guys shooting the Les Baers that I beat them with a cheapo gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpthole Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 I just made Expert in IDPA with my RIA .45. I've got close to 6k rounds through it. Just keep an eye on the extractor, ejector and recoil spring plug. All of mine had to be replaced because they either broke completely or quick functioning well - the extractor in particular. The ejector sheared off; and the recoil spring plug cracked. I have replaced the grip safety, sear, hammer, trigger, ejector, extractor, firing pin and stop, recoild spring plug and guide and pretty much all of the springs. I actually kept the original GI sights. Still have to say that I like the gun though and am tempted to buy another. You can hardly beat the price and I don't feel bad about the holster wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdragon Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 We now have High cap 9mm and 40 cal guns in stock! They use para mags. Ivan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted April 26, 2005 Share Posted April 26, 2005 We now have High cap 9mm and 40 cal guns in stock! They use para mags.Ivan <{POST_SNAPBACK}> THREAD DRIFT! Ivan, You have GOT TO get your site online!!! Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdragon Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 We are working on it as we speak! Ivan PS Kathy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted December 25, 2005 Author Share Posted December 25, 2005 (edited) Just an update in case somebody gets a bright chromed Rock Island in his stocking! Since my last post in this thread, I have had the factory .38 Super barrel replaced with a Nowlin 9mm barrel. I bought a "drop-in" barrel that didn't like the idea of going into a Filipino gun. I had my friend Virgil Tripp convince the barrel that it'd have a good home in the Rock Island gun. I've also had to replace the factory extractor with a piece from Ed Brown because the Armscor extractor wouldn't keep tension. Since I've had the gun rebarreled five or six months ago, I have fired close to 5,000 rounds of WOLF ammo through it. I also ran close to a case of Federal JHP 115-grain +P+ ammo through the gun with zero problems. It's been a great shooter and I'm pleased with the gun now in its (probably) final form. Shooting a 9mm Government Model is so close cheating that I sometimes feel guilty about using it. I do have WAY too much money tied up into this thing but I guess that's half the fun of getting a silk purse from a bull's sack. If you guys see a dude in a WOLF polo shirt shooting a pimp gun at the WSSSC, that'll be me. Hope to see you there! Here are a couple updated pics. I had Virgil recut the funneling on the magazine well. He also installed an overtravel screw in the factory trigger. Sorry the pictures are such a funny color. I'll try some more tomorrow when the sun's out. Edited December 25, 2005 by Tokarev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted December 25, 2005 Share Posted December 25, 2005 Tokarev - Merry Christmas! Did you replace the barrel due to functional or accuracy problems, or because Wolf doesn't make .38 Super? I keep telling myself I don't need another bottomfeeder, but I've always wanted a .38 Super... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted December 25, 2005 Author Share Posted December 25, 2005 Tokarev - Merry Christmas!Did you replace the barrel due to functional or accuracy problems, or because Wolf doesn't make .38 Super? I keep telling myself I don't need another bottomfeeder, but I've always wanted a .38 Super... revchuck, Merry Christmas back at you! I did have a slight problem with the factory barrel. When I first got the gun, the small chamfered cut along the underside of the hood wasn't deep enough. This caused the semi-rim to hit the bottom of the hood and cause a failure to go into battery. After I recut the chamfer the gun ran fine. I did have some feeding problems with 10-rounders and hollowpoints but not with 9-rounders and JHP ammo. But the gun always ran fine with Super ball ammo. I went over to the 9mm because I got tired of chasing brass. The gun is 100% with "Springfield" 9mm magazines with all kinds of ammo. It runs about 99% with Wilson .38 Super magazines as long as I use ball. Hollowpoints will not feed out of a Super mag at all. Rumor has it that Wilson is coming out with a dedicated 9mm magazine that holds 10 rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregg K Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Rumor has it that Wilson is coming out with a dedicated 9mm magazine that holds 10 rounds. I have been waiting the last 2 years for that one to come true. I haven't seen any yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted December 30, 2005 Author Share Posted December 30, 2005 Virgil Tripp should have his 10-rounders out about June... Hopefully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Couldn't resist a little tweaking to bring up the nice look of this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 There is a certain satisfaction one gets beating the guys with the high $$$$$ guns with one that costs a fraction of what their's did. I shot a $279 Charles Daly/Armscor for several months in CDP. I thought about getting one of the Parkerized guns in .38 Super and sticking a Kart 9mm barrel in it. I have enough odd parts laying about to make a pretty good shooter. Metal Form says they will have some 10 round 9mm mags ready this spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted January 2, 2006 Author Share Posted January 2, 2006 There is a certain satisfaction one gets beating the guys with the high $$$$$ guns with one that costs a fraction of what their's did. I shot a $279 Charles Daly/Armscor for several months in CDP.I thought about getting one of the Parkerized guns in .38 Super and sticking a Kart 9mm barrel in it. I have enough odd parts laying about to make a pretty good shooter. Metal Form says they will have some 10 round 9mm mags ready this spring. I called Metalform a few days back and asked them if they had a 10-rounder in the works. The gal on the phone told me that they were thinking about a 10-rounder but wouldn't have one ready for six months, at the earliest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XAFSP Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Seems like the Rock island is a good gun for the price. I may look into getting one. thanks for the write up Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdragon Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 The Mecgars work just fine in mine! Ivan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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