Rock Island Hi Cap pistols

[Ken_Bird]

Well, just talked to Benny Hill, Triangle Sports in Texas. Benny is a master gunsmith and I feel is as good as you will find. As I mentioned a few post ago I was sending my RIA to him with the same problem we all are having. Nosedives.

I gun is on its way home 5 days counting the weekend. Benny changed the feed lips to .345 on all my mags. Had to re cut chamber, rebuild the feed ramp, and a few other little tweaks. Than run 500 rounds through it and did not fail once. He says that this gun is really set up for ball ammo. Flat nose HP's will fail occasionally as lack of ramped barrel and the feeling is not conducive to HP. There is a chance some pistols will work with HP better then others. The QC is different almost on each run. They can be fixed to work very well. Mine will be here tomorrow, I will go give it a try and report back. Oh PS: Cost me $115.00 with shipping and tax.

[theKenny]

Great News Ken, Thanks for the Info.

Are you using the factory Recoil spring which I believe is 12lbs?

[troupe]

My 9mm tactical (51679) runs like a top. All I have shot in mine was ball. I just posted mine for sale on the classifieds, I am going to build a open gun.

[Ken_Bird]

Yes the recoil is 12# but Benny says that is set up really for the 22 TCM to shoot 9mm unless it is a bunny fart load it will take a little more. Maybe 16 will test and see.

[theKenny]

I was hoping to get down to an 8 or so.

These guys posted a review before and after work by another smith.

not knocking benny, just putting info out.

http://www.thetacticalbay.com/product-reviews/2014/11/17/rock-island-armory-tactical-2011-hi-cap-9mm-overviewinitial-impressions

[zimm33]

Great info.

We'll see if RIA fixes mine or if i have to end up shipping off to Benny as well... But that would also mean I'll be delaying him from my 6" fat free build in queue!

[Garmil]

Yes the recoil is 12# but Benny says that is set up really for the 22 TCM to shoot 9mm unless it is a bunny fart load it will take a little more. Maybe 16 will test and see.

If the #12 is set up for the tcm what is the included #9 for?

[robport]

The way I read his email, Mr. Hill told him that the 12 was for the 9mm cartridge in the TCM pistol. The 9, (which I thought I remembered as a 7) was for the TCM cartridge.

By the way, I hate to get off subject here, but does anyone have a good way of determining the load rating of the springs?

I hate to admit it, but I now have a 12, 11, 10, 7, and two for a SA XDM. I somehow mixed them up. I think I have the 12 in it now and it appears to be working, but I want to try the others in a more controlled environment.

I tried installing them and using a scale to push back the slide, but that was a bust, though it might work with a better scale.

I also tried poking a hole through a box of bullets, weighing them, and using a pencil to keep the spring in line under it (that was a little too Rube Goldberg to control)

Before I spend more money on a scale with a better range, I wanted to know if there was an easy way to do it.

Is the load rating for the middle of the compression or is it?

[Ken_Bird]

Well Benny told me on the phone he felt for a light load 9mm Minor PF, which he called a Rabbit Fart the spring that came with the 9mm was a little to light. It was also causing some of the feeding problem. He made the suggestion for me to try a couple of stronger springs. See if the gun cycles better and throws the brass out correctly.My gun will be here tomorrow and I will go shoot it Saturday. Benny has sent me a note of what he did and why. Based on the phone call he did pretty much the same things this guy did with his review. http://www.thetactic...ial-impressions

These guns have a very viable place in competitive shooting, but being on the low cost side they are going to need some spit and polish. JMHO your mileage may vary. Cheers

[Ken_Bird]

Well Benny told me on the phone he felt for a light load 9mm Minor PF, which he called a Rabbit Fart the spring that came with the 9mm was a little to light. It was also causing some of the feeding problem. He made the suggestion for me to try a couple of stronger springs. See if the gun cycles better and throws the brass out correctly.My gun will be here tomorrow and I will go shoot it Saturday. Benny has sent me a note of what he did and why. Based on the phone call he did pretty much the same things this guy did with his review. http://www.thetactic...ial-impressions

These guns have a very viable place in competitive shooting, but being on the low cost side they are going to need some spit and polish. JMHO your mileage may vary. Cheers

Before I forget, Benny says my reloads I sent the OAL was to short, for this gun they should be longer.

[robport]

Well Benny told me on the phone he felt for a light load 9mm Minor PF, which he called a Rabbit Fart the spring that came with the 9mm was a little to light. It was also causing some of the feeding problem. He made the suggestion for me to try a couple of stronger springs. See if the gun cycles better and throws the brass out correctly.My gun will be here tomorrow and I will go shoot it Saturday. Benny has sent me a note of what he did and why. Based on the phone call he did pretty much the same things this guy did with his review. http://www.thetactic...ial-impressions

These guns have a very viable place in competitive shooting, but being on the low cost side they are going to need some spit and polish. JMHO your mileage may vary. Cheers

Before I forget, Benny says my reloads I sent the OAL was to short, for this gun they should be longer.

Did he happen to give you a recommended length?

[Ken_Bird]

Yes, 1.150 to 1.160 for round nose 124 grain Loaded with Win 231

[joelogic]

What OAL were you using? I am at 1.14" minor PF loads.

[Ken_Bird]

I was using 1.12 with a 124 grn JHP in my Sig X5 ran very well.

[mertbl]

I'm at 1.1 using 125 grain blue bullets without issue.

[Ken_Bird]

Lucky You, several say that is way to short. What power factor are you getting.

[robport]

My reloads are now: 1.165 OL, 124gr copper plated Xtreme round nose, 5.2 grains Autocomp for 130 PF (1049 ft/sec) from 5 inch 9mm TCM barrel. (10 round average)

They seem to work fine.

Before that, I used 4.2 grains of PB and averaged 125.7 PF, but ran out of that (never used it in competition though).

For comparison, Walmart bought Federal brown box 115 grain averaged 137 PF for me. It seems to have a lot more muzzle rise, thought it could just be my perception.

[mertbl]

Lucky You, several say that is way to short. What power factor are you getting.

No idea honestly. 3.8 grains of titegroup.

[mwc5]

Yes the recoil is 12# but Benny says that is set up really for the 22 TCM to shoot 9mm unless it is a bunny fart load it will take a little more. Maybe 16 will test and see.

If the #12 is set up for the tcm what is the included #9 for?

My combo pistol came with the .22TCM bbl installed along with the LIGHTer spring. The "extra" spring for the 9mm bbl feels like a 12lb.

I've tested with the 12, a 10lb spring and now have a 9 installed.

My tests (at least for my pistol) have shown mag feed lips and OAL is the key to good function. After opening the feed lips on new style 18rd PARA mags my gun is functioning 100%.

Also have an STI 140mm mag that works 100% with factory feed lip tolerances (did have to file/grind/sand on the mag body to get a good fit in the RIA grip frame).

Since I shoot an STI Maj9 open pistol, I regurlary load to 1.155-1.160. Started loading with that OAL a while back because factory RN ammo runs 1.155. Anything under 1.140 does NOT function well in my STI or now the RIA.

Shorter OAL is fine for a Glock or an M&P but NOT in the RIA ............................................

[Ken_Bird]

It might be good to know. That short may have a pressure way above where is safe. Who did you use for your loading data?

[Ken_Bird]

Yes the recoil is 12# but Benny says that is set up really for the 22 TCM to shoot 9mm unless it is a bunny fart load it will take a little more. Maybe 16 will test and see.

If the #12 is set up for the tcm what is the included #9 for?

My combo pistol came with the .22TCM bbl installed along with the LIGHTer spring. The "extra" spring for the 9mm bbl feels like a 12lb.

I've tested with the 12, a 10lb spring and now have a 9 installed.

My tests (at least for my pistol) have shown mag feed lips and OAL is the key to good function. After opening the feed lips on new style 18rd PARA mags my gun is functioning 100%.

Also have an STI 140mm mag that works 100% with factory feed lip tolerances (did have to file/grind/sand on the mag body to get a good fit in the RIA grip frame).

Since I shoot an STI Maj9 open pistol, I regurlary load to 1.155-1.160. Started loading with that OAL a while back because factory RN ammo runs 1.155. Anything under 1.140 does NOT function well in my STI or now the RIA.

Shorter OAL is fine for a Glock or an M&P but NOT in the RIA ............................................

That pretty much runs the same line and what Benny has said. Mine will be here today and maybe I can shoot it some. I will reply back with findings. I also have some STI mags and plan to try them as well.

[Ken_Bird]

Ok, got my RIA pistol back. Major difference in ramp and barrel. No more heave machine marks. Each mag is tuned alike. And now the good part. Just got home from the range. 100% reliable, with this test. Loaded five full mags and one in pipe. I fired each mag as quick as my finger could so 90 rounds down range. 100% Then reloaded and shot for some accuracy at a much slower speed and moved to 25 yards. 54 rounds fired 100%. Then came the rain and washed the spider out. So 144 rounds down range without a glitch. Wanted to shoot a couple hundred more but rain was just to hard. Will go again tomorrow. If rain is gone.

[Garmil]

Picture of barrel and ramp?

[mertbl]

It might be good to know. That short may have a pressure way above where is safe. Who did you use for your loading data?

Hodgdon website for lead bullet.

[robport]

Arrgghh, had one nosedive on me during a match yesterday...the only course I was down zero on all six targets too....Looks like I'm gonna have to do something about it.

I would say 1 in a few hundred isn't bad, but not for this. This was also with Winchester white box stuff..

Mine looks like it's definitely hanging up on the bottom of the barrel.

I'll try the feed lips and polishing the barrel feed wall (I know that's not he right term, but it's what the bullet sees) first.

I ran a few dummy rounds through slowly with the factory magazine and it appeared to let the cartridge tilt up earlier in the cycle, which may fix it.

It I hadn't don't that, I might blame the gun itself.

Other than that, the gun performed good. I was able to make follow-up shots much faster and a lot of my groups were pretty small, much, much smaller than they were with my XDM.