# Rock Island or Iver Johnson 1911?



## HerkyBird

So my Ruger P345 is sold pending funds. Now I have to go buy me a 1911, as I have been bitten by the bug. My budget is keeping on the lowend of the spectrum...no Nighthawks for me!  Having heard nothing but good things about them, I was going to get a RIA, but shopping around today I saw an Iver Johnson 1911 for a comparable price. I'm not familiar with the company. Does anyone have any experience with the I J 1911s?  What's your take on how the 2 stack up?


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## VHinch

The Iver Johnsons have just recently hit the market, I'd be wary of them having some teething issues with their 1911's.  Besides that, I'm not so sure that having a 1911 from a company with a long and storied history of producing mediocre crap is all that confidence inspiring.

In that price range, I'd stick to the Rock Islands.


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## redneckcamo

the Rock Island Tactical is a great pistol with alot of upgrades and a pricetag in the low 400s  ....... its on my arsenal list


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## JWarren

Hard to go wrong with the RIA.


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## JWarren

You might like to read this review.

http://www.m1911.org/ezine/RIATactical.htm


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## tlong286

I bought a used Rock 1911 and had a couple of small issues. Sent it to Arnell at Armscor for a few days at the spa. He re-worked the whole gun and put the hurt on it, replaced parts and tested it with 3 kinds of ammo! The bill? Gratis. On the house. Zero. He wrote me a letter descibing the work and called me to make sure it was OK.

It's my Saving Private Ryan beater truck gun and CCW now and then when I want to tote the canon. Great company in my eyes. For what I have in it it's a recession buster.


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## HerkyBird

Sound advice guys. Thanks. It doesn't hurt that the RIA is a couple of bucks cheaper. Question on the RIAs....on the standard GI model...are those crummy sites integral to the frame, or can they be switched for some higher quality ones?


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## VHinch

HerkyBird said:


> Question on the RIAs....on the standard GI model...are those crummy sites integral to the frame, or can they be switched for some higher quality ones?



Rear sight is a standard Colt/USGI dovetail and the front is staked.  Easy to replace, but you need a staking tool for the front to do it right.  The tool runs about $50, so if you're only going to need it once, you'll usually come out better having a gunsmith do it.  Most will do it for $25-35 plus the cost of the sights.


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## JWarren

HerkyBird said:


> Sound advice guys. Thanks. It doesn't hurt that the RIA is a couple of bucks cheaper. Question on the RIAs....on the standard GI model...are those crummy sites integral to the frame, or can they be switched for some higher quality ones?



More advice...buy the Tactical.


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## HerkyBird

JWarren said:


> More advice...buy the Tactical.



Why do you say to get the tactical? The review that was posted above, while not really negative, didn't exactly endear me to the tactical. I don't want something that's too terribly difficult to disassemble, and with that too-long FLGR, that seems to be the case. Does the gi sport the same GR?  Also, the sights on the tactical leave alot to be desired, so they would get replaced just as quickly as the gi sights. Unless...has RIA addressed these issues since the review?


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## JWarren

If you notice the date on the review, it was 2006. Also, if you notice, the price on this gun is dirt cheap compared to any reliable 1911 out there. Guns are like anything else...you get what you pay for. If you are looking for a Kimber, Wilson, Baer or any of the other custom guns for under $500.00, good luck and if you find it, buy it.  Or, if you find a more favorable review of the Iver Johnson (which I doubt you will), buy it. Suffice it to say , it is the most 1911 pistol I have ever bought for the money , but fault can be found with it, as with anything. 

BTW, the guide rod on mine has the hole and it is not impossible to disassemble and reassemble the gun as it is . But again, if you can find more for the money...buy it.

Also, the reason that I say buy the Tactical is because I like the  ambi safety, loop hammer, skeletonized trigger and beaver tail grip safety and the "crappy" sight.  I like their functionality and look over the GI model, but that is just me.


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## TBurnham

I have two Rocks and love them both, I also have a Kimber and both my Rocks shoot right there with the Kimber if not better. I do not know why people keep knocking Rock Island other than thier past. Youll be happy with a Rock!!


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## HerkyBird

JWarren said:


> If you notice the date on the review, it was 2006. Also, if you notice, the price on this gun is dirt cheap compared to any reliable 1911 out there. Guns are like anything else...you get what you pay for. If you are looking for a Kimber, Wilson, Baer or any of the other custom guns for under $500.00, good luck and if you find it, buy it.  Or, if you find a more favorable review of the Iver Johnson (which I doubt you will), buy it. Suffice it to say , it is the most 1911 pistol I have ever bought for the money , but fault can be found with it, as with anything.
> 
> BTW, the guide rod on mine has the hole and it is not impossible to disassemble and reassemble the gun as it is . But again, if you can find more for the money...buy it.
> 
> Also, the reason that I say buy the Tactical is because I like the  ambi safety, loop hammer, skeletonized trigger and beaver tail grip safety and the "crappy" sight.  I like their functionality and look over the GI model, but that is just me.



You answered my question, but I think you might have misunderstood what I was saying.  I don't want a Les Baer, Wilson Combat, etc.  I plan on getting the RIA.  I was just wondering if they had fixed the issues mentioned in the review, especially since it was written 4 years ago, which I did notice when I read it.  I also was wondering why you chose the tactical over the GI RIA, which you answered.  

Are the sights still plain on the Tactical? Or did they add some dots?


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## HerkyBird

TBurnham said:


> I have two Rocks and love them both, I also have a Kimber and both my Rocks shoot right there with the Kimber if not better. I do not know why people keep knocking Rock Island other than thier past. Youll be happy with a Rock!!



I haven't heard anything but rave reviews from folks that have the RIAs; that's why I'm looking at one myself.  I imagine most of the folks that are bashing them do not own them.  I'm sure there are 1911 snobs that look down upon anything that doesn't say Colt or Nighthawk or Les Baer on the slide just like there are AR-15 snobs who think parts guns are evil incarnate.  But...they are entitled to their opinion, however wrong it may be


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## tlong286

I think some prefer the JMB look and function over the 'tactical' additions on a 1911. Sights are optional at the range it was designed for. Can't snag a Rock on that teenie front blade. It makes a darn good  weapon unloaded. 100 years and GTG! There's always room for a scarred-up junk yard dog in the pen. I'll hoster the Colt at the BBQ.


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## TBurnham

*Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..............*

Heres my pair of Rocks now that I am "about" through with them.


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## clayfish

> The Iver Johnsons have just recently hit the market, I'd be wary of them having some teething issues with their 1911's. Besides that, I'm not so sure that having a 1911 from a company with a long and storied history of producing mediocre crap is all that confidence inspiring.



Has Iver Johnson been resurected? I know they went defunct some years ago. I did a web search and couldn't find anything. I wonder who is producing them. There is a huge influx of new 1911 companies and almost all of them I've looked at are coming out of the Phillipines. I wonder if the IJ is one of these.


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## repoman34

clayfish said:


> Has Iver Johnson been resurected? I know they went defunct some years ago.



I thought the same thing. I own the only Iver Johnson I've ever seen, most people that I talk to haven't even heard of them. Dont know how their semi-autos are, but the Sidewinder Model 50, .22LR revolver I've got may be ugly, but it shoots true. Never had a problem out of it. I use it all the time for squirrels.


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## JWarren

HerkyBird said:


> You answered my question, but I think you might have misunderstood what I was saying.  I don't want a Les Baer, Wilson Combat, etc.  I plan on getting the RIA.  I was just wondering if they had fixed the issues mentioned in the review, especially since it was written 4 years ago, which I did notice when I read it.  I also was wondering why you chose the tactical over the GI RIA, which you answered.
> 
> Are the sights still plain on the Tactical? Or did they add some dots?



Sorry, I guess I did misunderstand what you were saying. And no, the sights are still plain, but they are easily fixable with a little touch up. I really do not understand why they would not color the sights.....I guess they have their reasons and I would like to know them.


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## fuelman1

Here is my Rock. Cost me about $425 last spring. Added the Pachmeyer grips after I got it. Shoots as well as my loaded Springfield 1911 and was half the cost. Go to 1911.org. You will see there are a lot of RIA fans. Their customer service is supposed to be top shelf but since my gun functions flawlessly I'll have to take folks word for it.


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## HerkyBird

fuelman1 said:


> Here is my Rock. Cost me about $425 last spring. Added the Pachmeyer grips after I got it. Shoots as well as my loaded Springfield 1911 and was half the cost. Go to 1911.org. You will see there are a lot of RIA fans. Their customer service is supposed to be top shelf but since my gun functions flawlessly I'll have to take folks word for it.



nice.


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## RNC

*Rock Island 1911*

Gotta love a good ole RIA 1911 ...  :3)

The one I got right after this thread was born was a good shooter and I let a Korean war vet friend of mine have it for a nice deal .. When he held it he said it brought back memories of his service weapon . Though I missed the weapon ,I never will regret seeing that smile on his face when he new it was his 1911 45acp :0)

The one I have now is probably the most accurate 1911 I've ever owned !!!


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## WGSNewnan

same Philippine factory built gun. spec built for IJ just like RI.


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## NCHillbilly

I didn't even know Iver Johnson made 1911s or was still around. I have an old 1903-vintage IJ 16 guage shotgun that came from my great grandpa through my grandpa and dad. Still shoots.


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