Rock Island Armory - Rock Series FS Ultra 9mm 1911 - first impressions

fieldgrade

fieldgrade

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Just received this today, NIB. Haven't even shot it yet. Been threatening to buy one after looking into them for a couple of years now. I wanted this specific configuration as a back-up IDPA match blaster and they are always hard to find like this. It comes with many of the things that most folks end up installing on their 1911's to facilitate running them in competitions.

I think these are Novak slide cuts, fiber front sight, magwell, adjustable low mount rear sight (might swap for a 10-8 .140 U-notch) , G10 grippy grips with thumb notch, ambi-safety, slightly undercut trigger guard, full length guide rod. Haven't had a full length guide rod before. I don't like the ambi-safety because it gets in the way of my grip on the right side of the pistol.

Slide to frame fit and lock up was good as it needs to be for this price point. Fit and finish was better than I expected.

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I was surprised to find it comes with a ramped barrel from the factory.

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The magwell just hangs on the bottom grip screws, and the back of the grips are router cut to fit the magwell "brackets", but it seems substantial enough. The magwell is skinnier than the base of the grips. If I decide I don't like this magwell I know Wilson sells the same thing for skinny money.



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As you might imagine, the magwell is not blended at all with the bottom of the frame. 30 minutes with a $4 set of Harbor Freight needle files remedied that, and I reblued with a Presto bluing pen. Then hit the bottom outer edge of the G10 grips with a bastard file to put a small bevel on them.

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The front strap is serrated, which is an interesting touch. My others are either smooth or checkered. The smooth ones I put grip (skateboard) tape on, so I'll see how these serrations feel when I get it to the range.
Stay tuned for a range report whenever I can get there. Been hectic this week.

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Forgot to mention. The trigger breaks right at 5lbs. I had the gun apart and should have tweaked the sear spring to bring it down to about 4-4.5, but I was so bumfoozled as to why my other thumb safeties wouldn't work that I just put it back together "stock" and left everything else alone.
 
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I rate them highly, but you most likely know that .
My question is don't you need the ambi for idpa weak hand segment s

.
 
I've had my eye on these for awhile as well. Would like to get a matching 1911/2011 and send them off to Hayes Custom to get them ready for slaying some steel.
 
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Climberman said:
So how many 9mm 1911's have you bought and then sold again @fieldgrade?
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Not that many
Colt Govt 45acp- sold, bought back, upgraded it, gave it to my son
Colt Competition 9mm- sold
Colt Combat Unit 9mm - sold
Dan Wesson Valor 9mm - sold
Wilson CQB 45acp - sold
Springfield Range Officer 45acp- keeper
Fusion Reaction 9mm - keeper
RIA Ultra 9mm - who knows
 
S4f said:
I rate them highly, but you most likely know that .
My question is don't you need the ambi for idpa weak hand segment s

.
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The stages I’ve shot “support hand” haven’t really necessitated it. The ambi really impedes my grip. I have fairly big mitts and I’m a thumb safety rider. Once I determine if the gun will run I’ll probably put a Wilson low lever strong side only thumb safety on it. Maybe some grip tape on the front strap.
 
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@fieldgrade
I just ordered a roll of 6” x 30’ tape for a wood ramp. I’m sure I’ll have plenty left over. If you need a hunk, lemme know. ;)
 
I bought three EGW extended (just 1/16th of an inch) mag releases this week. The stainless one dropped right in my Springfield. The Fusion and the RIA are going to take some pursuading.
 
Jeppo said:
@fieldgrade
I just ordered a roll of 6” x 30’ tape for a wood ramp. I’m sure I’ll have plenty left over. If you need a hunk, lemme know. ;)
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Thanks. I've got some from Dawsons. They make it in whatever color you like. Gray for stainless guns looks good, and black for blued/black parkerized guns looks good.
 
fieldgrade said:
Thanks. I've got some from Dawsons. They make it in whatever color you like. Gray for stainless guns looks good, and black for blued/black parkerized guns looks good.
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Special colors? Oh. o_O

 
Put the Ed Brown thumb safety on it from the parts bin. Glad to toss that ambi safety in the parts bin.

The camera flash makes things look much worse than they are.

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fieldgrade said:
Not that many
Colt Govt 45acp- sold, bought back, upgraded it, gave it to my son
Colt Competition 9mm- sold
Colt Combat Unit 9mm - sold
Dan Wesson Valor 9mm - sold
Wilson CQB 45acp - sold
Springfield Range Officer 45acp- keeper
Fusion Reaction 9mm - keeper
RIA Ultra 9mm - who knows
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Uhhhh not many? Impressive list for someone who settled on a Philippine cast gun.
 
BlackGun said:
Uhhhh not many? Impressive list for someone who settled on a Philippine cast gun.
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It's really a back up gun to my Fusion. Sanctioned match coming up.
 
fieldgrade said:
Put the Ed Brown thumb safety on it from the parts bin. Glad to toss that ambi safety in the parts bin.

The camera flash makes things look much worse than they are.

View attachment 134852
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I bought a slide with those sights, hated everything about them. Not quite a Novak cut, time, patience, and a file can get a Novak pattern in there though.
 
Beef15 said:
I bought a slide with those sights, hated everything about them. Not quite a Novak cut, time, patience, and a file can get a Novak pattern in there though.
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I'm fine with the front sight. 170 high 125 wide, but the rear sight notch is also 125. I prefer 140. I might open up the notch
 
fieldgrade said:
Put the Ed Brown thumb safety on it from the parts bin. Glad to toss that ambi safety in the parts bin.

The camera flash makes things look much worse than they are.

View attachment 134852
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Well, now you don't have any place to rest your left thumb while shooting! Where you gonna put that thumb, just let it wave in the breeze?? You're gonna have to shoot lefty eventually.
 
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Millie said:
Well, now you don't have any place to rest your left thumb while shooting! Where you gonna put that thumb, just let it wave in the breeze?? You're gonna have to shoot lefty eventually.
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We shoot "support hand" for at least one string most every match, but it usually doesn't amount to more than a half dozen shots. The other 100 shots I don't want my grip "impaired" with the ambi safety.

I don't think the ambi-safety is *bad*,
it's just *bad* for me.
 
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All this talk begs the question.... Will this dog hunt. LOL :D

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wvsig said:
All this talk begs the question.... Will this dog hunt. LOL :D

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I'm honestly scared to find out. I have had more bad luck with new guns the past couple of years. It's not just been 1911's that I've gotten rid of either, although the Wilson ran fine. It became a safe queen and I don't keep safe queens.
 
fieldgrade said:
I'm honestly scared to find out. I have had more bad luck with new guns the past couple of years. It's not just been 1911's that I've gotten rid of either, although the Wilson ran fine. It became a safe queen and I don't keep safe queens.
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Oh, go shoot that thing and have fun!!

I've heard that you might have to send one back, get another one, rinse and repeat. A very wise person told me this recently!

(And since you seem to have even worse luck with guns than I do, you're not getting your mitts on any of mine! Just sayin'.....lol.)
 
fieldgrade said:
We shoot "support hand" for at least one string most every match, but it usually doesn't amount to more than a half dozen shots. The other 100 shots I don't want my grip "impaired" with the ambi safety.

I don't think the ambi-safety is *bad*,
it's just *bad* for me.
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The hardest thing to get used to lately has been the lack of thumb safety on the G19.....it's so weird! When I pick up the 1911, I'm all happy, I have places to rest my thumbs. lol.
 
Millie said:
The hardest thing to get used to lately has been the lack of thumb safety on the G19.....it's so weird! When I pick up the 1911, I'm all happy, I have places to rest my thumbs. lol.
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Wrap you strong hand thumb around the back of the knuckle of your support hand thumb and squeeze.
But yea, when I shoot BUG with a G43 four times a year after shooting a 1911 every Saturday, and usually once during the week, my strong hand thumb is searching for a safety when I draw.

I still prefer no safety on my carry weapon.
 
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CZfool68 said:
I can’t wait to see who buts this from you when it fails. :p

Your satisfaction with 9mm 1911’s has a consistent track record.
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I'm one for four as of right now.
 
CZfool68 said:
So there is a 25% chance it sticks and a 75% chance another member gets it in a few months weeks
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It's like @dmarbell texted a buddy of his who was shooting a match with me last year. He said, "Be sure to check out what fieldgrade is shooting, because at the end of the match he'll get mad and sell it."

lol
 
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fieldgrade said:
Wrap you strong hand thumb around the back of the knuckle of your support hand thumb and squeeze.
But yea, when I shoot BUG with a G43 four times a year after shooting a 1911 every Saturday, and usually once during the week, my strong hand thumb is searching for a safety when I draw.

I still prefer no safety on my carry weapon.
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I prefer a safety, but I've come to see the pros of not having one on my carry gun....though it took me a while to accept it. (Billy will tell you.)

I've forgotten to disengage a safety a few times, and that convinced me I can't have one on a carry gun. I'm a slow mule to turn, says Billy, but I eventually do turn! lol.
 
Climberman said:
:D
I love the fact that @fieldgrade is southern enough to put up with my shenanigans instead of calling me a dick like I probably deserve. But it ain’t Friday night yet either.
;)
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You are not a dick. I know who the dicks are on this forum, and you ain't one of 'em.
 
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