Rock Island .45ACP Compact Experiment
I carry either a S&W .38 Spcl Snubnose or a Colt .45 ACP New Agent depending on conditions.
The 1911 has alwas fascinated me and I have longed for many years to be able to break one down completely - but I was always overcome by fear and common sense. So, recently, I bought a Rock Island .45ACP Compact which is a clone of the Colt New Agent.
After researching and digging on the Internet, I finally proceeded to learn the disassembly/reassembly of the RIA .45. OBTW, the 1911 was designed by a GENIUS (John Moses Browning), so the breakdown is quite simple - IF YOU KNOW HOW.
After I had gone through the reassembly about 4 times, I proceeded to use an Arkansas Hard Stone to hone every part that show slide wear. then I oiled the parts and put it back together. Everything had been done except for the slide/receiver rails which I will do this week with jewelers rouge.
At this point, this pistol is working slicker than owl poop - even better than my Colt New Agent, so it is off to the range I go.
Lesson #1 - the Rock Island .45 ACP will NOT feed HOLLOW POINTS like my Colt !!! Needless to say, I was disappointed because I had visions of the RIA .45 being a backup to my Colt.
Lesson #2 - at 25 feet distance, the RIA shot about 8 inches LOW - another disappointment because I had fired another RIA compact the week before and it was right on the money. Oh yes, the sights are set so low on the RIA that I could hardly see them - I put GOLD nail polish on the front sight and that did help. This pistol does NOT use a barrel bushing so there only way to fix is it is to change the sights ($100).
THE FIX !!! The RIA will be traded for a Colt Defender or a Colt Commander.
However, the take-away from all this is that I did learn the internals of a 1911.
:clap:laughing
:thumsup
The 1911 has alwas fascinated me and I have longed for many years to be able to break one down completely - but I was always overcome by fear and common sense. So, recently, I bought a Rock Island .45ACP Compact which is a clone of the Colt New Agent.
After researching and digging on the Internet, I finally proceeded to learn the disassembly/reassembly of the RIA .45. OBTW, the 1911 was designed by a GENIUS (John Moses Browning), so the breakdown is quite simple - IF YOU KNOW HOW.
After I had gone through the reassembly about 4 times, I proceeded to use an Arkansas Hard Stone to hone every part that show slide wear. then I oiled the parts and put it back together. Everything had been done except for the slide/receiver rails which I will do this week with jewelers rouge.
At this point, this pistol is working slicker than owl poop - even better than my Colt New Agent, so it is off to the range I go.
Lesson #1 - the Rock Island .45 ACP will NOT feed HOLLOW POINTS like my Colt !!! Needless to say, I was disappointed because I had visions of the RIA .45 being a backup to my Colt.
Lesson #2 - at 25 feet distance, the RIA shot about 8 inches LOW - another disappointment because I had fired another RIA compact the week before and it was right on the money. Oh yes, the sights are set so low on the RIA that I could hardly see them - I put GOLD nail polish on the front sight and that did help. This pistol does NOT use a barrel bushing so there only way to fix is it is to change the sights ($100).
THE FIX !!! The RIA will be traded for a Colt Defender or a Colt Commander.
However, the take-away from all this is that I did learn the internals of a 1911.
:clap:laughing
:thumsup
