RIA vs Norinco 1911A1

[amd6547]

When I was on a 1911 kick a couple years ago, I found a NIB Norinco for $400.
It was a great shooter out of the box. Accurate, reliable and faultless in every regard. The lack of a warranty bothered me not one whit.
After I moved on from the 1911 platform, I sold my Norinco, 1000rds later, for $500, still looking like new and sold with a nice pair of cocobolo grips from CDNN.
I have no doubt that if I had just locked it up in my safe, it would have continued to appreciate.

[Nathan]

SA has a forged slide and frame. They have proven themselves worthy as a base gun. Up to this point, same as a Norc....

Should there be some real geometry failure found reworking the gun, I think SA would fix/replace the gun. The Norc would require welding and recutting at your expense.

[balin]

From all of my reading teh Norinco's are made of much better steel then most all the other 1911's out there. So if you ever wanted to do some work on it you have a very good platform to begin with.

[10mm4ever]

The RIA will give you tighter tolerances and will last just as long, not to mention the excellent warranty and CS.

[JimmyR]

I went to the range Sunday morning to try out their PT1911. Gun was in decent condition to my eyes, so I brought out my box of 45 to try it out. Needless to say, I left the range with an empty box of ammo, and was sorely tempted to pull out the second box. The only reason I didn't is I knew I would need something to break in my new 1911

So I ended up deciding to get the Rock Island. I was gonna save my pennies and/or sell a revolver that i bought as a collection piece to finance it. I had seen the GI model at Bud's, and figured that was the way I was going to go.

Then I got on Facebook. One of the local gun exchange groups had a RIA Tactical with 20 rds fired for $400. My LGS has offered me $300 for the revolver, so I made a deal for $300 and some 9mm ammo I had stowed away. Deal goes down later today.

[jmstr]

Why do you want a 1911?

Is it for range fun?
For self defense?
For investment purposes?

If you are primarily concerned with what you can sell it for in a few years, get the Norinco.

If you want a shooter and don't care about resale, the RIA seems to fit the bill, for less, with a warranty.

If you want it as a base for future customizations, then the forged/cast frame issues 'may' mean something to you.

But, first be clear about why you want a 1911.

I am a shooter/user. Resale isn't something I actively think of. Not that I am disparaging anyone who does focus on that. I am just stating that resale is the last consideration I use when choosing an handgun. Fit/feel/price/features/reputation are all more important than resale for me. Your mileage may vary.


With that in mind, I would buy the RIA. In all fairness though, I should state that I like RIA so much after having my 5" tactical for 2 years that I am buying a second one [with dust cover], and picking it up tomorrow after the 10 day wait is over.

I also have a Kimber that works great, a Sistema [my Franken-Sistema], a Caspian frame/slide build, and a RIA Tactical 1911. Plus 2 other .45acp handgun. I have more experience in the sub-$1000 .45acp price range. I've sold a Sig P220 Combat and a H&K USP 45c, but kept the RIA Tactical. It just works GREAT.


One story: I was at the range about a year ago with it. I didn't pay much attention to my neighbors until I pulled the target it to clean up and go home. At 7 yards of two-handed moderate-rate firing, I had put 48 of my 50 rounds into the center 10/X ring of the 27222722 target target. Not exceptional for me. I used about 1/2 the 10X ring to do it, with about 38 of the 48 in the bottom half of the 10/X ring.

The guys next to me noticed the target and asked what I was shooting. I said 'Rock Island Tactical .45'. They commented I should be in a commercial. I then noticed what they were shooting: a Kimber model that was in the over $1000 range, and a Colt 1911a1 series 80. Both of these handguns cost about twice what my RIA did.

I then noticed their target. Same target. However, they had about 1/4 of shots into the X ring at the same 7yards, and the rest were scattered out to the 7 ring.

RIA can be VERY satisfying. And a great gun doesn't make up for lack of practice.

[JimmyR]

Originally Posted by jmstr

Why do you want a 1911?

Is it for range fun?
For self defense?
For investment purposes?

If you are primarily concerned with what you can sell it for in a few years, get the Norinco.

If you want a shooter and don't care about resale, the RIA seems to fit the bill, for less, with a warranty.

If you want it as a base for future customizations, then the forged/cast frame issues 'may' mean something to you.

But, first be clear about why you want a 1911.

With all due respect, reading the OP sometimes helps answer questions about the poster's intent, especially when I pretty explicitly answer your question.

Originally Posted by JimmyR

This would not be a carry gun immediately. I generally carry a SA/DA 9mm/9mm Mak, and the totally different action would need practice. This will initially be a range gun, potentially serving nighstand duty beside my Ruger Security Six, and maybe upping to a car/trunk gun. If I really get bit by this thing, and I feel comfortable with the switch, it may one day become a carry gun.

MY question is this: For the purposes stated above, which do you think would better serve my purposes. Would the RIA hold it's value more than the Norinco? Would scarcity apply an upward push on the Norinco's value anytime in the near future? I'm used to buying used guns, and have had really good luck with them. I know the price is a little high on the Norinco, so what price point would make the Norinco a smarter buy?

[dgludwig]

One story: I was at the range about a year ago with it. I didn't pay much attention to my neighbors until I pulled the target it to clean up and go home. At 7 yards of two-handed moderate-rate firing, I had put 48 of my 50 rounds into the center 10/X ring of the 27222722 target target. Not exceptional for me. I used about 1/2 the 10X ring to do it, with about 38 of the 48 in the bottom half of the 10/X ring.

The guys next to me noticed the target and asked what I was shooting. I said 'Rock Island Tactical .45'. They commented I should be in a commercial. I then noticed what they were shooting: a Kimber model that was in the over $1000 range, and a Colt 1911a1 series 80. Both of these handguns cost about twice what my RIA did.

I then noticed their target. Same target. However, they had about 1/4 of shots into the X ring at the same 7yards, and the rest were scattered out to the 7 ring.

Your story only confirms that good scores are often the result of good shooting and not so much the result of a better gun. Which isn't to say that a better trigger, better sights and a more accurate barrel won't make a good shooter better. Only that there's no substitute for a proper stance and grip, breath control, trigger squeeze and correct sight alignment in terms of catching the X in a Bullseye.

[Muskamoot]

They are both just basic shooters.Something to toss in the truck console and take along everywhere.Neither are rare or apt to go up in value.RIA does have a good service dept. and good customer service.