The Cheapest 1911 vs The Most Expensive 1911
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- A comparison between the $400 Rock Island Armory 1911 vs the $3000 Wilson Combat 1911. The accuracy, reliability, features, and much more.
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The more I watch this video the more I believe it was a dumb ass idea...I mean come on man, at least do a video with the $400 ria with at least a few upgrades then compare the two....I like the Ruger 1911's....if you can get a cheap 1911 and add a few hundred bucks then I could take this seriously...it shouldve been a ria with $1500 in it against the Wilson combat...I would really love to see that
Maybe you can review the amt hardballer 1911 45longslide with laser sighting as seen in the terminator that would be cool
Wasnt that wilson 1911 in your video 5 of the worst guns you regret? Said sominthing about resale?
I truly appreciate and learn a lot from your videos.I think you are well spoken, informative, very humorous and straight forward.you are a class A shootist and watching you shoot inspires me and I hope one day that I will be able to shoot an hundredth as well as you. I truly admire your love for the homeless as well as your love for firearms,since I've been homeless before myself. I was also robbed and shot 5 times myself but blessed to survive. I am a weapons buff and love firearms,so of the many gun gurus I watch,I enjoy you the most and value your input tremendously and take your info into all my gun decisions ( I enjoy Paul Harrell, Tactical Toolbox,sooch,704 Tactical and Hegshot too)But I watch your videos over and over. I'm unfortunately disabled so I can't buy the firearms I would like to,but I do hope to become a patron supportor soon(hope there is no specific amount of money required for me to become one). Thanks for all the great work you do and appreciate the knowledge you give. I would definitely like to shoot with you if I were to ever get to you State.You definitely seem like a super cool and down to earth person.keep doing what you.Anyway thanks and keep shooting and recycling.Peace Bro.
Honest Outlaw What about getting a less expensive 1911 than a Wilson and having a little work done to improve it that would be a lot less than a Wilson ? If you like the 1911 in 9mm why not a Browning Hi Power ?
Let’s be honest 1911s were never meant to be $3000 , so really the rock island is more true to what was intended and the fact the RIA is as good as it is , is a testament to how good the design really is
Makes a far more interesting product to me than an optimized gamer gun with all the history polished off of it. Plus the greatly reduced price.
Had a RIA “tactical” 1911 for about 20 years and have never once had a hiccup with it
@@JusticeforyaII my RIA has had a couple of jams, but I think those are more user induced than problems with the gun itself. The last time I went to the range, I had one issue, but that was an ammo problem.
Right. And he mentions differences in the accuracy. He says with the RIA, he can get 4" to 5" groups at 25 yards as opposed to better with the WC. 4" to 5" groups at 25 yards will get you bullseyes at NRA pistol competitions all day long. Also, if you consider the old 1911 qualification course, the bullseye was 5" in diameter. If you can shoot 5" groups at 25 yards, you can easily pass old style military qualification with the handgun. If we are discussing combat or practical accuracy vs. a competition or precision accuracy, then 4" to 5" groups at 25 yards is plenty good for that kind of work. I showed some of my targets to a retired LEO who works at the range I go to frequently. I was shooting anywhere between 5" to 8" groups at 10 yards (I'm still somewhat of a beginner and I haven't had any professional training), and he said that would "put a bad guy in the dirt any day of the week." I was using a B8 target, which he also said was good to use because if you can put shots on paper with one of those at whatever distance, your accuracy is going to be good enough for combat/practical use at that distance.
Agreed.
Am I the only one who doesn't mind if a 1911 gets some wear on it?? I love the aesthetic look of a "war torn" looking handgun. 👌
Absolutely agree, there's nothing sweeter than a worn finished ww2 1911, it's a look you can try to replicate but honest wear is it, I have a 1944 Ithaca that was arsenal refinished in parkerizing but sat in a drawer since 1958 until I got it from the guy, I'm hoping in my short time with it will give some character from use but not abuse. My range toy 1911 is one of the parkerized gov't model from the worster mass auto ordnance plant, it's got scuffs scrapes and dings from using it
That's what gives it character☺☺
@@olpepaw4747 I've got some perfect blued and stainless colts and some with Character
Can relate
Me 2. That way U no it works..!!
My RIA .45 was $390 plus tax. After 250 rounds I purchased the 9mm version for the same price, after over 3000 rounds through both guns they work and perform flawlessly. I have no doubt the Wilson has better quality and construction, however the point of any gun is to have one when you need it. The RIA’s are reliable and accurate for penny’s on the dollar. Few folks can justify $3000 for a weapon. The key as we all know is to train and maintain.
Spot on Sir 🎯
Agree. For folks like me who can't justify 3k for a 1911, spend $400 and get 1000 rds of ammo to break it in and practice.
I've run almost 5000 rounds through mine and I've never had a single problem with the RIA 1911. Great pistol.
Any particular ammo?
@@realrobh My RIA eats anything. Even frangible JHP's. Mostly run 230gr ball. Outlaw definitely got a lemon as I've thrown everything at this pistol and mine has been literally 100% reliable.
@@MI2APatriot I've seen some stories online about major machining errors causing feed issues in RAI. That said, there are probably MILLIONS of RIA 1911's out there so its seriously no wonder you'll hear about the bad ones.
@@realrobh we've always just ran 230gr ball through ours...I keep meaning to test some hp ammo, but never get around to it...these days we shoot about 2-4 boxes a year, I'm trying to teach my number one how to clean the gun for that day it his...
@@MI2APatriot Alright so, far I have shot some Sig Elite hollow points and Ammo Inc TMC both 230. I had feeding issues with the magazine and realized I was a rookie at loading the TMC. First day at the range the Sig ran BEAUTIFULLY and the TMC when I could get it to feed from the mag. Second time, the TMC was flawless and I had a stove pipe with the SIG hollow point. In my case, it wasn't hardware it was software, all on me feeling out the 1911 for the first time.
You got to remember you're comparing a $3,000 gun to a $500 gun that is a standard GI model officers model it's not meant to be pretty it's meant take care of business
Yes he talks about the ria sights being so Inferior Yes it's a copy of gi 1911
ive shot and handled kimbers, wilsons, cabots/alchemys, nighthawks and everything in between. Money does get you something better but honestly.... they all work.
@@StefanKaizur Except for Kimbers and Remingtons. Those are the guns that built the idea that the 1911 jams constantly.
That’s all one needs if they’re looking for a nice 1911 to start out with for home defense purposes and a 1911 collection start up!
amen to that!!!!!
You should do a series where you do some work to that rock island like changing the safety,hammer etc.
That's a good idea
They have to be fitted to make any difference. Drop in on 1911 not going to do much. Springs about only real drop in parts.
@@rueridge7597 I'm sure he can handle it
I would watch
I was wondering if rock Islands other beavertail safeties fit into the A1. It's been biting me a lot lately. Think imma call and ask but I think they would need some fitting too but maybe??
Having an expensive custom handgun is all well and good but in the end, a $400 1911 in the hand is better than a nothing at all.
We have 2 combat vets, Alvin C. York (WWI) and Audey Murphy (WWII) that were issued plain Jane 1911's and they were war heroes. If its good enough for them, it's plenty good enough for me.
I think John Basilone used one too in a tight spot
RIA GI model has the same quality of those 1911 built in ww2, some of those ww2 guns were built by companies that never manufactured firearms like Kelvinator, GMC and Singer the sewing machine company. I bet, they weren’t any better in quality than RIA, neither shot any better.
Those are combat sights and the reason they are so small is because if you drop the handgun in the heat of combat, the sight will not break away from the firearm. You should have purchased the Rock Island standard to see the difference sight wise.
I saw Audie Murphies custom SAA at a museum
We have MARSOC rocking M45A1s. Improvements are welcome.
I heard this " I spent 3k and so the four hundred dollar gun must be junk"
Sorry pal the RIA does the same job without the mortgage!!!
5 shot group less than 1.5" at 50 yrds, from a Ransom Rest?????
my wilson,ed brown and sigs stay at home in the safe. my Rock island goes with me on every range trip, and I wont feel too bad using it to defend my life with and loosing it to the evidence room. 3" inch groups at 50 yards off hand is good enough for me to count on it. the only time it had to get serviced was when a guy at the range wanted to shoot his dads reloads through it and had a squib, bulged the barrel, but after a new ss match barrel has been fitted she's back at it with 8k rounds and counting. none of my guns in the safe get to go out and have that much fun like that one ria does.
I love my Rock Island. I have had Colt 1911's and the Rock Island performs as well as any Colt. It seems to me that the Rock Island is a very reliable and functional firearm for the money.
Mine's been a real gem! Couldn't ask for a better firearm.
My RIA “Patriot” 1911 45 acp cost $600 and my Kimber Pro Raptor ll 45 acp was $1600 and both shoot very well using Wilson Combat 47D mags in all my 1911’s. But just as he said in video RIA needed night sights; I couldn’t use the blacked out combat sights at all! Like anything; the more you pay, the nicer the product!#1911❤️#45acp@Ross Whaley
Exactly right, Ross
My RIA 1911 is one of my favorite 1911
@@bondalero0074You could buy a new slide for it, RIA has made the 9mm Standard GI FS with removable sights so I must assume they have for the standard GI
I have the same RIA 1911. It's extremely accurate. My sights are perfect at 30 yards! I've put through around 500+ rounds. No jams! I paid $360.
You got a pretty good deal. I couldn't find one on sale so I had to pay $430 plus tax. Since then I have seen them for $400 but none as cheap as yours.
RIA 1911 A1. I got mine for less than 500 and I love it
I've heard they're using the old Colt manufacturing equipment. Do you happen to know if that's true?
@@1970HondaCL100 every gun store tells me that. I don't have a colt to compare the tolerances, but it is modeled after the first 1911.
@@1970HondaCL100 Ask Chris at Small Arms Solutions he's a past Colt employee and has extensive knowledge on the company & it's products.
z50 Good suggestion, thanks.
They actually have their own state of the art CNC equipment. Martinez has several videos on their FB page. Maybe on the website too, not sure.
honestly I really like the rock island. My favorite thing about guns is the ruggedness and reliability. Id rather buy a few of these rock island 1911 then a expensive one. love the videos man
I have that very same RIA 1911 and I haven't had a single issue with it.
@@jb111082 Me either.
@@jb111082 Outlaw definitely got a lemon.
@@MI2APatriot It seems that way. I've put well over 2000 rounds through mine and other than an occasional hang up (due to cheap ammunition, but a fella's gotta keep the lights on) and basic cleaning and maintenance, it's been a real gem.
Next to the original colt gov issue the rock island about as close as you can get...
$400 vs $3000 - I think I can buy lots of ammo and some really good training for $2600.
you certainly can
But will you?? Or will you let your wife piss it off on makeup and her sancho ??
Why not a 3000 dollar gun with 3000 in training...?
@@jingq2 👍👍
i love all of these fools that think theres nothing that could make a pistol better then their RIA,your wrong,you pay for what you get,the more money you spend usually the better pistol you get,yes i understand 3 grand is alot but dont pay that,buy a 1500$ springfield,and stop with the horseshit statement that your cheap guns are the best because its all about skill,the truth is skill only goes so far,skill cant bend and change steels quality
I couldn't ever justify spending more than $1000 on a handgun....
Could you justify spending $500-$800 each on several guns? I see some guys that have 6 or 8 handguns, none of them particularly impressive. I think buying one gun that is absolutely perfect for you, and ONLY that gun, is the way to go.
@@jdrseven would you rather have 10 Corvettes or 1 Lamborghini? Some people like the idea of having more than 1 firearm
The only ones I would consider an exception would be like the 7.5 BRNO or a beretta 93r on full auto
@@EthanMcKee. Lol. I'd rather have one really good truck. Its a hoodnidea to have backups, and I'm not saying you have to spend a fortune. I just think it's a waste of money to buy a bunch of cheap guns and keep wanting and buying the next best thing. If you're happy with a cheaper gun and it's reliable, then you don't need a better one.
@@jdrseven yeah no kidding I would rather have a truck too.
not gonna lie, aesthetic wise, i prefer the rock island 1911
thomas kok same only if the wood grip was a bit more dark and polished it would be perfect
@@mik4209 it doesn't cost much to change the grips. . .that was the first thing I did with mine.
As much as I covet a $3,000 1911. Given the choice of $3,000 cash or the Wilson. I’d take the cash, buy a Sig and rat hole the left over cash the ol’lady wouldn’t know about. Then my only challenge would be sneaking in a few favorite toys like a 1950’s S&W or Colt S/A revolvers without getting caught.
mountainneko like how much would it cost to do that and how much would it cost to change the sights
@@mik4209 I could checker and die that grip and it will look and feel awesome.
I have owned at least 7 rock island 45's never a jam always accurate fit form and function top notch. They are built on colt machinery left in the Philippines. No they are not a 2 grand wilson or Les Baer but they work and they don't stop working.
I’ve got a RIA tac ultra 10mm. I love it. It’s a great pistol! Rock island armory seems to have stepped their game up on their 1911’s and revolvers bar the parkerized finishes. It’s not too difficult to polish a few things up on the internals of them. For the money I don’t mind doing that.
I own one myself, great pistola. I did put in a single sided safety in mine however, just personal preference.
Love my RIA 1911. Looks, sights, feel, all included! Price was great, and it is just fun to shoot.
Back in 05, I bought this exact RIA. 1st 8 rounds, had one FTF. I ejected the mag in the trash can, put in a WC mag and shot over 30,000 rounds through it over the years with no other failures. None. Regular cleaning and spring replacements and a trigger job was all I ever did to it. Traded it with cash for a Kimber a few years ago. I have the 10MM with never an issue and just bought the A1 yesterday. They equal every Kimber and Colt I’ve ever owned or shot in reliability and functionality. 20 yards accuracy is just fine for personal defense and I went through a couple of classes with the first one and shot extremely well with it. Better sights wouldn’t hurt but they worked. My Kimber Custom Shop 1911s are more accurate but they have match grade barrels and bushings with great sights. But for personal defense and for fun, the RIA is a very solid choice. The Filipino’s love the 1911s and they do a great job with these.
I bought the RIA “Patriot” 1911 45 acp this year and the Kimber Pro Raptor ll in 45 acp and use Wilson Combat 47D mags in them and perfect! No FTF, stovepipes, as you said I swapped sights on RIA to Trijicon night sights and now happy with it, shoots as well as Kimber (A Grand difference in price) so you pay for fit & finish!#1911❤️#45acp#WilsonCombat47Dmags#TrijiconNightSights@Kornholeeoo
I love my RIA. I put a grip/rail on mine and I have had no problems. I painted my front site red and that solved the site issue.
Painted my front sight Jack-O-Lantern orange, and it's much more visible now.
I have shot low end and high end 1911's...I prefer my RIA. I have a set of 25 dollar magpul grips, extended 10 round mags and a compensator. A little paint on the front sight and it shoots flawlessly. Just put some rounds through it...its a great gun.
My 1st 1911 was a RIA I've had it for 10years now. Very reliable and accurate. I did swap the grips out. I also have a colt gov. competition, love this 1911. It is more accurate and the fit and finish are amazing. I would bank my life on both.
"The super cool 1911."
I mean, that's *super* subjective. Personally, I detest the modern look of 1911's and find the G.I. look to be the most sexy thing on the planet.
Absolutely!!
Truth, the sights definitely could be better because the old eyes struggle with them now, in my 20s the surplus stuff being imported was cheap and they all had the crappy sights but we made due
@@imthatguy1878 the sights are the one and only thing I don’t like.
Actually I just lied. Better sights, and a bigger thumb safety. I have XXL bear paws for hands and a big thumb safety really helps.
What a shocker: the $3000 pistol is higher quality than the $400 pistol. It’s almost like the GI model 1911’s were designed to be mass produced for hundreds of thousands of soldiers as quickly as possible, where “fit and finish” meant you could hit Axis or Imperial soldiers that were trying to kill you while you found cover.
I was thinking the same thing. Why not compare the $3000 WC to and $800 Colt classic? I would imagine it would be the same outcome... Honest Outlaw don't get me wrong. I really like and appreciate your videos and opinions, but this one was a stretch.
I think the point is to explain what you get out of a more expensive gun. Numerous times he explains that the rock island is still good.
He said he was asked to review the cheapest vs the most expensive 1911.. so that's what he did. Now we know, from his perspective and experience, how RIA's 1911 stacks up against Wilson's. 400$ vs 3000$ just as he'd been asked to give us.
@@whisperchainsaw102 Going back and watching the video again I see HO is trying to make an apples to oranges comparison. I may have spoke a little too soon. I had a RI compact 1911 a few years ago and it was a great 1911. Never had an issue with it, but the fit and finish was meh at best. Would definitely have another though
if it fits your hand well, goes bang when ya squeeze trigger & ya can hit what ya aim for... cool beans. don't mean jack if the person with the pricey gun can't hit squat yet the one with the cheap one hits what they aim for...
Buy 7 Rock Island 1911’s and do New York reloads instead of buying a Gucci’d out gun that you’re afraid to scratch
All these butt-hurt Rock Island fanboys humor me.
@@grantorino2009 humor you? what do you mean?
Dana Herron 1500 on guns, 1500 on ammo.
The fact is that 99% of those who buy the 3k 1911 can't even shoot the $400 version proficiently.
joshua morin The price dont make the aim better😭😭😭
I can’t stand the look of modernized style 1911’s. The classic look is a part of the cool factor.
Same with me
It’s just like a Glock. I bought a G17 as my first handgun on my 21st BDay in 94’ Gen 2 and it has performed “flawlessly” over all the years with the only change/upgrade to Trijicon Night Sights. You see these guys put thousands of bucks in a $500 gun with slides, RMRs, barrels, triggers, internal everything changed, oh, & don’t forget the most important part, stippled handgrip. Why not just buy the Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Nighthawk, or Les Baer and be done with it?#GoodPoint@Henry White
Diminishing returns hit hard around $1-1.5k for 1911s.
I've owned Ed Browns, a full custom SVI infinity 2011, S&W, Sig, Dan Wesson, and Kimber... You get some more features and cooler looks when you go from $600ish up to the next level of $1-1.5k. However, very little to absolutely nothing from moving from a $1.5k gun to a $3k Ed brown. Mostly a name gouge.
When you go to a $5k infinity, you get a lot of custom features, unique technologies, and very interesting looks..
I personally never recommend anything over 1500 for a 1911 unless you're in the full custom category, which if you are, you aren't asking the question haha.
I would say that the colt comp is one of the better 1911s and it can be had for 700 ish, great value imo. Also Springfield and sig are in there
Maximus Joseppi what 1911 would you recommend as being the best bang for buck as they say.
@@cd4playa1245 gosh that's tough.. Depends what you want in your 1911.
I think rock island armory makes some cool looking, reliable, great value guns. Especially the tac series, good if you want a work horse.
But if you want something special that you can show off to your friends and has beautiful hand fitted craftsmanship, attention to detail, style, and top of the line performance and features.. Dan Wesson is truly amazing. They're every bit as beautiful and well crafted as guns two or three times their price.
Kimber raptor, aegis, and khx series are also stunning, great value guns. Just under Dan Wesson imo and can be had for just under $1k usually.
My personal favorites I've owned are Kimber and Dan Wesson because my 1911 preference is a beautiful range toy or fancy carry. Not that they aren't totally capable as work horses as well, but if I'm going to a training class I'm going to beat up my p320 or Maxim 9, not my gorgeous 1911.
Hope that helps.
DW makes a super nice 1911 for the money ,CZ is also in the game but as a minimum Springfields RO or.Loaded but that RIA is a missmosh of junk parts fitted by a highschool kid
@@excelerater CZ actually owns Dan Wesson, interesting fact. That's why the DWX is a thing now. Very much looking forward to getting my hands on one of those.
Interesting question... Personally I WOULD take 6 of the $400 ones over 1 $3000 gun. As someone who just keeps guns for self defense/home defense, I would find it much more favorable to be able to place one mediocre gun every few feet, 6 times in my house than have one gun that would do a better job only be in one place in the house, which I could only hope I could get to if I ever needed it. I'm fine with having a bunch of cheap guns lying around to bolster my numbers a bit as long as they're not just awful and unreliable.
But for someone who shoots competitively or even just very frequently, I could see the $3000 version being more appealing.
Lol in ur house u would have time to go get ur gun. No one just breaks into ur house in a second. Also when ur sleeping obviously u would keep it next to u.
ricky. this is one of the worst comments i have ever seen. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was there anything that could even be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
I agree and if you should have to fire your weapon in a self defense situation the police will take it from you for.. "investigation".. which you will likely never see it again unless you get a really good lawyer or your buddy is a cop. Alot of people don't think about that when dropping 2grand on there everyday carry handgun or don't know that.
@@slurp3194 thats what he means tho instead of having tht one gun in the house and trying to run to it hell have multiple in all places making i more convenient to get to and depending on the house it could take a few seconds to break into, glass screen door...windows on the first floor....kick a door down.
There is a middle ground . So no I don’t have only one custom 1911 and it’s a colt but you can take a small grinder and polish any oft he guns you choose
Now imagine modifying that rock island 1911 to $1500, then compare the performance half the price of wilson combat
This!
Or a rock island tactical as a comparison
i wouldn't because after the extra 1500 you spend, the ria will still only be worth 500 for resale. Alot of custom 1911 makers have been known to start with a cheaper platform made with good materials. A norinco 1911 that's been fully worked by say les baer is then a les baer custom 1911 and then worth more, love it or hate it the name and or the rarity is where the value is with these. I do believe however that a fully customized ria could very well be every bit as good as say, a wilson.
@@andreawhalen4142 nobody who is customizing a Rock Island that far is likely going to sell it, so it's a great point either way.
@@andreawhalen4142
The slop between the top of the frame and the bottom of the slide is Fixed by bending
the frame rails down, pulling the slide down.
The National Match method is to start with a frame with too much on top and machine down.
Also,
Les Baer 1911 are Hardened then machined, No micro warping from heat treating.
A norinco 1911 that's been fully worked by say les baer is then a les baer custom 1911,
NOT
Parts need to be too big and machined and lapped to fit, like a pre-war,
not CNC and sloppy
You’re playing up and exaggerating the differences. Spend $80-120 on the rock island and you take it from 50% to 90% of what the Wilson is. IMO.
Little dab of white paint on the sights, little polish work, new trigger bow and leaf spring, grips and you’re there. And pop in a mag well if you’re feeling fancy. Yea the Wilson will always have a better fit and finish, and better sights since you can’t change the rock islands. But everything else is bolt on parts and fairly cheap ones at that. With the Wilson you’ve just paid somebody else to install those parts the first time, and for some fancy machine work.
You will never come close to the same accuracy. That fit and finish is what drives the price up. You can’t just drop a new trigger into a 1911 and get the kind of trigger you can with a Wilson combat. To get even 60 percent of the gun out of that rock island you would have to drop well over 500 into it. Yea I know your now going to sat well then I am still less than a third the price. That is true but you also have to take into account how well Wilson’s hold their value. They are also an investment.
Cody Hendrix while true the Rock Island will never be as accurate as the Wilson, the majority of shooters would never be able to make it show. But it’s not like The Rock island is inaccurate, and the few I’ve shot have all been quite accurate with zero modification. And as far as the trigger goes, yea maybe you can’t get the exact same but you can get damn close on trigger feel and again to where a majority of shooters would never be able to tell a difference. there is only so much you can do with the spring rates, polishing and the physical geometry of the trigger parts so with enough honing and polishing anybody who has done a trigger job before could work up the RI’s trigger to comparable to the Wilsons. Too many people get hung up on a name with a high price attached to it.
@@chevyon37s while your right with most everything you have said the 1911s in that price range are not for your every day shooter. Someone that is buying that style of gun is one of two ppl. One that has money to blow in with case they dont care about price or a person that will actually be able to tell the difference between the two guns, even after modifying the lower end. I personally own a Taurus 1911. It was my first 1911. While I have never owned a RI I would say the Taurus is in the same range. Then i bought a high end sping field. The two are not even close. Then I bought a EDCx9 again the spring field is not even close. I have polished or replaced almost every part in the spring field but it just still doesn't make it to the EDcx9. The co isnt even top of the line as far as frame fit goes. But it still light years ahead of the Springfield.
i agree with all your points. i have an old colt 1911, the original para ordnance 1911 (single & lda) taurus & rock island. even bought a used custom built para. some bought used, others new. they are all reliable with the ammo i use & i can reasonably hit my target with my ability. most of them, i will not be able to get the acuracy they are capable of due to my limitations & not afraid to state it.
"$80-120 on the rock island" You're gonna be spending a lot more than that if you take it to a competent gunsmith (and you will have to) if you want to get some of the things the WC has. I think just getting adjustable low-profile sights put onto my 1911 cost like... $150? I can't remember now. (Yes, it was worth the money since they had to unweld the original factory sights from the slide and weld back in the new ones.)
That’s like comparing an MRE to a 5 Star dinner
The MRE is still edible lol
Both end up as shit in the toilet the next day anyway.
In your opinion. I've owned them all. I love my Dan Wesson's. My opinion is probably more credible than most because I have owned every single brand with multiple versions of each. Your somehow perceiving that I'm denigrating these other fine semi custom 1911's. They are all excellent. I'm just someone that loves quality and value and I see that in the DW 1911'S....
Cory Hobbs MREs are a better value lol
STT VOYAGER I have a Kimber Custom II that I have never had a single issue with its accurate and reliable. It’s kind of a mid level tho at $800
One thing is for sure, RIA has sold a kazillion of their 1911 platform. The RIA 1911 A1 FS Tactical is a nice pistol for the price, I would have liked to seen a comparison of that to the entry level 1911.
If it wasn't 4 my rock island i wouldn't be alive 2day
Story time?
Would you be so kind as to elaborate?
His wife told him that if he spent more than $500.00 on a gun she'd kill him. RIA saves another life.
Mines probably got 1,000 rds thru it no problems always kept clean and the biggest plus is it worked when i needed it a Groupe tried to steal my rig on the road one of them was serious with shotgun ria 45 changed their mind
@@b.f.kingfish7525 south africa?
I will never be elite enough to drop my magazines on the ground.
Bunberrier, man you gotta get a sick oiled beard and most definitely you gotta get a shit pile of completely meaningless arm tattoes and dont forget wearing never heard off tshirts with some sick long forgotten Spartan image on it ok, after that your firing your stainless Kimber 1911 mags over your shoulder not givin a rip because at this stage your basically a Sparten warrior yourself.
Hahaha! Yeah. I don't even do that with my Colt Commander 1911 A1 CO2 blowback steel BB airgun (even though I technically could)! lol!
Lol no matter what range toy I'm using I still respect my stuff to not drop mags
if you drop it in snow it won't get damaged
@@dlam2864
True enough. But in deep powdery snow it might get lost for a while. And I'm not sure that the spring wouldn't rust if not dried up carefully once recovered? Anyway, shooting a CO2 airgun in low enough temperatures for snow is not such a good idea...
I have a rock island 1911 compact. 45acp. It is very accurate, and dependable. I changed my grips to checkered wood. I love it, and have no regrets in buying it. I saved so much money buying it, that I purchased two rifles, scopes, and ammunition for all of them.
I went with Sig. It offered all the features I wanted, and I found it just under 800. Love that thing.
2000 rounds in my Rock Island GI so far. I also have a lot of Wilson combat accessories on mine everything on that Wilson combat I put on my Rock Island and it works great.
Excellent video! Love the history, aesthetics, and shoot-ability of 1911s. Also love the fact that there is 1911 out there for every need and budget!
My RIA 1911A1 was tight when I bought it new. I also encountered failures to feed and eject. I applied valve grinding compound and cycled it about 50 times. I switched to Wilson Combat mags and eliminated the feed and eject failures and my RIA 1911A1 performs flawlessly. Also my RIA 1911A1 had checkered grips from the factory.
I have heard that you gotta swap out those mag springs with better ones for those RIA
Chip McCormick mags. Problem solved
@@blaws6684 Ed Brown mags for me at $24 apiece.
I would like to point out that the majority of the specific features, assuming that the dimensions are standard 1911, can be changed out and upgraded to fit the user, still for less than you would pay upfront for a Wilson. As a hobbyist, I don't mind putting a little extra time and work into making the gun my own, and sticking to the cheaper model. Wilson is a beautiful gun, absolutely.
I bought a Citadel for $350 a few years ago and thought it was a steal for how tight the tolerances were. No rattle, smooth slide, etc. Since then I've put a lot of "lipstick" on that "pig": new trigger, checkered straps, new grip, extended mag release, etc. I still paid way less than I would for a "high tier" 1911 and it's become one of my favorite pistols to shoot. The trigger is crisp and feels amazing. The sight picture with new sights is awesome. And the frame feels solid and it's very reliable. I feel like this is one of my best firearm purchases. Would I like a $3k 1911? Oh heck yes! But this sub-$700 one is pretty dang sweet lol!
I agree, one of the biggest things I look forward to with a new cheaper gun is making it better with better parts little by little and spending time putting love into your gun with polishing. Get my RIA GI 1911 in 2 days. Can’t wait.
For the price of the Wilson Combat I can buy the RIA 1911, a PSA AR15, a PSA AR10, a Glock 19 and 1000 rounds for each of the 4 weapons! I guess if money is no object you buy the Wilson Combat. . . .
You're not even exaggerating Z50! Is that like Z50 Honda?
So,you can buy a Kia or would you rather drive a real machine ?
@@FunWithGuns It was a long time ago. I also own the domain z50 dot com
@@excelerater Well, would you rather own the Kia with a lifetime of gasoline or a Corvette and never have any gas that just sits in the driveway?
@@z50com dumbest analogy ever.
After 3000 rounds, won't the $400 gun be smoother to shoot?
You wanna smooth something out, put diamond lapping compound in the spots causing the friction. Use the gun and re apply the lapping compound frequently. Work the slide back and forth yourself. Then give it a thorough cleaning and lube. It'll be like new
That's often the problem. He doesn't want to be seen with a $500 gun, when he has a $3,000 gun, so it never gets out of the box.
then you are paying thousands of dollars worth of ammo just to polish a turd.
This whole video is just you bitching about a more affordable gun. Give me that pistol I bet I will show you some good shooting.
Rock Island says to fire 500 Rd through it for a break in.then it will be losing up I just bought the 1911 45 in the officer model with a 3.1 inch barrel and no jams 300 Rd through it and I can hit dead center at 70 yard's all I did was put some bright white finger nails polish on the front sight .
"Most expensive 1911" $3,000 Wilson Combat
Extremely rare Singer sewing machine brand 1911: "Hold my beavertail".
I got a RI 1911 for Christmas to carry hunting. Finish from the holster is wearing like you mentioned but it hasn’t failed yet with about 200 rounds no cleaning. I would recommend them! Got it for 450
This is Amazing! I was just debating on which of these two pistols I was going to buy! Thanks Mr. Obvious for making that choice easy!
Should have compared it to the RIA ultra model that comes with sights and g10 grips. I polished the internals on mine and it's super smooth. I recommend RIA to anybody that wants a 1911 but not sure what to get. Average joe doesnt need a wilson combat.
Yep.
So I assume that Rock Island was made intentionally to be no frills like the old WW2 1911 because I have seen Rock Islands look almost exactly like your big bucks 1911 So it really is not a fair comparison since they intended it to be original no frills.
I sent my RIA off to Dawson Precision and they took the standard GI sights off and put on some nice fibre optics.
I think this pistol is a good range gun and practice pistol. That's what I use mine for
I own a ria 1911 gi full size and the things you point out are built that way for a reason. It’s designed to be a gi model without all the fancy crap added and finishes
4:00 OMG! Quite the marksman for hitting a target so far and consistently to boot. Respect to you sir.
You know I was just looking at 1911s yesterday and seriously considering purchasing, this video is just in time lol
Stay till the end, I add an extra in
Be careful they are very addicting
My RIA 1911 was the gun I probably regret selling the most of all the ones I've parted with. I only had what? 4 malfunctions with it the whole time I owned it and those were all due to ammo used, one of which was a visibly short round because I was doing a stress test on it using the dirtiest, cheapest ammo I could find. It was in 9mm, though, and at the time, I was looking for something with a bit more power to it, so I sold it to buy a .357 revolver. Other than the few malfunctions I had because of cruddy ammo, it ran like a top.
Lol "I have alot of 1911 experience"
"I think these sights are welded on Idk... " 😂🤦♂️
Jason Hasselbacher lol guy is a dumbass. Wilson combat is garbage
I'm glad someone else caught that besides me. Polish the rails on the RI if you want it to have a smoother slide. He could pimp out a RI himself and be no where near $3000 and have the Gucci gun he apparently craves. 😂
Hahahahahahahahaha
Lol 😂 then he comparing a 9 to a 45 talm bout accuracy
For $500, I got a RIA Rock ULTRA SE, which has front and rear serrations, G10 grips, combat style sights, an extended safety lever (ambi safety also), and comes standard with an 8 round ACT MAG magazine.
This could not have been better timing, I’m turning 21 on the 5th and I’m really considering the ria 1911, thanks for the review!
If you already haven't, I'd recommend throwing in another $300 on the RIA Pro Match 1911. It's my first handgun and it is a much improved upgrade over the GI. You get the fiber optic front sight with serrater, adjustable rear; better fit and finish; and an improved trigger, hammer, and magazine release.
@@andreivaldez2929 . Doesn't it have a bull barrel too?
Expert shooting.... Fair review too,I believe... Deadly shooting for sure!
Guess it depends on the person and their needs...
You only have to buy quality once....
I have a Rock Island 1911. Has most of the stuff you said your expensive gun has. G10 grip checkering on grip mag release easy to get to with cut out in grip. Adjustable rear sight and red optic front sight. Very happy with it. No it’s not a high quality 1911 but very nice 1911. With great options
Same here, I changed my sights, grips, mag well & added a comp & grip tape on the front portion of the grip to make it my own & it's good enough for me 🤷🏽♂️
Honest Outlaw is #1 n my book!!
Please tell me what rear sight you put into you RIA GI?
I use a RIA .45 1911 in competition and it runs flawlessly. Only real complaint is the GI sights.
My only comment has to be that as a Veteran who was issued a well worn Colt M1911A1 in the 1970s, the Rock Island GI M1911 is far more reminiscent of my service pistol.
But this is RIA's least expensive 1911. RIA also makes the 1911 EFS and 1911 Pro Match Ultra, which are superior RIA models. They even make modern takes on the 1911, some are double stack models in their TAC and ROCK lines, both of which are decent quality firearms.
The Wilson Combat is a fantastic "Piece of Firearms Art" a "Gucci Gun", a masterpiece in manufacturing, but it has nothing in common with a real Government M1911. (Or a reproduction of one)
You might as well compare a Cimarron Single Action Army Reproduction to a Manurhin MR88. They're both revolvers, but the Cimarron is fairly true to the actual Colt 1873 of a bygone era, while the MR88 is an artistic masterpiece that has little to do with the Colt SAA 1873!
The Wilson Combat has little to do with a real M1911 or a reproduction of one either!
The M1911 was designed to shoot .45 ACP Ball FMJ, the same as the RIA GI M1911.
It doesn't like most JHP or other more modern types of bullet shapes.
Stick to FMJ and after being broken in, the RIA GI 1911 will be a reliable shooter, not like the Wilson Combat shown which is basically a safe queen, not an every day shooter that even a financially "well off" shooter would holster on their hips as an EDC firearm year after year.
I personally know quite a few people that carry a RIA GI M1911 as an EDC though.
As always, if you can afford a better 1911 style pistol and the ammo required to learn the gun - do it.
Would you say that RIA 1911 is better than those Turkish Clones like Girsan or Tisas?
@pharaon gaming No. All three comparable. Pick the features you like.
Most of the time you make good points - on this one you’re just bashing a GOOD quality for the money rock island. Are you trying to justify (for your own appeasement) the money you spent on the Wilson? Shoot the ria more - they break in beautifully and are jam free excellent guns - especially for $400
Lol, I believe so. That Rock island will smooth out and become way better
Not sure how comparing a 42 oz gun firing .45 rounds vs a 40 oz gun firing 9mm is a valid comparison. Not to mention the RIA is bare bones military vs one of WC's high end safe queens.
I have a RIA a1 after1000 rounds it's very smooth I think your's might just need a break in
Same here, I love mine and it's accurate as hell!!!
@@Miohunter444 yep, mine is also.
I love my RIA
If cannot afford a high end I would alway recommend the RIA. Mine was a great shooter. Or save up a little more and get one of their upgraded version.
I have a WC and it really shines. I also own a few Rock Island 1911s. No failures of any kind in the bunch. In fairness to the RIA in this video, is this is a mil-spec style handgun and the sights are reminiscent of that design. All of my RIAs were factory equipped with fiber optic front sights, adjustable rears and G-10 grips. Most of the handgun owners I know, think that Glocks are too expensive. $3000-5000 for a 1911 isn't even a consideration.
I own several 1911s and I pick up my pawn shop RIA SC Tactical (Novak sights) over any of my more expensive pistols. I added a mag well and Hogue wrap around grips for a little more useful daily carry and I beat the absolute crap out of it and it couldn’t care less what mags or ammo I cram in it, it just runs without fail, every time.
I was actually curious as to how good these cheaper 1911s are. So thank you for posting this video!
I bought an RIA a couple years ago and it has been flawless... it’s a shooter. ALL ammo. Sights suck but if you can shoot good with them, then keep them. Worth every penny.
I have a friend who went to a gunsmith with his to have a look at it and he said it was put together really good.
Well you can find some more modern 1911s in the same price range. I opted to get a more modern style 1911 over a GI model. Maybe at some point I'll get a GI model just to have one.
Please don’t say you went and dropped a boat load of money on a 1911 because of this video I have a friend that has 4 different 1911s (I also have one plus’s my fathers ) and if all 6 were laid out in front of me I’d pick his rock island over my ruger my fathers old spingfield or and of his other 3 the rock island shoots the smoothest and is most accurate with me behind it he has told me the same after I told him witch one I like most I know he spent over 1,000 on each of the other 3 he has also sank more money in the rock island than the others but total cost he still has less in the rock island than anyother
If the parts fit correctly any 1911 will run and run...the design is that good...our RIA has been dependable since day 1...the gun has moving parts, it could break tomorrow, as could every other gun out there...
Rock islands are awesome! Love mine, is actually yet to jam on me with about 1000 rounds down range. Fit and finish is fine could be better but then again 300 dollars lol. It could always be worse, it could have been a kimber 😂
Remember when Kimber used to be good? Yeah, me neither
why the hate against kimber? they have considerably less fuck-ups than other companies like SIG for example.
Let's be honest....Kimbers are very pretty.....
@@Darth.Fluffy very pretty yes 😂😂
Kimber.....you misspelled Glock.
In my opinion, the best gun is the one you have in your hand when you are in danger, and it saves your life or the lives of the ones you love. Excellent video, thank you for posting it.
Paul Harrell did a comparison between the RIA 1911 and a Colt 1911. After shooting both, he said that their accuracy was basically the same.
It must be operator error because let's face it, few of us can shoot as well as Paul Harrell.. 😆
Just got back from the range with my RI 1911 for the first time. Ran 100 rnds through it and it performed flawlessly.
The caliber comes into play with the reliability. Especially with the Rock Island as the mags it comes with do not perform as well in the weapon as compared to Wilson combat mags.
So, basically, buy a RIA 1911 and a Dremel tool.
you can get a RIA for $100 more with all the fancy featurs
I want a RIA soon. I'm into older style firearms mostly and the GI style just does it for me. It'll go good with my Browning Double Action and Marlin 336
Check out the ATI military 1911's. I've fired more than 2000 rounds through mine paid under $300. No joke. I honestly thought it was going to be a POS. Some of the things he points out about the Wilson this ATI has. I've tried the cheapest ammo I could find. I thought it was a throw away at first.
6000 rounds later, my RIA has failed to go BANG fourteen times. A few Ed Brown and Wilson Combat parts later, I have an arched mainspring housing, ambidextrous safety, recoil buffer, and pewter grip panels plus a good spring. I tuned a $300 1911 to a $2000 gun, nail driver at 20 yards (with a good eye on a good day) with just under $600 in the gun. My labor is, of course, free to me. 3.9 pounds on the trigger: a tiny whet stone did that in less than twenty light strokes.
You are a good salesman for Wilson Combat.
I have one small question. I thought that more precisely fitted guns were often less reliable? I always believed that slightly looser tolerances lead to more reliability in dirty conditions or with inferior ammo.
I have a series 70 gold cup national match Colt that can't get thru a single mag without a FTF or FTE, It is worth $1500 and doesn't hold a candle to my RIA standard standard GI with low profile sights. I would trust my life with the RIA I have.
That IS a fair question...no doubt a gun can be too tight, which is a mess...with use, most will 'break in', becoming smoother...dirt can stop a freight train...as for ammo, only cheap .22 comes to mind for being erratic enough to affect operation, most other ammo will run somewhat consistantly, albeit some brands might be better than others...
We put a set of checkered GI grips on the oldest boy's Armscor 1911. I'd round the edges on the grip safety a bit and run it like that. Gun runs great.
I'm happy with my budget Springfield 1911 45acp. Only use it at the range so it's just a fun gun not a self defense gun. For $449 on sale I'm very happy with it. BTW I only put about 50-100 rounds a week so a budget 1911 suits me perfectly. 👍🙂
I have a Charles Daly 5 inch GI model that is my EDC, I bought it 3 years ago for 350 brand new, I take it to the range every weekend and put 3-500 rounds through it every time, I’ve never had a failure no matter what kind of ammo I feed it, the only thing I’ve changed on it is I put a set of checkered wood grips and switched the standard mags for Wilson Combat 10 round mags, it’s never let me down
I just Bought the baby rock 1911 Chambered and 380 I've only shot 50 rounds Through it so far I'm impressed with it I wanna get more practice in I want to carry it
The sightes are not welded the rear is dovetailed and the front staked in, if you have the tool and some green lock tight you can swap them out.
Slides so smooth because it’s a little 9mm 😂
And also because its had 3000+ vs 200 rounds
You know, I never understood a person who says "little 9mm" you realize that a 9mm hollow will fuck you up enough that caliber doesn't quite matter. It's a caliber known by almost every nation's military to have sufficient killing power while also balancing weight and portability. It's the balanced round, and it'll definitely kill you just as good as a .45. I'd take an extra round or two in a magazine over a .45 conversion. I get a vibe you might also be the kind of person to say "fuck 5.56, I want 7.62"
@@milk1472 calm down dude, 45 is bigger than a 9 so the 9 should shoot smoother, 5.56 is a smaller round than 7.62 so it's gonna shoot smoother, you can't compare 2 guns that are in a different caliber because the parts have to be different to hold whatever cartridge
@@rexleehe7633 this guy gets it
Always wanted a WC mostly the 300 Hamr now! but being a family man, theres just no way i could ever afford one! and i make decent money! Thats TERRIBLE!!! Honestly before i buy one pistol for a fortune,
i would rather buy multiple of Fairly priced well know brand guns first!
I just started getting into your videos, but the one thing I REALLY respect, was the fact that you didn’t debate on the 9MM vs. 45ACP. Nice recoil control, and even better videos. Thank you brother 💪🏼
My dude! I'm about to drop a review video for the RIA 1911 A1 GI FS 45 tomorrow. An excellent entry level pistol and I think its reliability is right up there or even better than the top notch ones.
Yes especially when u upgrade the mags to Willson combat mags
Standard GI sights worked pretty good from 1911 all the way up to the mid 80's in too many battles to count.
We would actually paint the front site white. Makes a whole lot better site picture. Pissed gunny off bad.
Yep, the Long well known history of the 1911 proves that many times over.
If you have 20-yr old eyes. Little harder when you get past 40.
@@bobanderson6656 I am 59, and painted mine white, helps, love the GI Rock Island 45ACP
TLDW.
Lost me comparing .45ACP to 9MM. From this point on, your comparison is invalid, from a purely forensic aspect.
The only one I'd say is the spring weight is invalid.
@@codyopperman5930 The 9mm magazine alone will have a different weight and capacity than the .45 ACP magazine which will affect recoil.
I think rock island 1911 for the price is better than most guns for around the same price point. Never had any issues with mine and still accurate
I've got a RIA M1911 A1 FS, which has some improvements over the one used in this video. It's a little closer to the furniture on the Wilson Combat from the video.
It's got the fiber optic front sight and adjustable rear sight. It's got the G10 grips. It's got a better fit and finish all around than the RIA in the video. And it cost about $600. It's been my favorite pistol, and seems to get better the more I shoot it.
I really want to find a RIA, literally made from colt’s old dies.
Would like to see a comparison of one of the Wilson with one of the Rock Island Armory enhanced guns. They have mag wells, better sights and triggers. Mine seems to run pretty good. That would be a $3000.00 dollar gun vs a $550.00 gun.
AMEN I'LL bet on The rock all day everyday.
I’d take the RIA and save the extra cash.
The shootouts regularly happen between 7-10 yards and last 2 or 3 min between this time range you will be either standing or horizontal. The RIA 1911 is a great handgun, I own one. The breaking period for a new 1911 is regularly 500-1000 rounds. The RIA is very reliable and I trust it with my life, if I am going to spend $1000 in a handgun, thing I will never do... it will be in its original manufacturer and form, a Colt 1911 GI.Any other high end 1911, it is a waste of money but if you are willing to spend all this money in a gun more power to you. Me, after serving in the military for 18 years and serving in the middle east, I do have a different thinking. Reliability over a price tag!
Actually, shootouts occur at much closer ranges than that 90 percent of the time. It's point and shoot. Distances from bad breath to 15 feet are most common. Not my opinion, the facts are the facts.
Bought a Norinco 1911 back in the 1990s at a Dallas gun show for $199. Replaced all internals and smoothed and polished all surfaces. I’ve got a Les Baer $1700 Thunder Ranch Special, but prefer my own creation by far as an EDC.
I think once you shoot that RIA a bit more and things start to wear and smooth out, the reliability issues might go away. My Remington R1 was like that. It would occasionally choke on the last round in the mag. A few hundred rounds later, and it doesn't do that anymore.
Another great vid! Thanks my man!
I still think the Springfield Range Officer Elite is the best overall 1911 out there for it's price, fit and finish, reliability, features, quality and accuracy.
I say the Mil-spc is got mine for 550bucks.al I did was upgrade my mags to Willson combat and Pro mags
I really like your videos. You leave out the unnecessary comments about groups of people unlike other channels. Looking to purchase my first pistol sometime in the future so I'm just doing research right now.
You haven’t really worked with some really low end GI 45’s until you have dealt with the post WW2 surplus and parts jam-o-matics. A shooting bud about 1961 or 62 bought two from a pile of “as is” 1911’s from a pawn shop. He paid $15 and $30. He did however put together one pistol from the best parts from the two, into a totally reliable gun. If I remember correctly his finished product had Springfield, Colt & Remington parts. His $15 1911 had a cracked frame but he claimed the barrel looked like a brand new replacement.
A bit off subject, the same guy lucked into one of the near impossible to find, a Colt US GI 380 stamped with what he claimed were British proof marks. If you could look past the holster wear and some slight surface rust on the slide the bore and innards looked brand new. I just can’t remember what he paid for it in the late 50’s but it was a steal. I think it was about 40-50 bucks. In the early 80’s he traded it straight across for a low mileage 4X4 Suburban. He was the type of guy that could spend hours going through junk boxes at gun shows.