Rock Island 1911 warning from gunsmith.

[Jackalope]

Wife and I were at Freestate day before yesterday and the rear dovetail sight came loose on our .45 almost falling off! Without thinking I pushed it back on and tried to fire the gun but it sights were too far off so I tried to loosen the set screw to adjust it and it would not move now at all. So I took it up to the counter and left it for the gunsmith for him to fix and I was gonna have him put on upgraded sights while he was at it.

Well he called yesterday that he could fix the sights no problem and was gonna put in a new set screw but said it wasn't worth it to upgrade the sights that the RI .45 is just a $500 gun and isn't really worth doing any upgrades to because it will never be a match grade pistol that its internals aren't good enough. We talked about a trigger job but again he thinks the gun isn't really worth doing it to. He kept telling me its a $500 gun it'll shoot fine but it's only a $500 gun it'll never last or be a gun to pass down to my kids. The way he was talking makes it sound like a throw away $50 Saturday night special.

This is our 1st new gun I'm kinda bummed to find out its not worth doing upgrades to it to make it shoot better. I know it'll never be a match grade gun but it sucks that its not worth it to do any upgrades to.

 

[bbrown]

Try a different gunsmith with a better attitude about less-than-world-class guns.

Bryan

 

[hvymax]

I'll give you $50 for it. Much like cars unless you can work on them yourself you are pretty much screwed. Would it would make you feel better to spend 3x as much on a gun only to have to pay a gunsmith to fix it ? Of course gunsmithing is expensive as well but I guess he wouldn't dignify a budget gun with his efforts.

 

[virtus]

The upgrades are worth it if you think they are. It's your gun, your business what you do with it. Personally, I would think a trigger job and upgraded sights would make just about any gun more enjoyable to shoot. If you're going to hold onto this one, why not put a little more into it? Just mho

OR

Throw it in the garbage because that's obviously where it belongs

 

[BradMacc82]

I'll give you $50 for it.

$60


OP, find yourself another 'smith.

It's your gun, your money, your decision what you want done to it. If you want to have it milled and a mini-RDS melted into the slide, it's your choice, and many other businesses' would be happy to have the work and your $$ for doing it.

 

[robertgreen79]

Have you contacted RIA? Their customer service is great.

 

[highwayheat]

Did you buy it there? Some gun and archery shops like to give people a hard time if they did not sell the product to you. In my opinion that is just a lost sale and bad business. Word spreads quickly and I think word of mouth is the best advertising there is.

 

[jawn]

Find another 'smith.

 

[BUFF7MM]

Don't be bummed, like others have said, find a different gunsmith. Some gunsmiths are worth their weight in gold, others if they were on fire I wouldn't piss on them to put them out.

 

[BradMacc82]

Don't be bummed, like others have said, find a different gunsmith. Some gunsmiths are worth their weight in gold, others if they were on fire I wouldn't piss on them to put them out.

That applies to many other types of people too...

 

[mcbruzdzinski]

I have found the customer service at RIA to be great. I have only had one issue with the MDS RIA .45 I ordered. I called RIA and they took care of it.

 

[DoormanTNT]

Find a new smith.
Just went thru this EXACT issue with my RIA tact. Search my thread. Many knowledgeable people chimed in with options.
My sight literally fell out onto the shooting bench.

My fix was drill small dimple in slide, and set with blue loctite. Has held up GREAT thru bout 400 rounds so far.

Easy fix, plus I hear RIA cust service is good to deal with, I just couldnt see sending it back for sight issue.

TNT

.

 

[JSW]

with that thinking and since I started with a bargain 190.00 1911 receiver it will never amount to anything-- forget the wilson and brown parts I put in it.

As said before get a gunsmith any 1911 can be worked on and improved. Just depends on how much you want to spend.

 

[HarCo.45]

Big difference between a Gunsmith, and someone who works on guns.

I don't understand his logic... A RIA 1911 and a Glock XX are roughly the same cost, yet upgrading the sights on a glock is a "worthwhile upgrade" yet upgrading the sights on your 1911 is not?

I don't know anything about anything, but I would listen to the advice you have already been given a find a gunsmith.

 

[Onua]

find a new smith...seems to be an echo in here.
upgrades are worth it. Make your gun truely your gun.

 

[rob-cubed]

Lots of 1911 snobs out there would not regard an RIA for long enough to appreciate its true value. I'm guessing your smith is one of them. Find another, or send it back to RIA to fix on their dime.

They are fairly well-made and generally very reliable 1911s, just put together in a third world economy (cheap labor) by a people that still consider it the best choice in an issue sidearm. Filipinos know a thing or two about Browning's design.

 

[browning guy]

find another smith! That is some fine customer service right there the guy must have more work then he needs.

that $500 gun is your $500 gun and take it to some one who will respect you and your money. Back in the 1990's I bought a $295.00 norinco 1911 and wilson combat never told me not to spend my money on a new trigger! they installed what I want and cashed my check. I was happy and they were happy.

 

[lx1x]

$60


OP, find yourself another 'smith.

It's your gun, your money, your decision what you want done to it. If you want to have it milled and a mini-RDS melted into the slide, it's your choice, and many other businesses' would be happy to have the work and your $$ for doing it.

$100..

 

[Demoneyes86]

I have a ria tacical 1911 i love it even though it was only $500 i think a few upgrades would better it even though it shoots great as it sits now. Ignore spme peoples ignorance.

 

[BUFF7MM]

That applies to many other types of people too...

There's no doubt about that.