RANGE REPORT: Rock Island Commander

[Jim]

I shot my new Rock Island Commander this morning.

First cast boolit outa' the barrel went low and right and key holed. I thought "Nice, I got 49 rounds of slingshot ammunition." I shot 9 more rounds and taking into account I'm a greenhorn 1911 shooter, I was really surprised at how well I did.
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I chronied 8 rounds. The charges were thrown with a .5cc Lee scoop. I feel sure that if/when I weigh these out, I'll get better results.
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This next target was shot with some boolits 'The Perfesser' sent me. I think I got the group a little better centered on this one. The boolit is a Lyman 452374. They were pre-lubed and I don't know what it was.
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Just out of curiosity, I ran some Winchester 'White Box' NATO balls through it. Not nearly as good a group as the cast boolits. Go figure.
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I'm learnin'!

[w5pv]

I am mad,been shooting for over sixty and wish I could shoot that well.Now the eyes and nerves are a torment.

[Trey45]

You're discovering that the 1911 is going to be an accurate pistol with pretty much anything you feed it. Of course there's some loads that will give you minute of volkswagon accuracy. You need to try some H&G 68's in it now!

[Mud Eagle]

Does your RIA have a bushing and a 4.25" barrel? I'd heard that sometime last year or this year their midsize models switched from bull barrel to the "traditional" commander design, and wondered if yours was that way.

[DeanWinchester]

You need to try some H&G 68's in it now!


I got a whole mess of them things and no gun fer 'em.
Hmmmmm.

[khmer6]

Does your RIA have a bushing and a 4.25" barrel? I'd heard that sometime last year or this year their midsize models switched from bull barrel to the "traditional" commander design, and wondered if yours was that way.

I didn't realize they made anything in bull barrel aside from their 10mm

[Jim]

The barrel is swollen at the front to fit the slide, no bushing.

A really good friend gave me a set of hard rubber grips for it. Makes a huge difference in the feel and fit.

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Now if I can find three milspec magazines with the metal bottoms, I'll be in 'fat city'!

[Trey45]

Nice grips! I had a pair just like them.

[theperfessor]

Jim -

The boolits I sent you were lubed with either Lyman or RCBS traditional (soft) Alox lube. In fact, some may have both types as I think I was lubing them during the changeover from one brand to another. Glad they worked, hope you find a 452374 mold. If/when you shoot the HP versions please post results here. I haven't even had a chance to try any of them in any of my guns yet, don't know if that mod makes them more or less accurate. I doubt they will expand at ACP velocities.

[Jim]

Trey, HAD a pair? Whoever's got 'em now is surely enjoyin' 'em! The ones I got are sweet!

Perfesser, I'll load those HPs in the next few days an' shoot 'em.

[nightal]

Sometime late last yr. RIA changed their MS pistol, from 4'' to 4 1/4"it does not have a external barrel bushing, it has a cone barrel, full length guide rod, that is in the reverse barrel bushing, that is inside the slide. the RIA is not called a Commander, it's called a MS= Mid Size...

[tomme boy]

Is the brass hitting you in the face? Seems most of the non-standard 1911's do it. Does it have the extended ejector? That is a FIX that they do to try fixing the timing of the gun to not throw the brass in your face.

[khmer6]

I think its an internal extractor like most RIA

[tomme boy]

Internal extractor, extended ejector is what it should have.

[Jim]

The brass goes straight out at 3 O'clock.

[Moonie]

My RIA compact has bull barrel no bushing.

[makicjf]

my officers model also has a flared barrel. It requires a paper clip for dismantling. Its a great little 1911.
Jason

[Piedmont]

Nice pants! Did those come from New Zealand?

[linotype]

Jim,
The 452374 was one of my first moulds. Been a favourite for years for .45 ACP, and a great performer.
Also load the 452374 in .45 Colt using a .45 ACP taper crimp.
The Lee 230 gr. RN TL452-230-2R is a decent shooter.
Happy paper punching!

[Love Life]

The NOE H&G 34 clone is my favorite. I prefer to shoot RN projectiles, and the H&G 34 clone is the bee's knees. The LEE 225 gr RN is also good, but needs to be seated deep.

[Jim]

Nice pants! Did those come from New Zealand?

They did, Sir!
I know people. I can make special arrangements for you to get a pair! :bigsmyl2:

[Pb2au]

+1 on the Lee 230 RN. My Kimber seems to get along quite well with that boolit. Nice shootin' btw.

[khmer6]

What's your trigger pull weight on that? I found that my rocks were pretty consistent. I couldn't believe what I was hitting with my first 38 super RIA. About as good as my FNH FiveSeveN and glock 20