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Customer Reviews for Rock Island Armory GI Standard MS CA Compliant 45 ACP Pistol


Rock Island Armory GI Standard MS CA Compliant 45 ACP Pistol Buy Now

35 Reviews. 4.9 out of 5 Stars!
5 Stars
89%
4 Stars
12%
3 Stars
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Matthew R on 10/03/2023
Rating:   4 of 5 Stars!

Overall a great pistol for the price. Functions great and certainly looks the part of a GI 1911, albeit with the shorter Commander-length barrel. However, I'm not a fan of the takedown process. As opposed to the barrel bushing and spring plug of a 5" Government model, this pistol requires the use of a paperclip fashioned into a tool to remove the guide rod toward the rear of the slide, made all the more difficult when you need to fight a stiff recoil spring. That's just a matter of personal preference, however.

Christopher G on 07/16/2023
Rating:   4 of 5 Stars!

Buds shipped to my FFL very fast. This is my first 1911 in .45. Ran 100 rounds through it with no problems. Love the wood grips and the trigger action. My only critique is that the sights are difficult to see, will probably add some paint so they stand out more. Also, the magazine that came with the 1911 needs to be slammed in order for it to catch. A few times I thought the mag was in all the way, but it fell out onto the range table. Not sure if this is something normal with 1911's or manufacturing issue. Bought a Wilson combat 8rd magazine since the RIA mags are out of stock right now. The Wilson had the same issue, so I'm guessing it may be the magazine catch in the pistol. Overall, I'm happy with my first 1911 and will continue to take it to the range.

Pedro C on 06/20/2023
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

This rock island 45 ACP for the price is awesome. The gun shoots wonderfully right out of the box. I would definitely recommend this pistol rock Island has come a long way on their manufacturing of firearms. … i’m buying it from buds. Guns is also awesome very easy very efficient and ships fast… I would recommend this pistol for a starter 1911 45 ACP…

Dan M on 03/29/2023
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

For the money this 1911 is fantastic. No frills but runs great.

Robert D on 02/05/2023
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Very pleased with this firearm so much so I purchased a second one from you as a backup in case the original has to go out for repair. Purchasing through Buds is a very easy process. Had a very positive experience.

John K on 05/29/2022
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

I tried building a few 1911s and bought expensive parts to try to make a primo custom 1911 - It was an extensive learning experience, in some ways rewarding and in some ways frustrating. I should have just bought a Rock Island. To build a proper 1911 that's better than a Rock Island, you need a machine shop. Now I have some Wilson Combat parts that I can retrofit onto my Rock Island and it will improve it.

Craig E on 03/30/2022
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Great gun. Worth every penny. Super accurate and fun to shoot. Several hundred rounds through it without one problem.

Terry R on 03/29/2022
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

love this gun. not to big , not to small. one of the best guns out there , VERY HAPPY with it ! buds guns GREAT place to buy from !

Al I on 03/07/2022
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Was looking for a Colt Combat Commander and bought this on the advice of a very experienced gunsmith. It did not disappoint. Action is slick, trigger is great, and it eats everything. The only thing I wasn't thrilled about is that it has the captive recoil spring/guide rod and direct barrel/slide lockup vice the standard spring/plug/bushing setup, but that's on me for not digging into the specs more, and after shooting it I'm sold. Great accuracy and function for half the cost of its Colt cousin and every bit as good. Quick and easy shipping from Bud's as usual. One of the best deals going.

Kyle M on 12/02/2020
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Can’t beat it for the price....I have put about 200 rounds through it so far without issues....it’s not as pretty as a Kimber or a Colt but it functions just as well.

Patrick P on 03/05/2020
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Awesome 👍
Cant beat a old legend

John U on 12/10/2019
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

I had never heard of Buds Gun Shop prior to making this purchase of my Rock Island 1911 .45 Acp. But I was searching the internet and came upon their website, and they had the cheapest price and free shipping, also for a small fee purchased a lifetime warranty on the firearm. I had it shipped to my local FFL, and received it very quickly. I also had never know that Rock Island Arms sold hand guns, but the 1911 is a great gun and well made, I have fired 50 rounds through it so far and have had zero problems. I love it. I definitely would recommend Buds Gun Shop to all my friends and family.

Rodney G on 06/23/2019
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

GREAT! Best gun in my collection this 1911 45 ACP 4.25 inch is now my fave.... finally have a 1911, no see why after all these years still produced, and by the company that made them for the US gov. for the GI's in WWII.
Bud's Gun Shop mad the purchase swift and easy went smother than expected thru my FFL here in Calif..... Sure wish I lived in the USA so things would not be as hard or with all the hassles that California adds to getting a fire arm here, most guns are not ON ROSTER! Can not get them into Calif at all. One minor change takes them OFF ROSTER. We cant get anything ne or improved here even if it's a SAFETY CHANGE does not make sense does it....
Would I buy from Bud's again... YOU BET I WILL!
Thanks for your time
Rod G. Simi Valley, CA.

David Y on 06/20/2019
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Being a former Marine infantry SNCO, I have only known 1911's, so I decide to buy one that I could afford. Shopping around I went to Buds and found the Rock Island 51417 GI Standard MS 4.25 1911. Some what skeptical I went and bought it, great price, and WOW what a surprise this 4.25 was. Great shooting right out of the box. I punched the bore a few times and a little lube and off she went , ZERO issues. Well worth the money!!!!

Christopher K on 03/09/2019
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

This RIA MS 1911 is a great firearm. I love the 45ACP and I concealed carry a 1911 on a daily basis. This is just like a full sized GI style 1911 but is .75 inches shorter than the full sized 5 inch version. The big difference here is the MS has a full length guide rod and a bull barrel and no barrel bushing or recoil spring plug. As a result, the take-down/ field strip process is a little different than your standard issue 1911 and in some ways a bit more difficult. But don't let that scare you away. I highly recommend that you use a bent paper clip or an Allen-wrench to help you with field-stripping this pistol. This pistol can also be taken down without those items as well. Disassembly without an Allen-wrench or without a paper clip will get easier after you break in the pistol after a few hundred rounds as the recoil spring is very, very tight but will losen up over time. A simple search on YouTube will help you in figuring out how to field-strip the pistol, as the owners manual is quite simple and doesn't explain much in detail. This gun functions well and has tight tolerances. The finish is also very well done. I cleaned off the oil the gun came covered in- it was coated but not over-done as some reviews have said. Upon field-stripping the weapon, I examined the parts and internals and am happy to report that this pistol is very well made... no machining or tooling marks inside (or outside) the pistol. The folks at RIA know what they are doing and I hate to say this but the internals and machining inside this RIA 1911 are smoother and better done than the internals and parts on my American-made Springfield Armory mil-spec 1911's (I own 2 of those) and this RIA 1911 is better machined and better fitted than both of my Springfield 1911s... This RIA 1911 is my new EDC and the 4.25 inch barrel does lighten the pistol enough that you will notice a difference in the weight. This firearm will feed hollow points and hard ball ammo very well. The only time I noticed issues feeding hollow points is when I used magazines that were higher in capacity than 8 rounds. If you use 7 or 8 rounders they will work flawlessly in this pistol. Hard ball ammo fed flawlessly from my 10-round Wilson Combat extended mags. I have not fired this gun yet but everything on it functions and works great. Very high quality 1911. Also, RIA made 1911s for the US military back in WWII -The US government gave a copy of the original Colt 1911 blueprints to the RIA company back then so they could make these pistols for the US troops in WWII. That same factory that was used in the Philippines to make those 1911s is the same factory that is being used today and RIA still uses those same old Colt blueprints to make their 1911s. So, although these pistols have the small RIA logo on the rear of the slide, these 1911s are exact copies of the original Colt 1911s. They look just like the WWII era 1911s. -Because they in fact, are. Also all RIA 1911s are series 70, just how John Moses Browning intended them to be. You can't beat these 1911s for the money. I highly recommend them. Also Buds was great as usual. Transfer at my FFL was quick and easy as well. Thanks again, Buds! Life long customer right here. What the polymer wonders promise... the 1911 steel warrior has proven.

Christopher K on 01/12/2019
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

This was my first buy from Buds and it was a great experience overall. I paid for my gun last Saturday, Rock Island 1911 gi ms. Buds shipped it to my FFL on Monday and it arrived on Wednesday. I put around 100 rounds of Remington 230 grain through the gun today and it ran flawlessly, not a single issue. Thanks Buds. The RIA 1911 is a solid gun, well made for a cheap price. And it’s fully customizable. I enjoy the classic look of the gi model, but over time I might add a few bells and whistles to mine. I highly recommend this gun.

Steve G on 04/24/2018
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Well, I bought another RIA mid-size/commander. This just might be my 5th 1911 from buds and as always, fast delivery and a very good purchase experience. The Rocks are great guns and buds makes it so easy, thanks guys!

Steve G on 02/03/2018
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

This is my third commander size Rock. My second purchase price of $394! Can't beat RIA and Buds.

Carl D on 10/28/2017
Rating:   4 of 5 Stars!

I love everything about this gun except the take down its not like your normal 1911 you dont remove the bushing just the barrel slide pin.

Michael H on 10/16/2017
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

I ordered my Rock Island Armory 1911A1 4.25" Commander sight unseen, after much research on the pistol. I was afraid that it wouldn't look like the one in Bud's photo, but I can happily report that Bud's sent a truly beautiful specimen to my local shop, in very fast delivery time, no problems whatsoever, for a quite reasonable price. I have not fired the gun as yet, but I'm looking forward to it and have all confidence that it will perform at the top of the class. Thank you very much Bud's. I will not hesitate to order from you again when my need arises, nor will I refrain from recommending you to everyone I know needing your products. Sincerely, Michael H.

Steve G on 10/05/2017
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Well, it's me again. Just added another RIA mid-size to the collection. Only $394, dang! Get them while you can California, they and Buds are great.

Michael F on 08/04/2017
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Very pleased with this purchase. Only thing that I wasnt crazy over were the smooth wood grips, but thats easily fixable. The G.I sights take a little getting used to as well if you've only ever had a dot setup. Amazing gun for the price.

Steve G on 06/23/2017
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Almost to the day 3 years ago, I bought this gun from buds. This time instead of me ordering direct, my FFL did it for me. This will be my 10th RIA and 5th RIA purchase from buds. Yes, I'm a RIA and Buds fanboy!

Steven W on 02/17/2017
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

Fresh out of the box I took it to the range and put 50 rounds through the gun. Exactly what I expected after reading many many reviews before purchasing this firearm. It shoots straight and true right out of the box. Crisp clean trigger pull. Extremely satisfied with this gun and couldn't find a better deal than on here at buds gun shop! Thanks again!

Sean G on 05/30/2015
Rating:   5 of 5 Stars!

i have owned a compact and full size rock island 1911 now this ms one i love it no problems feeding nothing awsome gun i polish the feedramp it already is but i make it a little better but even if i dident gun is mint fires awsome i love the gun nice gun solid made not cheap i only buy rock island 1911 i owned a springfield and hated it felt cheaper to me this feels like a gun the bad is that the finish on these guns mark easy and scratch easy but the guns handle all ammo types hollow points flat nose ammo all it can use plus p its great very dependable i would tell any one to buy one of these its awsome best 1911 i owned wont be my last trigger is smooth and short mint trigger the slide to frame fit is tight no wabble no noise from the gun if u shake it the slide is super smooth i fired it under water no issue fired all 9 rounds in dirt and mud wont stop keeps shooting good gun

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