Rock Island

[rondog]

I have three. The one above, a Compact that's my daily CCW beater, and this one that I customized (yes, shameless showing off). It started out as a GI model too, I turned it into a "clone" of their Tactical model. Cost a lot of money and a bunch of work. Trust me, just buy a Tactical to begin with and have it refinished if you wish.

I installed the Tactical parts myself, including modifying the frame and fitting the beavertail, also smoothed the grooves off the trigger face, then I had it blued at a local gunsmith's. Novak's installed the sights. It's a great shooter.

[ledge]

Oh I forgot to mention the first time I took it the range the bushing broke and the recoil spring plug went down range. The gunsmith sold me a used bushing and 1000 rounds later no more issues.

[imarangemaster]

This is weird. I replaced the factory RIA hammer with a GI 1911A1 wide spur hammer. Took it out and fired it...AND IT SUCKED! Very stiff and hard at the very end of pull. I put the factory hammer back on and it it a beautiful and crisp at about 2 pounds. Go figure? Someday I will stone the GI hammer, but for now, the RIA hammer is a winner.

[ww2farmer]

I have been thinking about getting one of these myself, I see they come with a flat MSH, I like the looks of that, but I see it has no lanyard loop. Where could I find a flat GI MSH with the loop, and will it interchange if I did/could even find one?

[imarangemaster]

Pick up an arched GI backstrap with lanyard off EBay or GB. It slides right in. I used the spring assembly from the RIA back strap in the GI one. The Post WW2 grips were $10 on Ebay.

[rondog]

Smith & Alexander makes MSH's with lanyard loops, I have an arched/checkered one on my RIA that I made into a Colt clone. I believe they have flat, smooth MSH's with lanyard loops too. And yes, it'll slide right in. A MSH w/loop from an original WWI Colt M1911 will too.

[imarangemaster]

I have been thinking about getting one of these myself, I see they come with a flat MSH, I like the looks of that, but I see it has no lanyard loop. Where could I find a flat GI MSH with the loop, and will it interchange if I did/could even find one?

Here a flat with lanyard cheap...

1911 USGI Style Flat Mainspring Housing w/Loop - eBay (item 300413449852 end time Apr-08-10 16:57:40 PDT)