RIA Series 70 or 80 and how to know?

[Buckwild 1911]

Hi all, my question is simple, I hope. I just bought a rock island 1911 .45 and I want to spiff it up a bit with some new parts. I need to know if it is a series 70 or 80 and how to tell the difference. My old colt says series 70 right on the slide so that was a no brainer, but I haven't found anything about the series on the slide or in the paperwork. Any help would be great.
Thanks in advance, Ray

[John]

Ray,

The only pistols which are Series 70 or Series 80 are Colts. The designation does not apply to other pistols, except maybe Para Ordnance's ones, which use the same Colt-pattented Series 80 firing pin safety mechanism.

Your RIA is a standard 1911, with no Series 80 parts, so you can call it a Series 70 (when selecting parts), but keeping in mind that it's not really a Series 70, since this designation is reserved for Colts only.

To see if a pistol is S80 or not, look inside the slide, near where the cut is for the disconnector head to go up in. If you can see a round thing, next to that cut (or very close) which can be pushed up, then it's an S80. Or look on the top area of your frame, next to the disconnector. If there is a longitudinal cut to the right of the disconnector and if when you push the trigger a little, there is a lever coming up, on the right side of the disconnector, then it's a S80 pistol. If not, it is a standard 1911 (or S70).

[Buckwild 1911]

Thank you for a lot of good info on the subject. Ordering of parts should be much easier now. This site rules!!