Greetings,
After a few days of lurking anonymously, learning a tremendous amount of excellent information from the various forum categories, and basically mucking around in the archives, I felt I needed to give you fine folks a shout out and introduce myself.

I'd love to say that I'm uber-shooter or such, but fact of the matter is that I'm really rather new to owning/shooting auto pistols. Yes, it's true, I spent years shooting revolvers, but simply never really managed to seem to get buying an auto high enough on my list to have the money when the urge struck. Well, unfortunately for my wallet, the urge struck pretty hard here lately and surprise, surprise, this time I had the means to play a little.

Actually, it began several months ago, when I decided I wanted to get my concealed carry license due to the frequent management of money for a new business myself and five partners started almost a year ago. My first purchase was a Glock 21 .45 ACP. Yes I know it is not the best concealed weapon if you intend on strapping it to your body, however in my particular situation, a briefcase/laptop case style concealed carry situation works best. Anyway, I digress...

Naturally, wanting to be both skilled and confortable with a defense weapon, I've spent the past several weeks shooting twice a week and consistently talking with other shooters and gun store folks concerning ways I can improve my shooting accuracy. ( I shoot low and to the left.) Well here recently, I was browsing through the counter drooling over the row of Kimbers lined out and flaunting themselves before my unworthyness when I spotted a rather plain, but nice looking 1911 style auto from a manufacturer I'd never seen before.

Oh that price was nice and the gun looked pretty well made, so I started talking with the smith that worked there and found that for the most part, this Rock Island Armory .45 would swap parts with other standard government-styled .45s....

I've not been overly happy with the feel of the Glock 21, had the trigger connector changed for the 3.5 pound pull, then changed back after I found I hated the ultra-easy break. I've also had the rear sight swapped, added and removed a Hogue gripall sleeve, and basically fed 1000 rounds through it in an effort to improve my skills and comfort with the gun. Well my skills are improving, I'm not shooting low and to the left any more, now I'm just shooting low. A taller rear blade might fix that, or I could aim higher, but let's not get critical.

Ultimately, my lack of love for the Glock combined with an ages old desire to own a 1911-type .45 had culminated in a fit of firearm delerium and I broke down and plunked the change into this unusually well-priced .45 auto. Later at the range, I discovered quite quickly that shooting the RIA was a far more pleasant experience than the barrel-bouncing Glock with Winchester 230 gr hardball. Unfortuantely, I found myself shooting a little low and to the left again, but hey, buying the RIA is the start of a whole new quest of customizations for me.

A few other issues presented themselves today as I only put about 50 rounds down range with the RIA. The first issue is the hammer bite... I have big hands and it looks as though a good beavertail rear safety would fix that. The second issue is that out of the 50 rounds, I had three FTF due to the 8th round stove piping or flying loose of the mag.

I've read a great article here from Tuner1911 in the gun smithing section (actually read it before going to the range) and know what the issue is, so fixing it should be nothing more than replacing it with a better clip. So here very soon, I'll be taking the plunge into customizing a 1911. I've always fancied getting a chance to do that, and thanks to the RIA, I can have it modified and be able to change components around on a gun that doesn't put me in the poor house. By the time I'm ready to spend a grand plus on a superior .45 auto, I'll have a dang good idea what I like and don't like, want and don't want without running something like a Kimber through my learning curve.

Well hopefully, my long-winded post isn't too overwhelming. My writing style is extremely prone to very, very long posts and I have a severe tendancy to ramble. I'll get some pics of the RIA before I mod it and then some after and we'll go from there. Thanks all for your great posts, I've already learned a ton and I look forward to much more shooting happiness from my RIA.

Peace.

Got some pics, so I thought I'd add them to the post here. All stock right now... gimme a few months, the tweeking will begin to show....
http://webpages.charter.net/papaser...ges/RIA-001.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/papaser...ges/RIA-002.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/papaser...ges/RIA-003.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/papaser...ges/RIA-004.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/papaser...ges/RIA-005.jpg

__________________
Deacon Aegis
-Matt-
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
~Benjamin Franklin
Acta non verba