Review: Rock Island Armory M1911 A2 TAC2 Double Stack 10mm

Overview

Over the years I have had many 1911’s and have always stayed with Colt because, they’re Colt, and every one I  have owned performed well.  “Why change?”  was the way I looked at it. A while back I came across the Rock Island Armory M1911A2 in 10mm double stack and it caught my attention. I was impressed with the fit and finish. It was tight and didn’t rattle when shaken as some 1911’s have been known to do. I was also impressed with the way the gun fit in my hand. Not being a big guy, I have run into challenges with full size metal frame double stack pistols in the past, so to have this one fit comfortably was a welcome change. Needless to say, I liked the gun enough that after filling out some paperwork and paying the man I took home my new find and proceeded to get familiar with it.

Observations right out of the box:  It comes with a flared mag well and one magazine ( I would like it to have had 3 mags), but you can purchase new ACT-MAG’s from RIA for $23.72 for a 16 round in blue finish or the MEC-GAR 16 round blue finish for $40.49. I chose the ACT-MAG because I hadn’t ever used one and wanted to try it out. The gun comes with a factory bull barrel, full length guide rod, a fiber optic front site and an adjustable Nash style rear site which are easy to pick up and work well. It has an ambidextrous safety which functions smoothly and is easy to engage/disengage. The mag release is standard fare 1911 button which works well, and it has a skeletonized 1911 trigger, but more on that in a bit.

So how does it shoot?

On the range the gun functioned flawlessly with no issues. We were shooting Sig elite performance 180gr FMJ ammo and Blazer 180gr FMJ both of which worked well. First thing I noticed was the weight. The gun comes in at 58.04 oz loaded which is heavy when you compare it so single stack 1911. Ultimately the weight played in its favor when it came to recoil management. Typically, 10mm has no shortage of recoil, especially in polymer framed guns, however this being an all-steel frame with a bull barrel helped to keep the muzzle flip reasonable and reacquiring the sites was quick with follow up shots well placed. At 25 yards we managed with 6 shot groups to average 1.50”. The adjustable trigger is great right out of the box with ours averaging 1.13lbs pull weight x 3 pulls. It’s crisp with a clean, smooth break and short reset making for very enjoyable shooting. We put a little over 100 rounds through it that day and I am quite impressed with the gun. Knowing how well it shoots with only a relatively small number of rounds through it, I can only imagine that it will be even better with additional range time and break in.

Take down and cleaning.

The RIA M1911 A2 doesn’t entirely disassemble like a regular 1911. There is a slide release lever that is used to remove the slide, however removing the barrel can be a bit tricky if you have never encountered this set up before. There is no barrel nut, rather you have to lock the slide back, and take a small right angle tool (this doesn’t come with the gun, you have to make it yourself) We used a paper clip, straightened it and then made a small bend in one end (about an 1/8”, see photos below) and then locked the slide back. With the slide locked back, locate the small hole in the underside of the guide rod (circled in red in the photo below)  and put the right angle tool in. Release the slide lock and remove the slide. With the slide upside down and the barrel to the rear, pull the guide rod back with the tool still in place. Once the rod is out you can then remove the barrel. Word of caution, if you decide that you want to remove the recoil spring from the rod be very careful, it’s under significant tension and when you remove the tool it will launch the bushing and spring off the rod like greased lightning. Try to do this in a place where you can contain everything and keep your hands/fingers (or anything else you don’t want to risk injuring) out of the way! From there it’s straight forward and to reassemble follow the steps in reverse.

Final thoughts.

I have never owned a gun made in the Philippines before, but I had heard good things about them so I was hopeful that this one would be reasonably well made and shoot fairly well.  My expectations were completely surpassed! The Rock Island M1911 A2 TAC2 is not only well made, it shoots great and the value you get is well worth the $799.00 I spent on it. I would recommend this gun to anyone that is looking for a 10mm that is fun at the range, on a hike,  or to have for home defense.  Rock Island Armory has become a formidable force in the industry and if their other offerings are anything like this, they will be a serious player for a long time to come!

AA/tb