After several years of focusing on the 200g .38 revolver loads that Mikey got me addicted to--an addiction I still enjoy greatly, by the way--I broke down this past spring and bought an RIA parkerized GI model. In significant measure I wanted one similar to the Remington-Rand I carried in the Army in the 1980s, without the price tag, but I also moved recently and the new layout simply changed my tactical requirements for HD.
We moved from a rural area to a house in town, and the layout requires me to approach the most likely nighttime engagement area by pivoting through a hall doorway to my sharp right and then face a max range of only 25 feet. I don't want to try to get around that corner with a shotgun or carbine and possibly face struggling to retain a long gun at such a disadvantageous angle. Likewise, the smallish living room makes a handgun the best candidate for my primary HD weapon. In my old house, the primary was a pump 20 gauge with revolver/heavy bullet backup, for 60-foot shots across a room full of leather furniture. Now, I need an auto pistol I know intuitively, can reload handily, and one that hits hard. For me, a 1911 fits that bill nicely.
My RIA initially had significant issues with the 8-rd. ACT-MAG magazine that came with the gun, but some inexpensive GI-style mags gave better results. As I reached RIA's recommended 500-round break-in point several weeks ago, I took some emery paper and buffed up the slide and spring guide & it smoother out very well. I also got some new Springfield Armory GI-style 7-round mags. Results: 216 flawless rounds thru 8 different mags in one session, and last weekend I put another 125 or so thru the SA mags to verify function, again suffering zero problems. Although RIA warranties the pistol only for FMJ ammo, the pistol now eats up not only WWB ball ammo, but also Remington 230g JHP, Hornady 200g STX, Hornady 185g Critical Defense, and 238g Lee truncated cone lead cast bullets over 4.1g VV N310 in reloaded cases.
Looks like an originally overly-tight gun has broken in nicely indeed. It shoots as accurately and effectively using Fairbairn-Sykes and Applegate techniques as the 1911 did 80-odd years ago when those guys were facing the "real McCoy" in Shanghai and occupied Europe. My RIA now resides on the nightstand as first-string "home invasion response gun," next to a S&W 24-3 .44 SPL revolver whose primary role is to accompany me when I may need to check out the occasional bump in the night.
After the insanity we all witnessed emerging from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, I have paired up my RIA with a GI pistol belt, holster, and two double mag pouches. Should do nicely should a future disaster once again lead to significant civil disorder. Although our current governor is a highly competent leader, unlike the liberal basket-case we had in '05, it never hurts to have .45-caliber insurance :-)
