So, the recent phase of this parenting was a Rock Island 1911 given to 44MagHunter for a High School Graduation present, which I chose for two reasons; first, I have the 'double-stack' version I bought in well-used condition, and it has performed flawlessly for at least 500 rounds, and secondly, you can't beat the price...!
This was around the time the Second Reign of Obummer started, and ammunition was next to impossible to find. I had told him to shoot at least 500 rounds through it before 'judging' its feeding habits, and since he loves to shoot 1911's (he could hit a 12" gong at 100 yards 5 out of 7 times with mine when he was 14 years old), I assumed he'd 'shoot it smooth' in no time. Forgotten parts of the equation: he'd rather buy bow parts than ammunition
, and I was stingy enough he had to pry rounds from me one at a time. Net result, he commented that the gun "just wouldn't feed reliably", and although I'd been talking to Para Ordnance about doing an 'action job' on my double-stack Para, to see if I could get it to feed as perfectly as my double-stack Rock Island, instead of calling Rock Island (I figured maybe I'd have to speak 'Phillipine'), I decided to see if we could do a 'home gunsmithing' project and just 'polish' the ramp... [ignoring the 'warning' buzzer going off in my head] End result - after my 'delicate polishing' the gun fed worse, so I started thinking "Well, if it's that bad, I'll keep working on it - after all, I can't make it any worse..." Sometimes I underestimate my own abilities. . . 
. . . it got even worse. . . 
So, I had to decide:- a)Hand over to local Gunsmith (...but which one...)
b)Send back to Rock Island (...definitely not a 'warranty' situation...)
c) Salvage the parts as spares, and keep the ruined frame as an 'educational reminder'
d) See if I can cut/grind and install a new Ramp Insert (...further displaying my skills...)
e) Use it as a boat anchor...
so it came down to 'a' or 'b'. The problem with 'a' would be the idea of having to look someone in the eye after they had seen the "ramp job" I'd done, and knowing the howls of laughter which would erupt as soon as I exited the gun shop, so - I got hold of Rock Island, and told them I had a gun I'd Bubba-smithed (I really wanted to lie and tell them a burglar broke into the house and must have done it, or that I was working on another project, and the wheel came off my grinder, bounced on the floor, and right up onto the shelf where the Rock Island happened to be sitting with the slide locked back...).They said "Send it in, and we'll see what we can do..." with the "...worst case scenario being about $300 or so for a whole new frame.". So, after labeling it "Remote Hole Punching Machine - return for repair", I sent it off, prepared to wait several weeks, then get some bad news, and then wait several more weeks.
In just a couple weeks I get a UPS Shipping Notification, and it's from Rock Island..!. Must be bad; they probably couldn't fix it, and just gave up.
What was in the package:
- A nice new rigid handgun case with egg-crate foam,
The Rock Island 1911, with a New Barrel, and
a New Magazine (really nice one), and
the frame with a nice shiny and smooth ramp ("Total ReRamp" on the paperwork)
a receipt saying $0.00
So....
1. It functioned flawlessly rounds for a whopping 16 rounds with a handfull of 'pocket change' mixed hardball, and various factory-loaded hollow-points in the Armscor 8-round magazine which came with it. That's all I wanted to test until I have time to sort out ammo, label magazines, take notes, measure stuff, etc... Looks promising though!
2. I will be testing this with some "top of the line" magazines I have accumulated, and when I get that done, I will post a Range Report.
3. I will be buying another Rock Island someday (I have three more kids, for one thing).
4. I will be telling others about how awesome the Customer Service is for Rock Island; I had assumed that being a 'foreign' manufacturer, there would be no way to obtain good service - I was wrong. AND it only took about two weeks...!
5. After testing with the various magazines, not only will I hopefully get an idea of the pros and cons of the various magazines, but if the pistol functions with those magazines as well as with the supplied Armscor one, I will be praising that as well.
BTW - Magazines, from left to right:
- Armscor 8-rounder from Rock Island (top row, by gun)
Generic 10-rounder with clamp-on light holder.
Generic blued one with very non-tip follower.
Generic stainless one with tippy follower.
Eagle one with 'tape-measure spring'
Wilson Combat 'Elite Tactical' # 500
Tripp 'Cobra' magazine
Ed Brown '8 Pack' magazine
Chip McCormick 'Power Mag' magazine
