I drank the kool-aid...

[Carpe Noctem]

Very nice. Planning on having any work done to it?

[Scrapper]

I may do some stuff to make it more fun.

never having owned a 1911, I am not sure. But definitely new front sight and some trigger work, at least. Better grips, stuff like that.

ANd I do my own work!

[Vorpal]

You are like a crackhead shooting heroin for the first time.

Any time you are in Jersey give me a shout and we'll hit the range.

[Poofist]

My only caveat is watch out for the hammer bite.

What kind of wacky assed high grip are you using that you're getting bit by an RIA 1911?

I'm looking at mine right now and at full recoil there's at least 3/16" clearance between the hammer spur and the grip safety.

[Emevas]

I'm getting hammerbite from my Rock Island. It's not the tactical version, so it has no tail.

[JKDChick]

Scrapper, I've been making this same comment since I bought my iPhone. You would not believe the number of people who don't get the reference.

[AMF]

How many mags came with it? Do you need any extra's?

(I could be persuaded to part with a couple of the stainless steel mags I have)

[Robstafarian]

It needs a front site (recommendations?), but other than that....it's pretty fun to shoot.

I am pretty fucking far from a 1911 expert, but the first thing you need to know about getting a front sight is the attachment method. Is your front sight dovetailed or staked? If it's staked, narrow tennon or wide tennon? I know your front sight is missing, but you should be able to tell by using a caliper.

If I recall correctly, a narrow tennon is .082" across and a wide tennon is 0.125" across.

definitely new front sight and some trigger work, at least. Better grips, stuff like that.

If you don't mind trading looks for utility, I highly recommend the Hogue grips I got for my Rock Island Armory GI. They feel good, stand up to my sweaty hands, and help compensate for my long fingers. Recoil feels better than it did with the Colt 70 Series I rented at the range, but since they're two different guns I can't say if the grips make the difference.

Also, try an arched mainspring housing if the gun points low with your natural grip.


EDIT: Despite a huge number of typos, and some general editorial mistakes, The M1911 Complete Owner's Guide is very good as a first book on the 1911 (I will post a review in the articles section once I've finished the errata list). Since you plan to do your own work, check out the shop manuals (those are two different links) written by Jerry Kuhnhausen. I haven't bought either of them yet, but pretty much the whole world recommends them.

[TEA]

Does it have the standard 1911 ejection port and magwell?

[Scrapper]

It's a series 80 reproduction of the GI model. So I think so.