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59K views 44 replies 31 participants last post by  manisonenmi 
#1 ·
I have narrow down my options to the para or the rock island which one is a better buy.


The para 1911 GI is $511 with free shipping at www.budsgunshop.com the rock island 1911 is $490 at www.jgsales.com
 
#2 ·
Neither is great but I suppose if I had to choose one of those two I would go with the Rock Island. My advice to you though would be to spend a little more and get a higher quality gun. For $600 you can get a Taurus PT1911 or a Remington R1. Both are getting great reviews for quality and accuracy. Or if you can afford to spend $700 then you can get a Kimber Classic II. This is what I own and it is a fantastic 1911 that is manufactured to the highest standards and tolerances, and is a real pleasure to shoot.
 
#3 ·
I have a Taurus Pt1911, absolutely love that gun.

As for which one to get, its a completely personal choice - which one fits your hands better? Which one feels better? There are some individual characteristics to different manufacturers of guns - some have tighter tolerances on the slide, some don't like JHP rounds (the taurus doesn't, I can tell you that): these change from gun to gun.

Hold as many of them as you can, and make a choice that fits well with what you feel - not what someone says is the best.
 
#4 ·
The two you picked out are fine but in my humble opinion...I'd choose the Para over the Rock Island. Why? The Para is made with a forged slide and frame...the Rock Island utilizes cheaper cast slides and frames.

The 1911 design was engineered for forged major components. Now...with that said....some firearm manufacturers...Ruger comes to mind producing outstanding handguns using cast frames. But compare a Ruger handgun with cast frames/slides to a competitor item and you will see the Ruger is built heavy...necessary to ensure strength due to the cast parts potentially having unseen voids/weak areas.
 
#5 ·
Forging and casting are two different ways of producing the same part. There is next to no difference in structural strength or integrity between the two, apart from a cost difference.

Both pieces end up getting milled anyways, in order to meet tolerances in the design.
Both forging and casting have their advantages and disadvantages in manufacturing terms, but apart from that they are the same.

So, it doesn't matter if a slide is cast or forged, until you look at the cost of the gun. Stick with whichever gun you feel comfortable with.
 
#7 ·
I didn't say there was anything wrong with cast components...many machines including firearms use cast instead of forged parts.

However...the 1911 design is based on forged main components. Casting...without forging leaves very small voids and this can be overcome by using larger parts. Forging removes the voids and uniformly orients the metal grain structure. Yes...there is a difference in strength between cast and forged metal. Read up on the metallurgy processes.

Look at Ruger revolvers versus Smith & Wesson for a good comparison since Ruger uses castings predominantly. The Smiths all utilize forgings.

Ever see a modern firearm with a cast barrel? If you have correct me...as I have not? I wonder why? Ask the barrel manufacturers if they would consider using castings without hammer forging.
 
#8 ·
I checked out the Taurus 1911 and it was a lot better then the Rock island and the remington..... For the money go the few extra hundred and get a sig or kimber.. Have shot the Sig 1911 and is 1 of the best shooting pistols I've ever used.... Also in several reviews it was rated best for price out of the box.....
 
#13 ·
its nigh impossible to emote emotions with text. So no, you didn't.

I like to think I learn something everyday, and will gladly admit that I am wrong if someone proves me wrong - theres no point in defending something that is flat out wrong, especially in a case like this where it could have taken a bit of research on my part to come to a conclusion, vs. spewing random thoughts out of my mouth that i thought were right, lol.
 
#16 ·
if you want an every day carry gun both are fine I carry a spring field GI. The only things I have changed are the grips,the sights , and the beaver tail. Thats it its not a race gun. Its a 1911 it was designed to put large holes in things at close up distances.It is not a high tolerance gun it was not designed to be. With that being said I have some pretty cool decked out 1911s but I would not bet my life on one. I also have been looking at the rock islands and have not found a negative comment about them.

Thats just my opinion
 
#18 ·
I carry the Para Ltc, and I would recommend this pistol highly from my experience. My buddy has the GI Expert and loves it.. he also has a RRA like you were looking at.. He replaced it as his carry gun with the Para. Personally I have only had one malfunction out of my para and I literally shoot it weekly and the malfunction was actually magazine related (brand new 8 round chip mcormick) I hate when people say "buy this pistol because it did so well for me or I can shoot a group tighter than a gnats *ss with this one ect". Go to a gunshop where you can compare them side by side and pay attention to the features that you want in a pistol and ones that you dont. You may find that you end up with a totally different pistol then what you started out looking for originally. I did. I went looking for a springfield XD and ended up with the Para. You need to find the gun that fits you. If you can manage it, I highly recommend test firing both of them as this will help your decision making immensely.
 
#22 ·
WHY NOT SAVE A FEW HUINDRED MORE AND GET A GOOD GUN?
your almost there.
anyway,i may be wrong but i do believe that "para" is made in canada and r.i.a. is made in brazil. while neither is made in america i sure as **** wouldnt wanna support any country that doesnt allow its citizens the right to have firearms. so the para is out. O-W-T-...OUT!
 
#24 ·
Para is now made in the states and I believe in the Carolinas. I just got a Para G.I. Expert will know more about it later this week when I get the chance get to the range.

I really like the feel of it and I do like the Rock Island. If I had not done a trade for the Para (50 rounds through it) and some cash my way I would have went to the Rock Island.
 
#25 ·
High performance engine builders always get rid of the Cast pistons, and replace them with Forged. Same goes for the connecting rods, and the crank shaft. The reason why is that the cast parts simple cannot hold together under the stress of high horse power.

A gun, similar to a car engine is basically a way of managing an explosive charge so that it can be harness to do the job we want.

Now, if cast parts are not a good way to harness that explosive charge in a high performance car, why would we want to trust cast parts on a weapon that our lives may someday depend on?

If you have a mechanical devise that uses f'n EXPLOSIONS to perform it's job, do you really want to trust inferior metallurgy?
 
#26 ·
I like my PARA GI Expert. $420. I changed the grips to Hogue.

I realize that it is a entry-level 1911 according to some......but, I like it.

I am very accurate with it. I may get a DuraCoat on the slide. My Blackhawk holster is leaving marks on it.

Next..............I might get the Para-14.
 
#30 ·
Buy American. How can Canadians put a proper M1911 together. I'm kidding their good gun's. Either way you win. You'd have to look at the specs. Which one has the most upgrades.
 
#34 ·
I will give you a piece of advice from a competition shooter.

Pick up a Rock Island or Norinco and shoot the hell out of it. If and when parts break replace with top quality parts. You will then have a gun that is somewhat reliable and is set up the way YOU want it.

BTW Wilson uses powder casting for many of it's parts. Also I have yet to see ANY 1911 that did not have issues of one sort or another over it's life time.

In my experienced opinion; 1911's are no different than Harley's. Prestigious status symbols that constantly need working on.
 
#36 ·
I have an STI Spartan and a Para G.I. Expert in stainless.
The STI is a shooter that eats anything I feed it. The only thing I don't like about it is the parkerized finish wears too easily.
The Para is a jam-o-matic. To be fair, it's well under the 500 round break in that Para recommends. It's accurate enough but needs trigger work.
Both are under $500. So call me cheap, but I'll keep on buying the cheap pistols and spend the money I save on reloading supplies.
 
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