VIDEO
HISTORY
Although dating back to the early 1900s as a sporting goods store in the Philippines, Rock Island Armory is best known for manufacturing and exporting inexpensive copies of the Colt Government 1911 pistol. Since 1980, the RIA parent company Armscor has operated in 60 countries, including its United States location in Pahrump, Nevada.
Not satisfied with only producing the basic government model 1911 pistol, RIA has upped its game to build a competition pistol. This FS TAC is the result of those efforts and subject of my review.
MY IMPRESSIONS
This is my personal .45 ACP 3-Gun competition pistol. I love the 1911 platform but picked this model for its impressive appearance and custom features. Unlike the basic government model, the RIA FS TAC has adjustable fiber-optic sights, highly textured G10 grips, full rail forend with Picatinny rail, extended beavertail grip, and ambidextrous safety.
Other features include a skeletonized lightweight hammer and adjustable trigger. The magazine well is flared to accept its factory eight-round magazine. Hidden beneath the barrel is a full-length guide rod to bring out the accuracy of the 5-inch button-rifled barrel.
All these features come together to make a full-sized pistol that just feels good to hold. It is a hefty pistol. I like that. The .45 ACP round demands a massive gun to tame recoil and bring out its accuracy. The FS TAC handles like a dream. It fills my hand nicely and allows me to control the recoil and kick.
SIGHTS SET
The rear sight’s white dots line up nicely with the front red fiber-optic dot to put me on target quickly. Notice the front and rear slide serrations that make racking the slide much easier. The ejection port is lengthened to a bit over 1.5 inches to aid in ejection.
Is black beautiful? I think so! The FS TAC sports a Parkerized black finish. Combined with the beautifully sculpted black grips, it makes an attractive appearance. It is not just a pretty face – those grips hold my hand like a firm handshake giving me confidence in aiming. The checkered flat mainspring housing aids in grip control.
Check out that trigger! Not only adjustable for over-travel, but skeletonized and serrated. My trigger finger finds home naturally when I touch it.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Weight: 2.7 pounds
- Overall length: 8.74 inches
- Height: 5.57 inches
- Width: 1.3 inches
- Barrel: 5 inches, button rifled
- Magazine: Stainless steel
- Capacity: 8 rounds
- Sights: Micro-adjustable rear, fiber-optic dovetail mounted front
- Trigger: 6 pounds; adjustable for over-travel
- Finish: Black Parkerized
- Material: 4140 Ordnance Steel
- Grips: G10 Black/Grey
- Safety: Extended ambidextrous
- Full rail with 2.5-inch Picatinny Rail
- Beveled magazine well
- Full-length barrel guide rod
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MSRP: $799
SHOOTING TIME
Everything from steel plates to 2-liter soda bottles are waiting at Area 51. Time to demonstrate .45-caliber power and accuracy. Notice a few changes I have made to the pistol. Being right-handed, I have no need for an ambidextrous safety and removed it. Notice the silver stainless over-size magazine release. This enables me to reach the release more easily with my small hands.
Competition requires many magazines. My favorite is the Wilson Combat stainless-steel .45 ACP magazine in both eight and 10-round capacities. These feed well and drop free during matches.
The full-length barrel recoil spring guide rod and 7-inch sight radius of this pistol team up to shoot a three-shot group, all touching, at 10 yards on my steel silhouette target. That is accuracy. Though the RIA FS TAC kicks, I can control it due to the gripping surfaces and its substantial weight. Notice how the heavy steel flapper moves quickly when hit by a 230-grain lead slug. Two head shots give my target “eyes.” What a nice touch!
WATERING THE DESERT
Time to shoot root beer soda bottles. They are always a challenge. Starting on the right, the .45 ACP slugs blow holes in the bottles, sending soda everywhere. Six 2-liter jugs bite the dust at distances up to 15 yards. The soda cans are next and present more of a challenge. Once I find the range, they evaporate when hit by the mighty .45. The FS TAC aims well, and its weight tames recoil.
If I do my part, its hefty balance allows precise control. I need to test this on my “milk bottle” shaped steel plate at 50 yards. I find that the pistol shoots a bit high at that distance. Adjusting my aim, I hit it and hear it ring. That is well beyond normal match-shooting distance. I am impressed with the RIA FS TAC’s accuracy.
Two slide closure failures were encountered during testing. Overall reliability is good, as demonstrated by two consecutive mag dumps of eight rounds each on steel.
PROS & CONS
