RIA 1911 10mm: My Backwoods Companion

More than just a budget 1911

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It’s a 1911
10mm power and punch
Crisp trigger

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It’s a 1911
Heavy

This is a pretty unremarkable 1911, I don’t really need to preamble this article with much more. They’ve been around for over 100 years, virtually unchanged, and this is somewhat of an off-brand version. Case closed, right? Well, not quite. Let’s examine the reasons why this gun is always on my hip when I venture into the forest.

First thing out of the way: why didn’t I get a Glock 20, which is arguably a better woods gun being lighter, higher capacity, and just as reliable. Well, because G20s are always difficult to find in stock, but base model 1911s aren’t. The new S&W M&P 2.0 in 10mm and Sig Sauer P320 XTen are attractive choices, too, but the 1911 hits the bank statement at hundreds less.

Am I biased for the 1911? Yes. Will I make any apologies about bestowing a perfect score in Appearance? No.

The proportions, grip angle, big beaver tail, long nose; 1911s just hit all the right notes. Other than the cool name, a TACT-II 1911 features different front strap serrations, a straight backstrap with checkered serrations, a grooved ambidextrous safety, skeletonized hammer, skeletonized trigger, flared magwell, and Hi-Viz Litepipe front sight post. It’s small things that add up to a gun that gives the vibe of being more modern than a classic A1, but rougher and scrappier than a shiny Kimber safe-queen. 1911s pretty much all scratch the itch for me in looks, and in all black with the Magpul grips this gun looks damn good.

I do wish that it came with a fully blued barrel instead of the stainless one to make the gun completely black. But this is such a minor complaint of mine that it doesn’t even keep the Rock Island from a flawless 10/10 in looks.

The ergonomics of a 1911 have been talked about to death, but for my small hands it’s a bit of a different conversation. The narrow but long grip feels great, especially with the polymer Magpul grips. These grips were infinitely more usable for me compared to the stock VZ grips that came on the gun. Despite being prettier, the VZ grips felt a bit too chunky for me in places. The Magpul units are slimmer which aids my size smalls in a full and confident grip. They also offer the deepest mag release cutout I’ve ever seen, and helped my stubby thumb reach over to the button for quicker and more comfortable reloads.

Controls are pretty much standard 1911, if not slightly improved by nature of this being the “Tactical” model. The texturing on the thumb safety and hammer provides a positive gripping surface, and makes it easy to “decock” the weapon one-handed.

Compared to other 1911s the trigger is nothing to write home about. The takeup is a tad loose feeling for a 1911, but the wall is definitive and the break is glass-sharp with an equally tactile reset as we come to expect with 1911s. Again, not groundbreaking for the platform. But compared to any and every striker fired handgun I’ve owned, it feels like a dream. The stock magazine that comes with the gun is pretty sub-par and feels rough and scratchy, like it has lots of microscopic metal burs. A stainless 8-round Ed Brown magazine inserts, feeds, and releases super smooth; it also has a solid polymer footplate extension that sticks the magazine out past the magwell flare. I’d definitely recommend picking up a few and dumpstering the stock mag.

10mm is quite a hoss when it comes to handgun rounds which is the very reason I carry it in the forest. It combines the grain weight of a .45 ACP with the muzzle velocity of a 9mm, and when I’m adventuring miles from civilization in bear and mountain lion territory, big and fast is what I want out of my sidearm. But this punchy muzzle performance has an equal and opposite reaction of punchy recoil. Despite the gun’s heavier weight aiding in recoil mitigation, even target load still packs a wallop. Coming in at 44,000 psi, 10mm is over twice the chamber pressure as .45, and it definitely lets you know it’s there. Add that to the all steel slide reciprocating with each shot, and you get a hefty recoil impulse that can be overwhelming in rapid fire. Proper grip is key when shooting for speed, and a bit of practice through the learning curve will hone your follow-up shots to be pin-point accurate.

In terms of practicality, you have to consider the specific role this gun fills in my arsenal. This isn’t a gun I slip into an appendix holster and daily drive, nor is it a safe-queen that I baby and use as a toy at the range. This gun sees all the mud, dirt, rain, snow, hail, brambles, and shale that I do when I go adventuring. It’s not shiny, flashy, fancy, expensive, or name-brand. None of those qualities are what I want in a forest sidearm. So for the practicality of my intended usage, it scores a solid 80%.

The main thing that holds the 1911 back from a 9/10 is its weight. This blaster is a C H O N K. Unloaded it tips the scale to 38 ounces; a 4.25” S&W 686 in .44 Magnum weighs half an ounce less.

Capacity is another inherent issue I have with 1911s. For all their wonderful attributes, their single-stack magazines can’t pack more than eight rounds. Yes, it’s true that in most defensive situations, fewer than 7 rounds are fired. But it’s better to have more on deck and not need them. You shouldn’t fire one round expecting the target to fly backwards like a 1970s action flick; you fire as fast and accurate as possible until the desired outcome is achieved. Having half the capacity of even the most basic modern handguns holds the 1911 back from a perfect score on practicality.

Verdict — 88% - B

I’m a big fan of the Sig XTen; 10mm power in a frame that shares vast tactical plethora of P320 holsters, accessories, and parts. With a Surefire X300U-A and a Delta Point Pro, it would seemingly be the perfect woods gun, and I plan on adding one to my arsenal for exactly that role. Here’s the only problem: that’s a $1,600 package.

It’s foolish to be a bargain-bin shopper when it comes to tools of life and death. If you’re facing down an 8-foot-tall bruin or a 200 lb cat, you’re not going to be thinking, “But at least I saved $300 on my gun!” However, dropping almost two big ones on a gun isn’t something most people can do; the $550 1911 can be obtained by virtually anyone. Most people would feel some type of way about scratching up their beautiful FDE pistol with $800 in accessories bolted onto it, but I take the thornbushes and sandstone on my budget 1911’s matte black with a shrug. The way this gun can just be an economical tank is what makes it so perfect for my purposes. It’s the concept of a “winter beater” car; a cheap and tough tool you can use with complete disregard to cosmetic damage. Let it get scratched, dirty, hailed on, wet, whatever. This off-brand banshee will just keep on doing its thing, and your brow will be sweat-free.