RIA Ultra FS - finally reliable

[38_Super]

Last range outing my RIA Ultra FS was finally reliable.  Quite a journey to get there.  Not expensive but time consuming.  Final list of changes includes:
GI mainspring - the RIA spring was weak causing failure to fire/light firing pin strikes/issues.
GI firing pin spring - RIA spring was definitely not the same as standard spring.
Ed Brown 40/10MM extractor - factory extractor ejected brass went in all different directions including causing case jams.
22 LB recoil spring.
Flat Bottom firing stop which combined with the 22 LB recoil spring solved the last issues of locking back before magazine was empty, even with a 24 LB recoil spring.
Kimber 10MM magazine - may try a different spring in the factory magazine.

As noted by another forum member, now the trigger pull is 6 Lbs but crisp.  I may try to work on that some but it really does not bother me much.
I like the looks and features of the RIA for the price but I don't think I will be buying another.

[fltbed]

I had similar experience with mine.
https://www.10mm-firearms.com/index.php?topic=4565.msg49781#msg49781

[38_Super]

Had I read your post I earlier I might have saved myself a lot of work.
Then again I wasn't expecting the pistol to be 100% right out of the box at the price point and I like a challenge.

[fltbed]

I'm with you on that.
My final setup is:
EGW flat bottom firing pin stop
Wolff 26 lb mainspring
Wolff 20 lb recoil spring

With that, (and all the other things I did to it) I have a reliable 1911 that only flings brass 25-30 feet.

Not able to leave well enough alone, I ended up doing this to it: https://www.10mm-firearms.com/index.php?topic=10019.msg92180#msg92180

Now it's even more fun cause I don't worry about the brass.

Jeff

[38_Super]

I read the story in your link.  My start with the 10MM is that I purchased a "gunsmith" fit 10MM Bar Sto barrel on ebay (I think) for a bargain and I fit it to my Kimber 38 Super.  That was a lot of hand filing and fitting.  My first attempt at fitting a barrel and it works great.  Other than the initial fitting it took a lot less fiddling to make it reliable than the RIA factory 10MM.  New magazine, 10MM extractor, 22 lb recoil spring.  I can convert back and forth in just a couple of minutes.

I would like to find another Kimber 38 Super and leave the old 38 Super pistol converted to 10MM.  It is a lot more fun to shoot both in 38 Super and 10MM and just plain works better than the RIA.