has anyone switched caliber/barrels on a ria 1911

10mmfan · March 21 2015 12:12:17 PM MDT

I have ordered a .40 barrel for my Ria commander from Ria and I'm wondering if it will be drop in or I have to take it to a smith.

sstewart · March 21 2015 05:04:23 PM MDT

Try the Rock Island area on the 1911forum.com. (Under manufacturers) I have standard government version.
I think it will likely fit because of the cone barrel. Don't you need different magazines also. probably need different recoil spring also.

10mmfan · March 21 2015 06:15:19 PM MDT

I am not sure on the mag but I expect that to work and recoil springs I have.

10mmfan · March 23 2015 01:05:42 PM MDT

I contacted armscor and they said no fitting should be required and the mag should work but the recoil and mainspring would need to be changed. I will test as is when it comes in and see what happens.

10mmfan · March 27 2015 05:09:06 PM MDT

I got the barrel in today and some fitting was required thankfully very minor. I should be going to the range on Monday after picking up a sar k2p (impulse buy)

10mmfan · March 31 2015 05:05:23 PM MDT

I made it to the range today with six kimber mags, as a 10mm and a .40 they ran flawlessly. I swapped barrels for the .40 and that ran perfect while sprung for the 10mm it had less felt recoil than the polymer 9mm I was shooting. While it worked it barely had enough power to cycle so if I was going for long term reliability I would put back in the original firing pin stop.

sstewart · April 01 2015 10:20:15 AM MDT

What about a weaker recoil spring. Seems like that would do it.

10mmfan · April 01 2015 05:39:41 PM MDT

Quote from: sstewart on April 01 2015 10:20:15 AM MDT
What about a weaker recoil spring. Seems like that would do it.

I think the firing stop would make a greater difference plus it's a easier swap.

sstewart · April 01 2015 05:42:18 PM MDT

I'm not talking the mainspring here. I'm talking the spring in the slide. I know it's a reverse plug, but you can change that spring.

10mmfan · April 01 2015 08:51:19 PM MDT

I know but I don't even have to take the gun apart for the slide stop and I was only using a 18 1/2# recoil spring

gandog56 · April 02 2015 06:24:44 AM MDT

That's one thing I like about my SIG P229. I can go from .40 cal, to 357 SIG with a barrel swap. It uses the same slide, springs, and magazines, and takes me like 30 seconds to do.

10mmfan · April 02 2015 06:54:21 AM MDT

Quote from: gandog56 on April 02 2015 06:24:44 AM MDT
That's one thing I like about my SIG P229. I can go from .40 cal, to 357 SIG with a barrel swap. It uses the same slide, springs, and magazines, and takes me like 30 seconds to do.

I can do that now between the 10mm and .40 in a 1911 but I admit I can't do it in 30 seconds, more like a minute or a minute and a half. The firing pin stop wasn't necessary but may be with lighter loadings.

Buddy10mm · April 08 2020 09:18:22 AM MDT

So I'm resurrecting a really old thread here: I'm looking at a .40 barrel for my RIA. Seems like a no-brainer. But... has anyone found a .357 sig barrel for an RIA? Digging through my ammo I found two boxes of 357 sig that went with a pistol I no longer have. Would it be possible to have a 9mm barrel reamed out to 357 sig? Has anyone done anything like that?
Thanks in advance!

sqlbullet · April 08 2020 05:22:01 PM MDT

Any semi-decent gunsmith should be able to ream a 9mm barrel to 357 sig for you. If you have access to a lathe you can do it yourself pretty easy.

While you are at it, you should have a 9X25 barrel done as well ${$default_grin_smiley}$

Buddy10mm · April 11 2020 09:46:21 PM MDT

Oh now why'd you have to go and say that? My dreams and my wallet are taking rapidly diverging paths already anyways!!!
But 16 rounds of 9x25...

I guess it's time to sell a kidney! ${$default_cheesy_smiley}$