Rock Island Armory CCO 1911: Goodness in a Compact Package
Eve Flanigan 04.01.19
Rock Island Armory (RIA), well known for their line of 1911 pistols, recently added a new style to their option-rich Rock series. The Rock Island Armory CCO (Combat Carry Officer) chambered in .45 ACP, is an eye-catching package that sports attractive performance and features in a package that some will consider a strong contender for both daily carry and range use.
All RIA 1911s are built with a CNC-machined, 4140 ordnance steel slide that undergoes hand testing for tight tolerances. Every gun in the Rock series has a fully adjustable, dovetailed, two-dot steel rear sight by LPA. There are numerous front sight options for the series. The pistol in this test has a red fiber optic front sight, adjustable for windage. And as with other models in the Rock line, it has a skeletonized trigger and hammer.
The CCO model is made for mid-size concealed carry. A concession to weight includes an aluminum frame with an officer grip. The shorter grip still accommodates an eight-round magazine, one of which is included with purchase. The barrel is commander length at 4.25 inches. It has button rifling. A full-length guide rod aids reliability.
The slide is Parkerized with an elegant dark, eggshell finish. Using a Kydex holster did seem to put a bit of wear on the points of contact early on; a leather or no-contact holster is always advisable for those who fret over keeping the finish pristine.
A more acute grip angle and G10 (tough fiberglass) grips contribute to this pistol’s sporty look. These features also, in this shooter’s opinion, ease operation by making the controls not only reachable but ergonomic. This is one of the very few 1911s that’s agreeable with my medium-size hands and hollow palms. The trigger is in easy reach and I’ve never experienced a failure to fire due to partial disengagement of the grip safety—a common problem for this writer with government-size 1911s. An intelligently designed thumb groove on the left grip panel enhances controllability.
The CCO is designed without a bushing, making disassembly a bit easier. It’s still painfully easy to scratch the Parkerized finish re-inserting the takedown pin, though.
Functional components make the CCO a pleasure to operate. The included bumper on the magazine not only protects it from falls, it eases grabbing the floorplate for removal during a double feed—though that malfunction did not occur during testing.
Though the frame is officer size, it does accept full-size magazines. Function varied between brands, with a Sig Sauer mag malfunctioning about twice per eight rounds. Other mags fed without fail.
RIA states this gun is set with a four-to-six-pound trigger. In a sampling of 10 pulls, my Lyman trigger gauge read only two that were above four pounds. The final average: 2.14 pounds. Quite light, though my experience with 1911 carriers is that they prefer a light, match-weight pull even on their carry gun. Whether that is appropriate or not is a discussion for another day.
There is no shortage of satisfaction in the eye candy department with the CCO. Beautifully molded grips, in light/dark gray, complement the mostly black pistol. The skeletonized trigger and hammer, and fully adjustable rear sight, lend a custom look. A white, subtle RIA logo appears on the left side of the slide, aft of the racking grooves. On the right side, the serial number and model are tastefully engraved in small font, highlighted with brass-colored paint. A flash of silver, the barrel’s stainless steel finish, is exposed on the top/right only.
The only thing I’d change is the front sight. The fiber optic tube is encased in quality steel, but the red sight seems out of place on an otherwise understated appearance. My experience with the durability of those tubes mounted on guns in regular use has not been positive.
Southpaws may be disappointed at the CCO being the only gun in the Rock series that doesn’t feature an ambi safety. Being right-handed, I appreciate the assurance that the safety can’t be unintentionally disengaged from the outside.
At seven yards with Armscor 230 grain FMJ, the gun consistently drills five-round groups in a single ragged, 1.75-inch hole. Further testing with various ammo brands and types will be conducted to assess its distance performance, though I’ve no doubt it will have the accuracy RIA 1911s are known for.
The Rock Island Armory CCO, AKA Model 51857, is a great expansion of options for those who want to carry a 1911 concealed, or those who simply love the platform but desire a more ergonomic gun that fits smaller hands and shoots as well as any governor-size model. MSRP is $760.
SPECS
- Caliber: 45 ACP
- Capacity: 7+1
- Overall Length: 8inches
- Overall Width: 1.30in
- Overall Height: 5.11in
- Barrel Length: 4.25in
- Trigger Pull: 3-4 pounds (test model, 2.14 pounds)
- Action: Semi-Auto; recoil-operated
- Grooves: 6
- Length of Twist: Right Hand, 1 turn in 400mm
- Front Sight: Dovetail Fiber Optic
- Rear Sight: LPA MPS1 Type
- Grip panels: G10
- Frame Finish: Black Oxide
- Slide Finish: Parkerized
