Review: The RIA 10mm — The Commander With No Name

Some time ago, the 10mm cartridge hit the ground running and enjoyed a flash of popularity. Soon after, the 10mm was eclipsed by the .40 Smith and Wesson cartridge. The 10mm was kept going by a small, but loyal base. However, the 10mm is enjoying a credible comeback. Recently, the RIA crossed my desk, and I could not wait to get to the rage for a test run.

I think a “learned appraisal” of the cartridge is part of the reason. The 10mm isn’t a .41 Magnum, but with modern loads, it nips at the heels of the .357 Magnum with certain offerings. There are 10mm loads with modest recoil that are easily handled, and others that breathe fire and recoil like a drum roll. We have rapidly expanding frangible loads, jacketed hollow point bullets with an excellent balance of expansion and penetration, and hard cast bullets that feature deep penetration for game hunting.

Recently, I tested a very expensive handgun called the gun with no name. The pistol is stylish with no scroll work on the slide to distract from the beautifully-machined slide. A $3,000 1911 inspired the handgun illustrated. In this style, the Rock Island Commander 10mm handgun reviewed here—yep, a Commander length 10mm—has had the slide ‘wiped’ of the markings some of us find distracting. The pistol still has RIA in the serial number, but the look and the nice blue finished slide are all very nice.

The Philippine-produced Armscor pistols are affordable but workmanlike handguns, which enjoy a good reputation. The company produces bare bone bones GI guns and target pistols. The ‘Rock’ is offered in 9mm, .38 Super, 10mm, .45 ACP, and .22 Magnum as well as the .22 TCM caliber. The pistol illustrated is a Commander-type with 4.25-inch barrel. The kicker is this is a 10mm Commander, a relative rarity in the 1911 world.

While the slide treatment and refinish are aftermarket and custom grade, the best things about the handgun were already in place. The pistol features a bushingless bull barrel. This means, the barrel dispenses with the typical 1911 barrel bushing but uses a belled barrel to lock up with the slide. This makes the full-length guide rod necessary.

The pistol features a bold front post sight with fiber optic insert. The rear sight is a compact but fully adjustable version. The ejection port is nicely scalloped with a unique and attractive treatment. The beavertail grip safety is an aid in ensuring we press the grip safety properly to release its hold on the trigger. Those that use the thumbs forward grip sometimes form a hollow in the palm and fail to properly depress the grip safety. The RIA beavertail eliminates this concern.

The extended slide lock safety is an ambidextrous design. The indent is clean and sharp. Trigger compression is a tight 5.2 pounds, on the Lyman Electronic Trigger Gauge. The grips are checkered G10. The pistol is supplied with two magazines. I added several additional MecGar magazines.

For the test fire, the magazines were loaded with SIG Sauer Elite FMJ 10mm ammunition. This loading is clean burning, affordable, and accurate enough for meaningful practice. The pistol comes on target quickly and handles like a 1911. The low bore axis, straight-to-the-rear trigger compression, and hand fitting grip make for excellent handling.

The pistol proved capable of center punching the target time and again at 7, 10, and 15 yards. The pistol is controllable, but this isn’t a 9mm that you may punch holes in the target with at will. The 10mm demands a firm grip and concentration. The mantra here isn’t a nicely centered group on target but a few solid hits with plenty of horsepower.

Be certain you understand this before trying the 10mm. It isn’t something to be taken lightly. If you choose the 10mm, you have a cartridge with excellent penetration, good wound potential, and if need be, the ability to protect the owner against dangerous animals.

I also fired several first-rate defense loads. These included the SIG Sauer V Crown hollow point, Buffalo Bore 155-grain Barnes X bullet, Hornady 180-grain XTP, and Federal 200-grain HST. I fired a magazine of each. Function was good, there were no failures to feed, chamber, fire, or eject. Even while firing these loads, the pistol remained controllable.

I fired, allowed the trigger to reset in recoil, and fired again as the sights were returned to target. To test absolute accuracy, I fired the pistol from a solid, bench rest firing position at 20 yards. I used the Hornady 180-grain XTP and SIG Sauer 180-grain FMJ loading. The results were good, with the average group 2.5 inches.

The RIA 10mm pistol is clearly accurate enough for personal defense. Perhaps, it is even worthy of field use when hunting thin skinned game or wild boar to 35 yards or so. The pistol is interesting. I will be continuing my experiments with this powerful handgun.

Are you a fan of the 10mm? Why? What is your experience with the RIA 10mm pistol? Share your answer in the comment section.