[slabsides45]

I love my RIA Tactical, but didn't necessarily groove on the parkerized finish like I do blued finishing. Something about the look of a worn out, frazzled, old blued gun. Called my gunsmith (Lee Thomas) and asked him what it might look like if I got him to dip my parkerized gun in the bluing. He told me it'd turn out jet black, with no sheen on it. Matter of fact, he said, he'd just done a couple for one guy that very same way, and they'd turned out pretty slick. So I took him mine.

I'm no photographer, but it turned out well. I have a set of VZ Operator grips ordered for it in Desert Sand, should contrast nicely with the dark color.

 

[captain-03]

I LIKE black guns!! How is the texture of the finish?

 

[Xd357]

Nicely done. I'll bet them grips will look really good.

 

[slabsides45]

It seems to be a bit more smooth versus the parkerized, IMO.

 

[Will_M]

It looks good!

What's with the stock on the left side grip sitting on top of the plunger tube though?

 

[Joe S.]

think thats a trait of the crimson trace...

 

[swede62]

That does look nice! It should be pretty durable finish with that combination.

 

[DBChaffin]

I like the dark black look also. Was the trigger anodized black to begin with or is it steel? Also, RIA uses non-stainless barrels? Sorry, I know very little about the RIA's but I know that aluminum and stainless don't blue very well...

What's with the stock on the left side grip sitting on top of the plunger tube though?

The idea is the grip panel provides an extra degree of protection for the plunger tube and also provides support and helps hold it in place so it won't come loose and/or off, potentially rendering the gun inoperable if the safety is jammed. Several manufacturer's produce grips with this design.

I really like integral plunger tubes. The only downside to an integral tube is "if it gets dented, the frame is probably trash". If you do something to dent most of the integral plunger tubes I have seen, you have probably trashed the frame anyway... I also like Michiguns' heavy duty plunger tube which is thicker than standard and adds two more stake points. That's what I used on my build that is in the works.

Sorry for the thread drift. Back to the topic...

 

[shoeshooter]

Good lookin' Rock. It'll be interesting to see it with the tan grips, but I think those CT's go very nicely as is.

 

[Guest]

Now I like that. I prefer a matte finish and that looks really good.

 

[Hrdnox]

Now I like that. I prefer a matte finish and that looks really good.

+1 That is a very nice looking piece.