TexasCHLforum.com

My primary carry is a 3.5" compact from Rock Island Armory. A lot of people will tell you a RIA is junk (mainly because of the low price tag), however I have had nothing but good experiences with each of their guns. The front sight on my compact came loose (A RO where I used to shoot handled the gun a little rough while I was hanging targets) and the RIA lifetime warranty covered the repair. I would recommend any major name brand manufacturer's (as well as a RIA) compact or sub compact 1911, but be prepared to tweak the gun yourself or have it tweaked by someone who knows what they are doing. Compact and sub compact 1911s are more susceptible to minor problems when they are new than a full size. They also exaggerate minor problems that might go completely unnoticed on a full sized.