I bought a Rock Island M200

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armednfree

New member
I did some research. The youtube's all were positive but the blogs tended to be rather negative. I found those negatives not to be the case with this pistol. It's not pretty by any means, but it is solid. It doesn't feel as crude as you would think.

It's a tool, one I can leave in the truck and not worry about. I'll plink with it mostly and toss it in my pack when I'm running traps for coyotes. A 148 grain BB wadcutter will do everything I'm going to ask of it. Plinking and killing a trapped coyote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEEu0Vk1cq0
 
I've been tempted to pick up one of these for a long time. Between revolvers and reloading gear, I am stocked with .38 stuff.

I think this would be a fun revolver to have just in case.
 
I was looking at one at the last gun show. I would have picked one up, except I laid out significant cash in January for a new auto and didn't want to push it with the wife. Decent gun that you could thrash and not worry about, for truck, tool or tackle box.
 
I bought one several years ago, and I have been completely satisfied with it. I don't understand why people trash these revolvers on the internet. I suspect that most of the people who are hating on the M200/M206 don't own one, have never fired one, and probably have never even held one.
 
I had a friend who owned one, seemed a little rough/sharp around the edges but over all a solid revolver. Never got to shoot his due to it being stolen. Personally I would rather have an old Smith or Ruger trade in/police/security guard gun but that's a personal opinion.
 
smee78 said:
I had a friend who owned one, seemed a little rough/sharp around the edges but over all a solid revolver. Never got to shoot his due to it being stolen. Personally I would rather have an old Smith or Ruger trade in/police/security guard gun but that's a personal opinion.
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The point is it's $240 bucks or less, for a new gun. An old Smith police trade in is twice that, a Security Six at least $100 more, and they are worn and beat up.
 
When my M200 arrived at the gun shop, the owner/FFL had never seen one, so I told him to feel free to take it out and play with it. He expressed astonishment at how good the trigger was, in both SA and DA modes. He said it was almost as good as his slicked-up S&W that he has had for many years.

I don't own any S&W revolvers. I do have a Taurus .22 revolver that I use for teaching Basic Pistol classes. The trigger on that was so horrible that I put a Wolff spring kit in it and worked it over to make it ... tolerable. Out of the box, the M200 is infinitely smoother and lighter than the Taurus after the tune-up. The Taurus looks nicer, but the M200 shoots better.
 
Well, let's face it guys, shooting and guns has the same snob factor as most every other thing.

Like getting asked not to come back to a trap range because you were kicking the butt of guys shooting $3000 doubles with a beat up Winchester 1300.
 
There are good reasons to pay more:

1. Quality control. While any company can slip up and release a clinker, the odds are in your favor when you generally pay more.
2. Service. When you have a problem, the company takes care of you or is long out of business or won’t give you the time of day.
3. Longevity. Some guns are good for thousands and thousands of rounds, some are wearing and stretching after a couple of boxes of ammunition.
4. Parts. Will you be able to get parts in 15 years? 50?
5. Fit and finish. Some are works of art right out of the box. Nicest factory gun I’ve owned was a Freedom Arms revolver, as good as my custom. I like my Rugers because I am handy and have learned how to polish and fit and smooth them with many hours of hand work I enjoy to something better than what one paid for it. My old H&R wasn’t worth redoing the wood grips, let alone replying.

Now then, what is your free time worth to you? What’s it worth in not having weeks of frustrating interactions on the phone to get your gun fixed?

I’ve looked at those Rock Island revolvers and wondered if it might not be fun to get one, tear it down, polish and tune it up, build it back up. But then, even though I am retired and enjoy home gunsmooshing, it’s more fun and profitable to start with a better foundation.

The problem I have with the original post isn’t that the rock island is a good value, it’s that one won’t mind if a criminal steals it out of the truck. Now we have an armed criminal.

If all a fella can afford is a couple hundred bucks, I bet it’s a great revolver for them.

When a fella can afford $6,000 for a krieghoff or a custom revolver, they are supporting skilled workers. Money is like manure- you gotta spread it around for stuff to grow.

Finally on this ramble, there are inexpensive guns with excellent steel that are well worth spending time and effort to smooth out. Norinco .45s, for example.

How is the metallurgy on the Rock Island?
 
For a .38 revolver with a long-ish barrel, these Charters from the 60s to 80s are far better for the money.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/796768152

Not 6 shooters, but the triggers smooth out great over time and are not heavy like the Rock Islands are.

I have the 206, I like it for being a 6 shot snub, but I don't like the 4 inch Rock Island, it's not the best inexpensive revolver you can get with a barrel of that length.

BTW, Charter will still service the older models, but for a $50 fee plus whatever parts may be needed. I have no idea what Rock Island's warranty is like
 
Well, let's face it guys, shooting and guns has the same snob factor as most every other thing.

Like getting asked not to come back to a trap range because you were kicking the butt of guys shooting $3000 doubles with a beat up Winchester 1300.
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Where's the big "thumbs up" emoji?


I bought the 206 version a couple weeks ago. Haven't had a chance to get it to the range yet, but the trigger sure feels good, and the cylinder has good lock up. I like the looks of the 6 shot snubbie 206. Kind of like a Colt Detective Special that's had a hard life, and a new paint job.(Fire retardant suite on, ready for the flames LOL)
I switched out the wooden grips to the larger rubber grips that it also comes with, and admit they do feel better. But I like the look of the smaller wood grips, so I put them back on.
 
Rock Island makes good, reliable, inexpensive guns. They have a warranty for the life of the gun no matter who originally bought it with customer service that's second to none. I've got a RIA 1911 I've had for about eight years and it's never had any kind of problem. I'd put it up against anybody's 1911 for accuracy and reliability with any ammo.
 
I am 64 years old and had to smile when reading Sneakeypete's post.

The likelihood that I will be hunting parts for any gun, much less a $200 gun, 15 or 50 years from now is pretty remote.

BOARHUNTER
 
The likelihood that I will be hunting parts for any gun, much less a $200 gun, 15 or 50 years from now is pretty remote.
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That's sorta the way I look at it. "What do you if you need parts for it?" question amuses me also. If I need parts for a gun, I'll reach into the safe and pull out another one. :)
 
I found a LNIB one at the local gun/pawn establishment last year and took it home with me. For $200 OTD it was a nice edition to my snubby collection and will probably be my daughters carry gun in her vehicle at some point when she turns 21. It is a little rough on edges but has been a solid piece thus far.
 
It's Rock Island Armory. Pretty decent quality. Crappy finish. Ok trigger. Accuracy more accurate than me. Yeah, got one.

I wonder if the folks who call 'em crap know that lots of race guns are made with RIA platforms.
 
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