First Look: RIA 5.0 Pistol

A full-size pistol that's competition-ready right out of the box.

by
posted on January 20, 2023
RIA 5.0 pistol

For SHOT Show 2023, Rock Island Armory is showcasing their new American made 5.0 ST lineup of full size high performance 9mm pistols. 

These highly anticipated pistols have captured shooters’ attention due to some unique aspects found on the Rock Island Armory 5.0 ST that are not commonly seen on many modern semi automatic handguns. Notably, the most distinctive thing about them might be their square shaped outer barrel which locks up differently than many pistols on today’s market. The square barrel is part of the 5.0 ST’s RVS recoil system. Between the low bore axis that was engineered into this pistol along with a more linear recoil impulse, this system is set to work with shooters and not against them as far as shooting follow up shots efficiently is concerned. For its size, the pistol is also relatively thin. 

The Rock Island Armory 5.0 ST pistol is made from three main types of material, a steel slide, and an aluminum frame, and a polymer grip module–this polymer grip module resembles and works similarly to a grip module on a 2011 pistol. This pistol has a very low profile “concealed” hammer that hides under the slide which provides a crisp 4-pound trigger break.

Rock Island Armory 5.0 ST Features:

  • Caliber: 9mm
  • Action: Single action, semi automatic with RVS Recoil System
  • Barrel Length: 5 inches
  • Weight: 40 ounces
  • Height: 5.17 inches
  • Overall Length: 8.11 inches
  • Width: 1.33 inches
  • Magazine Capacity: 17+1 rounds
  • Finish: Cerakote 
  • Optics Compatible: Yes
  • Front Sight: Dawson Precision fiber optic
  • Rear Sight: LPA adjustable, plain serrated

At launch, Rock Island Armory will be selling two models, one with Dawson Precision iron sights (MSRP: $999) and an optics-equipped model (MSRP: $1,300). For more information, please visit their website at armscor.com.

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