[SHOT 2023] RIA’s Unique and New American Made 5.0 Pistol

New this year from RIA USA is an American designed, American-made pistol with a lot of unique features: The 5.0 Pistol in 9x19mm.  We got a chance to shoot this smooth operator at SHOT 2023 Industry Day at the Range.  Let’s take a closer look:

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 Pistol

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 Pistol: Unique, New and American Made

Only half a year after Rock Island Armory USA opened their new Cedar City, Utah plant, their toils have come to fruition-and to the American market-with the new 5.0 pistol, designed by Fred Craig.  for more specifics on the design aspects of the 5.0, check out Matthew Moss’ article on the pistol here.  But how did it shoot?

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 Pistol

The 5.0 pistol was, in short, a joy to shoot.  It is very very flat shooting, much like the Laugo Alien.  The trigger, which also houses the safety blade, was very smooth. It had a consistent roll back until it released the shrouded internal hammer, with a very short and positive reset.  Repeatable hits were very easy at 25 yards both with the red dot sight limited edition model and with the iron/fiber optic sights.

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 Pistol

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 PistolInternal shrouded hammer cocked

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 PistolInternal shrouded hammer forward

The Ram Valve System designed by Fred Craig, who also designed RIA’s .22 TCM cartridge, delayed the unlocking of the action, resulting in very little felt recoil to the shooter.  The 5.0 was so good and so unique, in fact, that plenty of people were willing to wait in a substantial line to shoot this pistol.

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 Pistol

[SHOT 2023] RIA’s 5.0 Pistol

The Rock Island USA 5.0 pistol is currently shipping, and has an MSRP of $998.

Specifications for the RIA 5.0 ST: