4 Great Rock Island Firearms (Revolvers)

Rock Island Armory may be best known for its 1911 clones, and a Rock Island 1911 pistol is a thing of both beauty and function.

But did you know that these 1911 pistols are just the beginning of what Rock Island Firearms offer? They also make a wide range of other handguns, including revolvers.

These are some of the best of them.

Rock Island M200

The Rock Island M200 in .38 Spl is a handsome revolver that offers users a lot of practicality, not only for sporting and defensive applications, but also potentially in the field for handgun hunting.

Defensive applications are where it shines, though. It sports a 4” shrouded barrel which offers superb handling and accuracy, along with a fixed front sight and a channel frame cut rear sight which are both durable and dependable enough to handle being constantly holstered. (And that sort of rear sight resists snagging.)

The whole gun is a piece of iron (figuratively) as it boasts a tough black parkerized finish and a polymer combat grip that is durable yet ergonomic. It might not look flashy but it is designed to perform.

Speaking of performance, this handgun offers both single and double action functionality and, chambered in .38 Spl, it is an excellent handgun for concealed carry if you have the holster for it. Adding to this is the weight: it’s not the smallest revolver out there, but it still only tips the scales at 1.76 pounds.

All in all, it handles nicely and bridges the gap between the ultra-compact revolvers and larger, more cumbersome full-size wheelguns, making it suitable for a wide range of sporting and defensive applications.

Rock Island M206 (Spurless, Spurred Model Pictured at Top)

There are several different configurations of this Rock Island firearm, but the one to which we would draw your attention is the spurless M206 with a matte nickel finish.

Why, besides looks? Well, being a spurless revolver, this is an absolute gem for concealed carry. There’s no hammer to get caught on your clothing, waistband, or anything like that. As a result, it handles like a dream and operation is simplified.

Naturally, being spurless, you don’t need to worry about the hammer or remember to cock it before firing (not that you’d have that problem with a different gun that was a double-single, anyway) but the point is the less moving parts, the more intuitive the operation is.

That, alone, makes this an excellent revolver for defensive carry, but its small size also makes it perfect for concealed carry.

It is only 6.75” overall and 4.67” high overall. It’s more compact and lighter than the M200 listed above, and only packs 1.5 lbs of weight, overall. This makes it an ideal compact revolver for concealed carry.

Then, of course, we could talk about the chambering - .38 Spl, the same as the M200 and also excellent for defensive applications.

What else does it offer? A fixed ramp front sight and a snag-resistant wide square notch rear sight, along with a handsome, corrosion-resistant nickel plated finish.

AL9.0 Standard

Semi-autos have made the 9mm exceedingly popular, but here’s the good news. Even though somewhat rarer as a revolver caliber, they’re out there, and the AL9.0 Standard from Rock Island is a textbook example of a 9mm revolver done right.

Now, here’s the thing. Looking at the .38 Spl next to the 9mm Luger, you might think there’s no way that the 9mm could hold a candle to it. But that just isn’t the case.

Even though 9mm looks like .22LR next to .38 Spl, it generates higher pressure and generally better stopping power than the latter. The funny thing is, you can almost feel that, too. The .38 Spl is great as a self-defense round but it also produces notoriously less recoil than 9mm.

So, the 9mm kicks harder but it’s lighter and easier to carry while rivaling, if not outdoing the performance of the .38 Spl. That makes 9mm revolvers, though somewhat unconventional, attractive for their abilities.

And this one is a great choice. The Rock Island AL9.0 boasts a 6-round capacity and plenty of other features that shooters will find attractive, including a fixed ramp front sight and an adjustable rear sight, along with a rubber grip, an attractive and corrosion-resistant blued finish, and a reliable single/double action.

Beyond that, at 6.75” in length and 4.09” high, and weighing in at 2 lbs even, it’s a solid, dependable handgun for defensive carry, sporting applications, and even handgun hunting.

AL22 Standard Blued 9rd

What list of revolvers could be complete without at least one entry of a rimfire? And where rimfire must be broached, the venerable, timeless .22LR reigns.

Let’s talk about the blued AL22 with a 9rd capacity. All steel and with advanced drop safety, these are among the best target-shooting .22s in the game - at least among revolvers.

These rimfire revolvers offer target shooters a lot to love, too. With a 9rd capacity, a blued finish that is both handsome and practical, and ergonomic rubber grips, they are accurate, stable, and reliable.

Speaking on stability, they’re pretty heavy, too. At almost 2.5 lbs (2.42 lbs to be specific) they are solid and stable in the hand, and all but absorb the recoil of these little rimfire cartridges.

The heavy construction helps keep the revolver cool, too, which also helps with accuracy.

You couldn’t ask for a better rimfire revolver for competition target shooting. Plus, they make plinking a blast, too.

Explore These and Other Rock Island Firearms Here

This gives a pretty good cross sectional representation of what Rock Island offers in the way of revolvers, but when it comes to other Rock Island Firearms, this just scratches the bare surface.

There is a lot more out there, and even in addition to Rock Island 1911 pistols, there are other semi automatic platforms and plenty of solid shotguns, for both sporting and defensive use.

Take a look through our full collection of Rock Island Firearms here to learn more and contact us at 610-250-3960 if you have questions or would like recommendations.