Rock Island
Rock Island grips
Rock Island Armory history begins with its roots in the Armscor legacy, tracing back to 1905 when British expatriates Roy Squires and William Bingham founded Squires Bingham & Co. in Manila, Philippines—a print shop that evolved into a sporting goods store selling firearms, ammunition, and gear
Renamed Sportsmen’s Headquarters in 1930, the business was acquired by the Tuason family in 1941. It survived WWII Japanese occupation by shifting to clothing trade, then entered full firearms manufacturing in 1952 as Squires Bingham Manufacturing, Inc
In 1980, it reorganized and became Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) under Demetrio “Bolo” Tuason’s leadership, focusing on reliable, affordable guns
Meanwhile, Rock Island Armory was independently founded in 1977 by David Reese in Colona, Illinois, near the historic Rock Island Arsenal (no direct connection). It sold surplus and firearms
The pivotal moment came in 1985 when Armscor acquired the Rock Island Armory brand, using it as a U.S. market entry point. This strategic move allowed Philippine-made firearms—especially iconic 1911 pistols—to reach American shooters under a familiar, patriotic-sounding name
Today, Rock Island Armory stands as Armscor’s primary U.S. brand, renowned for budget-friendly, high-quality 1911s, rifles, and shotguns. With U.S. manufacturing facilities and ISO 9001 certification, it embodies affordable reliability—“Solid as a rock.”
