Rost Martin RM1C
The Next Generation of Freedom & Coconut Free!
The Rost Martin RM1C sitting on top of a box of affordable chocolates.
Tank has removed and burned all the coconut ones.
Nothing’s worse than biting into a piece of coconut candy when you’re trying to satisfy your sweet tooth — at least for me! The moment is ruined, a clear case of cruelty displaying its ugly hand. What are the odds? The box is full and you’re hoping/craving for a caramel? The long-awaited coconut bite ruins it. HAWK TOOEY! enters your mind, but there are people around.
I know some like coconut, but I’m not one of them. Besides the taste and texture, the shredded bits have a nasty habit of reappearing after furtive expulsion. With a slight turn of the head, you secretly spit the offending shard as far away as possible. Take that, you nasty nubbin!
As Forest Gump brilliantly stated, “Life is like a box of chocolates … you never know what you’re going to get.”
The RM1C is slightly smaller than a GLOCK 19.
Candy & Guns
With all the striker-fired, poly-framed guns available, released yearly, and on the drawing board, you’d have to be coconuts bringing out another tactical Tupperware pistol. Like the many different brands of chocolates, guns also come in different price ranges. Some choose chocolates strictly by price. If not high dollar, they won’t eat it.
But true chocolate connoisseurs appreciate value, much like die-hard gun nerds — price matters. If the gun shoots accurately and is reliable, with a lower price, it’s a win-win-win for the smart shooting consumer. With candy, taste and texture win out; for guns, performance and reliability are the names of the game. Show me an accurate, reliable, reasonably priced poly-framed gun, and I’m all over it. How’s that for a declaration from a die-hard sixgun man? This is the backbone of Rost Martin’s philosophy.
Typical groups from the RM1C ranging from 1.5-2-5"
groups at 50 feet. The gun was very consistent and accurate.
Rost Martin (RM)
The RM company was started by Chris and Stefany Toomer. Chris served as an infantry officer in the 3rd battalion, 3rd Marines in his previous life before working in R&D, production and just about every other position at Springfield Armory.
His wife, Stefany, is the granddaughter of Bob Reece, known for revitalizing Springfield Armory (SA) in the 1970s, turning it into a top worldwide firearms manufacturer. Through hard work, Chris and Stefany learned firsthand what it takes to run a successful firearms business from their experience at SA.
The catalyst for wanting to start RM is a sincere, deep-rooted desire to preserve our 2nd Amendment rights. There is no better way of doing this than by producing quality firearms at a reasonable price, right? Although the poly-framed striker-fired market is large, the Toomers figured there’s always room for a quality U.S.-made pistol “full of features” priced competitively. The RM RM1C proudly infers its “Made in the USA” quality with its Dallas, Texas brand roll-marked on the slide as proof of origin. As to the “full of features,” read on.
Disassembly is easy, much like a GLOCK with two takedown
levers, only there’s no need to press the trigger!
Details
The Rost Martin rallying cry is to “strive to build quality guns, looking, feeling and performing like others in the poly-framed, striker-fired class, but with a lower price point.” The Rost Martin RM1C compact is slightly smaller than the GLOCK 19 but larger in performance.
When production started, the COVID global pandemic was in full swing, making the Toomers cautious. Stefany stated development started in early 2020, months before the first lockdowns. The RM1C was released at SHOT 2024. Being curious about the company name, I was informed Rost is a family name on Stefany’s side, while Martin is the maiden name of Chris’s great-grandmother.
pin acting as an anchor point for a lanyard. The striker indicator is also visible.
Overview
While unboxing the RM1C, my first thought was the gun was ergonomic, feeling “right” or “good” when gripped. There’s just enough stippling on the grip and forward the frame to provide a positive, slip-free purchase. The molded trigger guard is large, and a gloved finger can comfortably fit inside. The trigger guard also has a built-in trigger stop, negating wasted movement.
The trigger is light and smooth, having a short pull of just under 5 lbs. The re-set is very short and quick, maybe 1/8″ and positive, for a fast, accurate fire rate.
The grip is adjustable, coming with three different sized options in the form of replaceable backstraps, which are secured to the frame by a cross pin, that also serves as an anchor point for a lanyard attachment. The dust cover has a molded tactical rail for laser/light options. Other grip features include a subtle molded magazine well and extended beavertail.
The slide is precision machined, tapered and
cut for floor plates for red dot sights.
Other Features
The RMC1 has ambidextrous slide stops and magazine releases. The RM1C doesn’t have a magazine disconnect, meaning it’s able to fire without a magazine, something I personally like. Magazines are steel-bodied, having polymer floor plates and followers, having a 15- or 17-round capacity.
The RM1C has a 4″ barrel that’s hammer-forged, having a 1:10″ twist, with a target crown. The steel slide is precision machined, having deep, angled slide serrations at the front and rear for easier slide manipulation and press check. The ejection port is oversized and beveled, promoting clear ejection of spent brass.
During firing, cases are thrown cleanly away from the gun and shooter. A small chamber window is milled into the top of the slide and barrel for instant visual confirmation of load status. When looking at the back of the gun, the red striker status indicator is visible, as well as the tapered profile of the slide, going from full width to the width of the rear sight. This naturally draws your eyes to the U-notched rear sight, making for fast target acquisition. Combined with the white dot serrated front sight, the sight picture is fast and pleasing to the eye. The slide bevel also reduces weight and provides a slenderer look and feel than “blockier” guns while aiding in drawing and holstering.
Glare-reducing serrations run the full length of the slide top. A professionally applied Tenifer finish on the slide protects the metal from the elements, including sweat. Both front and rear sights are dovetailed and interchangeable with SA XD/XD-M-compatible sights.
The U-notched serrated rear sight and serrations
on the top of the slide provide a glare-free sight picture.
Optics
The RM1C slide is cut for optics and includes a Trijicon RMR footprint base plate. Rost Martin also offers plates for Leupold DeltaPoint Pro and other popular red dots on its website. Rost Martin calls the stippling on the grip and front of frame Responsive Grip Texturing (RGT), which is applied with a laser. The stippling is perfect for the purpose of improving grip quality without being over-aggressive in cheese grater fashion.
Safety Features
Safety is the first concern when referring to any striker-fired, poly-framed pistol. We all know horror stories about certain gun brands where it’s necessary to pull the trigger for disassembly. While no fault of the gun, negligent discharges (ND) are associated with it. Human nature being what it is, I understand how these NDs occur, witnessing several myself while a cop.
Not so with the Rost Martin RM1C. You do not need to press the trigger for disassembly. After making sure your gun is clear by dropping your magazine and ejecting the chambered round, lock your slide to the rearward position. Double check your chamber visually and physically with a finger, and ensure the gun is unloaded. Allow the slide to go back into battery.
Pull the slide less than 2 millimeters back while pushing down on both disassembly latches. Push the slide forward 4 millimeters forward and lift to remove the slide from the frame. Simple!
Triple Drop Safety
The RMC1 is fitted with a triple-layer passive Drop Safety System consisting of an automatic trigger safety, sear safety ramp and striker block. All three safety features are active until the trigger is intentionally pressed. The trigger cannot move forward unless the trigger face is pressed, pushing the trigger lever into the trigger, disengaging the trigger safety.
The second safety is the sear safety ramp. Only when the trigger is pressed and the transfer bar moves the sear rearward can the striker be fully cocked and released. The third safety is the slide-mounted striker block. At rest, the spring-loaded striker block plunger arrests the striker. Only when the trigger is pressed will the striker be allowed to move.
The RM1C has an advanced hybrid trigger. It’s neither single nor double action. When a cartridge is loaded, and the slide goes into battery, the striker is only partially cocked. Initial trigger travel is required to cock it fully. The trigger movement can be stopped at any time prior to firing, and the striker will not be fully cocked.
The ejection port is enlarged and beveled for positive
ejection of spent brass. The chamber window is also
visible for easy status check.
Sweet Shooter
Shooting was done at 50 feet using a sandbag rest. Groups were excellent, running anywhere from 1.5″ to 2.5″ for five shots. Ammo used was provided by Buffalo Bore, Hornady and Federal. Everything fed smoothly through the RM1C and there were no malfunctions.
No Coconut
The RM1C is no coconut! That is, I really like this gun. This compact performs beautifully. It has a clean profile and lines and is reliable. Its price point is also very attractive to a cheapskate like me. If you appreciate quality and value, you’ll love the RM RM1C. I sure did! It’s the caramel I’ve been seeking.
