STI handguns

[white spaniard]

Hi has anyone herd of a company called STI? My wife and I went shooting yesterday and the guy next to us told her she needs to get a "Real" .45Cal hand gun a STI and we both have Kimbers. Is STI a superior hand gun compared to Kimber?

[Robb Jensen]

Good guns, sometimes some are a little finicky to get to work correctly. Mine is a custom built STI the only pieces of mine that are STI are the slide and frame.

[rhino]

Yes, I have definitely heard of STI. http://www.stiguns.com/

They got their start as one of the branches of the companies that developed the original (McCormick-Tripp) wide body, modular polymer frames for 1911-style guns in the early 1990s. Now they have a variety of products, including several series of very well made single stack 1911s.

Yes, STI guns are generally superior to Kimbers in almost every regard, although you can get some Kimbers cheaper. Quality control is better, parts are better (tool steel, not MIM), fit of the barrel to the slide and bushing is usually better, trigger is usually better, ergonomics are better (high cut under the trigger guard and a vastly superior grip safety design), yadda yadda yadda. Another thing is that you can order the STI exactly the way you want it. With a Kimber, you choose a model and that's what you get.

Given that . . .

If you have a Kimber that functions 100% of the time will all of your choices of ammo and it shoots accurately enough for your needs, then you already have a "real gun" and you have nothing to gain from an STI. I have several Kimbers and zero STIs (although I've shot several and fondled many). I'm not worried about the choices I made in the past given that what I have now meets my needs.

On the other hand, if I were buying a new gun and my choices were a new Kimber or a new STI, I would not hesitate to choose the STI. If I were buying used, guarantee of 100% function (or my money back) and being able to get it in a private transfer would affect my decision far more than the brand name or the opinion of someone at the range.

[rhino]

Good guns, sometimes some are a little finicky to get to work correctly.

Is that your experience in all calibersin their single stack guns, or just .40 and 9mm? The .45s I've seen (and to which I was addressing my comments... sorry for my lack of specificity) have been workhorses. The .40s and 9mms have been hit and miss (no pun intended) in terms of functioning well from the box), but I don't know any mass producer who makes 1911s in .40 or 9mm whose guns I would trust out of the box (yet).

[white spaniard]

thanks for the explanation on the STI guns a 2K hand gun is way out of my league.

[k9dpd]

I have a STI 9mm single stack 1911 that runs great, no issues and it was a sub 1K gun

[rhino]

thanks for the explanation on the STI guns a 2K hand gun is way out of my league.

Their single stack guns start in the $900-1200 range, depending on the features you want. That's about the same as the higher end Kimbers, maybe a little more.

[Kevin]

STI/SVI are two completely seperate companies that share some common history. They dominate the market in USPSA/IPSC.

Their double stack guns have a composite (dare I say Glock-like!!) grip frame that is bolted to the frame rails by the top two "grip screws" and a smaller bolt just ahead of the triger guard. There are no seperate grip panels, and the two lower grip screws are only there for show, they do nothing.

I bought mine from Brazos Custom almost three years ago. I've got about 30,000 rounds through it. The only thing I've had to replace has been the front sight. (It is a little delicate, but this particular gun is for USPSA only.) Based on my experience with my own STI, in terms of reliability and accuracy, I would not hesitate to take any one of their more tactical models (i.e., more robust sights) anywhere.

I've had it through a couple classes each with Frank Garcia and Manny Bragg. It has been rarely cleaned and 100% reliable, and it will still put everything in one jagged hole at 50'.

You can buy factory direct or from any number of custom smiths out there. They are pricey, but well worth the $$

[Robb Jensen]

Is that your experience in all calibersin their single stack guns, or just .40 and 9mm? The .45s I've seen (and to which I was addressing my comments... sorry for my lack of specificity) have been workhorses. The .40s and 9mms have been hit and miss (no pun intended) in terms of functioning well from the box), but I don't know any mass producer who makes 1911s in .40 or 9mm whose guns I would trust out of the box (yet).

Usually their 9mm/.40guns stuff like the EDGE...........they're hit and miss in the reliability. Once you get them running they run very well. Their .45s typically run right out of the box with nothing needed.

[RAM Engineer]

GotM4,

Can you tell me about those magazines/baseplates?

Also, what drove the trigger guard re-shaping? I'm sure it's functional, I was just wondering what the reason is.

Thanks,

Jason