STI Spartan Input

[SpottHogg]

First off I am new to these forums so I will say hi to everyone. Glad to be here among the finest members of our society... other gun owners. So now I will get to my post, I am in the market to buy a 1911 .45ACP. I am Considering a Spartan for the allure of STI's great reputation and affordable price. My concern is what is the overall quality of it compared to the slightly more expensive Kimber Custom II Target and Springfield Target. The atributes of what I want are; adjustable sights,(which they all have) a tight slide to frame fit, a crisp creepless trigger, accuracy, and durability to last thru alot of use without failure or accuracy loss. Unfortunately I cant get them all in my hands to compare. Any input would be great. Thanks

[jaybet]

Never handled a STI because no one near me had any, and they wanted about 1400 to order one. I see your avatar is SigSauer. I've handled Kimbers, Springfields, Colts, and Sigs. I have found them all to be well made, but have only bought the Sig Revolution, and only fired that and a couple of Colts. The Sig has been flawless with a crisp trigger and 100% reliability.

[MikeBjerum]

Welcome SpottHogg!  Step on over to the intro thread in the cafe and let us know a little about yourself.

I have not handled that particular gun, but I have an STI Eagle 5.5 that was customized to an open gun.  I love it!

Everyone I know that either has or works on STI has nothing but good to say about them, and I am considering them for my next single stack gun (I currently have a Springfield and a Smith and Wesson).

I am sure that you may be paying a little for the fact they are a small company that puts a lot of human labor into the guns, but from what I hear they are worth what you pay for them.

[fullautovalmet76]

First off I am new to these forums so I will say hi to everyone. Glad to be here among the finest members of our society... other gun owners. So now I will get to my post, I am in the market to buy a 1911 .45ACP. I am Considering a Spartan for the allure of STI's great reputation and affordable price. My concern is what is the overall quality of it compared to the slightly more expensive Kimber Custom II Target and Springfield Target. The atributes of what I want are; adjustable sights,(which they all have) a tight slide to frame fit, a crisp creepless trigger, accuracy, and durability to last thru alot of use without failure or accuracy loss. Unfortunately I cant get them all in my hands to compare. Any input would be great. Thanks

I have handled a Spartan and can say if I did not already have a top quality 1911 (Springfield MC Operator), I would buy the Spartan. Oh, don't get caught up in the junk about the slide and frame was being made in the Philippines that it's not as good as any of their domestic stuff.  The gun is still hand fitted and all of the internals are made by STI; the parts are all forged not MIM. I think for the money it's the best 1911 for under 1K you can get, but that's just my opinion.

Welcome and best of luck!
-FullAuto

[TAB]

I won't buy a STI do to thier pollitics.( lieing to get sales, that is another thread), that being said, the do make a fine gun, but they don't  the manufactor the spartan.  Its not even made in the USA.  So on that model I'd pass on it.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

I won't buy a STI do to thier pollitics.( lieing to get sales, that is another thread), that being said, the do make a fine gun, but they don't  the manufactor the spartan.  Its not even made in the USA.  So on that model I'd pass on it.

Now you can go reread Full auto's post.   

I have handled a Spartan and can say if I did not already have a top quality 1911 (Springfield MC Operator), I would buy the Spartan. Oh, don't get caught up in the junk about the slide and frame was being made in the Philippines that it's not as good as any of their domestic stuff.  The gun is still hand fitted and all of the internals are made by STI; the parts are all forged not MIM. I think for the money it's the best 1911 for under 1K you can get, but that's just my opinion.

Welcome and best of luck!
-FullAuto

[TAB]

I buy american products.

 I've heard every thing from its just the slide and frame made over seas, to all STI does is fit the barrel bushing.  Even STI reps don't know what is and is not done by STI.  The reps not knowing about thier products is enough reason for me not to buy one. From any company.

[ellis4538]

I thought STI was a pretty good company for refusing to sell to California LEO and etc.

Richard

PS:  Never heard anything about lies.

[SpottHogg]

I spoke to STI yesterday. I found them to be very polite and helpful. They in fact were very knowledgable about there products. They explained the parts origins(frame&slide from philipines, all other parts are made or finished by STI in texas, all fitting and assy. done by hand in texas.) and there quality control checks by way of checking individual parts hardness, level of polish and fit. They also check the total operation of the finished product(they check trigger pull/creep, feeding, barrel/bushing fit, slide/frame fit, and accuracy etc.) I was impressed by how much detailed information they supplied. They have a trigger pull of 3.5-4lbs on the spartan, which is better than the competitions more expensive 1911 such as Kimber, Springfield, or Sig all in at 4-5lbs. With all the information I got I have decided to get one.
As far as buying american, I always try to but nothing is completely American anymore. No many guns are anymore american than the next. Even when there "made" here it usually means assembled here. Materials are usually foreign and some parts made foreign. As a matter of fact in the shooting world the only companies I know of that are truly made in America with american Materials are Henry and Redding. Well I thank all of you for your input. I will keep you informed of my findings when I get one. Will be a little while though.

[wrhall]

  IMHO,the best buy in all of 1911dom.It is not the eye-catcher that some of the more costly 1911's are but it IS a very accurate & reliable gun that gives the shooter a whole lot of bangs for the bucks.STI has always been a BIG supporter of USPSA & has always treated me well in my dealings with them (I also own a STI widebody that I shoot in Limited). YMMV.
  I replaced the front sight with a Dawson FO b/c the original was too wide & too dull.I added skateboard tape to the front strap b/c there was no checkering.I added a S&A magwell b/c there was no magwell & I NEED all the help I can get with reloads. This did leave a gap between the frame & magwell that does NOT look the best but WORKS VERY well.The gun was so tight that a pro weightlifter would have had a GOOD workout when racking the slide so I had gunsmith/buddy work on the bbl link.The gun cost $600 & the above mods added another $140 or so.That makes a total of about $750 & that is ,IMO, one HELL of a deal.
  I have won & lost some local USPSA & IDPA matches with the gun but one story is worth telling.My oldest son brought his girlfriend from college home with him &,doing my best NRA duty I took them shooting ,her for the first time ever.I took ,among many rimfire & centerfire handguns & rifles,a Glock 17,a S&W MP 40FS,a S&W MP Pro 9mm,a S&W 642, a S&W 25 & the STI. The long story short , 8 hits in 9 shots  on an 8 inch plate at 12 yards with the STI. Next best with about 50% hits the MP Pro,then the Glock then the S&W 25 then the MP 40 & S&W 642. Moral of the story,PLASTIC FANTASTICS are good & have their place,as do carry all-the-time snubbies & sharp-snappy recoil DOES bother some shooters but JMB had it RIGHT.A 1911 with good sights & trigger on an all steel frame,even in 45ACP,is still the SHOOTING KING for MR and/or MS Shooter.