STI Tactical 5.0, STI Duty One and STI Edge, opinions and Qs..

OICU812

OICU812

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I am considering one of these pistols. in (.45ACP)

The Duty one is conventional "single" stack, now while the Tactical 5.0 and the Edge fall into what STI refers to as their 2011 line, which are both "double stack".

My questions to those that may own one of shot one is..

1.) Either the Tactical or the Edge, how did the grip feel is it much larger or larger at all over the Duty one or typical single stack 1911s?

2.) What was your overall impression of the STI in .45ACP?

I've heard in past lots of good things on STIs in regards to their quality and accuracy. However I am not certain of their "fit" on their double stacks and so fourth.

I've had several single stack 1911s in hand, sigs, smiths etc all fit IDENTICAL in hand and nice fit, but no store anywhere or anyone who owns a STI so looking for that advice or comments, thanks!!!
 
Ahh I should have mentioned. NO I am not going to compete likely, if anything I "may" try to give a few 3 gun a try, that's about it. With my other hobbies and work full out idea on competing really is not going to happen.

It's hard at STIs descriptions to really understand where the 600-700 difference is between the Duty One and the Tactical etc to be honest..

I may just do the Duty one and get an Armco job done on it..
 
well if you arent going to compete, might as well get the single stack since you know that fits you well already and the only point of a 2011 is competition (well, if we could carry then mag capacity would be a advantage, but thats moot in canada)

the 600-700 difference is the difference between making a single and a double stack

cant go wrong with a 1911 in .45 ever
 
I have a STI trojan in 45 on the way.... Not as many reviews as I'd like for some sti's. I think that is due to the small market share.

So I decided to buy a used one and try it out.

That is hard to do with some of their $2000+ guns. Maybe someone will let you borrow theirs...
 
I have no specific knowledge of these guns. I will just comment on a point to possibly consider: STI have a good reputation that is built entirely on their performance in the gaming/competition world.

The Duty One and, presumably, the Tactical 5.0, are presented as "fighting guns".

For the money, you could probably buy a 1911 built by a company primarily focused on building fighting guns, if that's what you're after, and have a gun with a track record of dependable performance in miserable conditions.

I guess I'll add that, IMO, double stack 1911s are not serious fighting pistols and I would never depend on one for defense.

I have nothing against STI but personally I would rather bet my life on a gun that has a history of combat use. For competition, I would happily shoot an STI...but would probably not pick the Duty One etc for that application.
 
SWAT positively reviewed the Tactical 4.15 a few years ago.

http://www.stiguns.com/resources/sti_press/
http://media.stiguns.com/USPress/SWAT/SWATSept09/SWAT09_09_Tactical4_15.pdf

The grips on the 2011 guns are larger than a single stack, there is no denying that. You should try to handle a 2011 frame before committing because no one here is going to be able to tell you how they feel.

Ultimately the biggest difference is the capacity of flush fitting mags, and possibly the weight. If thats important to you, the 2011 frame is the way to go.
 
I havent shot any of those pistols either however i do own a few 1911s and i dont like the feel of the double stacks. I do however own a spartan and i do not have any complaints with it.

I knew i recognized your name from somewhere. So which hobby costs more, helis or guns?
 
misanthropist said:
I have no specific knowledge of these guns. I will just comment on a point to possibly consider: STI have a good reputation that is built entirely on their performance in the gaming/competition world.

The Duty One and, presumably, the Tactical 5.0, are presented as "fighting guns".

For the money, you could probably buy a 1911 built by a company primarily focused on building fighting guns, if that's what you're after, and have a gun with a track record of dependable performance in miserable conditions.

I guess I'll add that, IMO, double stack 1911s are not serious fighting pistols and I would never depend on one for defense.

I have nothing against STI but personally I would rather bet my life on a gun that has a history of combat use. For competition, I would happily shoot an STI...but would probably not pick the Duty One etc for that application.
Click to expand...

Ken Hackathorn, for what it's worth, while discussing contemporary pistol options (and their relative quality and reliability), in that context said: "Anybody who would carry an STI to defend his life is a f**king moron."

In my experience, my STIs have been accurate, and good-looking, but, undeniably, they were and they are unreliable.

My Gen2 G19, on the other hand, cost less than each one of them, and that G19 has never failed me.
 
Aqualung said:
And what exactly, do you base this opinion on?
Click to expand...

My knowledge of the reliability problems of many double-stack 1911s other than STIs, which I have not used much.

Double stack 1911s are game guns, at best. Nobody has ever built a double stack 1911 that is as reliable as a quality single-stack .45. Ever. And a company that builds gaming guns, building a DS 1911 presented as a fighting gun...if that doesn't set off serious warning bells for anyone, I don't know what would.

Of the few organizations left that issue 1911s, how many are double stack? The extra ammo is a major advantage, surely somebody must? No?

What about the units that used to issue 1911s, and don't really anymore? Any DS 1911s there? No? Hmm, how odd.

If you look up the description of "reliable combat 1911" by any serious shooter with a history of 1911 usage...and let's think about who that is:

Hilton Yam
Ken Hackathorn
Larry Vickers
etc

They will ALL tell you the same thing: .45acp, full size, single stack. These guys could be divided in to 50 different guys each, and every one of them would still have more experience building, fixing, modifying, and shooting 1911s than virtually anyone on this board. So don't worry about my personal rationale...worry about the fact that every expert says the same thing.
 
Wendell said:
Ken Hackathorn, for what it's worth, while discussing contemporary pistol options (and their relative quality and reliability), in that context said: "Anybody who would carry an STI to defend his life is a f**king moron."
Click to expand...

That is a seriously extreme quote. I have owned single stack 1911's that were stove pipe machines and I have seen competitive shooters shoot thousands of rounds through DS 1911s.

Other than that, he is still correct and all. It is just a very extreme quote.

:)
 
Mostly, I have carried a Glock 19, but I have carried my Ranger IIs before. Once, having been satisfied with several consecutive range sessions (+-500rds) with no malfunctions in a Ranger II, I chose to leave my Glocks at home and take it to the states. It had shot fine with that load before, and with every magazine, so I wasn't worried. Once in Maine, that gun choked as soon as I tried to load it...and it did so with 4/6 magazines. That night, in the hotel, I cleaned and lubed the pistol and magazines again. And, despite that, all day the following day, I was the guy who was constantly doing an immediate action drill. The malfunctions continued with every magazine (that had once worked fine), and five different factory loads (that had once worked fine). It was extremely humiliating, and it was even more fortunate that it was just a course.

It might be an extreme quote, but that weekend was a real reality check for me, and it happened to me only a few months after Hackathorn had said it, so I've taken it personally.
 
tzclark said:
I havent shot any of those pistols either however i do own a few 1911s and i dont like the feel of the double stacks. I do however own a spartan and i do not have any complaints with it.

I knew i recognized your name from somewhere. So which hobby costs more, helis or guns?
Click to expand...

They're both equally expensive when you buy top shelf lol.

Truth is I want a Wilson Combat CQB .45 however no one has stock.

So interm I've decided to try a Duty One single stack STI with an Armco job on it. I gave comments here thought and I feel my hands alone will fit the single stack better. And well I've been researching on other sites to and many comments on double stack reliability also came up on many brands. So that's where it's at for now I'll give the D1 a go.

Just curious as I've heard many great things about STI in general and have never given them a go.

Thx for all the discussion fellas. :)

Shawn
 
OICU812 said:
Truth is I want a Wilson Combat CQB .45 however no one has stock.
Click to expand...

Hey Shawn, there's one for sale in the EE. But man, have Wilson pistols ever gone crazy in price over the last little while. My CQB with rail which is pretty decked out was bought new in 2007 and I paid 2700. I wanted to order another one with similar specs and they are now over 4000...??? WTF, go figure that one out. I wouldn't be scared at all to buy a gently used one and save a few bucks....
 
Wendell said:
Mostly, I have carried a Glock 19, but I have carried my Ranger IIs before. Once, having been satisfied with several consecutive range sessions (+-500rds) with no malfunctions in a Ranger II, I chose to leave my Glocks at home and take it to the states. It had shot fine with that load before, and with every magazine, so I wasn't worried. Once in Maine, that gun choked as soon as I tried to load it...and it did so with 4/6 magazines. That night, in the hotel, I cleaned and lubed the pistol and magazines again. And, despite that, all day the following day, I was the guy who was constantly doing an immediate action drill. The malfunctions continued with every magazine (that had once worked fine), and five different factory loads (that had once worked fine). It was extremely humiliating, and it was even more fortunate that it was just a course.

It might be an extreme quote, but that weekend was a real reality check for me, and it happened to me only a few months after Hackathorn had said it, so I've taken it personally.
Click to expand...

Was your Ranger II a 40S&W?

I have been trying to channel Jeff Cooper through 1911s for a while now. The only one that has shown any sense of predictability has been a Norinco!
 
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