Are Tanfoglios worth it?

Surveyor780

Surveyor780

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I have been shooting a CZ75 Shadow for a couple years, and want to get a racier SA for IPSC Standard. I love the CZ frame, it feels like it was made for my hand, and I'm considering a Tanfoglio Limited Custom Xtreme in .40. When I talk to people about this they say one of two things:

1. "Oh man, they are the best thing ever. Better than the best thing. They are the only thing!"
2. "No. Buy an STI, stupid."

While I love the 1911 trigger, and appreciate the aftermarket support for all the 1911 and 2011 framed guns, I have yet to handle one that doesn't feel clumsy and unwieldy in my hand. I shot an STI Edge today, and I felt like a child wearing my dad's suit - that double stack grip is cartoonishly large. My mind would be made up, team Tanfoglio all the way, except! Everyone keeps telling me that they are IMPOSSIBLE to find parts for. Funny though, everyone who says that doesn't own one, but they always know a guy who knows a guy...

That said, I personally don't know anyone who shoots a Tanfoglio (I don't know many people), so I need some advice from the Tanfo fanboys out there - is it as bad as all that? Is the EAA really the devil? Will my $2500 Tanfo leave me weeping in the rain, wishing I had spent my money on a 'Merican made John Moses Browning machine?? The Xtreme models seem racy out of the box, which should eliminate the need to find a bunch of upgrade parts, and a some googling shows a few places in the states that either stock or manufacture springs, pins, hammers, etc etc...

Any input? Opinions?
 
I am by no means a tanfo guy, not even a cz guy..yet.. But I thought that the tanfoglio pistols are basically cz75s wearing an expensive Italian suit. Ie they are cz75 inside and high end frame/slide out. Should the internals not be interchangeable (with some minor filing, tweaking perhaps?) I do know that the tanfoglio mags fit perfectly in the cz pistols, so good they're actually better, lots of guys use them in their sp01 shadows in ipsc. I'm sure some of the experts will chime in very soon.
 
supahdave said:
I am by no means a tanfo guy, not even a cz guy..yet.. But I thought that the tanfoglio pistols are basically cz75s wearing an expensive Italian suit. Ie they are cz75 inside and high end frame/slide out. Should the internals not be interchangeable (with some minor filing, tweaking perhaps?) I do know that the tanfoglio mags fit perfectly in the cz pistols, so good they're actually better, lots of guys use them in their sp01 shadows in ipsc. I'm sure some of the experts will chime in very soon.
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No they don't have the same internals. They might have been a direct copy at some point but have morphed into their own gun.
 
Surveyor780 said:
I have been shooting a CZ75 Shadow for a couple years, and want to get a racier SA for IPSC Standard. I love the CZ frame, it feels like it was made for my hand, and I'm considering a Tanfoglio Limited Custom Xtreme in .40. When I talk to people about this they say one of two things:

1. "Oh man, they are the best thing ever. Better than the best thing. They are the only thing!"
2. "No. Buy an STI, stupid."

While I love the 1911 trigger, and appreciate the aftermarket support for all the 1911 and 2011 framed guns, I have yet to handle one that doesn't feel clumsy and unwieldy in my hand. I shot an STI Edge today, and I felt like a child wearing my dad's suit - that double stack grip is cartoonishly large. My mind would be made up, team Tanfoglio all the way, except! Everyone keeps telling me that they are IMPOSSIBLE to find parts for. Funny though, everyone who says that doesn't own one, but they always know a guy who knows a guy...

That said, I personally don't know anyone who shoots a Tanfoglio (I don't know many people), so I need some advice from the Tanfo fanboys out there - is it as bad as all that? Is the EAA really the devil? Will my $2500 Tanfo leave me weeping in the rain, wishing I had spent my money on a 'Merican made John Moses Browning machine?? The Xtreme models seem racy out of the box, which should eliminate the need to find a bunch of upgrade parts, and a some googling shows a few places in the states that either stock or manufacture springs, pins, hammers, etc etc...

Any input? Opinions?
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I just bought a stock III xtreme and it's a very nice gun. I think the xtreme's are definitely a higher quality gun than the CZ's. I have heard and read that the barrel and slide lugs tend to wear prematurely sometimes but I think that's more of a fit issue that I don't think is there in the xtreme versions because more attention to detail was paid to them.

I shoot a STI 2011 and a STI 1911 for competition but will start to use the Stock III soon to try my hand at production division again.
 
I've shot a tuned Limited on a few occasions. I've also shot some IPSC tuned 1911's set up for Stock class. Both were excellent and I would not give any advantage one way or the other for the feel of the trigger. Mind you one is a sliding trigger and the other a top hinged trigger. To some folks that matters. And there's no doubt that it changes how the gun feels.

For fit in the hand I'd have to give the nod to the Tanfoglio. A single stack 1911 is a wondrous thing but the slightly thicker oval shape of the CZ/Tanfoglio style frame and grips where the frame steps in at the rear for a narrower feel actually fits me a trifle better. Double stack "2011's" feel like holding a 2x4 in comparison.

Other than owning a couple of single stack 1911's I don't have a personal intrest in justifying my choice. And in fact I've looked at the Limited's on more than one occasion.
 
I've had Tanfo's, 1911's and 2011's and have a lot of familiarity with both in terms of their strengths and weaknesses.

For out of the box ergo the nod goes to Tanfoglio. They shoot fantastically well. I've had four of them and had my hands inside the guts of dozens more. But for my needs they have a couple of design issues that render them less suitable for the hard use they would see as major caliber competition guns. The new Extreme models have much better fire-control components in them and better finishes. They are very nice shooting guns.

For long-term durability it's 2011 pattern, hands down. 2011's also offer a lot more in terms of options for customization and better magazines. Also keep in mind that since the (STI) grips are polymer, they can be easily sculpted to fit your hand any way you like so ergonomics becomes much less of an issue. I've done this with all of my 2011's.
 
They're both copies of other pistols. Don't think I'd part with the money asked for a Tanfoglio of any model though.
It sounds like a double stack pistol doesn't fit your hand anyway. If it doesn't fit or feel right, you'll never shoot it well.
 
Just a fyi take it for what its worth (next to nothing right its internet advice!)
I shot production thru 2 shadows and 20k rounds thru both combined, I am really sick of the CZ75 platform, as I find it innacurate.
Just play with the barrel when the slide is closed, it actually moves around a few thous! How can you expect accuracy out of this, take note CZ custom have made an accu shadow with a 1911 style bushing to tight that up. But illegal in production.

Anyways I got really close to buying a tanfoglio stock ll, then I got myself thinking I do not want to put 2k in a production gun. I know you spoke of using yours in limited.
I spent quite a bit of time with my buddies stock ll, very accurate as it has a bull barrel, very hard and quality finish, and I just did not like the fact that it lacked mods for it.
Either you keep it as it is or you go spend big bucks on eric grauffel parts.

I spent my money on a 1911 STI single stack, very happy with my purchase. Tons of different aftermarket parts in it too now. Got some STI 2011 edge parts in it, Wilson combat, aftec, Dawson sight,SVI safeties, ed brown parts etc... the part availability is just there!

Edit : just reread your thread, whoever told you parts are hard to find for tanfoglio is wrong, just look up CGN sponsor freedom ventures, we has ton of them in stock
 
I currently shoot a Tanfoglio Custom Limited 2 40, and I love it, if I had to buy a new Standard gun it would be the limited xtreme no question, parts are less common but can be ordered pretty quickly by Freedom Ventures (i have ordered a new firing pin and front sight, had them in less than a week). I keep a set of back up springs/parts (but everyone should do that anyway no matter the model). very accurate, fit and finish is great I am very happy with it. I don't think you would be disappointed with an Xtreme.
 
I previously owned 2 tuned Shadows for production. I now shoot a tuned Tangfo Stock 3. I would never go back. The CZ's have better triggers but the rest of the gun there is no comparison. Yes the Tangfo is a better gun and if I was shooting standard i'd take a Tangfo over a CZ. The Shadows are known to jam from reloads (simple ream fix). My Tangfo has yet to have a single round not go off in the thousands I've put through and i'm also the 2nd owner. I'd say the only gun that has an equal feel is an SVI and than you're in a whole other price bracket.
 
johhny12gauge said:
The Shadows are known to jam from reloads (simple ream fix). My Tangfo has yet to have a single round not go off in the thousands I've put through and i'm also the 2nd owner.
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??? I've shot about 6000 thousand rounds through my Shadow (2012 production date). 1.13" Round nose Campro 124gr and 1.08" Campro HP 124gr, both shooting ~ 130pf. Never had a jam in the Shadow ever.. And I've pretty much only ever shot my reloads. Not sure what your issue was.
 
The Shadow barrels can be tight, not in all of them but some. Certain pistols have tighter factory barrels than others, I can name a few i've owned. I also had a friends Shadow that wouldn't shoot my reloads until he had it reamed, now it runs flawless. The issue is not all brass is perfect (well mine anyway!).
 
I'm an expert on nothing. However I do have and have had some fine guns. My first IPSC gun was an X-Five modified and tuned by Bruce Gray. My Custom 1911 is another jewel and I just love the SIG P-210 I own now.

I just got my Tanfo Limited Custom Xtreme in .40 and in that brief time have thoroughly enjoyed shooting it. My first match was Sunday and I'll shoot another next week in the company of some fine shooters including Mr. Elliot. The gun "fits" me perfectly and in terms of the shooting experience can only be compared to the P-210. I have no doubt that this will be my competition piece and the other guns will likely languish.

I expect that the Xtreme parts and the extra attention in the building and finishing of these guns will make mine likely to be around as long as I could hope for before they kick dirt blocking out my view.
 
Thanks for all the info guys, it all helps. I'm definitely going to talk to freedom Ventures about ordering the Xtreme model. They have a few coming in later in the summer, they are the large frame. Does anyone one know how the different frame sizes compare to the frame on the CZ75?
 
I also have a Shadow that is more accurate than I am capable of shooting. Generally, they have a reputation for being very accurate guns out of the box and from what I've seen so far, I concur.
 
hercster said:
I'm an expert on nothing. However I do have and have had some fine guns. My first IPSC gun was an X-Five modified and tuned by Bruce Gray. My Custom 1911 is another jewel and I just love the SIG P-210 I own now.

I just got my Tanfo Limited Custom Xtreme in .40 and in that brief time have thoroughly enjoyed shooting it. My first match was Sunday and I'll shoot another next week in the company of some fine shooters including Mr. Elliot. The gun "fits" me perfectly and in terms of the shooting experience can only be compared to the P-210. I have no doubt that this will be my competition piece and the other guns will likely languish.

I expect that the Xtreme parts and the extra attention in the building and finishing of these guns will make mine likely to be around as long as I could hope for before they kick dirt blocking out my view.
Click to expand...

I would like very much to see this gun on Sunday if you don't mind showing it to me.
 
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