I have recently come to the conclusion that the I need a 9mm 1911, and want a commander version. I've more or less narrowed it down to a Colt Combat Commander or an STI Ranger II. Any thoughts on which would be the better choice, or any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Colt vs STI vs ?
- Thread starter foggy
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Wolfstrack
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland BC
IMO I'll go for the STI Ranger
You want quality? Go with the modern 1911-STI. You chose a bad comparisson... the 2-products are not even close, you are like comparing Toyota vs. BMW, where BMW is STI. Dont get me wrong, I have nothing against Colt, but STI is way better in quality than Colt (i.e. Quality of parts, trigger pull, barrel, sear, hammer, workmanship, engineering... you name it and the list goes on.....). just my 2-cents
Thanks, I'll take Colt. All steel (unless you get a light weight Commander), simpler design for field strip and service.
All depends what you want. You'll be looking at used for Colt unless you've managed to find a new one in a cranny somewhere.
STI has nothing on Colt for quality. As for the car analogy, more like BMW and Hummer. I know which one will still be around 40 years from now and just as reliable in all likelihood as the day it was made and it has more than 3 letters in its name.
My advice is to try or and least try and handle both and see which you prefer.
All depends what you want. You'll be looking at used for Colt unless you've managed to find a new one in a cranny somewhere.
STI has nothing on Colt for quality. As for the car analogy, more like BMW and Hummer. I know which one will still be around 40 years from now and just as reliable in all likelihood as the day it was made and it has more than 3 letters in its name.
My advice is to try or and least try and handle both and see which you prefer.
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I own a few 1911's, including a colt commander 45 and a STI trogan 9mm, both new production. I don't know where you will find a new colt 9mm? However, both are stainless and the colt was about $400 less then the sti. Both are well made and shoot great. The sti has more of a modern look and finish. Either would be nice.
The STI has a lifetime warranty. It has a ramped bull barrel, a beavertail safety, and an ideally-sized manual safety. The slide does not have the (extraneous) parts of the 80 series Colt and it already has a Novak sight cut and easy-to-see Heinie sights.
The Colt features (extra) 80 series parts in the slide and a more traditional appearance. There will be more holster options; holsters that might not fit the Ranger II will be more likely to fit the Combat Commander. The Combat Commander, out-of-the-box, can be IDPA legal .
If ultimate accuracy was the intent, I'd say the advantage is with the bull'd Ranger II.
If a mud and sand torture test was the plan, I'd bet on the bushing-barrelled Colt.
The Colt features (extra) 80 series parts in the slide and a more traditional appearance. There will be more holster options; holsters that might not fit the Ranger II will be more likely to fit the Combat Commander. The Combat Commander, out-of-the-box, can be IDPA legal .
If ultimate accuracy was the intent, I'd say the advantage is with the bull'd Ranger II.
If a mud and sand torture test was the plan, I'd bet on the bushing-barrelled Colt.
Pfft! Please you've got it backwards. My old man had a Gov. and Lightweight Commander back in the 70's when they produced quality guns. I currently have an STI Lawman and Ranger II, both are head and shoulder's above the Colt's when it comes to quality and features. Now granted the Lawman is a little more upper end than a stock 1911, but the Ranger is competatively priced and still displays the fit and finish quality of the Lawman. Colt's appeal is only in it name and history, nothing else. STI make excellent guns!
BTW why get a 1911 in 9mm?? Nothing less than .45 will do!
I have had STI's
Trojan, TargetMaster, Rangers all in 9mm. All great guns. Great accuraty, so-so finish but in all very good guns. Do you know what ? And I know I'm going to get fried for this but I bought a Para LTC in 9mm and really like it. Fit and finish is great, the barrel is great, good accuraty...
Anyway, so many choices, so little cash. If you must choose between colt and STI... STI hands down. Colts are overrated IMO.
Trojan, TargetMaster, Rangers all in 9mm. All great guns. Great accuraty, so-so finish but in all very good guns. Do you know what ? And I know I'm going to get fried for this but I bought a Para LTC in 9mm and really like it. Fit and finish is great, the barrel is great, good accuraty...
Anyway, so many choices, so little cash. If you must choose between colt and STI... STI hands down. Colts are overrated IMO.
I hadn't narrowed it down to only Colt and STI (hence the ? in the thread title) but it sounds like STI is the way to go. I'm aware there are no new Colts, but they seem to turn up in EE fairly often. I like the Para LTC and would like to support a (former ?) Canadian manufacturer but I was warned off them by pretty much everyone I talked to including a dealer. A Sig 1911 Carry would fill the role nicely for a few hundred more than an STI, but I've never even seen one and while I accept that here in Canada you usually have to buy a gun without trying it out, I'd at least like to handle it before plunking down the cash. Anyway, thanks for all the advice and if anyone has a Ranger II collecting dust in the safe let me know.
mebiuspower
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Morontario
Colt did not move on with time. STI is the way to go.
I'm no gun expert, so I'll ask a stupid question, but why the STI setup with a tight as hell bushing that requires tools to take apart (I actually need a hammer to knock the barrel out on mine), and who thought this was a good idea? Is it just cost control, or some intrinsic design property?
I don't mind it hugely, it's annoying and seems to be extra work for no reason, but I know I will lose/misplace the tool at some point and will have to buy a new one.
Generally the tighter the barrel bushing fit (up to a point) nad the frame to rail fit the more accurate the gun. The original 1911's were designedd with a small amount of "play" in them for increased reliability. They were, and still are shooting full of sand, wate, mud etc and doing so reliably. The very tiht fitted gun is very accurate but is not as reliable as a service pistol where it can be dropped in all sorts of crud and be expected to keep on trucking.
The Ranger (and some of STI's other mode) use a specialized recoil absorbtion system rather than a more conventional guide rod/recoil spring. This adds to complexity when field stripping though it does cushion the felt recoil.
We will have to agree to disagree on the quality of Colt's pistols.
The Ranger (and some of STI's other mode) use a specialized recoil absorbtion system rather than a more conventional guide rod/recoil spring. This adds to complexity when field stripping though it does cushion the felt recoil.
We will have to agree to disagree on the quality of Colt's pistols.
At my age, dropping it in the mud will be at outdoor ranges only. If I were going to a combat zone I would choose the Colt.
For most civillian situations a revolver would be my first choice of personal defensive firearm. A hand injury and arthritis prevents me from shooting them accurately in double action these days.
The Colt Commander would be my first choice as a military weapon, if I had an STI pistol in field use, I would not feel comfortable having to use a bushing tool to field strip it. Having said that, I love my STI Spartan, and consider it a perfect pistol for target shooting, far superior to the Colt.
For most civillian situations a revolver would be my first choice of personal defensive firearm. A hand injury and arthritis prevents me from shooting them accurately in double action these days.
The Colt Commander would be my first choice as a military weapon, if I had an STI pistol in field use, I would not feel comfortable having to use a bushing tool to field strip it. Having said that, I love my STI Spartan, and consider it a perfect pistol for target shooting, far superior to the Colt.
