Is the STI Edge the best "Standard" gun?

ElmerFudd

ElmerFudd

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I've been reading a few of the threads here about the STI Edge and it seems to be a very good IPSC Standard gun. Is it the best?

Just thinking about one in 40 S&W... good gun, free brass (cheaper than 45 ACP anyways!) Expensive but it should last a while.

Seen a few prices for the gun but not for the mags, how much are magazines for it? I seem to recall someone saying that they are very expensive and add a great deal to the overall cost of an IPSC package. I hate expensive mags...

How do you find the "plastic" holds up?

What do you think? Is it the best?


Thanks,


Fudd
 
Depends on where you're shooting. Right now the 2 best buys for Standard guns are an STI edge and a Tanfoglio Limited custom. The Tan will cost you less and tends to shoot plated bullets better, but If you plan on doing major USPSA matches then STi has the advantage with their contingency rewards program. Some people find the STI grip to wide but you can modify the grip to fit your hands perfectly, if you screw up it's only $150 to get a new grip rather then a new frame if you try to modify the Tan and screw up. If you have a case head seperation the grip will more then likly crack but they will with stand pretty much eveything else. The Tan's bore axis is a little lower then the STI, STI will take pretty much evey 1911 part on the market if you need to replace something. The tanfoglio is available in the US but STI still has a good grip on the market.
Open Nationals --- STI guns were shot by 65.8%
Limited Nationals –STI guns were shot by 61.2% ( Standard )
LIM-10 Nationals –STI guns were shot by 30.5% ( Standard with only 10 rounds)
(LIM-10 # is 3X second highest manufacturer)
If possible try the 2 out then decide what one you like the best
 
I bought an STI Tactical (like the Edge but with a rail and no chrome parts) in 40 from Sean at Freedom Ventures – he is the go-to guy for all things STI, and highly recommended for his products, knowledge and service.

For me the STI is much easier to shoot for IPSC than the P16.40, G22 or P226 (9mm) that I have used previously (yes, I like to switch guns every few years).

The magazines are expensive, no question about it, but they seem quite well made - in particular the body is all metal (vs. the half-plastic Sig & Para), and they drop free more reliably than the G22.

If you get an STI be sure to check your loads - mine didn't like my JHP handloads which were good in the case gauge and worked fine in the P16 and G22. This was easily fixed with a little more crimp, apparently the STI chamber is tighter than the others.

This will be my first season with the STI but in the last few level II matches my scores are up from middle D to high C range. The STI & especially the fibre optic front sight (highly recommended) get some of the credit, the rest goes to Rob Elliot's "Full Monty" courses. Whatever the pistol there is no substitute for training & practice, and I learned and improved more in two days with Rob than in ten years of shooting and practicing on my own.

Snapshot
 
4string said:
The mags will cost you $100 each.
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Oh... thought it might be the gun that has the $150 mags! Hmm... wonder what gun that is then...


Madness said:
... then STi has the advantage with their contingency rewards program.
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What is that?


Snapshot said:
For me the STI is much easier to shoot for IPSC than the P16.40...
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How's that?

Thanks for your help guys!


Fudd
 
No, I don't think it is personally. I find the grip is too large for my hand, and I've got quite large hands. Although it has to be said I've still got mine, I keep fiddling with it.

It has the reputation of being the best IPSC Standard division gun, and in the US I think it may be in Limited, but remember there is the Para Ordnance as well.

However in Canada I think it is a far more finely balanced decision because of the ten-round magazine limit. You don't really need something that will hold a 17-round magazine, because you can't use the 17-round magazines.

I think decent guns like a tuned Tanfoglio, a Glock 22 with the new CCF frame in stainless, the P226R ST, the CZ-75 in .40 and various other guns are pretty good choices too.

The only real advantage I think the STI has got is the 5-inch barrel, which makes it a teeny bit easier to make major than some of the other guns that have barrels in the 4.5-inch range.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the holster rule is different in USPSA Limited, this makes the STI a better choice in the US because it's a chunky gun and you can have an Open division type holster. In Canada and elsewhere, not such a good choice IMO because the holster rule is tougher in Standard.
 
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ElmerFudd said:
How's that?

Fudd
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More bullets go in A zone, fewer miss target completely...

As to why is that: much bigger mag well for fewer fumbled reloads, fiber optic front sight for more positive target acquisition, larger & more textured grip for better grip, fitted barrel for tighter lock-up.

You can make similar improvements to a P16.40 or almost any other pistol (and my P16.40 does have a mag well, trigger job, etc.), but after trying both I think the STI is a better way to go, although the up-front cost is certainly higher.

Snapshot
 
cybershooters said:
The other thing to bear in mind is that the holster rule is different in USPSA Limited, this makes the STI a better choice in the US because it's a chunky gun and you can have an Open division type holster. In Canada and elsewhere, not such a good choice IMO because the holster rule is tougher in Standard.
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Not sure about USPSA or other international rules, but in Canada I believe the holster requirements (except for positioning) are the same for Standard and Open.

I have found the CR-Speed 2001 to be a good holster for the STI Tactical.

Snapshot
 
In standard and production in Canada you can uses a race holster, the state production in the USA has to be a blade tech type holster, Limited uses open holster with holster and mag position (at the front) if desired.....limited 10 holster and mag position are like in Standard....

Hope you are confused......the Edge or variant is the best pistol for the $ for IPSC/USPSA, and the grip can be thin down quite a bit.
 
You won't find much argument on here or anywhere against the STI Edge, or one of it's close variants. Most of the top competitors in standard are using them I think. Personally though, as nice as they feel in my hand, I just can't get over dropping $2500 on a standard gun that seems to almost always need more work over what you would get from the factory. Not to mention the over $100 mags. One of the already worked up versions from Armco might be a worthy investment. I shoot a CZ Tactical Sport in .40 and have never had issues with it. Sure you won't see any tables full of them and parts galore at a gun show or at the IPSC Nationals like you will with the 1911's, but if money is at all an issue, and you want an out of the box gun that is ready to go with a factory 28 ounce trigger with 6 mags for about $1360, you can't go wrong with the CZ. Also, there is now available aluminum grips, aluminum mag wells, and fibre optic front sights for them. You can see them all at http://www.ghostholster.com/. Sorry 1911 fans, I just gotta push the CZ. Feels good to be different.




IPSCSouthpaw
 
I like my Edge, but I am relatively new to using it. I think the Tanfoglio is LC is right up there with it.....very nice!
 
Southpaw....there is no need to drop money on the Edge from the factory...mine at least has been very solid I got well over 20K on it....it is completely stock got a decent trigger from factory, better then one of my Open gun.......which did requires a gunsmith....
 
Snapshot said:
Not sure about USPSA or other international rules, but in Canada I believe the holster requirements (except for positioning) are the same for Standard and Open.
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Yeah, so the holster rules are tougher, that's the point I was making. I find if you've got a longer gun it's tougher to draw from behind the hip bone, because it has to be vertical or canted with the grip forward, so that makes it tougher to use the limited class holsters because its more likely to fall out forwards, I find I have to screw it in tighter. If you use a regular holster then its harder to clear the holster because the gun is longer.

The limited division holsters are really designed for the gun to be canted with the grip backwards, not forwards, same as for Open division.

Not the end of the world I'll grant you, but I find my P226 faster to clear the holster than the STI. Never seem to be able to get comfortable with my STI in my old Safariland holster.

Any holster recommendations, I'm open to suggestions? How does the CR 2001 work, does it hold the muzzle, the trigger guard or both?
 
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IPSCSouthpaw said:
... One of the already worked up versions from Armco might be a worthy investment.
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That's what I was thinking. Shiny polished controls look better too! :D And that makes you shoot better. :onCrack:

IPSCSouthpaw said:
... Feels good to be different.
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That's always a good thing too!

Dragoon said:
Win your class using an STI gun and while wearing an STI shirt and STI will give you a cash reward........:rockOn:
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That's just in the US right? Too bad it wasn't up here too! :( So you just :p have to win the class not the whole division, eh?


Fudd
 
cybershooters said:
How does the CR 2001 work, does it hold the muzzle, the trigger guard or both?
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The CR 2001 holds the trigger guard and supports the muzzle. There are several parts and adjustments to set it up for various guns.

On mine the frame is tilted slightly back from vertical, so the back of the grip is nearly horizontal.

Snapshot
 
Dragoon said:
Win your class using an STI gun and while wearing an STI shirt and STI will give you a cash reward........
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ElmerFudd said:
That's just in the US right?
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I don't know. All it would take is for an MD in Canada to apply to STI to have their match approved. Maybe Freedom Ventures can shed some light on this.....

ElmerFudd said:
So you just :p have to win the class not the whole division, eh?
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Yup, class winners (and category winners ie: lady, junior, senior, etc) are eligible but get less money than match winners.....
 
STI will not award contingency at IPSC matches untill we get a valid classification system. That's coming straight from the Skinners at the USPSA Nats last year.
 
Madness said:
STI will not award contingency at IPSC matches untill we get a valid classification system.....
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I guess Canadian IDPA sanctioned major matches could be eligible then.......
 
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You'd have to contact them about that. As long as the match is actually run to the real IDPA rule book, not on of the many wannabe Canadian offshoots, and is a large enough match I think they might go for it. The IDPA class system is pretty basic and would be the same for an official IDPA match in Canada or the USA
 
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