galt11 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I am just curious about the general consensus out in the ether, what would you all describe as the differences between a stock STI Edge and a custom built limited gun from somewhere like EGW, Brazos, Etc.? Are the differences that great it is worth the longer wait times and price increase. I know the one big thing is being able to customize what parts are used, but other than that, what else? Thanks. Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Here is what I'd do: Buy a "tuned" Edge. At the same time, get in line for a full custom limited gun. It will take about 9 - 12 months for teh custom one.. Shoot the tuned Edge in teh mean time. Once you get your new gun, keep the old one as a back up or sell it if you need the $'s. Yes, it is worth the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCK Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I wondered the same thing before I ordered my gun... There is NOTHING like a custom built gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 There is no comparison at all, not even in the same league. The full custom is head and shoulders above a production gun, tuned production gun or semi-custom gun. You start out with everything fitted as well as it can be, you start out with all the best parts money can buy, you start out with a gun you can count on and it doesn't cost you much more money at all in the big picture. A production gun will be a LOT more expensive when you get it to that level. The other important thing about a full custom is you have a man behind the gun and not a corporation, trust and relationships are important. The wait doesn't have to be more than a couple months if you shop around a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sestock Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Go with a custom gun and you will not be disappointed. Not all wait lists are 6-12 months, you can get a gun in under two months rom the right smiths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I am just curious about the general consensus out in the ether, what would you all describe as the differences between a stock STI Edge and a custom built limited gun from somewhere like EGW, Brazos, Etc.? Are the differences that great it is worth the longer wait times and price increase. I know the one big thing is being able to customize what parts are used, but other than that, what else? Thanks.Adam You can clean a deer with a clovis point or a custom made Randall hunting knife. Likewise you can shoot to Grand Master level with a box stock Glock or a Fat Free 6" from Benny Hill. The 'worth' of the custom gun is in the detail, fit and finish, and appreciation for the art of the gunsmith. Having purchased and shot custom guns I'm hooked, they are just more pleasant to shoot. That said, Flexmoney can outshoot me and my custom open blaster with a stock Glock (for now) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Custom guns perform better than factory guns. A lightened slide is a big performance item for a Limited gun. Barrel fit is the biggest component of pistol accuracy. A custom gun takes off the shelf parts and they are modified until they have the best fit possible, and if the part can't be made to fit perfectly it's not used. With a custom gun, you're not buying parts twice, ala buying an Edge and then replacing the front sight with a fiber optic... Over 1000's of rounds, these things mean a lot. If you buy a stock Edge you're making a fairly good gamble that you will have a great gun that will run for a long time. The same is true of buying a custom gun, it'll be a great gun. Take the 2 and use them side by side for 100,000 rounds and add up the mystery malfunctions, broken parts, and accuracy at 25 yards and the custom guns worth will be much more apparent. My personal tipping point is slide lightening. If you take a stock Edge running 170 PF ammo and a lightened slide gun running the same ammo: the custom gun will have a faster slide, less felt recoil, and be an overall lighter pistol (which means faster target transitions). What's it all mean to time? Maybe 1/10 of a second less for every target while being shot by a talented shooter. So the difference isn't much at a lower level of competition. But, reliability will be better on the custom gun as well which does mean a lot to a B class shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I am just curious about the general consensus out in the ether, what would you all describe as the differences between a stock STI Edge and a custom built limited gun from somewhere like EGW, Brazos, Etc.? Are the differences that great it is worth the longer wait times and price increase. I know the one big thing is being able to customize what parts are used, but other than that, what else? Thanks.Adam I don't think you'll find a general consensus other than that full custom guns are going to be better than a stock gun by a certain amount....that amount is what people will debate. If you throw in semi-custom and tuned guns it gets even more complicated. You'll hear a lot of problems with stock guns, hardly any problems with semi-custom or tuned guns and almost no problems with full custom guns. A semi-custom or tuned gun won't hold back any but the best shooters in almost every case. My "supertuned" gun shoots way better than I can hold (in the 1" ballpark at 25yds with a good rest) and has been 100% reliable. With that said, I'm getting ready to order a (another actually) custom gun in the very near future so that I get exactly what I want. Don't forget that a lot of us "like" cool guns and are willing to spend more on them even if they don't change our scores at all...it's not usually the gun that holds people back and I'm willing to bet that 95%+ of the shooters out there will never come close to approaching the limits of their gun's ability (me included). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinity Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Custom is the way to go..IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Biondi Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Just to add a "voice out of chorus"...... I think this way: if you have the right knowhow you can do the same job of a gunsmith. Its not necessary to be a professional gunsmith to do the same job on a gun. It you able to tune the mag, to work on trigger, to work on the barrel ramp feeder and to do all the little jobs that usually a shooter do on the own gun..... you can save a lot of money and obtain the same results. Obviously if you wanna do more thight the connecting part between frame and slide you need to have the right machine, but usually the Edge is good tighten. josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 The factory Edge vs the Custom built Edge, both use the same frame and slide. The advantage to the custom gun is in the fit and finish along with being able to use the best sear, barrel, sights etc. The post above regarding the purchase of a stock Edge and shooting it while waiting for a custom build is a good way to go if you have the finances for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Hello: You may want to look at some of the auction sights and see all the Edge pistols for sale. I would look at the Eagle since it is lighter and can be used for both games. I would also get some quotes from custom builders as well to give you an idea of cost difference. Hope this helps. Thanks Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cking Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 The stock guns just don't seem to work that well. Then you end up fiddling and changing parts and just don't have the confidence in the gun you need to become a better shooter. Now if you like, or don't mind the fiddling routine go the stock route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear23 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I plan on my Dawson tuned factory Edge taking me to grandmaster. The gun has been nothing but reliable, eats factory and my reloads and has the accuracy that i need. I see no reason for a complete custom gun other than you want one, they are nice pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malak Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Custom vs stock is no question... Customs are DEFINITELY worth the time and money... the only reason you need a stock pistol, is if you need it now. Benny Hill is on this forum, and he is one of the Best in the Biz (the best IMO). He has already built me a 6inch fat free, an AR, a Benelli, and is currently working on a single stack for me... Do a search on a 6inch Fat Free and see what the other guys are saying... pretty much anyone who shoots a fat free, ends up buying a fatfree. my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveZ Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I plan on my Dawson tuned factory Edge taking me to grandmaster. The gun has been nothing but reliable, eats factory and my reloads and has the accuracy that i need.I see no reason for a complete custom gun other than you want one, they are nice pieces. I'm in the same boat...however mine isn't Dawson Tuned....it was purchased from Dawson (who claims to check the gun out before shipping it). Magazines are put together using the Benny Hill formula (ISMI springs, Dawson followers and basepads). I've got 5 magazines that hold 19 rounds and all work. I ordered the gun from Dawson the way I wanted it....and this year got it hardchromed (after deciding that I wasn't going to tweak anything else). It runs and runs. I'm not saying that Custom's aren't nice...but I'm here to say that there is another option and that option seems to work quite well (and cost less) than a custom built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 You need a gun that runs and hits where you aim. It needs to fit you, so that you can work it well (draws, reloads, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoterbeast Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Here's an option that "kinda" gives you best of both worlds for reasonable amount of money. Buy a stock edge with nothing done to it. Have it sent to your pistolsmith (if you are fortunate to have a good one locally who comes recommended by your top shooters). Have him give it and your mags his TLC so it will run like a machine. That said , those full out customs sure are cool!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbocomp38s Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 If you have that extra $$$, I'll go with the custom gun. Fitted to your taste and it is worth every penny of it. As like what other BE members, from head to toe there is no comparison. Goodluck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken hebert Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 One of my good shooting friends recently bought a factory STI Eagle. Beautiful gun, but it chokes and pukes every time he uses it. Only thing I've seen it digest reliably is WWB. It hates his reloads and Blazer, but hasn't failed with WWB. Yet. I'm not saying all stock guns need tweaking, and this one could very well be, in fact more than likely is, ammo related. It's just fresh on my mind, you know? Both of my current limited blasters were tweaked my competent gunsmiths involved in the sport. As for my new one, I recently plunked down my $$$ to Benny Hill for a custom. So, in a nutshell, my $0.02 advocates you going with a custom gun. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET A CUSTOM, WAIT UNTIL BENNY DELIVERS MY NEW ONE BEFORE CALLING HIM!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Wonder Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 (edited) Joe's just adding common sense to the discussion and he's right on the money. No reason to waste money on "Customs" unless you want to say, "I've got a pistol built by xyz". If one wants a pistol like the Edge, better to buy it, fine tune it if necessary, and spend the extra money on ammo or reloading components. Too many new shooters are told that if they want to be competitive, they need a $3000 gun. Matter of fact, buy a Glock and buy LOTS of ammunition. Edited March 4, 2007 by Singlestack Wonder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Here's the realities of the situation. Flex is straight on the money. In addition, the custom gun is likely to be more accurate, and possibly more reliable (80% dependent upon the smith, 20% dependent upon your upkeep and ammo). Just because its got a "custom" label on it doesn't mean its better, and just because its a factory gun doesn't mean its a boat anchor. Do you think having a gun that bears the "custom" label will make you a better shooter? Consider that you can buy a stock Edge, have it tuned by Brazos or Dawson, and have some slide lightening cuts done - and then still have money for around 10K rounds of ammo, and possibly some expert training. Do you think having an extra 10K rounds to shoot in practice and matches will make you a better shooter? Given our preoccupation with close up, hoser stages, absolute accuracy doesn't come into play much - and when it does, the stock gun will still shoot adequately in the hands of a skilled shooter. Certainly, even what many would consider to be inferior gear can and will win matches against the best made custom machinery in the land. Need I point out the last Limited Nationals? If your goal is to have a "trophy" gun and you have the spare cash laying around, buy custom - I certainly understand and can appreciate wanting to do that - I like nice stuff, too. If you are already an extremely skilled shooter who has reached the limits of his current gear, a custom gun may become more of a necessity than a luxury. However, if you are neither of the above, and are wanting to become a highly skilled shooter, buy a gun that works, beat the hell out of it while you learn, and spend the extra cash on ammo and instruction. Yes, having the absolute finest equipment can make a difference in anyone's game. I appreciate and agree with that sentiment. However, assuming that the stock gun fills Flex's requirements, a better gun is not going to make you a better shooter - only practice will do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhunter Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Dave EXCELLENT post!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 (edited) Oh, one further thing.... possibly slightly riskier.... If you just must have a custom gun, but need to be on a tighter budget, you can many times find a superb deal on the classifieds here or on the USPSA website. The risk being that you don't know the history of the gun for sure, and the gun therefore might need work after you get it... I had excellent success buying an Open gun via the classifieds on the USPSA website - bought one from a smith I knew, very low mileage (not even broken in, actually), for a steal of a deal (about half what a new one would cost, if you count cost of mags I got with it). edit to correct poor spelling.... Edited March 4, 2007 by XRe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 If you don't know what you want, likely a 'custom' is going to be built similarly to a factory gun anyway-- there's a reason the volume guns are the way they are. It'll be nicer, no doubt, but the basic structure is probably going to be pretty close. When you do know what you want, then it's time to start calling smiths and checking out as many different smith's work as you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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