JoseyWalesX Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I have been contemplating purchasing a 1911 9mm to shoot in local steel matches and was wondering what the general consensus is on the STI Spartan, or is the Trojan worth the extra money. This will not be my primary competition gun as I mainly shoot an M&P Pro in USPSA production, it will be just for fun and the occasional steel match. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EkuJustice Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Have the spartan and it works great I say go for it The difference can be used for mags and a trigger job etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
co-exprs Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I really like STI pistols, but the Trojan really isn't any better pistol than the Spartan. If you get it from Dawson, you can get one all souped up for less than a Trojan. They are both production built, cast frame pistols, with the same internals and the same quality barrel. The Spartan is a best value buy for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59Bassman Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I really like STI pistols, but the Trojan really isn't any better pistol than the Spartan. If you get it from Dawson, you can get one all souped up for less than a Trojan. They are both production built, cast frame pistols, with the same internals and the same quality barrel. The Spartan is a best value buy for sure. I thought at least in 9mm the Trojan had a ramped barrel, the Spartan was non-ramped. Don't recall where I got the information - is this incorrect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 That's true. And the Spartan has a reputation of not working well with anything other than ball ammo. However, with a good throating job, it will work great--my throated Spartan 9mm will feed anything, including short little hollow-points that will choke many other guns. Just something to keep in mind with most of the Filipino pistols--they tend to have feed angles that are too steep and abrupt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoseyWalesX Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I load the 147gr. Precisions for my M&P any thoughts on whether these will run in the Spartan or not? I'd really like to be able to use the same ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie j Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I had a spartan , now a Trojan and I'm happier, but its apples to oranges. My Trojan is a ramped .40 the Spartan was a .45, I've got considerably more money in the Trojan, and think the gun is worth the investment. The Spartan I tried to keep on a budget because I never thought it was more than just another budget 1911 from the Philippines. The Hard differences are the spartan has a proprietary front sight cut , and a LPA adjustable rear, which is different than BOMAR or its clones, a weird sized guide rod that didn't fit any other plug quite right. The overall fit and finish is of lower quality than my Trojan. The slide wasn't parked under the front sight, like they finished the slide with the sight installed. I'm not knocking the Spartan it is what it is, a budget imported 1911 with some STI support . I just couldn't be PROUD to own it, no matter how cheap it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hkguy Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 i just bought a spartan for my wife to shoot. initially had some feed/extraction issues. I could not shoot a full mag of ammo with out a feed/extraction issue. i tried several mags and different kinds of ammo, called up STI and got an RMA issued and STI took care of the shipping both ways. They throated the chamber, re-cut the feed ramp, and tuned the extractor. They ran several different kinds of ball and HP ammo through it. Now it will feed anything, 124gr and 147gr JHP's, and 115, 124, and 147gr ball ammo. for the price difference i dont feel that the Trojan is $400 better than the spartan. You can get a stock spartan for $635 from dawson and a stock trojan is about $1000. if your planning on changing things like the grips, front sights, MSH, etc your not really saving anything if that is a concern to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David.Hylton Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I have Spartans in 9mm and .45. The .45 has run like a top since day one. The 9mm had a bad extractor and STI replaced it. Now it runs whatever I feed it including my minor PF MG 124 JHP reloads. For a steel gun you can't go wrong. If you decide to shoot sigle stack youhave a good solid shooter that you can start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoseyWalesX Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Well dang, now I don't know what to do. My main concern is the gun working reliably with the 147gr. precisions, I want to be able to run one round across the board if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmw5142 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Get the spartan and a half dozen Dawson supreme tac 10 rounders . I have two and they feed everything including flat point 147gr molys. Then again... maybe i'm just lucky? Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DsWright Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Im in the exact same boat. I ended up buying a SA Range officer instead of the STI. To me it just felt like a better quality gun than the Spartan, and the trojan didn't seem to have $400 worth of upgrades over the Spartan. I feel more comfortable doing upgrades on the higher quality frame/slide from SA over the Spartan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoseyWalesX Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Im in the exact same boat. I ended up buying a SA Range officer instead of the STI. To me it just felt like a better quality gun than the Spartan, and the trojan didn't seem to have $400 worth of upgrades over the Spartan. I feel more comfortable doing upgrades on the higher quality frame/slide from SA over the Spartan. The RO isn't available in a 9mm though is it? I am strictly wanting a 9 for steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iShootguns Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I strongly believe that the Spartan is one of the top 3 best 1911s under $1k, and at $628 + $250 for a tuning package from Dawson or Brazo's, it is extremely tough to beat for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodownzero Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 My 9mm Spartan won't feed flat point ammo, but with Tripp mags and 135 grain round nose, it is unstoppable. It's really unfortunate that the Spartan can't come with a ramped barrel, because if it did, it'd put nearly all other 9mm 1911s on the market to shame with its price point and quality. Springfield really needs to make a full size EMP. My EMP will eat anything, hot or soft, and the shorter (front to back) grip/action really are the cat's meow. A full size EMP would be worth it at nearly any price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 The unramped barrel is not the problem, per se. The problem is that they don't make effort to throat it correctly. It's an easy 20-minute fix for any decent gunsmith. I understand that people today expect their guns to run everything straight from the box, but it wasn't too many years ago that a throating job was a mandatory modification if you wanted your 1911 to feed hollowpoints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBetts Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I love my 9mm Spartan. I don't shoot hallowpoints but it's been flawless with everything I've tried. If I could do it over again my .45 would be a Spartan too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoseyWalesX Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 So basically I could buy the Spartan from Dawson, get him to throat the barrel and be good to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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