NicVerAZ Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) I am trying to find other owners of this great pistol so that we can exchange views, advice and maybe gang up to make it more popular. I am a bit afraid that the lackluster sales in the US may make STI want to stop importing and supporting the pistol. The GP web site shows a lot of recent innovations, such as the MK7 frame (the GP5 and 6 are MK5 and 6, apparently) of the K100. They also carry some interesting parts, such as a mag release with a lever for quick release without much tilting. I also believe that a group buy of magazines could be a good thing to organize. $45 for a 17-round and $60 for a 20-round? Cough... cough... Ideas and information would be a good thing to exchange. What about modifying the CZ 75 magazines for the GP? Is this a legend or a reality? By the way, here is mine, and the 50ft group I managed to get on my second box, just after buying the pistol: Edited March 4, 2012 by NicVerAZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvhendrix Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) I own 2 of the original import batch. A friend had to make me sights, as the originals were not picked up well by my ageing eyes. Eventually when STI brought in the GP-6C we were able to get decent mag release buttons. I really like the guns. Just haven't shot Production much in the last couple of years. That may change next year. For awhile the only people that I knew that owned them were myself and a friend. We both shot them at majors matches 3 years ago. VA/MD, A-8, A-6. Had mine out playing with them a few weeks ago and am really considering shooting Production next year! Edited March 4, 2012 by pvhendrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 I own 2 of the original import batch. A friend had to make me sights, as the originals were not picked up well by my ageing eyes. Eventually when STI brought in the GP-6C we were able to get decent mag release buttons. I really like the guns. Just haven't shot Production much in the last couple of years. That may change next year. For awhile the only people that I knew that owned them were myself and a friend. We both shot them at majors matches 3 years ago. VA/MD, A-8, A-6. Had mine out playing with them a few weeks ago and am reallt considering shooting Production next year! In production you need to start DA, correct? What precautions do you take to transition from SA to DA on this gun? It seems you engage the safety in DA if you do it right. BTW I went to take a look at the CZ magazines... they do not seem to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanzieBaby Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Yes, you do need to start DA in Production. But as for precautions, the only one I've found is, hold on to that hammer tight when you're lowering it... Also when making ready, make sure the gun is pointed at one of the berms incase of an AD. That way there's no chance of the bullet bouncing off the ground and leaving the range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) My fear would be that the slide comes back and shears my thumb... What I do is place the weak hand thumb on the hammer, pull the trigger, let go of a the hammer a couple degrees, then let the trigger come back completely. At this point the hammer can come back safely and stop about 1/8" from the slide. The safety can then be engaged. Edited March 5, 2012 by NicVerAZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck1 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I'm curious about these guns too and like to hear more about them... Handled one briefly and really dug the out-o-the box trigger and how unique it is that in SA there's really no take-up at all and it becomes similar to a 1911 trigger. Really, it's trigger is on par with a CZ Shadow's, actually a lot like a lighter, polymer Shadow overall, which is saying a lot IMHO. I was very surprised... FWIW, I shoot DA/SA CZ's mainly and I always grab the hammer with my support-hand and hold onto it while lowering it all the way down (obviously pulling the trigger and holding after I'm sure I really have a good hold on the hammer), done it thousands of times and feel it's quite safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 The one thing I miss is an easy way to adjust for windage and elevation. There is no way to adjust for elevation at all, besides shooting higher. Windage adjustment is done by banging on the side of the rear sight... Very Mosinish. I will admit that the Shadow has a much better system for this type of adjustment. At pretty much double the price! (The defunct GP6C was $750 SRP and had great sights with easy W/E adjustments). Besides that, I tried a few pistols before choosing this one. Scottsdale Gun Club let me shoot it before buying, because they could not find anyone to buy it. Seriously, they do not do that often... it's Scottsdale. It locked after 3 rounds from being dry. I almost did not give it a second chance after that. After one box, I had done the paperwork and made it mine (Arizona: no waiting period). Bought a second box and felt confident enough to put it at 50 ft and grouped pretty quickly. I tried a Glock 17 (did not feel like spending a lot of money in aftermarket parts to make it competitive, like a kid would his dirt bike), the XD9, which I did not quite feel (although I wish the 4.25 kit had been out at that time), the 92 (did not click at all) and the CZ which I digged, except for the ticket price and somewhat older look. My favorite features are: the SA trigger pull, the accuracy, the quick takedown, the little amount of recoil, the magazine capacity, the fact that it is competion ready out of the box for a nice price and the overall coolness of its look and design. Also the fact that one has passed 100,000 rounds on a test bench a long time ago makes me feel like it's built to last. My least favorite are: the high price of spare magazines, the high cost of the accessories (the plastic molded competition holster is awesome but pricey), the small magazine release (which can be upgraded to the GP6 type) and, again, the lack of practical W/E adjustment. I'd say I also dislike the fact that I am not really sure if STI will keep on carrying and supporting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanzieBaby Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 My fear would be that the slide comes back and shears my thumb... What I do is place the weak hand thumb on the hammer, pull the trigger, let go of a the hammer a couple degrees, then let the trigger come back completely. At this point the hammer can come back safely and stop about 1/8" from the slide. The safety can then be engaged. There has been a fair amount of discussion on this gun and what is considered "fully decocked", which is the language used in the rule book. Up in WA all the ROs that I've talked to refuse to start me unless the hammer is fully down, even though the "half-cocked" position has been deemed the "safe-mode" for the gun. As for using your weak-hand thumb to stop the hammer from dropping, I personally don't feel confident that my thumb can drop the hammer all the way 100% of the time without slipping. I choose to hold the hammer between my weak-hand thumb and the first knuckle of my index finger. Then I ride the hammer all the way back to the fully dropped position before I release the trigger. On a side note make sure to pull the hammer back a little before engaging the trigger to avoid stripping the internal parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 My fear would be that the slide comes back and shears my thumb... What I do is place the weak hand thumb on the hammer, pull the trigger, let go of a the hammer a couple degrees, then let the trigger come back completely. At this point the hammer can come back safely and stop about 1/8" from the slide. The safety can then be engaged. There has been a fair amount of discussion on this gun and what is considered "fully decocked", which is the language used in the rule book. Up in WA all the ROs that I've talked to refuse to start me unless the hammer is fully down, even though the "half-cocked" position has been deemed the "safe-mode" for the gun. As for using your weak-hand thumb to stop the hammer from dropping, I personally don't feel confident that my thumb can drop the hammer all the way 100% of the time without slipping. I choose to hold the hammer between my weak-hand thumb and the first knuckle of my index finger. Then I ride the hammer all the way back to the fully dropped position before I release the trigger. On a side note make sure to pull the hammer back a little before engaging the trigger to avoid stripping the internal parts. Maybe it is because condition 2 means chambered, hammer down (per Cooper)? No mention of safety. It is true that it is safer with the half cocked hammer, were it to drop, for instance. For home defense (side table), I don't even have it chambered. Anyway, since I just started competing, I shoot limited NOVICE ... And not even USPSA, just steel night at Rio Salado I will see when I get "promoted". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 I've been using the STI GP6 for a few years, and it's older brother, the GP K100 before that. I flat out love this gun and hope like heck that STI doesn't drop the line. The negatives are few. The issue sights are not perfect for IPSC. The available fiber optic front and Dynamic fixed (adjustable for windage) rear are much better. The bigger mag release is cheap and works well. The trigger is just simply awesome in SA, and really good in DA. The new Mk7 frame ought to mean a perfect fit for every hand. If you get the chance, try one. The recoil feel has to be experienced to be believed. If at all possible, shoot it back-to-back with your current 9mm. If STI does continue with the line, good things could be coming down the pike. Grand Power will be releasing the new .45 ACP version at the big arms show in Europe this month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogiebb Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 i hope they bring this model out in the US , if they do im getting one. http://www.grandpower.eu/en/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_zbrane1.tpl&product_id=90&category_id=6&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=119 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axeman Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 got mine a month ago and it shoots great, very accurate for a polymer gun and the recoil is very minimal. im looking for a video on how to detail strip the gun up to its last pin so that i could clean it thoroughly a and replace parts that show sign of wear. Unfortunately no video was available. if canuck223 could provide a link on how its done we well be thankful to him. the gun is really great though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) I just wasted 15 minutes trying to recreate a photo tutorial. I have one already posted but it'son www.canadiangunnutz.com and you need to register to view it. Here's a link to the album. My link Edited March 10, 2012 by Canuck223 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i hope they bring this model out in the US , if they do im getting one. http://www.grandpowe...mart&Itemid=119 It's closer to what the Production guys need. I still want them to get rid of the craptastic Eliason rear sight and get a Bomar style rear. Better contoured and wider safety levers would be nice as well. Recent pictures posted Jaroslav Kuracina, the owner of Grand Power seem to suggest while there has been some profound silence from STI recently, they are working on new models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axeman Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 THANKS CANUCK223, good point on your suggestion. better if the sights are like bomar type that will just fit in the slide with no milling needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 THANKS CANUCK223, good point on your suggestion. better if the sights are like bomar type that will just fit in the slide with no milling needed. Grand Power did ship a version with an LPA rear sight, using the existing dovetail. The problem was it was too high and didn't look right. My suspicion is the Eliason was picked because those slides could be machined from existing dovetailed slides. To ship them with a Bomar sight might require a bigger commitment. I think the value added to the gun as a package would drive sales and quickly offset any added manufacturing costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 I just wasted 15 minutes trying to recreate a photo tutorial. I have one already posted but it'son www.canadiangunnutz.com and you need to register to view it. Here's a link to the album. My link Registering was challenging! "What is the name of Ottawa NHL team(in word)" "What is the first alphabet of the last name of the current Prime Minister of Canada?" A search for "GP6" only returned 2 threads... Can you show me where you posted it? Thanks a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axeman Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 yeah me too. i cant find the thread of canuck223's detailed stripping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) I just wasted 15 minutes trying to recreate a photo tutorial. I have one already posted but it'son www.canadiangunnutz.com and you need to register to view it. Here's a link to the album. My link Registering was challenging! "What is the name of Ottawa NHL team(in word)" "What is the first alphabet of the last name of the current Prime Minister of Canada?" A search for "GP6" only returned 2 threads... Can you show me where you posted it? Thanks a lot! Sorry guys. CGN is a rather large forum, and the owner has somewhat deliberately crippled the search engine. Between battling spambots and trying not to give the anti's a free ride for research, we sometimes screw ourselves. The best way to find my post there is to search under my user name in the pistol catagory and be sure to set the time for the search to 3 years. I'll see if I can find it and post a link. Oh crap!!! I changed the way I had my pictures orginized in my photobucket account. Now all the picture links are toast. I'll see what I can do to fix it. Edited March 11, 2012 by Canuck223 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck1 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Man, the biggest problem I see with these pistols is that I pretty much have to buy one to try one... Since they're so rare out there, wish there was a way for intersted perspective buyers to "borrow" one from STI, maybe pay the FFL transfer fee, play with it and then send it back after a week or so... I know there's probably a bunch of liability-issues in trying to do something like that, but these guns don't exactly grow on trees and just aren't really available to rent, check out, or even handle at most shops; from what I've seen said about them (and after playing with one for 5mins) I'm really, really interested, just not sure if I'm interested enough to bet ~$600 just to put a few rounds through one... if it shoots as well as I think it might, then no big deal, if I end up not digging it, then that could be a little painful. In general, i think STI's marketing team needs to be a little more aggressive on finding ways to put these in people's hands if they want the line to take off and be successful, the shooting community knows their 1911's well enough where word of mouth is enough, with these GP5/6's if almost no one has shot them (or even seen one in the flesh) then there isn't much word-of-mouth being generated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) In the mean time, here's the link to the album.STI GP6 disassembly And for those registered, the link to the CGN page. CGN GP6 link Edited March 11, 2012 by Canuck223 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axeman Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 ck1, we have the same predicament when i was contemplating of buying one as it cost more than $1000 in our country, nevertheless i gambled and its worth it. imho, parts breakage is very minimal due to its internal function. i certainly would like to try the x-calibur, the five inches barel version which according to maria guschina shoots more accurately and muzzle flip is close to non existence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Am I the only one to see a wearline on the left side of the front of the slide? It seems to me to be due to the fact that the barrel torques to the left faster after shooting than it does to the right, when recoiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axeman Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 more wear lines in the left side than the right front of the slide indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 So I guess it's totally normal. At first I was thinking some sort of misalignment, and then realized it was simply the nature of the beast. I will ask a buddy with a PX4 if he has the same "issue". On a side note, third match yesterday (granted, just the Tuesday Night Steel at Rio Salado), still no malfunction. Only blooper was a round halfway out of a magazine on reload, which I just flicked out. Now that my magazines are broken in, I have no issues loading them to full capacity and feel that this incident is less likely to happen. For some reason I removed some rounds from one magazine before my run and that is when I got the blooper. I am surprised at how many people with Glocks and 1911s of all brands get malfunctions. It could be bad maintenance... I am not going to say anything bad against Glocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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