BillD Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I bought the Spartan in 9mm. Had a trigger job, grip safety pinned, sights modified for old eyes and a S&A magwell fitted and blended. I've only shot about 200 rounds from it but I love it. I've also got a Trojan in .45 that's had the same type work done and so far, the Spartan seems on the same level. Time will tell. Accuracy was acceptable with the ball factory ammo I was using. When I get all the 9mm stuff put in my 650, I'll work up a load for it. It's a freaking hoot to shoot. ETA: STI does not put a durable finish on their black guns. When I get one, I know going in I will be hard chroming it in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trp Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Should think about the Trojan in 40, won't have to mess with loading 9mm if you get the eagle for limited, and you can always load 40 minor, I love mine and shoot it in SS and esp Techwell magwell and vz grips is a great combo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimcrew Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 That's a broad spectrum for one gun to cover... My Dan Wesson PM-9 is great for USPSA and steel. A 2011 would be much better for 3g. I don't shoot IDPA, so no clue if the PM-9 would work for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttownracer Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I just bought STI Spartan V on BE classifieds. Have shot a couple matches and other than needing a new front sight to get POA adjusted for POI, has been a great gun for money. DW PM9 and STI Trojan also great, but are much more expensive. All will require trigger work so that is a wash. Mine had Techwell magwell which is IDPA compliant. Came with both Dawson Tactical mags and Wilson ETM. Definitely the Dawson's are the way to go. Spartan is a great entry gun if you want to keep your initial investment <$1,000. A well known IDPA competitor in my area has started putting complete packages together with all typical upgrades and smithing already included for all IDPA divisions. He has chosen the Springfield Range Officer as the base gun for ESP due to its value. I just handled one of his completed guns the other day and I must say it was impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amish_rabbi Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 hard to beat the spartan, Mine just cracked 20k and even with trigger job, ambi saftey, magwell, grips and a 15k refresh im still under $1000 into the gun. It's getting retired because im moving to major but if they made one in .40 I would be all over getting one for my major gun. Gun still shoots accurately and reliably; and I really do treat it badly maintenance wise. only bad thing is while the finish looks fine the durability is just garbage. If that matters to you, work chrome or cerekote into your budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob01 Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 but if they made one in .40 I would be all over getting one for my major gun. That's why I got my Trojan. Would have gotten a Spartan if they made it in .40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjb45 Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I have a Trojan. It is a few years old now. Very accurate out of the box but: Replaced the front sight with a fiber Replaced the slide stop with a Wilson Combat Replace the pins in the rear sight more times than I can remember Replaced the mag release Replaced the hammer Replaced the sear Replaced the disconnector Replaced the trigger Added a mag well STI replaced the barrel I believe it is a cast frame and slide MIM parts v. barstock Para, Sig, SA all make good guns also Heck, Seeklander has a RIA gun and it shoots very well Some members of this forum are STI fanatics about recommending STI but there are other guns makers. I know some Trojan users, that sent their guns to Matt McLearn or Dave Dawson for upgrades. Obviously, I am not a fan of STI. They make ok guns, support USPSA but their are other options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterpuc Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I have to at least mention it, not that it would be my first choice. A Rock Island 9mm, that can be upgraded as funds are available. I have never owned one, bu t I hear good things for others. At $450, it at least should be considered. http://grabagun.com/catalog/product/view/id/11581/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polizei1 Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I absolutely love my Spartan, if you can afford the Trojan I would go with that. Add a Dawson ICE magwell and for 9mm, Dawson mags. Fantastic combo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoakimGR Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 A buddy of mine ordered the Trojan in 9mm. Then the dealer ordered a USPSA from STI instead (they f*#ked up), and my buddy got that for the same price. The singlestack USPSA is really nice. If you have the money, i would check that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob01 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Damn lucky guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Service Desk Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) CZ USA had a DW at Bianchi last week, I was very impressed with the fit and overall feel of the gun. I did not shoot it but it was just as tight as a good Trojan and the finish was heaps better. All it needed was the outer edges of the slide beveled and a mag-well. Edited June 5, 2014 by Service Desk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amish_rabbi Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 but if they made one in .40 I would be all over getting one for my major gun. That's why I got my Trojan. Would have gotten a Spartan if they made it in .40. I was planning to do that as well, but got a Philippines made 1911 in .40 for $400 and sent it to my smith instead. The lift of things needed to be done to it was remarkably similar to what a trojan needed and I think including smithing im still into it for less than the cost of a stock trojan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob DuBois Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 One of my favorite pistols is a STI Trojan mine has lots of rounds through it took a little tuning to get it to run with the loads I like heavy bullets 147 and 160's. Light recoil cheap to shoot compared to other calibers. Trigger job, mag well, Dawson front sight and your ready to play. For IDPA all you need is the minor floor so 9mm is the route to go. There's a reason most custom pistols are built on STI frames and parts. Once tuned they stay and run for some time. These little pistols are a blast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joetsui Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I echo what Bob DuBois just wrote. I have the same setup and it is so fun to shoot. 9mm is inexpensive, almost close to prices of .22 if you reload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Endurokids Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 IMHO, STI Trojan with DP Comp package, add Tripp mags for 9mm and shoot away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polymerfeelsweirdman Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 A buddy of mine ordered the Trojan in 9mm. Then the dealer ordered a USPSA from STI instead (they f*#ked up), and my buddy got that for the same price. The singlestack USPSA is really nice. If you have the money, i would check that out. Do you think he would mind sharing his lotto number picks? On a more relevant note does anyone know what type of ramp the Dan Wesson PM9 has? I am playing with the idea of a PM9 then installing a Kart .38 super barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimcrew Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 The PM-9 has a ramped barrel, if that is what you are asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polymerfeelsweirdman Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Is it a Wilson/Nowlin ramp or a Clark/Para ramp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) This is an interesting thread. It seems that apples, oranges, lemons and limes are all being compared to each other. The costs for the various 1911's spans from $400 to at least $1500 and that's without any modifications. I see little point in arguing the merits of guns that are so dissimilar in cost. OP, how much can you afford to spend from start to finish? I have a 9mm Rock Island Tac FS II that I bought for $540 all in and it has all the features most people would desire. It shoot fine, is plenty accurate and I have used it in competition. Further up the price spectrum I have a 9mm Dan Wesson Guardian at $1400+. The quality of parts, fit, finish and accuracy are far better than the RIA. With its bobtail grip it is intended for carry and SD not completion but there are other DW models in the same price range that are eminently suitable and would likely need only a magwell and perhaps a front sight of your preference. Even if I chose a different Dan Wesson in the same price range and added some more bells and whistles to it I seriously doubt that my match performance would be significantly better. I am convinced that moving up to a Nighthawk, Ed Brown or other high end 1911 would probably result in no significant improvement over a DW at less than half the cost. My point is that you should figure out what modifications you want to make along with the estimated cost to do so. Most shooters look at changing out sights, grips and even safety levers to meet their personal preferences. Adding a magwells if allowed by the division rules is almost mandatory. Trigger jobs are often needed especially for the less expensive pistols. There are many other modifications that shooters make as well. Next set a total budget for the project. The difference between the two numbers will be what you can afford for the basic gun. Check out the 1911's available in that price range and pick the one you like the best. This is just a starting point because some guns will need fewer or less expensive modifications than others. The reality is that you're unlikely to end up with the first 1911 you buy as your "ultimate" competition gun. Just take the plunge, find out what you like and don't like and move on from there. Edited June 9, 2014 by XD Niner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why1504 Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 For me this gun will be exclusively an IDPA tool. I don't want a custom gun. I don't want a 2011. I want an accurate easy to shoot gun. I don't care how the gun looks. Mag well, trigger, sights, checkering on the slide, and an inexpensive refinish is about it. I have cool guns. I am looking for a gun that will be inexpensive, a tool that if it starts looking like my Glock I won't really care. I want it to be accurate and smooth. Value is my goal here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who Knew Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 For me this gun will be exclusively an IDPA tool. I don't want a custom gun. I don't want a 2011. I want an accurate easy to shoot gun. I don't care how the gun looks. Mag well, trigger, sights, checkering on the slide, and an inexpensive refinish is about it. I have cool guns. I am looking for a gun that will be inexpensive, a tool that if it starts looking like my Glock I won't really care. I want it to be accurate and smooth. Value is my goal here. I vote for the RIA or a Citadel. I have both and both are excellent guns. The Citadel is an almost identical clone of the Spartan as far as cocking serrations. Both of these guns have a fixed rear sight but Dawson's has a fiber optic front sight that matches the fixed rear. I also have nicer 1911/2011 pistols but I feel these two are the best bang for your buck.Guess what gun this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPENB Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 For me this gun will be exclusively an IDPA tool. I don't want a custom gun. I don't want a 2011. I want an accurate easy to shoot gun. I don't care how the gun looks. Mag well, trigger, sights, checkering on the slide, and an inexpensive refinish is about it. I have cool guns. I am looking for a gun that will be inexpensive, a tool that if it starts looking like my Glock I won't really care. I want it to be accurate and smooth. Value is my goal here. I think you just described the STI Spartan. It's only $100 more than the RIA Tac with better internals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who Knew Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 For me this gun will be exclusively an IDPA tool. I don't want a custom gun. I don't want a 2011. I want an accurate easy to shoot gun. I don't care how the gun looks. Mag well, trigger, sights, checkering on the slide, and an inexpensive refinish is about it. I have cool guns. I am looking for a gun that will be inexpensive, a tool that if it starts looking like my Glock I won't really care. I want it to be accurate and smooth. Value is my goal here. I think you just described the STI Spartan. It's only $100 more than the RIA Tac with better internals. I agree the Spartan is a better overall gun than the RIA but I don't know where you can buy one for $539. Just checked and it looks like the going rate is around $750. That's about $300 more than a RIA. For that much you can buy a magwell, 3 nice 10 rd mags, a holster and mag pouches and be set for IDPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPENB Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 For me this gun will be exclusively an IDPA tool. I don't want a custom gun. I don't want a 2011. I want an accurate easy to shoot gun. I don't care how the gun looks. Mag well, trigger, sights, checkering on the slide, and an inexpensive refinish is about it. I have cool guns. I am looking for a gun that will be inexpensive, a tool that if it starts looking like my Glock I won't really care. I want it to be accurate and smooth. Value is my goal here. I think you just described the STI Spartan. It's only $100 more than the RIA Tac with better internals. I agree the Spartan is a better overall gun than the RIA but I don't know where you can buy one for $539. Just checked and it looks like the going rate is around $750. That's about $300 more than a RIA. For that much you can buy a magwell, 3 nice 10 rd mags, a holster and mag pouches and be set for IDPA. Sorry, I meant the Tactical II that has the adjustable sights and VZ grips. Just saw one on gunbroker for $579. Spartans are $650-$699. I got mine at Cabelas for $699.There are threads on 1911forum about Academy Sports selling Citadel 9mm's for $329. They are Armscor guns also. No Academy's around me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now