Blackfin2 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Purchasing a STI tactical, I shoot some 3 gun and tactical multi gun, which is best 4" barrel or 5" barrel. All opinions wanted, Thanks in advance Blackfin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blairmckenzie1 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) 5" bull shoot real soft Edited October 22, 2014 by blairmckenzie1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EkuJustice Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 For 3 gun go 5 inch between the 2. That said the 6 inch guns are pretty popular Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToysRUs Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 5" all day long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris1911 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 5 inch for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc5 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Definitely 5" - Haven't seen a 4" 2011 at the range all this season ................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v1911 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 9mm is already a powder puff load. Go bushing as bull barrel would be additional weight that will slow your transitions. Also, get the slide lightened to save weight. If you have the time and money, have Glenn at Lone Star Innovations (or any reputable pistol smith) build you a SDC with a rail. Essentially an Eagle with a rail or what it now STI's Maurader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 5" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgj3 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 6" for the tiny plates and long range targets that are becoming so popular in the bigger matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxximuss Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 5" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blu46and2 Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 5.4 inch is the perfect balance between the 5 and 6 inch guns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oak hill Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 yes, 5" is a good place to start, and long sight radius 6" pistols are very popular Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfin2 Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Great input, thank you all for the info, I went 5". Look forward to possibly shooting with some of you. With Kind Regards, Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaese490 Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 I would personally buy a 5" Bushing Barrel... Although your intentions might be to use it for 3Gun, you will now have the option of shooting 3 gun, USPSA or IDPA with the gun... That being said Eagle all the way... just a personal opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
co-exprs Posted October 29, 2014 Share Posted October 29, 2014 5" bushing barrel with lightened slide and short dust cover. 6" will gain you sight radius, but you have to get pretty drastic with the slide lightening to get down to the same as a 5". Also the additional radius means the sight will appear to climb more, even though the muzzle flip is really the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anilson Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 a 4" will not be nearly as forgiving as a 5" depending on who built it the 4" could be less reliable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP42 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 (resurrecting an old thread) Why doesn't STI make a 6" Marauder? Or a 6" DVC Limited? (Maybe they will.) I was just trying to answer this same question (which 2011 for 3 gun) and I am torn between the 6" Edge, the DVC Limited, and the Marauder (and dreaming about Infinity or Brazos customs…) I have been shooting a 9mm Springfield Loaded with 10 round Tripp mags for many years at everything - IDPA, USPSA, 3gun, and whatever else presents itself, and I think it is finally time to get a double stack for 3 gun, but I can't settle on a clear answer that isn't an insanely expensive custom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyD1833 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I bought my DVC specifically for 3 gun and have a Marauder on the way for everything else. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP42 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Why do you like the DVC for 3gun specifically, especially over the Marauder? Less weight in the slide and more under it, and the better trigger? Does the DVC not qualify for the other classes you shoot elsewhere? I have been shooting 5" 1911 for a long time, but I am really tempted to try to get a 6" in the 2011. We get lots of little targets at our matches here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011BLDR Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I have all 3 ( 4.2”, 5” and 6”) 2011’s all have lightened slides and I prefer ammo in the 150-155 PF range with 124 or 147 gr bullets. Absolutely agree on the 6” being the best for steel, but also it is the least tolerant of lower power factor ammo it needs to stay around 155 PF or the cycle timing becomes vary different than a .40 Limited gun. With that said a 6” lightened slide and 155PF is like cheating no recoil and sight tracking is wonderful. Out. 2011BLDR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggenF15 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Why do you like the DVC for 3gun specifically, especially over the Marauder? Less weight in the slide and more under it, and the better trigger? Does the DVC not qualify for the other classes you shoot elsewhere? I have been shooting 5" 1911 for a long time, but I am really tempted to try to get a 6" in the 2011. We get lots of little targets at our matches here. I'm trying to learn about differences in 2011s so I have questions about what you wrote - I'm not arguing with you at all. Are you saying the frame on the DVC is heavier and the slide is lighter than the Marauder? Do you think the trigger on the DVC is better? How so? Do you think one or the other of these is better for 3 gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP42 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Why do you like the DVC for 3gun specifically, especially over the Marauder? Less weight in the slide and more under it, and the better trigger? Does the DVC not qualify for the other classes you shoot elsewhere? I have been shooting 5" 1911 for a long time, but I am really tempted to try to get a 6" in the 2011. We get lots of little targets at our matches here. I'm trying to learn about differences in 2011s so I have questions about what you wrote - I'm not arguing with you at all. Are you saying the frame on the DVC is heavier and the slide is lighter than the Marauder? Do you think the trigger on the DVC is better? How so? Do you think one or the other of these is better for 3 gun? You can't argue with me - I'm the asking the questions here! Just going from my research so far: - 6" barrel will give you a longer sight radius for long shot accuracy. Good for my 3gun matches. - heavier pistol reduces felt recoil - lightened slide will reduce the "forward recoil" when the gun dips as the slide hits the forward end of its travel --> so heaver gun but lighter slide is best - seems common for people to do 6" with slide lightened down to 5" slide weight or less - ignoring open class, which I'm not trying to get into at this point, the rules for all the various sports vary in the details - IDPA, IPSC, USPSA, 3gun, steel challenge, etc… (box size, dust cover length, bull barrel allowed, and lots of nits) - biggest issue with 9mm is that scoring as minor PF is a big disadvantage for some classifications, but otherwise it is perfect (3gun in particular) STI says that the Marauder is ideal for 3gun, hence my question why he liked the DVC Limited better for that. The DVC limited and the Marauder are the same 41 oz weight according to STI's website (as is the 6" Eagle), so the frame on the DVC must be heavier (probably mainly the longer dust cover) since the slide must be lighter. The DVC should stay on target a little easier. The DVC has the lightened slide and a 2 (or 2.5?) lb trigger, unlike the Eagle/Edge/Marauder that are my other choices, and only the Eagle has a 6" option (but not lightened as it comes from STI). Triggers can be tuned by a good smith though, so that isn't really necessary from the factory. I kind of like having the rail on the Marauder for the occasional night match and non-competition use, should that arise, but that is only a minor consideration. So that's where I am now. And thinking that if I end up wanting a DVC I should already have ordered it... I hope that helps. I'm just going around in circles. The "exit" from my loop is a $5K custom SVI :-) Not gonna happen. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjlefty51 Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I say go 5" bull barrel in 9mm if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sup38 Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 STI Eagle in 9mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coltlover Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 (edited) 5" Eagle in 9mm is hard to beat! http://tmttactical.com/ Edited May 9, 2015 by coltlover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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