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2019 DVC Open?


Moto_wrench

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Looking to make the move to open, and think I have settled on STI DVC Open. Seems to be a good value for a new open shooter. 

Has anyone handled the new design grip, or have any comments on RECENT quality and reliability from STI?

Considering 9major if that sways your opinion. 

 

Link to new model:

https://stiguns.com/product-lineup/dvc-o/

 

Thanks!

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I've not shot the DVC Open. I briefly had a 3 gun. Didn't like it. 

 

I personally, think the STI guns are not worth the $. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about?. 4k just seems high for all that? I'd try to buy something else. Just my opinion. 

 

Good luck. 

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Thanks for the input. I have looked at the CK arms as well, seemed like by the time you "option them up" they were about the same money as STI. 

I try to abide by the buy once cry once philosophy, but a 6K custom simply isn't realistic for me. 

What was your disappointment with the 3gun? Fit and finish? Reliability?

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3 minutes ago, Sarge said:

No sorry I meant 6K for a more custom pistol, vs a more entry level CK or STI

 

I am not opposed to a CK, just seemed like STI was the better value since it came with mags.  Maybe in my mind there is more brand recognition with STI?  

 

Has anyone had experience with both STI and CK?

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1 hour ago, zombywoof said:

When you blow up the STI, after a few months they'll fix it.

If we are buying guns with , “what happens if I blow it up?”, rolling around in our head there are other things we should be worried about. 

  There is a difference between me blowing up a gun and a gun failing on me. There is a reason companies sell STI’s that have been worked over. Many folks have had good luck with STI factory guns but many have not. 

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1 hour ago, Sarge said:

If we are buying guns with , “what happens if I blow it up?”, rolling around in our head there are other things we should be worried about. 

  There is a difference between me blowing up a gun and a gun failing on me. There is a reason companies sell STI’s that have been worked over. Many folks have had good luck with STI factory guns but many have not. 

 

Sarge, I've been waiting over three months for my cracked slide, cracked frame STI.

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Skip the sti, especially for 3999. To many problems reported from people, constant trips back to the manufacturer. From what I’ve seen the problems they have a really stupid too, ones that are due to a lack of attention to detail, and bad QC. For 4K Don at venom customs could build you basically a full custom open gun that will run like a Swiss watch. Built to all your specs. My gun is almost done, mine wasn’t a full build, frame and slide where already fit, but he had to do everything else. He started on it on Thursday, he says it will he done tomorrow (Sunday). Some of the top shooters at nationals were shooting his guns. His prices are incredibly reasonable. But you could also look at a CK, definitely very solid guns, and also very reasonable prices. And they’re will run out of the box. With Sti these days it’s seems like a gun running out of the box is the exception, not the rule. 

 

 

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i got one of the first sti dvc open guns, in 38 super.  first time out if malf'd like every other shot.  i was NOT happy.  cleaned the crap out of it and it's been 100% other than a few clearly mag-related issues.  i've seen some sti's do not so good, and i've seen some ck's do not so good. 

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34 minutes ago, Jfitz427 said:

Skip the sti, especially for 3999. To many problems reported from people, constant trips back to the manufacturer. From what I’ve seen the problems they have a really stupid too, ones that are due to a lack of attention to detail, and bad QC. For 4K Don at venom customs could build you basically a full custom open gun that will run like a Swiss watch. Built to all your specs. My gun is almost done, mine wasn’t a full build, frame and slide where already fit, but he had to do everything else. He started on it on Thursday, he says it will he done tomorrow (Sunday). Some of the top shooters at nationals were shooting his guns. His prices are incredibly reasonable. But you could also look at a CK, definitely very solid guns, and also very reasonable prices. And they’re will run out of the box. With Sti these days it’s seems like a gun running out of the box is the exception, not the rule. 

 

 

Thanks for the info. I have been seeing his shop come up more and more recently as I have been trying to wade through all the info out there on open guns. I'll be sure to look them up. 

 

I realize there are always exceptions, good luck, bad luck, etc, I'm just looking for a gun that will run out of the box. After that customer service and warranty are a big part of the decision. 

Sounds like STI may be lacking there. I thought I had read where they made some changes and brought some people on board to beef up the QC and were putting a little better product out the door lately? I may be confused. I have read a ton recently on open guns. 

 

CK sounds like the heavy favorite over STI. I really like the idea of a steel grip gun in that 4K price range too!

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Moto_wrench said:

Thanks for the info. I have been seeing his shop come up more and more recently as I have been trying to wade through all the info out there on open guns. I'll be sure to look them up. 

 

I realize there are always exceptions, good luck, bad luck, etc, I'm just looking for a gun that will run out of the box. After that customer service and warranty are a big part of the decision. 

Sounds like STI may be lacking there. I thought I had read where they made some changes and brought some people on board to beef up the QC and were putting a little better product out the door lately? I may be confused. I have read a ton recently on open guns. 

 

CK sounds like the heavy favorite over STI. I really like the idea of a steel grip gun in that 4K price range too!

 

 

Sti apparently has brought some new people in, they brought back Dave Dawson. But this is all recent and i don’t believe any of the changes are showing yet. Still same old problems from them. I’d say a year after bringing in the new people and new polices being implemented we could hope to see the differences in the guns and warranty. 

 

I would atleast give don a call. Before I decided on him for my gun I talked to 3 other big smiths, and don just idk said the right things, especially about how it’s ridiculous these open guns are costing 6,000 bucks and 6 months to be done, when it only takes a few days to build the gun, and 1/3rd of cost in parts. These big builders are absolutely gouging us on prices. They’re making 4-5k profit per gun. He doesn’t think that’s right either. For 4K he could build a gun to your specs. Anyway you want it. I’m blown away that he started on mine Thursday and it’ll be done tomorrow. All the other people that have got builds from him have been very happy. I couldn’t be more excited to get it back and shoot it. 

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11 hours ago, Jfitz427 said:

Sti apparently has brought some new people in, they brought back Dave Dawson. But this is all recent and i don’t believe any of the changes are showing yet. Still same old problems from them. I’d say a year after bringing in the new people and new polices being implemented we could hope to see the differences in the guns and warranty. 

 

I would atleast give don a call. Before I decided on him for my gun I talked to 3 other big smiths, and don just idk said the right things, especially about how it’s ridiculous these open guns are costing 6,000 bucks and 6 months to be done, when it only takes a few days to build the gun, and 1/3rd of cost in parts. These big builders are absolutely gouging us on prices. They’re making 4-5k profit per gun. He doesn’t think that’s right either. For 4K he could build a gun to your specs. Anyway you want it. I’m blown away that he started on mine Thursday and it’ll be done tomorrow. All the other people that have got builds from him have been very happy. I couldn’t be more excited to get it back and shoot it. 

Kind of a funny argument that “Don” makes about gun builders gouging people. Since like he said it takes about 2 days to actually build a gun and the parts to build an Open gun are generally around $2k. So while others may be gouging he is still making $2k in two days? 

  I’m not bashing him in any way just pointing out that it’s an odd argument to make. Assuming he has all of the same machines the others have? 

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Maybe the builder is saying what you want to hear.  I've heard talk like that from a number of gun builders - about all the other builders,  but not themselves, of course. 

 

What counts is how well it's built, how it runs, how reliable it is, and whether the builder will back it up (which can be a huge issue).  Also, how much time went into features (e.g., stroking, lightening, decor, fit)? 

 Generally,  you can buy what you want, and there is a price list for additional features.   

 

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1 hour ago, Sarge said:

Kind of a funny argument that “Don” makes about gun builders gouging people. Since like he said it takes about 2 days to actually build a gun and the parts to build an Open gun are generally around $2k. So while others may be gouging he is still making $2k in two days? 

  I’m not bashing him in any way just pointing out that it’s an odd argument to make. Assuming he has all of the same machines the others have? 

There's some other costs to think about there... Insurance, Healthcare, taxes,costs of keeping a shop open, wear and tear on tooling and equipment. Plus the occasionally taking time off for vacation and being sick plus the normal risks of small business ownership.

Edited by caspian guy
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+1 on the above

you can also add, food, housing and make a reasonable profit, there’s been a bunch of good  gunsmith come and go, many of them were great smiths but lousy businessmen

there’s a reason Dawson and EGW gave up smithing and went to only selling parts, they probably figured out there’s more money in it and less headaches

Edited by rishii
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It's not if an open gun goes down, it's when. We push them to the absolute limit. If you shoot open 200k rounds your gonna need some new parts. STI has a great warranty, but it's not fast. I also have a venom Custom 9 major gun, and absolutely love it. I had a dvc open before, sold it to go to 9 instead of 38 SC. Just because brass is next to free. Or free if you have a cool indoor range near you. I tuned my mags and that's it. Don is just a phone call or text away at any given time. He will build you exactly what you want, hand fit, you can draw what you want on your slide before you send it to him and he will work it out with you for slide cuts. 

 

I will be perfectly honest, I paid 4k for my gun. With a plastic grip. I ended up going stainless with the cheeley because I had one on a limited gun I wasn't shooting. He has in stock, to the best of my knowledge. An all black open gun, atlas comp, invinity grip, rts2 (I think). Gold barrel, sexy as s#!t 9 major gun. I almost spring for the extra $ and bought. Go check out his Facebook. I'm sure it's still on there if it's not already sold. 

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I'm having an Open gun built right now by a local smith that has a stellar reputation and is being built to my specific needs. Nothing but top notch parts, its going to have a Stainless Cheely grip and its going to be $4400... that's only $400 than the STI (less mags).   I know I'll be way happier in the long run than buying a factory gun.

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On 2/2/2019 at 3:05 PM, Moto_wrench said:

Looking to make the move to open, and think I have settled on STI DVC Open. Seems to be a good value for a new open shooter. 

Has anyone handled the new design grip, or have any comments on RECENT quality and reliability from STI?

Considering 9major if that sways your opinion. 

 

Link to new model:

https://stiguns.com/product-lineup/dvc-o/

 

Thanks!

OP,

I've been looking at them, too.  It looks like the 2019 has a different slide racker (maybe it can still swap sides), 3 less slots on the top of the slide, and the less aggressive grip that you mentioned.  Also, the color combinations are different.  The hard chrome with the gold barrel is no longer offered.  Everyone else, if you could get one for $3400, does that change you opinion of the DVC?

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On 2/4/2019 at 9:50 PM, actionshooter said:

I'm having an Open gun built right now by a local smith that has a stellar reputation and is being built to my specific needs. Nothing but top notch parts, its going to have a Stainless Cheely grip and its going to be $4400... that's only $400 than the STI (less mags).   I know I'll be way happier in the long run than buying a factory gun.

 

JPL?

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