Custom build or STI?

[chgofirefighter]

So I've been wanting to dive into the Open Division for a while and I've been carefully researching my options.  Most of my shooting friends advise me to go the custom build route vs. purchasing an Open Pistol from STI, such as the DVC-O, which I can purchase for $3400 shipped (discounted) of course!  Which isn't terribly priced but if I want to add an upgraded steel grip that'll be an additional $650, custom tune the trigger parts, etc. well it all starts to add up.  So we have a local 2011 builder Carne Custom that makes pretty amazing 2011custom builds.  A few of my local guys tell me that by the time I get a new STI to where I need it to be I'll be spending a lot more vs. a custom build that's built to my liking, specs and needs.  

 

Carne Custom did a build for one of my friends and by the time the build was completed it cost him $4300! not including the cost of C-More optic.  I was also considering the pre owned market but I don't want to buy a firearm that was built or worked on by another fellow shooter and quite possibly buy someone’s else’s problem.  I would like to buy once and cry once and be done, sure it'll will sting a lil and I may even cry a bit, lol... But I am loving that STI DVC-O  too as well!!  So custom or mass produced?   What do you guys recommend?

 

Thanks~  

 

[427Cobra]

4300 for a hand fitted shooter sounds like a much better deal to me. 

[cecil]

does the custom pistol come with a steel grip ?   I have a STI O … if you shop around there are deals on them... ..

[chgofirefighter]

6 minutes ago, cecil said:

does the custom pistol come with a steel grip ?   I have a STI O … if you shop around there are deals on them... ..

 

 

Yes, it does..  It's a custom, done as you wish for it to be done~  

[Sparky]

18 minutes ago, chgofirefighter said:

 

 

Yes, it does..  It's a custom, done as you wish for it to be done~  

I know Mark and he is a great guy and gunsmith.  It's a difficult decision, but I don't think you can go wrong with Mark.

A little more spent at the beginning, can bring great rewards in the end.  You can have the gun built as you want it and

thats worth a lot, especially on an Open Build......

[zzt]

$900 more for a full custom build is a no brainer.  Do it.

[chgofirefighter]

59 minutes ago, Sparky said:

I know Mark and he is a great guy and gunsmith.  It's a difficult decision, but I don't think you can go wrong with Mark.

A little more spent at the beginning, can bring great rewards in the end.  You can have the gun built as you want it and

thats worth a lot, especially on an Open Build......

 yeah I've heard nothing but good things about Mark and that's the direction I most likely go with~  

[CoyoteMW]

I have a new STI DVC Open. It has run flawlessly.

[Aggieddad02]

I believe going with an STI gun is always a gamble, will they correct any issues absolutely.  STI has had some ups and downs with quality control and I believe they are addressing those issues.  My very first 2011 was an Edge and after I got it I poured a fair amount of money into the gun to make it mine, with all of this said to have a local builder with a stellar reputation build the custom gun and don’t look back. Best of luck 

[Hi-Power Jack]

The other problem is timing   -    you can have the DVC in a week   - how long does Mark take ?

[cjmill87]

2 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

The other problem is timing   -    you can have the DVC in a week   - how long does Mark take ?

 

Valid point Jack on receiving the pistol but I know several local shooters who had to wait 6+ months (my neighbor was 10 after they quoted him 6, got a custom built 2011 done in the meantime because he was sick of waiting on them) to have STI make their pistols right after running into various issues from the factory.  If this smith is local to you, I'm sure he's willing to back his work and make any problems right as fast as he can.

[Descartian]

Even though I’m a big fan of STI’s guns, I would go the custom route. Especially since he is local, you can easily take it in for anything that goes wrong. 

[chgofirefighter]

7 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

The other problem is timing   -    you can have the DVC in a week   - how long does Mark take ?

Not sure how long STI would take, and I also don't know how long Mark will take.  I guess there's pros and cons to everything, Mark is a local guy, STI is located in Texas...  

[chgofirefighter]

7 hours ago, cjmill87 said:

 

Valid point Jack on receiving the pistol but I know several local shooters who had to wait 6+ months (my neighbor was 10 after they quoted him 6, got a custom built 2011 done in the meantime because he was sick of waiting on them) to have STI make their pistols right after running into various issues from the factory.  If this smith is local to you, I'm sure he's willing to back his work and make any problems right as fast as he can.

Yes, very true~  Personally, I have never done any business with Mark but some of my shooting friends have and they have absolutely nothing bad to say about the guy.  Plus Mark is also a competitive shooter so that helps even more! 

[Hi-Power Jack]

2 minutes ago, chgofirefighter said:

Not sure how long STI would take 

 

You should be able to get the STI in about a week  !!!!

 

I can't imagine a custom gun is going to take less than 6 months.

 

But, worth asking.

 

Because that's a HUGE difference.

 

I don't have the patience to wait 6-16 months for a gun -

 

AND, you're going to want a backup piece anyway.

 

I'd buy the STI now, and order Mark's gun now - that way you can be

shooting while you're waiting for Mark - and you'll have a backup

gun after Mark's comes in.     

[chgofirefighter]

1 minute ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

 

You should be able to get the STI in about a week  !!!!

 

I can't imagine a custom gun is going to take less than 6 months.

 

But, worth asking.

 

Because that's a HUGE difference.

 

I don't have the patience to wait 6-16 months for a gun -

 

AND, you're going to want a backup piece anyway.

 

I'd buy the STI now, and order Mark's gun now - that way you can be

shooting while you're waiting for Mark - and you'll have a backup

gun after Mark's comes in.     

 

 

Buy and STI now and buy Marks gun and wait? Hmmm, lol...  If I had Donald Trump money I would do that in the heart beat!  but I just work for a living! 

[Hi-Power Jack]

Just now, chgofirefighter said:

 

  but I just work for a living! 

 

Work is the curse of the shooting class.   

 

Trust me, you will want a backup gun one day, soon.     

[Benji]

I prefer custom but only because I have a really good idea of what I want. If you don't know if you want a middy, full length, 38SC, 9mm, safety type, grip type, popple holes/no holes, lightweight or heavy, which optic, etc, etc, etc then custom isn't really going to do much for you except cool factor. 

 

The true cost of open isn't just the gun. It's the gun, the mags, the parts, the backup optic (like 90% necessary) the reloading press, the chronograph, the TIME.  That being said I would look really hard at the PT Honcho and Atlas Chaos, they flat out run and you can get them pretty quickly.