For $4000 is there anything better than the MPA DS9 LOC for Limited Optics?

[Bentron]

With a budget of $4000 for just the pistol, no optics or mags, are there any better options than the Masterpiece Arms DS9 Limited Optics Comp? I shot one a few weeks ago and am fairly impressed.  

[SJC]

I am looking at the MPA and Vudoo Priest for the same reason. 

[Dr Mitch]

Probably not for an out of the box gun.

[davsco]

fyi you can get mpa 'regular' 2011's for $2800 at shooters connection and elsewhere.  i have one, pretty nice gun, pretty sure it won't be holding too many folks back.

[davsco]

https://www.brazoscustom.com/brazos-smo

 

$4800 but does include an optic

[zzt]

I wouldn't buy a DS9.  I'd buy a Prodigy and upgrade the internals.  You'll end up with a much better gun.  You can easily shoot it as is for a while, and upgrade during the off-season.

 

Don't know anything about the Priest.  If they are built better than an MPA, they merit consideration.

 

Another good option is Warwick Tactical.  They make wonderful guns.

Edited December 21, 2023 by zzt

[notanoperator993]

2 hours ago, davsco said:

fyi you can get mpa 'regular' 2011's for $2800 at shooters connection and elsewhere.  i have one, pretty nice gun, pretty sure it won't be holding too many folks back.

 

George at MI Gunslingers (migunslingers.com) has started taking orders for MPA's as well as Vudoo single stacks and 2011's. His pricing is far cheaper than direct from either builder. Through George, small deposit up front ($300), then full payment when complete. George said Vudoo requires 50% up front though, MPA does not.

[LHshooter]

3 hours ago, notanoperator993 said:

 

George at MI Gunslingers (migunslingers.com) has started taking orders for MPA's as well as Vudoo single stacks and 2011's. His pricing is far cheaper than direct from either builder. Through George, small deposit up front ($300), then full payment when complete. George said Vudoo requires 50% up front though, MPA does not.

When ordering from MPA you can ether pay in full up front or put down a 20% deposit.

[asierra350]

5 hours ago, zzt said:

I wouldn't buy a DS9.  I'd buy a Prodigy and upgrade the internals.  You'll end up with a much better gun.  You can easily shoot it as is for a while, and upgrade during the off-season.

 

Don't know anything about the Priest.  If they are built better than an MPA, they merit consideration.

 

Another good option is Warwick Tactical.  They make wonderful guns.

Why would you want a Prodigy over a DS9? I’ve heard of way more Prodigy issues than MPA, especially the newer ones

[zzt]

I wouldn't buy either.  If I had to buy a gun instead of building it, I'd buy in this order.  Warwick Tactical and do nothing to it.  Second would be the Prodigy, and I'd upgrade the internals.  Most of the reported problems turn out to be user error, or initial mag problems.  All the ones I see at the club are bone stock and run 100%.

 

I wouldn't buy an MPA because their quality control is spotty.  If you get an alright one, good.  If not, oops.  I don't buy the "you get what you pay for" argument.  For $4k I want everything done correctly.  No hit or miss.  If Warwick can do it for under $4k, why can't MPA.

 

I think the Brazos SC mentioned above is a good deal.  You'll be very close to that with the Warwick by the time you have the slide milled and buy a dot.

Edited December 21, 2023 by zzt

[Nathanb]

4 minutes ago, zzt said:

I wouldn't buy either.  If I had to buy a gun instead of building it, I'd buy in this order.  Warwick Tactical and do nothing to it.  Second would be the Prodigy, and I'd upgrade the internals.  Most of the reported problems turn out to be user error, or initial mag problems.  All the ones I see at the club are bone stock and run 100%.

 

I wouldn't buy an MPA because their quality control is spotty.  If you get an alright one, good.  If not, oops.  I don't buy the "you get what you pay for" argument.  For $4k I want everything done correctly.  No hit or miss.  If Warwick can do it for under $4k, why can't MPA.

 

I think the Brazos SC mentioned above is a good deal.  You'll be very close to that with the Warwick by the time you have the slide milled and buy a dot.

What I hate about Warwick is their site. They’re semi local but there just isn’t much to their site that lets me look around

[zzt]

Just now, Nathanb said:

What I hate about Warwick is their site. They’re semi local but there just isn’t much to their site that lets me look around

 

They used to be superb.  I have no idea why they changed it.  The gallery is gone also.  As far as I know, the only thing they no longer make is a threaded barrel Open short block.

[motosapiens]

local shop has some vudoos, and i've seen a couple of them being shot and handled one. I was pretty impressed with the overall feel. I loved the flat trigger, and I definitely prefer the 5" barrel over the shorter versions some folks are making. If I needed a gun I would strongly consider it.

 

However, I don't think it offers any advantages over my limited gun shooting 40 minor except 3 extra rounds, and with a magwell the extra rounds are meaningless to me. So I'm just going to shoot 40 in LO this year.

[RangerTrace]

I know you are all Debbie Downers on Staccato, but I love my P and XL for LO.  The XL wasn't exactly cheap, even with my discount, but they both shoot amazingly well.  The XL is the softest/flattest gun in my safe.

[Joe4d]

way current $1000 guns run on regular 9mm ammo, a 4k gun is nothing but a fashion statement.  Hey if u like it ,, but If I had 4k to dump in LO , Id buy a 1k gun a 1k load of ammo, and 1k worth of training and practice,,, take the other 1k and spend it on hookers and blow.|

[Ron Ankeny]

I went with a Dan Wesson DWX and had it milled for a dot. 

[Daslinger]

3 hours ago, Joe4d said:

way current $1000 guns run on regular 9mm ammo, a 4k gun is nothing but a fashion statement.  Hey if u like it ,, but If I had 4k to dump in LO , Id buy a 1k gun a 1k load of ammo, and 1k worth of training and practice,,, take the other 1k and spend it on hookers and blow.|

that’s exactly what I did.  But I did the hookers and blow first. Handcuffed me to the bed and took the whole $4k. Lesson learned, training and ammo before hookers.

[EEH]

4 hours ago, Joe4d said:

way current $1000 guns run on regular 9mm ammo, a 4k gun is nothing but a fashion statement.  Hey if u like it ,, but If I had 4k to dump in LO , Id buy a 1k gun a 1k load of ammo, and 1k worth of training and practice,,, take the other 1k and spend it on hookers and blow.|

I like how you think

[392heminut]

On 12/21/2023 at 3:18 PM, asierra350 said:

Why would you want a Prodigy over a DS9? I’ve heard of way more Prodigy issues than MPA, especially the newer ones

My shooting buddy and I both bought a Prodigy and the only problem we have had with either one was with mine. It had the well documented problem of too much Cerakote on the slide and frame rails. A few minutes with some 600 WetorDry sandpaper wrapped around a small file solved that problem. They both run like a champ!

 

I will say that the springs in the factory mags are kind of weak. We changed them out to aftermarket springs and no issues with the mags either.

Edited December 23, 2023 by 392heminut

[392heminut]

12 hours ago, Joe4d said:

way current $1000 guns run on regular 9mm ammo, a 4k gun is nothing but a fashion statement.  Hey if u like it ,, but If I had 4k to dump in LO , Id buy a 1k gun a 1k load of ammo, and 1k worth of training and practice,,, take the other 1k and spend it on hookers and blow.|

Yup! My wife would have a problem with the hookers and blow though.

[Bentron]

On 12/21/2023 at 7:23 PM, RangerTrace said:

I know you are all Debbie Downers on Staccato, but I love my P and XL for LO.  The XL wasn't exactly cheap, even with my discount, but they both shoot amazingly well.  The XL is the softest/flattest gun in my safe.

I do like my staccato but instead of putting money in to it beyond a different trigger, i'm going to take that money and buy a different LO gun. The staccato is probably all the gun I really need TBH. I was looking at an XL but after getting the grip changed to metal the price was around a DS9 anyways. 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Bentron

[RangerTrace]

2 hours ago, Bentron said:

I do like my staccato but instead of putting money in to it beyond a different trigger, i'm going to take that money and buy a different LO gun. The staccato is probably all the gun I really need TBH. I was looking at an XL but after getting the grip changed to metal the price was around a DS9 anyways. 

Absolutely no need for a metal grip with 9mm.  Don't need the weight of steel and aluminum is more harsh than polymer.  Just my opinion.  

[waynes_world_45]

21 hours ago, RangerTrace said:

Absolutely no need for a metal grip with 9mm.  Don't need the weight of steel and aluminum is more harsh than polymer.  Just my opinion.  

I like the balance of a metal grip better

[Runswithwood1]

1 hour ago, waynes_world_45 said:

I like the balance of a metal grip better

2nd that

[motosapiens]

On 12/23/2023 at 4:30 PM, RangerTrace said:

Absolutely no need for a metal grip with 9mm.  Don't need the weight of steel and aluminum is more harsh than polymer.  Just my opinion.  

probably personal preference. I did some back-to-back testing with my free staccato P, shadow2, and atlas titan 40-minor. The staccato had significantly more muzzle flip, but it did also come pretty much back to the same spot pretty quickly. The end result was I'm going to shoot the Atlas until I run out of 40 bullets, and probably sell the staccato. For my personal tastes and experience, I think a 5" barrel on the staccato (and probably a longer dustcover, but maybe not full-length) would be a significant improvement for competition. OTOH, it's a pretty badass carry gun just the way it is..... I would keep it for carry except I already have a p01 that cost $500 and shoots just as well.

 

I've been very impressed by the build quality and accuracy of my staccato P, but the staccato XL just seems crazy overpriced to me without a metal grip, whether it 'needs' one or not.