Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

First Impressions


Merlin Orr

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 258
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

STI Grip Safety & Thumb Safety!!

Thanks for the pics. I'm going to get a Spartan tomorrow. I'm sorry to have posted incorrect information in my previous post.

No biggie man!!

I'm still waiting for my Spartan!!

WHERE IS IT??

Y

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't want to be one of the "I've never seen nor shot one but they must be junk!" crowd. So I guess I had better put up or shut up. Damn! And my new year resolution was to get my credit card paid off!

Credit Cards are for new toys ! B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I am a "Spartican" now! I put about 100 rounds through my new gun this morning with pleasingly good results. The lockup is super and the overall fit and finish is fantastic. The trigger's fairly crisp but a little on the heavy side.

I have a Trojan .45 on order but I think I'll cancel it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I am a "Spartican" now! I put about 100 rounds through my new gun this morning with pleasingly good results. The lockup is super and the overall fit and finish is fantastic. The trigger's fairly crisp but a little on the heavy side.

I have a Trojan .45 on order but I think I'll cancel it.

Great!!

I can't wait to get mine!!

I want to do a full test on it ASAP!!

Y

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tok, how does it compare to the RIA Tactical you bought?

The frames appear pretty much identical. The Spartan does have a cleaner bevel on the magazine well. Neither frame has the little "bow tie" cut on the vertical impact surface for the lower barrel lugs. And the feedramp on the Spartan is cut a little deeper and is better polished than the feed ramp on the Tactical.

The Spartan's barrel lock-up is much tighter than the lock-up on the Tactical. I do find it intesresting that the barrel/slide assembly for the Tactical will slide right on to the Spartan frame. I haven't shot the Spartan/Tactical assembly but I see no reason why the Tactical slide wouldn't work perfectly on the Spartan frame.

Both guns are nice for the money and I'd recommend either to somebody looking for a decent "entry level" 1911. The Tactical is almost $200 cheaper than the Spartan but doesn't have the STI ignition parts and has fixed sights. I suppose the smart thing to do is buy a Tactical and use the savings to replace the MIM ignition parts with better quality guts if a person is bothered by the MIM internals. An MMC or Novak adjustable rear could easily be substitued for the Novak-type fixed rear that comes standard on the Rock Island. But, of course, you can't enter STI's contingency rewards program with the Rock Island.

As I've said before, I think the Taurus, the Rock Island and the Spartan are the value leaders in the 1911 market!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am curious as to the Spartan lock-up. Could you mark the upper barrel lug cut with a Sharpie to see if it makes contact with the slide lug when in battery? Thanks

Joe,

You're welcome to borrow mine and test it. Let me know when you're back in the ATL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am curious as to the Spartan lock-up. Could you mark the upper barrel lug cut with a Sharpie to see if it makes contact with the slide lug when in battery? Thanks

I'll see what I can do when I get back this weekend. I'll be out of town on business all this week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I picked up my spartan tonight. The guy at the gunshop along with myself had one hell of a hard time getting the damn guide rod out.

Ends up we had to take the slide off of the gun to take the rod out. Is this right?

It seems like the guide rod could be like 1/8 of an inch shorter. I couldn't get the bushing to turn past the guide rod unless i took it apart and ajusted where the end of the guide rod hit the barrel before it would push down far enough to turn the bushing.

Sounds confusing, but is this something STI does intentionally or is mine messed up or did i do something wrong?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The guide rod IS to long and does need trimmed about an 1/8 to facilitate an easier takedown. I actually ground mine a little more than that but it now will disassemble in the "normal" manner. Seems like kind of a strange thing to allow with the rest of the gun being pretty well thought out and well put together.... :huh:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally got out with my new Spartan and put 500+ rounds through it. Shot great and worked with the different brands mags I have. Once I got the sights adjusted the way I like them It was great. I am going to put some more rounds through it this Sunday before shooting the Western States Single Stack Classic with it next weekend.

Neal in AZl

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The guide rod IS to long and does need trimmed about an 1/8 to facilitate an easier takedown. I actually ground mine a little more than that but it now will disassemble in the "normal" manner. Seems like kind of a strange thing to allow with the rest of the gun being pretty well thought out and well put together....

Well, if my sample is any indication, the guide rod is too long in this gun. But I compared its length to another guide rod I had on hand, that I know has fit fine in other guns, and its length was identical. Examine the front of the lower lugs and I think you'll find the real culprit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally got out with my new Spartan and put 500+ rounds through it. Shot great and worked with the different brands mags I have. Once I got the sights adjusted the way I like them It was great. I am going to put some more rounds through it this Sunday before shooting the Western States Single Stack Classic with it next weekend.

Neal in AZl

Well, futz!

I was hoping to have the only one there....

):

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The guide rod IS to long and does need trimmed about an 1/8 to facilitate an easier takedown. I actually ground mine a little more than that but it now will disassemble in the "normal" manner. Seems like kind of a strange thing to allow with the rest of the gun being pretty well thought out and well put together....

Well, if my sample is any indication, the guide rod is too long in this gun. But I compared its length to another guide rod I had on hand, that I know has fit fine in other guns, and its length was identical. Examine the front of the lower lugs and I think you'll find the real culprit.

The guide rod head does not touch the barrel. It sets in the frame cut. The STI (and most other) guide rods are too long from the factory. We just now physically put a new STI and a new Ed Brown guide rod in a 1927 model 1911 and both stick well past the front of the gun. The Ed brown further than the STI. If you want to use a bushing wrench to remove the spring while on the gun you have to cut the (1 piece) guide rod. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most all 1 pc. guide rods stick out past the slide because the bushing & plug recess that sits in the bushing stick out & the guide rod will be the same lenght. To take apart simply take the slide off. IF you grind the rod short enough to turn the bushing past, then when in full battery, the guide rod is below the plug & may hang up. Got one in this AM that was to short & broke the bushing lug off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...