STI .22 conversion is being released

[chuckbradley]

STI conversion Kits on web page for sale. These are preorder as I see a great big demand for these by the response so far. So I have product on order and am taking orders that will be filled by date the order was placed.

http://shootersconnection.com/store/produc...roducts_id=1062

I just changed the pricing on my web page. The correct pricing is 350.00 for a 1911 and 385.00 for a 2011.

[kgunz11]

Chuck,

Will we be able to get these with a threaded barrel? I have a Marvel Match upper on my single stack and sometimes I run the can (suppressor) on it and would like the availability to do it with the 2011 version also.

[joecichlid]

My question is will there be a version with no sights and an extended, ported or comped barrel? I shoot Open, can't for the life of me line up them little bumpy things on top those Limited guns.

Joe W.

[chuckbradley]

I have not heard anything about a non sighted, threaded barrel version coming out. At least that STi will be involved with. It is a possibility but these first 2 models are not available just yet. I was told April on the 1911 and May on the 2011.

[kgunz11]

From my experiences with them, add 2 months at least to those dates. Some people are often very optimistic. Not related to Marvel, but I ordered the Tac Solutions 1911 upper at SHOT last year with a promise date of 2-4 weeks. After 6 months I canceled the order and ordered the Marvel. I don't mind waiting for something, I just want straight answers from someone once they have my money.

[zhunter]

Chuck

You should have my order as of 2 minutes ago, a 1911 of course and 2 extra mags

[Canuck-IL]

New design from Bob.

Rich

Here's the text from Bob Marvel as sent to a Bullseye list member about, IIRC, 3-4 weeks ago. I've not heard confirmation that the barrel brand swap happened. These look to me like the units on the STI site.

==========

BOB MARVEL’S RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS & SALES INQUIRIES

ADVANTAGE ARMS/MARVEL .22 1911 CONVERSION

&

MARVEL BULLSEYE MATCH GRADE CONVERSION

1. Is it true that I have redesigned a .22 conversion that is distinct and different from the unit sold by Marvel Precision?

YES, the rumor that I have returned to the .22 1911 conversion business has finally become reality.

The response to my renewed involvement in designing conversion units has been overwhelming, especially since neither Advantage Arms nor I have formally advertised our new conversion unit. Please accept my apology for delayed communication with you. In no way did I anticipate or prepare for the numerous calls, emails and pre-orders. In addition, I have focused my time on custom pistol work and preparing for the Shot Show. As a result, I had not yet finalized a plan for handling the conversion business. Again, I apologize for not responding to your inquiries earlier.

The Advantage Arms/Marvel .22 1911 Conversion is an improved model of my original design that is currently sold by Marvel Precision. I designed the original Marvel .22 1911 conversion unit in the late l990’s. Generally, I was pleased with the design, but also knew that improvements were necessary. In 2003, prior to implementing all the improvements on the original conversion, I was terminated from Marvel Precision, LLC. After the termination, numerous circumstances occurred that hampered serious business progress and my ability to complete custom pistol work in a timely manner. I am now ‘back in the saddle’ full stride, building custom pistols and developing a new business association with Advantage Arms.

Advantage Arms previously marketed a 1911 conversion, based upon my original design, which had great potential in the industry. Bob Brown, pistolsmith, was working with Advantage Arms at the time that I became involved. He had already made numerous improvements to the conversion; and then, I suggested several additional design modifications. The changes were then adopted by Advantage Arms. The improvements will increase the life, functioning and reliability of the conversion, hopefully making shooting more enjoyable.

In addition, Advantage Arms has improved the magazines tremendously. The company did an excellent job of designing the magazine, with only one minor suggestion from me. The magazines will definitely eliminate the “magazine woes” when shooting.

Advantage Arms will be selling an improved model of my original design directly to customers or companies that wish to carry a high quality .22 1911 conversion. I tested an “out of the box” conversion with thousands of rounds and am pleased with the results. The target model held X-ring at 50 yards, averaging 1.7” with average ammo. The new Advantage Arms conversion will be an excellent ‘trigger time” training weapon for IDPA, USPSA, law enforcement, and self-defense.

2. Will conversion units be sold by me from Marvel Custom Guns Shop?

Yes, my shop will offer a bullseye match grade model of the same unit sold by Advantage Arms.

3. What distinguishes an Advantage Arms/ Marvel Match .22 Conversion from the unit sold by Advantage Arms?

The features listed below will be available only on the conversion unit ordered directly from Marvel Custom Shop. At this time, accuracy work will not be performed on conversions purchased from Advantage Arms or other businesses; however, this decision may change at a later date.

The Marvel match .22 conversion unit ordered from my shop includes the following features.

- The unit will be re-barreled and tuned.

- The conversion and magazine will be test fired, with expected results of sub one inch groups.

- The test target will be included with the unit, stating the type of ammo used.

- The conversion barrel will be engraved with a serial number which will denote the unit number sold from my shop and

verify that it was purchased from me, rather than elsewhere.

- Although a fully adjustable rear sight comes installed on the conversion, a customer may request that a scope rib be

installed in lieu of the iron sight at no additional cost. A customer may also purchase both styles of ribs for an additional

cost.

- Additional accessories or modifications may be offered at a later date. Specific customer requests will be handled on an

individual basis.

4. What features are common on the conversion unit, regardless of whether the unit is ordered directly from Advantage Arms or me?

The Marvel match conversion will include all the components and honors the same warranty information as provided by Advantage Arms. In summary, the Advantage Arms/Marvel .22 1911 conversion unit features the following.

- Last round lock back

- Excellently designed custom fitted case

- Complete cleaning tool kit, including patches, barrel brush, patch ends and oil.

- Take down tool, slide stop and magazine reloading tool

- Champion fully adjustable rear sight

- 4.85 inch barrel

- “Marvel Logo” displayed on the back of the slide

- One Polymer 10 round magazine (not Kimber)

** The new Advantage Arms magazine will work on the conversion unit sold by Marvel Precision; however, the lock-back tab on the M.P. conversion needs to be ground off so as to not damage the slide. **

** Magazines sold by Marvel Precision will not work with the Advantage Arms/Marvel conversion - the gun and conversion unit will not function. **

I suggest that you view the Advantage Arms website, www.advantagearms.com/1911conversion, which displays the features and specifications of the conversion in an excellent manner.

5. What is the cost of the Advantage Arms/Marvel Match .22 conversion?

- Conversion unit $395.00 (includes all features explained in questions #3 & #4 above, and on Advantage Arms website)

- Additional magazines $25.00 per magazine

- Additional springs $7.00 per spring

- Both iron sights and scope rib $60.00

- Shipping TBA

No deposits are necessary when placing an order. Discounts will not be given for multiple orders from the same individual.

6. How do you order an Advantage Arms/ Marvel Match .22 conversion unit?

My wife, Deb Hiesterman, and I have had numerous discussions regarding the conversion business. We both agree that she will become the manager of the conversion aspect of my business. For the purposes of maintaining continuity in the conversion business and to assist with communication, I request that all inquiries about the unit or purchase orders be handled specifically through her, rather than by contacting me via phone or email. This decision will allow me to have more time to do what I love to do – custom pistol work – and provide her with opportunities to utilize her strengths in management, planning and communication. And yes, she is quite familiar with guns!

An email address for Deb, dedicated specifically for the conversion business, has been established.

Please send all orders and correspondence regarding my Match .22 conversion directly to Deb at :

match22@bobmarvelguns.com

7. How soon can you expect to receive your Marvel Match .22 conversion?

We anticipate that the first shipments will begin in approximately 90 days. Shipment of your conversion will occur sequentially, based upon when your order was received in comparison with other order requests. If you sent more than one email, please know that we will use the date of your 1st email as the purchase request date. We hope to fulfill the current orders prior to Camp Perry (and hopefully more). As you are aware, the ability to ship involves numerous variables (cooperation from Nebraska weather so that we can test fire your conversion, the quantity of standard conversions provided to us, time involved to make the modifications necessary for match accuracy, etc.) . Given that, know that we are as anxious to ship as you are to receive your unit; however, we will not sacrifice quality and high standards in the sake of fulfilling orders quickly! You are ordering a “match” conversion - that will be what is shipped to you. Deb will notify you via email prior to shipping your unit.

8. How do you pay for your conversion and/or accessories?

No deposits are required when you place an order. Prior to shipping, Deb will contact you via email so that you can pay for the conversion and/or accessories. As soon as payment is received and confirmed, shipment will occur via US mail.

You may pay in one of two ways:

- Write a check directly to her, Deb Hiesterman, and mail to 2303 County Rd. GG, Crete, NE 68333

OR

- Pay with a system similar to Pay Pal, which has yet to be established.

We will provide additional information about the 2nd option at a later date. Credit cards will not be accepted.

I sincerely appreciate your support and interest in the Advantage Arms/Marvel Match .22 1911 conversion. I hope that this information has been helpful to you. I believe that your purchase will provide enjoyment and accurate shooting, regardless of whether you are a “plinker” or “master bullseye champion”. In addition, I think you will enjoy working with “my sweetie”, Deb.

Sincerely,

Bob Marvel

I am looking forward to being more involved in Bob’s business (maybe I will see him more) and to have the opportunity to work with you. I believe that I have forwarded this document to everyone who has emailed Bob with either inquiries about the conversion unit or who indicated an interest in purchasing a unit.

In order to ensure that your emails have been interpreted correctly and to substantiate actual orders, I have attached another document, “Advantage Arms/Marvel Match .22 Conversion Order Form”. Please complete the order form and email back to me as an attachment (match22@bobmarvelguns.com). Your order form will be attached to your original email. If you have decided not to order a Marvel Match conversion, please email me regarding that decision. For our reference, it would be helpful if you specified the reason for your decision.

Please feel free to forward the information letter and order form to others who may be interested in the Advantage Arms/Marvel Match .22 Conversion unit. I will also post the information on several prominent forums.

Thank you for your patience during the time that Bob and I have been planning and organizing this aspect of his business. I can assure you that correspondence in the future will be addressed in a timely manner. Please do not hesitate to email me with additional inquiries or comments (either positive or negative). If I don’t know the answer to your question, I know someone very well that can serve as my consultant and teacher!

Thank you for supporting Bob and his business.

Sincerely,

Deb Hiesterman

======

/Bryan

Edited March 28, 2008 by Canuck-IL

[Mistral404]

Just a side note: I found 5 of the Tactical Solutions .22lr conversion at a guns store in Maryland yesterday.

[scribble]

Just a side note: I found 5 of the Tactical Solutions .22lr conversion at a guns store in Maryland yesterday.

At what price though?

[Mistral404]

$6 cheaper than retail. ~$419 for the basic. They also had rails and threaded barrels. At first because of the weight, I thought the slide was steel. But as we took it apart, it became apparent that the slide is Al. and the @^#%@% barrel was the cause of all the weight. It is a little trickier to disassemble and reassembly than the Marvel.

I almost bit the bullet and purchased one but I already have a Marvel (from Wilson) that works fine with the right ammo.

I should would like to find some more magazines that are not $50.

[chuckbradley]

STI conversion Kits on web page for sale. These are preorder as I see a great big demand for these by the response so far. So I have product on order and am taking orders that will be filled by date the order was placed.

http://shootersconnection.com/store/produc...roducts_id=1062

That links not working for me.

1911

http://shootersconnection.com/store/produc...roducts_id=1061

2011

http://shootersconnection.com/store/produc...roducts_id=1062

Sorry, dont know how I messed the link up. And screwed the price up at first.

Edited March 28, 2008 by chuckbradley

[chuckbradley]

From my experiences with them, add 2 months at least to those dates. Some people are often very optimistic. Not related to Marvel, but I ordered the Tac Solutions 1911 upper at SHOT last year with a promise date of 2-4 weeks. After 6 months I canceled the order and ordered the Marvel. I don't mind waiting for something, I just want straight answers from someone once they have my money.

We do not charge your card for an order until we ship. Of course unless its a custom order.

[kgunz11]

From my experiences with them, add 2 months at least to those dates. Some people are often very optimistic. Not related to Marvel, but I ordered the Tac Solutions 1911 upper at SHOT last year with a promise date of 2-4 weeks. After 6 months I canceled the order and ordered the Marvel. I don't mind waiting for something, I just want straight answers from someone once they have my money.

We do not charge your card for an order until we ship. Of course unless its a custom order.

Chuck,

When I said "Some people are often very optimistic." I wasn't referring to you guys. Mike has been a ton of help in getting me set up with the right gear and all of my orders have shipped same day. I can't say enough for the quality of service I have gotten from you guys. I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't talking about YOU being overly optimistic.

Thanks,

Bobby

[chuckbradley]

From my experiences with them, add 2 months at least to those dates. Some people are often very optimistic. Not related to Marvel, but I ordered the Tac Solutions 1911 upper at SHOT last year with a promise date of 2-4 weeks. After 6 months I canceled the order and ordered the Marvel. I don't mind waiting for something, I just want straight answers from someone once they have my money.

We do not charge your card for an order until we ship. Of course unless its a custom order.

Chuck,

When I said "Some people are often very optimistic." I wasn't referring to you guys. Mike has been a ton of help in getting me set up with the right gear and all of my orders have shipped same day. I can't say enough for the quality of service I have gotten from you guys. I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't talking about YOU being overly optimistic.

Thanks,

Bobby

Bobby, Didnt think you meant us at the least. I know what you mean though. We are running into more and more problems getting product delivered to us.

Funny thing happened Friday. One manufacturer called, the head guy, and asked if we had a certain product in stock for a customer. Now I appreciate this manufacturer thinking about us but I came back with this response. I should have it, I dont but i should. Then I copied and pasted the order for that item and the expected delivery date that was 5 weeks past due. I then asked him to let me know when I will get my order and i will let him know when I will have the product.

I couldn't resist. He didnt respond so that order may just be lost or delayed another 5 weeks.

[B.J. Norris]

$6 cheaper than retail. ~$419 for the basic. They also had rails and threaded barrels. At first because of the weight, I thought the slide was steel. But as we took it apart, it became apparent that the slide is Al. and the @^#%@% barrel was the cause of all the weight. It is a little trickier to disassemble and reassembly than the Marvel.

I almost bit the bullet and purchased one but I already have a Marvel (from Wilson) that works fine with the right ammo.

I should would like to find some more magazines that are not $50.

Mistral404,

It is true that most of the weight of the TacSol 2211 conversion comes from the barrel, and we are working on various ways to bring the weight down for competition. However, for practice, it does simulate the weight of a normal Limited, or Open gun much closer than any other 22 upper on the market.

To the best of my knowledge, TacSol has never made a conversion with an Al. slide. They did a great job of reducing the weight of the steel slide so it can function on SV ammo, not just HV. I've shot a lot of different kinds of ammo through mine with nary a bobble. If the slide on the upper you saw was Al., then I'd seriously question whether it was TacSol upper.

[joecichlid]

BJ, if you are working on the TacSol conversion shoot me a PM. I have an idea that might be of interest to you about weight and how to drop some from the kit.

Joe W.