Ordering STI GM from dawson- please help me.

[skorittnig]

Hi guys and gals,

I am in the process of ordering an STI GM from Dawson, and I'd like to hear from you all what I should be looking at getting- for example:

1). tuned mags?

2). Is the C-more scope mount with blast shield necessary? Is the Kidd blast shield just as good ($80 less than the mount)

3). Which dot module should I get (2 moa, 4, 6, 8...???). Should I get more than one?

4). Which length of mags should I be looking at (140/170mm???). How many mags should I have???

5). Which base pads should I be looking at? Are they legal with these long mags???

Is there anything else I should be looking into? any other customizations with the gun?

Please, if you respond, do you best to answer as many of these questions as you have time to- all advice will be read and considered seriously.

Thanks to all,

skorittnig

[G-ManBart]

Hi guys and gals,

I am in the process of ordering an STI GM from Dawson, and I'd like to hear from you all what I should be looking at getting- for example:

1). tuned mags?

2). Is the C-more scope mount with blast shield necessary? Is the Kidd blast shield just as good ($80 less than the mount)

3). Which dot module should I get (2 moa, 4, 6, 8...???). Should I get more than one?

4). Which length of mags should I be looking at (140/170mm???). How many mags should I have???

5). Which base pads should I be looking at? Are they legal with these long mags???

Is there anything else I should be looking into? any other customizations with the gun?

Please, if you respond, do you best to answer as many of these questions as you have time to- all advice will be read and considered seriously.

Thanks to all,

skorittnig

A bunch of things come to mind right away. First, based upon your questions, it sounds like you're not shooting Open right now. With that in mind, I'd suggest a couple of things. One, for the same amount of money, you can buy a fully custom gun that's going to be better than a Grandmaster. The GM isn't a bad gun, and I've bought a couple of guns from Dawson, so it's not a dig at either company....it's just the way things are. While it would involve a wait of a couple of months a Bedell Custom would be the same amount of money (actually less if you don't add options).

I've had several Dawson tuned mags and they worked, but they were down on capacity from tuned mags from other providers. I'd suggest ordering HSmith mags from Chuck at Shooters Connection. You'll want at least one 170mm and three 140mm mags to start, but having a spare 170mm mag does make life easier for times when you shoot one stage last and the next stage first...you've already got another big stick loaded.

On a GM the blast shield probably isn't necessary since it's a long way from the scope to the comp, but it won't hurt anything....the Kidd shield would also work fine...no real difference in how the two setups work.

More people seem to use 6 or 8 MOA dots than anything else. I have both 6 and 8 and the biggest difference I see is that the 8 is brighter, but that just might be a coincidence. I'd say get it with either of those and if you don't like it, it's easy enough to change later.

Basepads don't make much difference except on the 170mm mags where they can cause them to be too long. Again, I'd go back to suggesting the HSmith tuned mags from SC. They'll fit the gauge and work like a champ. I have a couple of his 140mm mags and they hold an easy 24/25 with a Dawson SNL pad (SV tubes) one 170mm STI tube with a Dawson SNL that holds 30rds, one 170mm SV tube with a Dawson +1 that holds 30 and an experimental SV tube with a Bolen pad (not sure of the length but it fits the gauge) that holds 31. You simply won't find better mags and they're almost too pretty to shoot!

The only thing I can think of to add to a GM would be a slide racker of some kind. I like the Sidewinder from SC the best...it's out of the way of your thumbs and works perfectly. It makes table starts easier since the gun is propped up and makes unloaded starts much easier since you don't have to try and pinch the slide under the scope. Have it installed with a ball detent setup and you can pull it off in a second for disassembly. R,

[Supermoto]

Hi guys and gals,

I am in the process of ordering an STI GM from Dawson, and I'd like to hear from you all what I should be looking at getting- for example:

1). tuned mags?....yes, while Fatory mags may or may not work, tuned mags are worth the expense, one less problem to worry about, if the gun doesn't run, the first thing people ask it what mags are you running. Do it right the first time, it will save time and hassle down the road

2). Is the C-more scope mount with blast shield necessary? Is the Kidd blast shield just as good ($80 less than the mount) I haven't tried the Kidd blast shield, all my mounts have the blast shield built in, at the very least, they keep the lens cleaner, worth the extra expense.

3). Which dot module should I get (2 moa, 4, 6, 8...???). Should I get more than one? Personally, I like the 8moa, I found 6 to be to small especially on bright days. It will come down to personal preference, I have a few 6moa, so if you get a 8 and think its to big, I would be happy to trade you. its also good to have a back up, if the module dies

4). Which length of mags should I be looking at (140/170mm???). How many mags should I have??? you can never have to many mags, 3 140 and 1 170mm is a good starting place, I use my 170s for everying except classifiers.

5). Which base pads should I be looking at? Are they legal with these long mags??? Dawson +1s or Grams 4mm should fit the gauge, if you get tuned mags, you won't have to worry about this, I have SV mags with Grams 4mm that will not fit the gauge, had to be filed to fit wiith Dawson +1 basepads

Is there anything else I should be looking into? any other customizations with the gun?

Please, if you respond, do you best to answer as many of these questions as you have time to- all advice will be read and considered seriously.

Thanks to all,

skorittnig

[shred]

In Open, the only mag you care about capacity in is the 170 (you'll want 2 at some point, but one that's tuned will keep you going for a long time). You'll want to be able to run 27+ rounds in that, preferably more. All the other mags it's far far more relevant that they run 100%. If you need that one more round, grab the big stick. You'll want 3-4 'short' mags for classifiers and in case they get dirty. Get 'em tuned too. I suggest tool less basepads-- makes it much easier to clean them. Probably 80+% of STI/SV shooters run the Dawson pads.

The blast-shield mount has a replaceable shield. It'll take a while for it to get chewed on. If you want a gas-pedal thumb-rest, the STI puts them one place and the DP another-- which ever you prefer, but the pedals don't interchange.

I like the 12 MOA dot, but most people seem to like the 6's and 8's.

The Grandmaster comes chromed I think-- if you want to cut on it, that's not going to work so well.

[Jon Merricks]

Not turning this into a debate but you should also consider a thumb shield and slide racker, also the Dawson Low Pro mag button.

A trigger job too before he sends it.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I agree with almost everything written so far, but

just one more thought:

I just bought a Trubor rather than the GM, and

from what I've read all you are buying with the

extra money is cosmetics (I stand to be corrected).

You might want to save the money, buy a Trubor,

and definitely buy Howard's tuned mags - also, add

a long ejector so the cartridge cases don't get stuck

in the ejection process.

Good luck - I love my Trubor.

[BSeevers]

Find a good smith and buy his gun. You will be searching for one eventually.

[mmcnx]

Consider a Brazo, again he has a wait but the product is top shelf and everything works when it show up. Bob is one of the best known smiths in the country and he earned his reputation with top quality product and service.

[dstroyed]

I bought a GM from Dawson early this year. I have as much as money in this gun as other custom guns out there but I needed a gun yesterday when I bought this one. Shoots great, my wife now shoots it.

The racker is debatable. The saber tooth slide cuts really allow you to grip the slide well. I shot this gun a couple of matches before the racker was installed. Going from a gun with a racker to no racker I thought I would have issues, none at all. The reason I put the racker on is for simplicity for my wife and ease of snatching gun off a flat surface. Also when the gun is on a flat surface with a big mag release its pretty easy to eject that mag when resting on the big button.

The racker is SS but not shiny when new. I smoothed and cleaned it up with a dremel and it now matches the hard chrome.

Also had Dave install his *thumb rest [generic]*.

DP enhancement package

Tuned 4 mags and number them.

Mag release button

Aftec extractor

Gun comes with a STI SS mag well. I installed a DP Ice I had.

Plenty of good advice from everyone. You have lots of choices in this price range.

Edited September 10, 2008 by dstroyed

[dstroyed]

Forgot to mention something. If you buy a stock STI open gun buy from a someone who will go through the gun and make sure it is reliable. Please don't assume the gun will run perfect from the factory.

Off all the questions you asked and suggestions from everyone. Reliability package is one thing i would not go without regardless if its from Dave, Bob or any other smith.

[Matt P.]

Get your SI GM from Dave and pay him for the reliability package. Have him tune all your mags. Get a trigger job from Dave if you desire so instead f buying a little of this from this guy, alittle of that from another guy, Dave can get you setup reliably with the push of a button.

[PJ BAD]

I bought a GM from Dawson early this year. I have as much as money in this gun as other custom guns out there but I needed a gun yesterday when I bought this one. Shoots great, my wife now shoots it.

The racker is debatable. The saber tooth slide cuts really allow you to grip the slide well. I shot this gun a couple of matches before the racker was installed. Going from a gun with a racker to no racker I thought I would have issues, none at all. The reason I put the racker on is for simplicity for my wife and ease of snatching gun off a flat surface. Also when the gun is on a flat surface with a big mag release its pretty easy to eject that mag when resting on the big button.

The racker is SS but not shiny when new. I smoothed and cleaned it up with a dremel and it now matches the hard chrome.

Also had Dave install his *thumb rest [generic]*.

DP enhancement package

Tuned 4 mags and number them.

Mag release button

Aftec extractor

Gun comes with a STI SS mag well. I installed a DP Ice I had.

Plenty of good advice from everyone. You have lots of choices in this price range.

dstroyed,

How is the slide racker attached? I didnt think there was enough metal on the lightened slide to cut a dovetail.

Thanks

[G-ManBart]

Get your SI GM from Dave and pay him for the reliability package. Have him tune all your mags. Get a trigger job from Dave if you desire so instead f buying a little of this from this guy, alittle of that from another guy, Dave can get you setup reliably with the push of a button.

Having bought two guns and a bunch of other items from Dave, I don't think this is a real dig...his mag tuning isn't as good as you can get from other sources. At one point I bought two "tuned" 140mm .40 mags from him and added his basepads. One held only 17 rounds....and I mean you could barely get the 17th in it. With the same components everyone else gets at least a reloadable 19 in a tuned tube. This tube was reloadable 16 so it became my barney mag....pretty expensive barney mag. Yes, I could have tried sending it back, but if their tuning was really that good, it shouldn't have happened in the first place. I suspect it's just polishing, setting the feed lips and etching the numbers, but that's just a guess. R,

[dstroyed]

PJ,

Dave cut a dove tail slot in the slide. The racker has a set screw on the ejection side of the frame that holds it in place.

My son's and my open guns both have rackers but they have ball and detent set up to hold the racker in place. I works great, no tools needed.