mwx40x40 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 What am I missing? What is the difference between these two STI's that warrant the huge difference in price? Seems like most people opt for the Trojan. Is the Sentry worth the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) The Sentry has a checkered front strap, Ambi safeties,Recoil master (which I don't like),and magwell standard size grips. The Trojan has a stippled front strap(which I don't like), and single sided safety and full length steel guide rod and thin grips. That is about it from what I can tell. If I do decide to get a single stack it will be the Sentry. Edit to Add: Sentry is forged frame,don't know about the Trojan just says steel frame? BK Edited August 28, 2009 by bkeeler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steel1212 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Sentry also has a forged frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) My Trojan came with ambi safeties at no extra charge, but that isn't how they're listed by STI. Personally, for the money I don't know why anybody would by a Sentry. It's not $500 better than a Trojan (both at list price) and it's nearly the price of a Les Baer Premier II which is a "better" gun all things considered. Don't get me wrong, I love STI and have had great success with their guns, I just don't see the value in the Sentry. By the time I had $1600 in my Trojan it was a far better competition gun than a Sentry would have been.....no comparison really. I don't like the scallops on the front strap as much as I like nice checkering, but I do like them more than I like poor checkering or checkering that's too rough (like 20LPI)....still, it's not a big deal.....for most people it's about looks more than anything else. 99% of the people out there would be better off buying the Trojan and putting the difference into practice ammo Edited August 28, 2009 by G-ManBart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFoley Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) The Trojan does have a cast frame, advantage Sentry. Sentry has checkering on the frontstrap, advantage Sentry. Sentry is $400 more, advantage Trojan. Trojan has an undercut trigger guard for a higher grip, advantage Trojan. If I were buying one, I would buy the Sentry because I like the checkering better than stippling, and while it doesn't make any difference, I like the forged frame. I also like that it comes standard with items you have to add to the Trojan, making the difference less than $400. Plus, I have already owned a Trojan, and would like to try a Sentry. There is nothing bad about either gun, they both will run with the right mags, ammo, and springs. They both feel good, and I am with both of them everyday. If you can handle both, then go with the one that fits you best, feels the best to you. Edited August 28, 2009 by fomeister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Sentry is $400 more, advantage Trojan. If I were buying one, I would buy the Sentry because I like the checkering better than stippling, and while it doesn't make any difference, I like the forged frame. I also like that it comes standard with items you have to add to the Trojan, making the difference less than $400. I'm not following anybody's math on this one. Using SC's list prices comparing both in .40 with fiber front sights it's $509 difference. If you compare .45s with fiber it's still $478 difference. That seems like a pretty clear $500 difference to me. What did you have to add to the Trojan? The only thing(s) I can think of are ambis (they didn't charge me for them on my Trojan) which, quite frankly, suck on either gun so they're going to get replaced either way sooner or later (when they crack) and the Recoil Master <insert gagging sound>....lol. I forgot the higher undercut on the Trojan which makes a huge difference for my grip. On my ancient single stack Open gun I did some Dremel work to get some of that undercut, but it wasn't as much and was definitely ugly. I certainly like front strap checkering and forged frames better and if STI had offered a Sentry with the higher undercut, checkered front strap and forged frame then it might have come close to being worth it in my book, but I'd probably still have added another $1-200 and gone with a Les Baer at that point. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) I prefer the wider grips too. Trojan has the thin grips. Agree about the Recoil Master. Sentry for me had a Trojan already. BK Edited August 28, 2009 by bkeeler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan550 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Ooops! Misread the post title! Thought it was a discussion about condoms! Those are brand names, right? (Thread drift OFF) Alan~^~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2MoreChains Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Sigh, we have to add to Fomeister's list: Trojans come with endless references to condoms. Sentry's don't, advantage Sentry I've heard nothing but ever since I got mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I see about a $205 difference. Add to Trojan: Magwell $80.00 Wider grips $60.00 for me. Recoil Master if desired. $89.00 (dislike) Did not add but Ambi Safety $60.00 if you had to purchase it would make the difference even smaller. It is all about personal preference. BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) I've been told that they will substitute standard grips at no charge. For me, paying for the RM, which I hate, would have been an added expese because I'd have to buy a standard guide rod to replace it....so it would increase the difference. Oh, and that magwell is a $27 part, not $80....and looks it Ambis are $45, not $60. So you're looking at $27 for the magwell, $89 for the RM and $45 for the ambis (assuming they don't kick them in free like they did on mine). We're still talking $161 if you wanted to add all three. $509 - 161 and we're still at $350 ($348) extra for some checkering and a "better" frame....that math just doesn't work out too well. R, Edit to add: I just checked on SC's website and yes, you can order them with standard grips for the same price. I also went and looked at the frame prices: STI sells their forged frame with with front strap checkering for $327 (this is the Sentry frame) and their standard frame (what the Trojan uses) for $204. That's all of $123 extra for the forged frame and checkering. That still leaves $225 unaccounted for.... Edited September 24, 2009 by Duane Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chills1994 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) I was a little disappointed with my Trojan because it came with a plastic main spring housing and a plastic trigger. I might have even complained about it to either STI directly and/or Chuck Bradley at Shooter's connection where I got it from, and the reply was "Well, most people are going to change them out anyway." Hmmn....ohhh-kaayyy... FWIW, I think I bought the last stainless Trojan in .45, possibly from STI, but definitely from Shooter's Connection. It is/was a $1,200 gun. I like the bling, what can I say? If I could have bought a single stack stainless frame and slide from STI, I think I would have gone that route instead. Back in about '94 when I bought my Colt 80 series, I was disappointed then too. It also came with a plastic trigger and plastic main spring housing. But maybe it was just the prices back then, that Colt was a $600 gun, in stainless. I have had it "smithed" and put at least $400 into it. The front sight was like swaged or peened into place originally and the Colts of the time had a reputation for launching their front sights into sub orbital trajectories, never to be found. The front was dovetailed across the slide for a Hi-Viz fiber optic, which was big and fat and good enough for IDPA. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone with the skinniest fiber optic Dawson puts out instead. It is wearing a Dawson front now. The Trojan will too, one of these days. Other than the Trojan coming in stainless, about the only other reason I picked that over the Spartan, was IIRC, the Spartan's trigger guard wasn't undercut. The Colt I first started out with was, and I really like it. A gunsmithing buddy and I surfed the Brownell's website. I think we tallied up another $400 in just parts alone to put the Trojan where I would like it. New internals, big mag well and grips, etc. With respect to the scallop like frontstrap "checkering" on my Trojan....I'm just going to cover it up with skateboard tape anyway. Edited August 28, 2009 by Chills1994 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I've been told that they will substitute standard grips at no charge. For me, paying for the RM, which I hate, would have been an added expese because I'd have to buy a standard guide rod to replace it....so it would increase the difference.Oh, and that magwell is a $27 part, not $80....and looks it Ambis are $45, not $60. So you're looking at $27 for the magwell, $89 for the RM and $45 for the ambis (assuming they don't kick them in free like they did on mine). We're still talking $161 if you wanted to add all three. $509 - 161 and we're still at $350 ($348) extra for some checkering and a "better" frame....that math just doesn't work out too well. R, Edit to add: I just checked on SC's website and yes, you can order them with standard grips for the same price. Did not know that about the grips or safety. I thought that they used an S&A magwell. Yeah I don't like the RM either. Thanks, BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I was a little disappointed with my Trojan because it came with a plastic main spring housing and a plastic trigger. I might have even complained about it to either STI directly and/or Chuck Bradley at Shooter's connection where I got it from, and the reply was "Well, most people are going to change them out anyway." Hmmn....ohhh-kaayyy... I think all STI guns come with the polymer trigger now. All of my guns get or are built with SV insert setups. I also dislike the plastic MS housing...just on principle. You can borrow my sight pusher if you want to put a skinny Dawson front on yours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chills1994 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Thanks for the offer, G-man, but I already have the uber expensive hundred something dollar plus sight pusher...which I then tweaked up with brass parts so as to NOT mar a gun's finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Is a forged frame really that much better? Thanks, BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I'd pay the extra $100-150 for one if I was building a gun, but I don't think it's really a big deal. Plenty of cast frames have lots of rounds on them. Now, if STI would offer the forged frame with the checkering and the high undercut, that would be a sweet combo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-JQ- Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I really like my trojan with the Dawson upgrade, but would/will be paying extra for a better finish and the removal of the ugliest roll marks on any pistol anywhere...I hate the name and the big honkin' horse on the slide. I just hope I get it sent off before I'm bored and have some dremel time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFoley Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I know someone who can make it prettier for you if you don't already have someone in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chills1994 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Define "forged". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I'd pay the extra $100-150 for one if I was building a gun, but I don't think it's really a big deal. Plenty of cast frames have lots of rounds on them. Now, if STI would offer the forged frame with the checkering and the high undercut, that would be a sweet combo! .........may have to send an email to see if they would consider doing the undercut. BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Define "forged". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forging BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chills1994 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 When I think forging, this is what I think of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXVWiGqeltM I was just curious if we were all on the same sheet of music as far as forging goes. As far as casting goes, hmmn... I dunno... There are some things I think casting excels at. Then there are others I think casting could be downright scarey. That's kinda why I tend to shy away from things made by Ruger. I just figured that with today's technology everyone was just putting a billet of steel or aluminum in a CNC booth, hitting a few buttons, and about a 1/2 hour later...VOILA! a 1911 frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkeeler Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 When I think forging, this is what I think of:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXVWiGqeltM Correct BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSmileyX Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I just received the Sentry in 9mm I ordered a couple of months ago w/high perf pkg. from Brazos custom. The trigger is fantastic which is of coarse Bob's doing. One thing you guys are wrong about is the gun having a plastic ms housing. Unless magnets started sticking to plastic and nobody told me, the ms housing is steel. The magwell/ms housing is 2 piece like a Brown, with a screw through the magwell into the ms housing. Another thing you get with the Sentry is that the slide is flat topped, not a big deal but... On a different vein, the slide rollmarks on the Trojan(nice name too) are imo ugly, the Sentry's rollmarks are much better looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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