Sidearms & Scatterguns STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

[squirrelsnpr]

Looking at carrying an STI Tactial 5.0 for duty. With that being said it needs to be stone cold reliable. Ive been told the double stacks can have feeding issues. Ive shot an Edge a few times and didnt have any issues except when not using the supplied mag. I dont know if the issues were from other manufacters when the double stacks came out and they haven't been able to shake the stigma?

Im looking at the Tactical series b/c i want to carry more ammo in the gun then with a single stack and i need a light rail. - Thanks

 

[Shoottothrill]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

Don't know much about the STI'S, but I have a springfield armory TRP, that I run Chip Mccormick 10 round mags in and it is 100% reliable and a very high quality .45. Mags only Extend out the bottom a half inch. When I carry concealed I go with the eight rounders.

 

[ShortRangeSniper]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

Tough to evaluate STIs for everyday use since this is a new direction for them. I shoot competition with a bunch of folks who run STIs in limited. I have been shooting with them for three years and every one of them has had issues with their guns on multiple occasions. I shoot Production and I have not had a single issue with my competition guns; an M&P and now a Gen 4 G35.

Their STIs are tuned race guns that are getting run hard, but my stock guns have been run just as hard with zero issues.

 

[deadly0311]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I shoot an STI Tactical 5.0 in 9mm, its my winter carry gun. With the factory STI mags, 100% flawless with Hornady Critical Duty ammo. It took me a while to find a defense load that it liked and would eat 100%. After that it is smooth sailing, its easily my most accurate handgun and the most fun to shoot.

 

[PatrickChewing]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I agree with Deadly. I have a Tactical 4.0 in 9mm. I had it tuned by Eddie Jimenia. He worked the trigger to about 3-3.2 lbs and he worked over a bunch of mags.

This pistol is amazing. It's my first 2011 type pistol. I did a good bit of research before I purchased it and I'm very very very happy with it. I was never much of a pistol guy but after buying the STI I shoot it all the time. I have have run it through two pistol classes and about 2300-2500 rounds. Everything has been very reliable and without a doubt the most accurate and tame pistol I have ever shot.

I do not think you will go wrong. If you want PM me and I will tell you where I bought and I can give you Eddie's contact info if you want everything tuned when you get it.


Clay

 

[Hummerdawg]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

Swap in an Aftec extractor and some magazine spacers and you will be good to go. I have shot over 50,000 rounds of 9mm in STI's

 

[Jaytrigger]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I have an STI trojan that I have never had a hiccup. It has served me well for the 2 or so years I have had it. Quite an amazing gun

 

[SgtDave]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I shoot SVI pistols and they have no reliability issues. Most people you see having problems are due to ammo that was not reloaded correctly. I have a SVI sightracker that has over 50,000 rounds through it and I think I had to rack the slide 3 times last year during a USPSA stage so you should have no worries. The STI tactical with factory duty ammo and good magazines should be as good as any other duty weapon. I have seen my share of Glocks and M&P's puke on the range as well.

 

[drglock]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

most issues with STI's is us guys that use them in matches trying to get more rounds in the mag than they were really intended for.

 

[chainring]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

My 9mm STI Tactical from years ago was not 100%, but it was fun to shoot. The fact that it was 9mm probably didn't help. If I ever got back into a 1911, I might try a Legion (STI-based,) as their philosophy is basically the opposite of the ridiculous Les Baer pay-through-the-nose-AND-blow-a-thousand-rounds-of-ammo-final-fitting-your-sidearm-on-your-own-by-wear thing that they actually brag about. STI is somewhere in between, it seemed. Very smooth, obvious quality, but still choked periodically. I got the distinct impression that I was being hoodwinked into owning an expensive status symbol/dick ruler, so I sold out the 1911s and went with a reliable power tool. If I had the extra money to burn, I'd sign up for a Legion in .45 though. There is still nothing else with the charisma of a 1911/2011.

 

[Downzero]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I wouldn't hesitate to carry it, but it MUST be a .45. 9mm and .40 caliber 1911s with full length actions lack the required reliability for duty use.

I run an STI in Limited and it runs absolutely excellent, but I also load my ammo very long. I have run factory ammo in it and it runs fine, but I would not trust it because the action is too long for the cartridge.

A .45 would solve these concerns.

If I was made of money, I might buy a 9mm STI Tactical and shoot 10,000 rounds through it and try to make it malfunction. A good, ramped 9mm 1911 with the right ammunition could be very reliable for all I know, but it would have to be proven for me before it would be anything more than a range/match toy.

I do have an unramped 9mm 1911 and it is very fun to shoot, but it is anything but 100%.

 

[BlueVFRank]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

My Edge in 40SW runs flawless and my ammo is 1.185 (.05 longer than factory length). So it's not always necessary to load out to 1.2 or longer.

The most important thing is good mags after that it is easy sailing.

It's tru that a lot of guys run in to trouble trying to get 19 rounds of 40 in their 126mm (short) mags. The same goes for the USPSA guys going for 21 rounds in the 140 mm mags.

I would trust my live to my Edge. Your mileage may vary

 

[ColoWyo]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I purchased my 9mm STI Trojan from Brazos and had them give it their high performance package. I think that's what it's called.

Anyway, it has been 100% reliable. Keep in mind, this is all FMJ's for IPSC stuff. But, if I ran a bunch of hollow points through it with out issue, I'd carry it with no hesitation.

 

[Downzero]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BlueVFRank</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My Edge in 40SW runs flawless and my ammo is 1.185 (factory length). </div></div>

1.185 is significantly longer than factory length .40 S&W. I believe the SAAMI max for .40 S&W is 1.135".

I load to 1.200" or so, but my gun runs fine at 1.185". 1.135 (factory length) is a whole different ball game. Mine does run at that length, but feeding is obviously smoother at the longer COAL.

 

[DT1]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

The STI/SVI guns got a reputation early on as a "game gun" due to the fact they started in IPSC (mid 90's). Many had problems but mostly due to being built on STI frame kits by jack leg gunsmiths.

I don't know why they don't get more play as a carry gun. The polymer grip helps with weight and they run flawlessly when in factory built configuration or are built by a competent gunsmith. I've got a 9mm hi-cap STI that has over 15k rounds through it. I can count on one hand the number of jams I've had and they've been due to ammo issues (my reloads).

 

[MGN]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

What caliber are you looking at for the tactical? I have a 2011 in 9mm that runs like a scalded ape with the 140mm mags and had to tune the 120mm to get them to run 100%. I do have a couple of single stack 1911 STI's 9 and 45 that run with no issues. Then I have a Para Ordnance 14/45 Limited double stack that has never failed to feed or run.....only exception was I bent the extractor once by accident while cleaning it - first time to clean a 1911 and I straightened the damn thing not knowing any different. None of them have had length issues, I did remove the spacers then put them back in due to the followers rocking.

 

[armada]

Re: STI Tactical - Thoughts and Expirence

I have the same gun your talking about and have had over 20K rounds through it. My mags are older ones and were tuned by Limcat Custom when he had a shop here in my area. I can honestly say it has never failed in any way. I don't even clean it until I fire a few thousand rounds through it. It just runs and shoots straight. I run Winchester ranger ammo through mine.

Love the pistol. I'll probably buy another and have it converted to 10mm.