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There are a couple other good points about the STI. The big one is that they will work with you on custom features if you are interested on that. And they really do know what will work and won't for their pistols. I have had some friends buy from them.

A second great thing is, if you are in the area and buying from them, it is not too hard (from what my friends have said) to get a tour of their factory. With the proviso that the friends are all LEO's and STI is very pro-LEO so I don't know if they do this for everyone, I think it would be very cool to see them make the gun and then buy it and try it on their test range.

Armscor/Rock Island 1911s are good, dependable, budget firearms. More often than not I trust my life to one when I get up and holster my carry gun for the day. I also have a PT1911 in my carry rotation as well as a recently added Kimber TLE II. Get a good holster and you can conceal any size 1911. The real secret to IWB concealed carry is grip length, as mentioned above. You don't want any true "drop in" parts for the Taurus PT1911, or any other 1911 for that matter. 1911s need to have parts fitted to ensure they work right. Guns with tighter tolerances need more fitting than guns that have looser tolerances. I'll give you a run down on my experience with what I have recently had in my hands:

STI (unsure what model): Not man made, created by god and delivered by angles. I really want one.
Kimber TLE: Great gun, tight fit, very little play. Only regret I have buying it is not doing so much sooner.
Rock Island Armory (5" GI and compact tactical): You get what you pay for, and then alot more. Dependable, reliable, rugged guns that make Glocks look un-reliable.
Taurus PT1911: Good guns, great shooters, more features for the money than anything else on the market.
Smith and Wesson (Unsure what model): Tighter tolerances than the RIA and Taurus guns, not even close to the kimber. External Extractor only thing I didn't like.
Remington Rand (I wouldn't mind owning one): This old war horse (Literally) was so worn that I expected it for fall apart when fired. Somehow it grouped better for me than other guns I shot that day.
Colt Commander: I wanted a colt until I got to try this one. Gun fired flawlessly for the first five magazines and then required cleaning to make function. never got it to run more than 43 rounds between cleanings without failures, even after several trips back to Colt. My friend traded it for an LCR, and didn't shed a tear.

Now my experiences are not going to be exactly the same as yours, and the individual guns I have shot may not reflect accurately on the manufacturers history, but I will use these experiences to help determine what I buy when I get my next 1911.

G.A. Heath wrote:I'll give you a run down on my experience with what I have recently had in my hands:

STI (unsure what model): Not man made, created by god and delivered by angles. I really want one.

What does the bull barrel do for me? I understand that it is a very good thing in long arms but in a side arm?
Looking at the STI's, how is the 2011?
Also, are the adjustable rear sights needed. I love to tinker and if I have a adj. screw, well then I will adjust it.
What are the main differences between the 10mm and .45? Any reason to choose one over the other?

RocTrac-

Go here- http://forums.1911forum.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can learn more about the 1911 design pistols than you ever wanted. Open and frank discussions of most major brands as well as information on parts, holsters etc.

Springfields are very good value pistols. They also have a custom shop that turns out some of the best 1911's made. You can go from mild to wild.

I own and carry a full size Les Baer, the Custom Carry model. I have owned too many 1911's over the years to give you an accurate count. Baer is the best that I have ever owned, by far. Totally reliable, thru 5000 plus rds, and very accurate- under 3 inches @ 50 yrds. They are not cheap, but the only thing that you need to do to them is to shoot them.

STI 2011 - 14 rounds of 45! This is a surprisingly comfortable gun. It looks HUGE and it looks really heavy. However, it is so well balanced the weight is not noticed and the being a 1911 design the size is not noticed either. I do have very small hands and short finger yet this gun fits!

OK, OK, after reading all these post, yall have gotten me interested in 1911's again. I was originally in the market for a Glock 23, but have always admired 1911's. I went to STI to look at some of their models and I really like the Rogue and the Guardian. I particularly like the State silhouette on it.

I also really like the Kimber Pro Carry II.

Have all the P series ParaOrds and really like them. Handled a GI Expert this weekend and really liked it. Well made, not loose and the price is right. Think I'm gonna have to get one.

Pete92FS wrote:I carry both a Para GI Expert (5") and a Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry II (3") and love the both.

If you plan on tinkering and upgrading I would do my homework on the Taurus 1911's before I bought one. I don't think their parts are interchangeable with other brand 1911's and vice veresa. I may be wrong - if there are any Taurus 1911 owners out there please correct me if I'm wrong.

My son's PT1911 has my Kimber's original slide stop on it. That part was defective in my Kimber as delivered, which the factory replaced within days of my purchase at no charge. 800 rounds or so into owning the Taurus, the slide stop pin broke in half during the range session. I had the "defective" Kimber part with me. We dropped it in, and he kept right on shooting. It is still there today.

CompVest wrote:STI 2011 - 14 rounds of 45! This is a surprisingly comfortable gun. It looks HUGE and it looks really heavy. However, it is so well balanced the weight is not noticed and the being a 1911 design the size is not noticed either. I do have very small hands and short finger yet this gun fits!

That's a great point. If someone has even a passing interest in the 1911/2011 format and has never shot one of the 2011 double-stacks, I urge them to do so. When you first pick it up, you'll swear there is no way there could be a double-stack mag holding that many rounds of .45 ACP inside a grip that small. But there is. And if you want even more capacity and don't mind the mag sticking out, you can have it.

I know that if anyone is interested there will be two STI 2011's at the next George R Brown gun show the first weekend in December at Cypress Firearms.

RocTrac wrote:After shooting a 1911 a few months back, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. How does it carry and are there any suggestions. What makes and models to stay away from etc...I currently have a XD 40 SC and it is in no way the pleasure to shoot as the 1911 was.

Just out of curiosity...what is it exactly that you liked about shooting a 1911? If it is the ergonomics and pointability, you should try out its slightly younger brother, the Browning Hi Power. Wonderfully balanced pistol, very flat, VERY reliable, conceals nicely. 13, 15, or 17 round mags available (20 also, but they stick out quite a bit). It doesn't have the crisp trigger that the 1911 is capable of, but it is not bad, and can be improved considerably from stock. It is 9mm (or .40) versus .45ACP of course, so if you are hung up on the .45 caliber, it's not for you. But if it is the way it feels when you shoot, check it out. I have a PT-1911, and to me it has a very similar feel (no surprise) but is noticeably bigger and certainly holds far less ammo for the size (for a standard 1911).

Just a thought...

Can anyone tell me i.t.o.o. about the durability of an STI 1911 vs. a Kimber.

Tha_Veteran wrote:Can anyone tell me i.t.o.o. about the durability of an STI 1911 vs. a Kimber.

One of my brothers carries a STI Escort .45 on a daily basis. It shoots great. Conceals easily. Is very well made.
He's had absolutely 0 problems. The internals are in fine shape. The external finish shows no sign of holster wear.
(he uses leather holsters exclusively). I carry a Kimber Ultra (alot). All the statements made above apply to the
Ultra too. Both guns are extremely accurate (especially for 3" barrels).
My next gun will be a STI. Why? Just because. Because I'd like a gun made in Texas by Texans. Besides, you can't have
too many 1911's. For carry, I like either the Escort or Guardian in .45acp. YMMV

+1 to the above about both Kimber and STI.