They seem to be what i'm looking for in a 1911 and since most models are discontinued, they seem to be had for a good price.
Is there anything to look for in these guns? This will be my first 1911.
Or is there any other recommendation that is in the same quality/ features ?

(also debating between 9mm and 45 conversation for a different time)

I've looked at Dan Wesson and the SA TRP as well but STI seems to have a little more in features and workmanship?

Thanks in advance

Buy with confidence, I have owned several STI’s and still have a duty 1 that I will never part with. They are a great high performing pistol and have features that others get premiums for. My duty 1 has nearly 30,000 rounds and only has had spring changes never failed ever and drives tacks.

People will say too much MIM parts, I’m here to say they have made some great parts.

STI makes a great 1911. I have a couple of their 2011's and they shoot as well as my Les Baers. My son has a Dan Wesson CCO. I would buy one for a carry gun if it had a checkered front strap instead of the chain link front strap.

The Trojan is a decent 1911 for the price; actually a couple of notches above decent.  They really shine in non-45 chamberings like 9mm.

While not really on the same level of fit and finish as a $1500 DW, STI usually gets the important things right on the Trojans.

Things to look out for: if you want a .45, you want to avoid a ramped barrel.   They're more trouble than they're worth in .45 but work better in other calibers.
They used to ship their guns with a proprietary captured dual recoil spring assembly called the Recoilmaster, again more trouble than they are really worth.   Most owners shitcanned it sooner or later and replaced it with a solid guide rod.
The majority of STIs I owned or worked on have had a tight plunger that put a lot of pressure on the slide stop and made it hard to activate, meaning you got inconsistent lock back.  Check to see if yours will consistently lock the slide open on an empty mag.   The easy fix for this was replacing the slide stop.

which model would you recommend from Dan Wesson over an STI?

An STI Trojan in 9mm was a decent pistol, about like a Springfield Loaded.   The 45s had ramped barrels and reliability wasn’t in their favor.  Their grip safety has knuckle notches cut in it, some people didn’t notice, but it causes some people some significant pain when shooting.

Anything Dan wesson will be a lot better.  For a 5” steel, a Valor would be my pick.

Gotcha, I was thinking the STI was superior.  I'll switch over to the DW, how does the TRP compare to say a Valor?

Seem to run a similar price

STI has a great reputation within the competition community for guns that run pretty well and put up to hard use. They also have a great customer service history. They have also discontinued using anything not made in the US, as their cheaper Spartan line used to use Philippine frames.

You may want to check the competition forums (brian enos, etc) for sales or buying used.

I have owned 2 custom double stacks and a few of the single stacks, and they have always run well and lived up to whatever I've needed them to do.

Valor has better fit and finish and better parts.

well do, i guess it comes down to price point and features. I'm not so much interested in competing ATM, but you never know. I know I wasn't looking at the Spartan. But i stumbled upon the Trojan a couple of times.

They’re pretty close, but I’d buy a Valor ober a TRP every time because I detest excessive engraving and the TACTICAL really kills it for me.

The Valor will hold up to hard use as good as any.  STI has a reputation with match shooters because STI advertises at matches.   A Trojan has absolutely nothing special over a Dan Wesson for ‘hard use’.

Trojans also came with plastic mainspring housings, but Ed Brown chainlink steel housings match up real well.  The bluing on the STI sucks.

What helped STI is that they used ramped barrels a lot, and they knew how to fit them.  Kimber and Springfield used ramped barrels from time to time as well, but they seemed to be fit by a variety of random blind dipshits, and their 9mm guns were usually not properly sprung.

Sponsorship and advertising aside, when you deal with competitors whose guns actually spend more time in use than in the sock drawer, you tend to identify issues and (ideally) resolve them.   I've seen companies try to get into the competition world, get hit with a tsunami of complaints and feedback, and quietly slink away from it all, concluding competitors are just too much damn trouble to deal with.

The well-respected shops like EGW have built comp guns for years; they learn from their failures and incorporate those lessons into their parts.   STI does the same, but their attention to detail seems to wax and wane from month to month, depending on who owns them.

I agree.  I have not seen an STI in a while but my Valor is definitely nicer than a Trojan.

Seems like the Valor is the way to go. I'll start to look that direction instead. Are there any other DW models to keep in mind other than the Valor?

Edit: How about the Specialist?

I wouldn't hesitate with a valor, specialist, or pointman.  Depends on the features that you want.  Classic lines...Valor.  If you want to go railed...specialist.  For gaming/adjustable sights....pointman (note if you go 45 the new PM45 has frontstrap checkering, the older PM7-45 is a smooth front strap).   Then there's the vigil, which is aluminum framed for a little less weight.

regardless of which...DW 9mils are amazing.  I own a PM9 for gaming and a Valkyrie CCO for carry, and both are amazing.

FWIW i think you're going in the right direction with DW.  STI makes a very good "hard use" 1911 but the bluing on them sucks, and the chainlink crap on the STIs front strap is inferior grip wise to the standard checkering on DWs.

Now i have to decide between 9mm and .45ACP...    Thanks for all the help everyone, pretty much solidified the DW to be the direction to go to.

@Tacticool_Duck I'm not suggesting that you have to compete, I'm just saying that competitors are typically actually using the stuff they buy rather than just posting pictures of it on the internet. We also run stuff in bad weather, practice with it, and put it through higher round counts. I always like looking at Baer pics on the internet when they are brand new. Mine has probably 50k rounds through it at this point, and looks like ass. But damn if it doesn't shoot.

CW is high quality, I've owned a valor and will own more. but they are newer to the scene so less built up in comp circles. People are really taking to them with some double stacks in matches. Springfield has a good reputation but some people are mad about politics with them and some hate the tactical billboard. If you're going to run 1k rounds through it a month, any of the ones you're looking at will hold up. And the price is a wash once you're into it a year. buy something you like, fix it up as you see fit, shoot it till it's worn out and repeat.

Great advice and totally understand. Thanks for the time and help

STI in 10mm.  

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