Posted: 12/8/2010 8:33:54 AM EDT
| Would this be a reasonably good pistol for CCW and general SD/HD? That is, could I rely on it to go boom when I hit the boom switch? |
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It's big and rather heavy, also has a target rear sight which is large and could hang on clothing.
Made in the Pi with STI parts and a Pi (armscore) frame and slide. Shoots like a tack driver, very very tight though, will take some shooting to be sure it's 100% reliable do to how tight the barrel bushing is. I have one, cosmetically it's exactly what they say it is, "spartan". The finish is solid but not beautiful, the MSH is too long for the frame (not a big deal to me because it's getting chunked for a Dawson magwell) and it's really just a plain jane 1911. It does however do what it's supposed to do which is go bang every time the trigger is pulled (so far, still new and need to run it more before I compete with it) and eats FMJ ammo fine. I've not tried JHP's because it's not a carry pistol for me but every review from writers or owners I read before ordering said it would eat anything you fed it. |
| Spartan is g2g. Love mine, no hiccups so far. Only thing you might consider is the rear sight, it's kind of big for CCW, it might catch clothing, and the sight cut is not a popular one making sight replacement very limited. Oh, its also really accurate x2. Can't go wrong if you decide to buy one. |
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They have a more diligent barrel fit than is usually seen on the budget (and even some $1000) brands.
One of the ones I've worked on needed a chamber reaming to feed a wide variety of ammo, but other than that, it didn't need much. The extractors on the several I've seen were too tight for my liking. |
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Quoted:
They have a more diligent barrel fit than is usually seen on the budget (and even some $1000) brands. One of the ones I've worked on needed a chamber reaming to feed a wide variety of ammo, but other than that, it didn't need much. The extractors on the several I've seen were too tight for my liking. I know that my RIA/Armscor 1911 seems to have a tight chamber. It won't feed cartridges loaded with .452" diameter cast bullets. I either have to swage the .452 lead bullets down to .451 with a Lee Factory Crimp Die, or use .451 sized cast bullets, or jacketed bullets. What I'd like to do is find a 1911 that already comes configured as a carry piece / defensive handgun. Something designed for maximum reliability. If it can shoot 2 inches at 25 yards, that's accurate enough since that's about the limit of my skill under optimal conditions anyway. |
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After some more use today practicing for Saturday with it I can say a bit more about it. The rear sight caught on my shirt a few times slowing me down but not tangling me up to where I couldn't unholster the weapon (Blackhawk CQC holster hip carried under a carhart shirt). The gun is ridiculously accurate for a 700 dollar 1911, hell for a 1500 dollar 1911 actually (IMHO of course) but the magazine they ship with it is BEYOND garbage, it's best use would be 25yd target practice. The only 2 failure to feeds this pistol has had came from the rounds hanging up in the factory magazine because there is so much drag on the follower it will tilt fwd sometimes and the bullet will stop on the front of the magazine instead of angling up to catch the feed ramp.
I still didn't try any JHP ammunition in it. I almost picked up a box of generic remington JHP's just to see how it fed them but didn't bother since I'll never carry it. I'm impressed with the gun, especially for the price but I would add an additional 100 bucks to it for mandatory Wilson Combat (or your choice) magazine purchases. I think my next IDPA gun will be a Trojan because I do like the STI line plus they're made in Texas so I'm supporting my local people 
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| It is a good gun but it is too long and heavy for carry to me. If carry is rare, it would be fine. If it would be daily carry, you might want to look at Commander sized options and probably alloy frames to save weight. Colt, S&W, Kimber, and Dan Wesson all make great carry versions and some can be had barely used for what the STI would cost new. |
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It is a good gun but it is too long and heavy for carry to me. If carry is rare, it would be fine. If it would be daily carry, you might want to look at Commander sized options and probably alloy frames to save weight. Colt, S&W, Kimber, and Dan Wesson all make great carry versions and some can be had barely used for what the STI would cost new. I'm more concerned about hell and back reliability, and Govt Models are generally better on that count. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
It is a good gun but it is too long and heavy for carry to me. If carry is rare, it would be fine. If it would be daily carry, you might want to look at Commander sized options and probably alloy frames to save weight. Colt, S&W, Kimber, and Dan Wesson all make great carry versions and some can be had barely used for what the STI would cost new. I'm more concerned about hell and back reliability, and Govt Models are generally better on that count. The Spartan will give you that, if you can work with an adjustable rear sight. |
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I have one that has right about 5,000 rounds through it maybe 1 or 2 FTF and those were hand loads that were cast SWC bullets....
It has feed and shot every type of bullet I have loaded in it!!!! It shoots clover leaf holes in stuff, prolly the most accurate 1911 I have owned... I have had one wilson combat in the past (high mileage gun) and the Spartan out performs it. It out shoots the springfield armory guns I have had as well as the colt's I have owned. When you draw the slide back it feels like it is on ball bearing's the fit is great the finish is not so great... but it does have the hell and back lasting performance, and is a very good price point to upgrade and not feel like you are leveraging the house to have a race gun... I have 2 of the factory mags and some wilson 47D mags for it as well.... Magazine choice is 1/2 the battle with any 1911 but these straight up shoot well and can be had as little as $580 online at some various source's. I paid $639 for mine at a local gun show (cause I can't wait for things like that).... |