IDPA/USPSA STI or SVI

[Tom Freeman]

You can't use a 9mm in Limited

Sure you can. You will be shooting minor, but its legal.

I can't decided if I want the 9 mm or the .40 S&W.

If you reload, get the 40. If not, get a 9.

Both STI and SVI make IDPA legal fat guns.

[Number 6]

STI/SVI. Ford vs Chevy.

One man's opinion - albeit his usual one on this, and other, forums.

Both are based upon the same original design; both make a good gun for the money. But "Ford vs. Chevy?" Don't insult our intelligence.

STI is happy just to make a gun someone else designed. It does so quite competently and "supports the sport." Mass production makes its products a good value and a superb "base gun."

The "S" in both STI and SVI is Sandy Strayer, member of the American Pistolsmith Guild. Go here and check it out for yourself:

http://www.americanpistol.com/Members/strayer.html

You can look for Bill Skinner, but you won't find him - or any patents for him.... And that's not his name in "STI."

SVI is innovative, improving the Browning design with numerous patented features, including a ball-bearing trigger system; patented barrel bushing; patented safety; patented magwell design, replaceble breechface; and the plunger tube as an integrally machined part of the frame.

SVI offers those features and a wealth of options to those who order its guns, making each one a near-custom creation, right down to the serial number. SVI is now making its own barrels, the AET barrel previously obtained from Wil Schuemann.

"Ford vs. Chevy?" Please.

VW vs. Audi at the very least; more like Honda vs. Acura.

And if you don't believe it, ask STI:

1. Which of its parts are MIM?

2. Are its sights true BoMars or cheap Chinese copies?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Tom Freeman]

You can look for Bill Skinner, but you won't find him - or any patents for him.... And that's not his name in "STI."

Thats because his name is Dave Skinner. Since when do you have to be a gunsmith to run a firearms company? He bought into STI from Virgil Tripp and Chip McCormick. Now days, he owns it.

Ford vs Chevy.

But #6 is a SV employee or SV sponsored shooter with a hard on for STI. His mud-slinging still makes me laugh.

Both make good guns. Both have strong points and weak points.

[Number 6]

But #6 is a SV employee or SV sponsored shooter with a hard on for STI. His mud-slinging still makes me laugh.

I am neither. I do own three SVI's however.

For those capable of fair and rational analysis, stating fact is not "mud-slinging." For apologists and others who need to rationalize bias, it is.

The fact that not one of my points was rebutted by anything more than a knee-jerk, schoolyard accusation speaks volumes.

Both make good guns. Both have strong points and weak points.

Well, that much you got right.

[buddy_fuentes]

Didn't intend to start a feud guys. Lets agree that you each have a strong opinion about what you like and don't like. As was said, both are good guns.

As I sat down at my computer today I found an e mail from gunbuilder. The price on the pistol I designed was $2829.00 and a four to six month wait. That is pretty stout to me. Sure I know it is a good pistol, but I don't think it would beat an STI by much, if any, in my hands.

I'll probably get the Dawson package and save $ 800.00. I can buy a load of bullets, primers and powder with the savings.

Thanks for the input.

Buddy

[Number 6]

For most of us, spending the $800 on ammo and practicing well with it would make us FAR better shooters!

Oh - here's this observation from the 1911 Forum - where a certain SVI disser here also holds sway:

Sgt._Dave S
Junior Member

Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: DFW Texas
Age: 42
Posts: 22
There are several big differences between the two companies firearms. STI is a really good production gun that has some MIM parts in its construction. I know several people that shoot STI guns and love them, but broke several safeties until they installed a SV thumb safety. Infinity makes all their parts from solid bar stock. I have been in the shop watching the thumb safeties, Mainspring housings, frames, slides, and now barrels being CNC machined. Pull the slide off of a STI and compare the workmanship and quaility of steel to the SVI. You can go to a dealer and buy almost any STI in the catalogue right now. Your Infinity will not be started until you order it.

By the way, Chris Tilley won the USPSA Open Nationals with a SV last week. There is also a well know Glock shooter that is about to take delivery on an Open SV in a few weeks.

Must be another one of those SVI employees / sponsored shooters.........

[355sigfan]

a race gun (Open Division), a Limited gun and a classic single-stack .45.

IF you want this gun for both USPSA (IPSC) and IDPA, I would not get a 9 or a .40. I would get a single-stack .45.

You can't use a 9mm in Limited, which is where a double-stack would normally be. If you get a bushing .45, you are perfect for both IDPA and the new Single Stack Division of UPSPA.

Note that, in addition to the AET barrels, SVI has a patented 3-lobe barrel bushing and the patented Tri-Glide Trigger. An STI is a good gun for the money, but if you really want accuary, not to mention the thrill of speccing out the gun, right down to the serial number, SVI is the way to go.

Nothing wrong with Single stack but he can shoot a 9mm or a 40 just fine. He can get the Eagle the regular dust cover brushing barreled version of the Edge and shoot it in ESP in IDPA and limited in USPSA. Or he could shoot the 9mm in ESP and Limited and take the hit for minor just shoot A's.
Pat

[buddy_fuentes]

I never up dated this thread. My son bought me a Dawson Edge (.40 S&W) for my birthday 3/07; It has all of the bells and whistles. The sucker really shoots and has very little recoil. As a matter of fact the pistol is about the easiest pistol to shoot. So I have been using it in USPSA matches and have used a Kimber 9 mm (SSP) for IDPA. I seldom shoot IDPA any more due to the low round count of the stages. I really don't like to drive 65 miles and only shoot 75 to 90 rounds.

My son had a local gunsmith build him a 6" STI custom. The first time I shot it I wanted one. The gunsmith told me he could build a top end for my edge and make it weigh about the same. We did the deal and I have one heck of a 6" pistol and it weighs one ounce more than the original Edge.

If you haven't tried a 6" gun.......don't. Do yourself a favor and safe your money. You WILL buy one if you shoot it a bit. It feels a little funny at first, but you'll soon notice that the hits are there with little or no effort.

Buddy

[Number 6]

If you haven't tried a 6" gun.......don't. Do yourself a favor and safe your money. You WILL buy one if you shoot it a bit. It feels a little funny at first, but you'll soon notice that the hits are there with little or no effort.

No argument here. I had a 6" Limited gun built a couple of years ago and liked it so much I got a Limited (.45) this February. Came with the new metal grip, too.

VERY nice.

[buddy_fuentes]

Well, a little up-dated info. I had the gunsmith build and fit a dedicated STI standard frame for the 6" top-end. It came out really nice and I have been shooting it in most USPSA and steel matches. I shot the (5") Dawson yesterday in a match just to get some use from it.

I also had the smith build a STI 2011 aluminum frame Commander length 9 mm carry gun. It weighs 26 ozs. and shoots like a dream.

Bought a STI Lawman .45 acp. Single Stack to shoot in USPSA. Can't say enough about it's accuracy. The trigger is a tad stiff (5#), but I can get that fixed.

Buddy