Stephen A. Camp

Hello. Yesterday, a good friend and myself made the 3 1/2 hour pilgrimage to Georgetown, TX, home of STI. We looked at a couple of their new Legacy .45 ACP pistols. We each brought ammunition of different types to shoot in them before buying. (Due to insurance company edicts, we were not allowed to shoot but did watch as Chris cranked off rounds through each of the guns.) 4 full magazines of different rounds were fired through "my" Legacy.

They were:

230-gr. Hornady JFP handload
200-gr. Precision CSWC handload
230-gr. Speer Gold Dot handload
Winchester 230-gr. Ranger

Magazines were a 7-shot Colt, an 8-shot McCormick Power Mag, an 8-shot Wilson w/Tripp's CobraMag follower/spring, which makes it a 7-shot, and an ACT 8-shot, also using the Tripp CobraMag internals.
The gun came with an 8-shot ACT magazine and it was loaded with
Winchester 230-gr. JHP.

When chambering a round, the first Gold Dot didn't want to smoothly chamber, but everything else shot fine. (These are some old bullets and the profile might have changed in more recent times.)

From what I could tell by watching Chris shoot, the sights were pretty well regulated out of the box and certainly within the adjustable rear sight's adjustment range.

These guns have a 1-piece feed ramp and they fed fine.

The ambidextrous safeties were nicely fitted and in my opinion, perfect in moving from "on" to "off" and visa-versa.

The trigger breaks very cleanly at what I'd estimate as 4 to 4.5-lbs or so.


I have been so busy and it's been so hot that I have not gone to the range today to shoot this pistol myself. I can tell you that the full length guide rod will be replaced ASAP. I much prefer the traditional GI spring plug and spring guide. I will be changing the grips as well, but may very well leave the rest of the gun as is.


The one-piece feed ramp is nicely polished and despite my initial misgivings about it, worked fine. Many gunsmiths say that the traditional two-piece feedway is more reliable than the one-piece. I am not a gunsmith, but have many 1911's using the two-piece system that are reliable. So far, this one has as well. (I was told that STI will be going to the one-piece system in their Trojan line as well.)

The finish is black and STI calls it "PVD ion bond". It is reportedly very resistant to corrosion and wear. The slide flats are described as being polished, but this is not a high gloss polish as with some blued guns. The forged frame has 30 LPI checkering and is nicely done.

It was impressive enough that I bought the thing. I will shoot it and do a complete report in the future, assuming that things slow down a bit and it gets even a little cooler. 108 degrees is just a bit much right now. (Twenty-five years ago, I'd have already been on the range, but right now I'm sitting in the air-conditioned house, hiding from the heat.)

Best.

Eager

What do you think of that rear sight? They call it their STI Tactical Adjustable. My Buddy's about to order a new Stainless Trojan and it comes with that adjustable sight. Looks like your gun here and my pal's future Trojan use a Novak Cut rear. This would be good since it gives a lot of good replacement sight options (if desired).



Your's looks like a nice gun. I'd like an STI myself now.

Stephen A. Camp

Hello. I cannot give you a long-term reply based on observations as it just wouldn't be true, but here is what I can say.

I do like the sight picture that the rear sight in conjunction with the serrated ramp front provides.

I like its compact size.

It is my understanding that the elevation screw in this (and other) later versions has been beefed up so that early problems experienced with breakage should not appear.

A friend has this rear sight on a Caspian build and the gun's been shot quite a bit with no problems whatsoever.

Best.

bountyhunter

Pretty gun.

You might like the long rod. I believe STI still supplies the ones drilled with a "take down" hole or you can drill it. The "L" shaped bent paper clip tool allows you to remove the rod/spring/and reverse plug as a captive assembly.... and re-install it the same way.

The entire top end comes off and goes on with no recoil spring tension to fight, and the slide stop is inserted and removed same way.

It's a blessing for us old dinosaurs not to have to fight with a lug wrench or recoil spring.

bountyhunter

It's got to be more reliable than the Bomar style sights that shear their elevation pins off like clockwork.

Those things are a pain.

Stephen A. Camp

Hello. On another board, a gentleman suggested a comparison article concerning the STI Legacy vs. the STI Trojan in .45 ACP. If interested, it is here:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Comp ... Legacy.htm

Today I was able to put another 400 rounds of various types of ammunition through the Legacy.

Zero malfunctions

Slide locked back on last shot and not before with several different magazines

Trigger pull has not changed

Adjustable rear sight has not moved from zeroed position

No wear on the chamber area of barrel from movement of slide

I am to the point that I pretty much trust this pistol for "serious purposes" were such required.

Best.

williamlayton

Thanks for the post Stephen.
The post were a good indication the conclusions I had reached were correct.
I am concidering another STI. I have two Trojans and like them well, well enough for the serious situation you allude too.
I hate the front cocking serrations, but, I can live with them.
I will get a long slide this time, most probable in a .38 super, but I have time to change my mind.
I cannot bring myself too spend the extra dollars to not have to look at the cocking serrations.
Blessings