Was looking at a STI in 9mm. 2011 model. Anyone have any experience with them? Are there any other brands I should be looking at?

1911 or 2011?

2011

My experience with STI has been positive. I was able to shoot the Trojan 1911 and it was as expected, crisp light trigger and very accurate. I have always considered them as a top tier maker of 1911's. Based out of Texas I believe.

Their race guns are works of art.

I had a Gurdian 2011 9mm. It was a jam-o-matic and was a total nightmare. 8 months of sending the gun back and forth to STI, them saying it was fixed when it clearly wasn't, just a total nightmare.

The first time I sent it back due to jamming, the thumb safety was also installed incorrectly and wouldn't click into place. when they "fixed" the thumb safety, the installed an ambi safety (the Guardian 2011 is not an ambi gun), and they ground down my frame to make the ambi fit.

I was extremely upset that they took a Dremel to my frame, and what was worse, they did a crappy job and it looked horrible.

They eventually did replace my frame, but only after attempting to argue with me that they "upgraded" my pistol by making it an ambi; despite me telling them I hate ambi safeties and the frame looked like shit now.

The second or third time the gun went back, they sent it back with an old mag. Looked like it had served a few years on the test fire range. Never could get them to send me the new mag my gun came with.

The gun was never able to fire more than a mag without a malfuntion of some type.

Eventually, I got them to send me my money back, but it was after months and months of arguing/emails/phone calls.

I will NEVER buy another STI handgun. Their customer service never once owned up to their mistakes.

I have 2 1911 Trojans that are 10+ years. I am very pleased with both of them. The are well built, they shoot better than I do and have some of the best triggers I've ever shot. If the 2011's are anything like the 1911's, you won't be disappointed.

I had a blue 1911 Trojan and the finish lasted one season of moderate use. Otherwise it was OK.

A friend of mine has 2 STI Escorts (9mm & 45).
IIRC, they were bought around 2007-2008, I've only shot the 9mm, but it was a sweet little shooter.

No issues with either that I've heard.

No! Hell No! Not Now! Never!

The gun itself is decent if you can find a used one at a discount.

The STI customer service is AMFYOYO at best.

With the first one you buy, you can plead ignorance and sell it, the second one you buy will be your own damn fault. Look at something else instead.

There are probably a half dozen in my shooting group. Trojan in 9mm hard chrome, magwell, fo sights from Dawson.

They are fantastic guns.

I've had two when I was doing USPSA stuff, a 2011 and Trojan, both in .40. The 2011 was bought from Dawson Precision and had one of their packages already done. Only thing I did was send it off to Matt Cheely to do some slide work. I just never got into Limited, but it ran great.

My Trojan was a little finicky at first, but after a trip to Virgil Tripp, one of the founders of STI, and having him do his magic (and used his Cobra Mags), it ran like a freaking sewing machine. I loved that gun - actually miss it. If I was in want/need of another one, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

There was a Trojan in .40 for sale in the classifieds that was nearly a clone of mine, but a little nicer, that, if still for sale, would be a nice one to have...if you like .40. I only chose that because it made major PF in USPSA.

My edge was great, just way faster a barrel than my SVI's. My 9mm STI is back at STI for warranty work.

I have an STI VIP model in .40S&W that was my EDC until arthritis convinced me to transition to 9mm. An STI Guardian 2011 is my current EDC. Well, until my back injury. It will be my EDC again once I heal. Obviously, I trust my life with them.

My only complaint is the difficulty finding holsters for them. Garrett has an IWB that filled the bill nicely.

My wife and I have a VIP in .45 and a Shadow in 9mm. Both have been very good. I don't think the trigger on either is as good as my Dan Wesson VBOB, but that could just be the particular guns we have. I've talked to the CS only once and they were very responsive. The VIP had an out of spec slide release which they replaced in about 2 days via US Postal. I will say they are tight. You will need to use a very light oil for lube. Grease and thick oil will just cause you problems until you have many many rounds down range. Overall excellent guns in my experience.

What's not to like?

I have a few and all are great shooters.

You may have to tune the mags, but that's no big deal.

Bob

My newest non STI..



As far as "other brands", there are a ton of guys making quality 2011's but none of them are going to be less than 3k or available for immediate purchase. We won't even discuss what the gun above set me back or what the build time is on one.

That being said, there are a number of budget friendly options that may or may not suit your needs. SPS Pantera will run you $1400~ new and is built on the STI 2011 pattern. Then there are several people making what is essentially a Para style double stack 1911: rock island, MAC, Remington has one coming out. Canyon Creek does some cool builds on old Springfield double stack frames... just depends on what you are looking for and how much time and money you want to spend on it.

ETA: then there is always whatever proprietary gun wilson is building for a double stack. Nighthawk is also now building "2011's" on Phoenix Trinity frames. If I were having a build done by anyone other than SVI, i'd use a phoenix trinity kit.

Dan Wesson is the sweet spot.

Sweet spot for what? Single or double stack?

Bob

The OP asked if there were other brands to consider. A reply mentioned Dan Wesson as better than his STIs. Other replies mentioned the single stack Trojan. I did not infer that the OP was only looking at double stacks. Dan Wesson for single stacks.

Lots of people shoot them at matches I shoot. I call them the great equalizer, makes it so I can match time of shooters much better than me with all the time they spend on malfunctions.
I'd never own one because I don't like clearing jams, I prefer to just shoot uninterrupted.