My STI Spartan :(

[yarosig]

So I purchased a brand new STI Spartan, preordered and waited for a month as well. Well I unravel my new STI spartan, I am somewhat impressed from the reviews but am not really sure what to look for. Even though I have a Hipoint 45 I knew that my 1911 should should not be getting way worse than a $150 hi point. I am talking about like 5" groups at 15 yards with the Spartan. Totally upset at the shooting range. So I look closer and I discover defects such as a mismachined barrell(half smooth, almost smoothbore, machine marks and grooves everywhere, and the slide having a huge gap between the breech face on full forward. Pics attached to explain.

[yarosig]

Match Grade Barrell I dont think so. Half the barrell is polished, the other half is really rough.

[Matt_B_67]

Originally Posted by yarosig

Match Grade Barrell I dont think so.

FYI - the Spartan doesn't come with a "match grade barrel" but it does come with a "match grade bushing".

[cfrock]

Call STI, they have a reputation for very good customer service; give it a shot.

[FLSlim]

Go to their CS, they are excellent. Good luck!

[PeterGunn]

Originally Posted by cfrock

Call STI, they have a reputation for very good customer service; give it a shot.

Originally Posted by FLSlim

Go to their CS, they are excellent. Good luck!

+1. They'll take care of you. Nice folks. Ask for David Cupp.

[ken_mays]

I can't tell enough from the photos to say much about the bore, but I know there is nothing wrong with that barrel gap. That's commonplace on 1911s and will have no effect on anything. The place you don't want a gap is where the top of the hood meets the notch at the top of the breechface.

[spoolie]

Import gun...what do you expect? It's just assembled in TX.

[gravytrain61]

Originally Posted by spoolie

Import gun...what do you expect? It's just assembled in TX.

Not everything is imported. just the frame is. Everything is fitted with STI parts at STI. My Spartan is the best value gun I have ever owned. Complete shooter with not a single issue. Call STI they will fix your problem!!!

Here is 50 rounds out of My Spartan at about 15 yards

[rwd]

Spartan or Trojan..Chevy or Caddy.. $585.00 or $1150.00..$18,000.00 or $30,000.00..what can I say

[STI_Rep]

Originally Posted by spoolie

Import gun...what do you expect? It's just assembled in TX.

Hi guys-
We provide the fire control parts to Armscorp who builds the Spartans to our specs (with their barrels, frames, and slides.) We get the completed guns in, run them through our QC, and handle any warranty work here in Texas but the guns themselves are not built here. We are all very sorry to hear you've had a problem with the guns and I've spoken with the warranty guys about your case and they assure me that they will take good care of you

[polizei1]

Nice to see an STI Rep on here, I love my Spartan and shoot it in USPSA. Those pictures certainly don't look right, but I'm sure STI will take care of you.

[STI_Rep]

Originally Posted by polizei1

Nice to see an STI Rep on here...

Thanks! We've been lurking for a long time but for the most part I like to stay quiet and listen to ya'll talk rather than butting in. If any of you have any questions or need any help, though, I'm definitely here to help!

[Tannim31]

From what Rabbit told me in our brief correspondence, they warrant the gun, not the owner, for life and being an employee owned company, I have a feeling they will be aces in helping you out. I haven't needed to call them about my Spartan III .45 and I hope I never will (no offense STI ) It's by far the best shooting handgun I have ever owned (my Sig P238 being the second)

[STI_Rep]

Originally Posted by Tannim31

From what Rabbit told me in our brief correspondence, they warrant the gun, not the owner, for life and being an employee owned company, I have a feeling they will be aces in helping you out.

That is true- we warranty the pistol and not the owner so it doesn't matter HOW you got an STI- we still cover our work. I'll put our Warranty guys up against anyone in the industry as far as Customer satisfaction goes. Both of them are long term, die hard gun nuts who like nothing better than taking care of our Customers...

Originally Posted by Tannim31

I haven't needed to call them about my Spartan III .45 and I hope I never will (no offense STI )

No offense taken! Believe me, we would be thrilled if our Warranty guys just spent all day playing Texas Hold 'em!

Originally Posted by Tannim31

It's by far the best shooting handgun I have ever owned (my Sig P238 being the second)

That's great to hear! Now we just need to get you to shoot one of the ones built here in Georgetown....

[Tannim31]

Believe me if I could have afforded one that was made in G'Town I would have!!!! Saving up for the Escort, Off Duty or Shadow!

But I don't want to hi-jack this thread from Yarosig.

[PeterGunn]

Originally Posted by STI_Rep

Thanks! We've been lurking for a long time but for the most part I like to stay quiet and listen to ya'll talk rather than butting in. If any of you have any questions or need any help, though, I'm definitely here to help!

Welcome STI_Rep. I had wondered when. Yarosig, just call 'em. They'll pleasantly surprise you with the stellar CS. Great bunch of folks. Mighty fine line of firearms. I won't buy any other brand in 1911/2011 pistols. And if I was in the market for a SA/DA wundernine, it would def be the G-6. I do general purpose rifle in the form of DPMS LR 308. When STI adds that to their available sporter caliber, I'l likely own that too. Great guns one and all from STI.

[dusty78]

Originally Posted by yarosig

So I purchased a brand new STI Spartan, preordered and waited for a month as well. Well I unravel my new STI spartan, I am somewhat impressed from the reviews but am not really sure what to look for. Even though I have a Hipoint 45 I knew that my 1911 should should not be getting way worse than a $150 hi point. I am talking about like 5" groups at 15 yards with the Spartan. Totally upset at the shooting range. So I look closer and I discover defects such as a mismachined barrell(half smooth, almost smoothbore, machine marks and grooves everywhere, and the slide having a huge gap between the breech face on full forward. Pics attached to explain.

If you shoot your Spartan as well as you shoot pictures I would venture to guess that you are the culprit and not the gun

[Globetrotter45]

For the record, my Spartan .45 will rag a hole at 15 yds. I have been very impressed with its accuracy for such a, well, "spartan" gun. I took it out to Front Sight and it injested over 700 rounds and experienced just one type 3 malfunction. I keep thinking I need a more "custom" gun (love the USPSA!), but find it hard to justify when this gun performs so well.

[old-lefty]

Originally Posted by spoolie

Import gun...what do you expect? It's just assembled in TX.

I think the entire pistol is assembled at Armscor in P.I.

Sorry about your barrel. STI will make it right

[rocketgeezer]

Originally Posted by STI_Rep

Hi guys-
We provide the fire control parts to Armscorp who builds the Spartans to our specs (with their barrels, frames, and slides.) We get the completed guns in, run them through our QC, and handle any warranty work here in Texas but the guns themselves are not built here. We are all very sorry to hear you've had a problem with the guns and I've spoken with the warranty guys about your case and they assure me that they will take good care of you

Hi, I kind of know what your going to say but I'l ask anyhow, I have had a real run of bad luck concerning 3in 1911s, I finaly got one that seems to run, however at a gun shop this afternoon I was impressed by the Escort 45, what I need to know is does it run 100%........100% of the time, with absolutly no BS issues??????????

[PeterGunn]

Originally Posted by rocketgeezer

Hi, I kind of know what your going to say but I'l ask anyhow, I have had a real run of bad luck concerning 3in 1911s, I finaly got one that seems to run, however at a gun shop this afternoon I was impressed by the Escort 45, what I need to know is does it run 100%........100% of the time, with absolutly no BS issues??????????

Sometimes, a 1911 runs funny because of less than adept 1911 shooting skills. Several folks I know hated their stubby barreled 1911s because they had to adjust their grip and stance to force as much the recoil to the slide by not limp wristing. Couldn't have been their fault, dammit, it was a crappy gun.

When they followed the procedures of proper grip it started running 100%. Stick with . 45 acp ball for break in. I carry ball in most all my stubbys. It's a safety valve to assist in slide function when the balloon goes up... and it sure works. No big deal, just practice it that way. It'll help ya with the longer 1911s, too. My Escort is flawless in operation. Ask some of your range folks around where you go shoot, that shoot regular competition for a few pointers on grip and stance.. You'll be glad you did. Good Luck and happy shooting. Just remember machines work the way they are designed to function. Follow that and troubles fade.

[STI_Rep]

Originally Posted by old-lefty

I think the entire pistol is assembled at Armscor in P.I.

Sorry about your barrel. STI will make it right

You are correct- we send Armscor the firing controls and they build them with their frames, slides, and barrels. They send them to us and we run them through our QA department to make sure they run right. If they pass, we send them back out.
Thank you for your vote of confidence- we WILL make it right!

[TANKTREK]

Would anyone recommand a 9MM Sparten for Center Fire NRA Conventional Bullseye Work. I am thinking of buying one from Dawson Precision.

Does after market target type grips fit on the frame.

Ron

[NWDave]

One would wonder why the OP hasn't responded to the STI rep about his situation. You can't ask for better service then that.

I know I'm very glad to be the proud owner of two Spartans, one in 9mm and one in 45acp. Now if the owner could be as worthy of his pistols as they are of him, we'd really be a winning team. In the meantime, they make me look good.