STI Trojan 5.0 Review - Best 1911 for the Money

[wakal]

I've been shooting competition games and attended enough training courses to see everything break, fall apart, and return to the compressed pixie dust and unicorn farts from whence they came

Wilson CQB that wouldn't fire two rounds in a row, Les Baer that needed a new extractor every few thousand rounds, Glocks with cracked frames, Hi-Point that ran 158,301 rounds flawlessly...no, wait on that last one...

Anything made by the hands of man can have problems. My only problem (in the interest of full disclosure, as a STI dealer) is that the damn things are expensive and hard to keep on the shelf. I can stack up Glocks, M&P and other dross four to one against the American-made line (much less the Open guns), and sell the cheap stuff a lot faster.

But I own...damn, had to take off a shoe...14 STI in various configurations...and not that many versions of Plastic Fantastic atriot:



Alex

 

[ROGER4314]

Old Vet sounds like he had the red ass more for the 1911 style pistol than the Spartan model. He mentions that the link is hard to align and reassembly is difficult. I've been messing with 1911's since 1968 and I have no such problem. I could do that with my eyes closed.

I don't blame him for being upset but I just wonder..................

STI customer service rolled out the red carpet for me and went far beyond the call of duty. My Lawman MSRP currently runs over $1340 and they can afford to toss some money my way in service for a high end gun without losing their butts. Old Vet wanted service on a pistol that is bottom rung of the STI ladder and one that wasn't made in Texas. Applying what I saw in customer service, a guy could get their cheapest piece and have their custom builders turn it into a match gun. Cost?......Nada.

I'm not saying that's what happened or that Old Vet did anything wrong. There's usually a reason why something like that STI/OldVet dialog happens and I'm trying to understand.

I went to Burger Chef in Pittsburg, Kansas where they offer you a burger about any way you want it. I requested a burger but with their Big Chef special sauce on it. They refused to do that saying to get that sauce, you must buy the Big Chef. Maybe the same rule applies to STI pistols.

Flash

 

[John Browning]

STI Trojan - The Best 1911 for the Money

Stats
Manufacturer: STI
Model: Trojan 5.0 (Full Size 1911)
Price: $1100 MSRP
Calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .38 Super (Others Available on Custom Order)
Barrel: Ramped Wilson / Nowlin Style Barrel with Standard Rifling
L ayout: F ull-Size Government 1911A1 High Grip Frame w/o Schwartz Safety
Stippling: STI "Chain Link" Front | Checkered Mainspring Housing
Guide Rod: Full Length One-Piece Steel
Spring Rate: 11 - 16# (9mm - .45 ACP)
Safety: External Extended RH Safety with High Grip Friendly Grip Safety
Capacity:
.45 - 7 Rounds Standard, 8 - 10 with Aftermarket Magazines
.40 - 8 Rounds Standard
9mm - 9 Rounds Standard, 9 - 10 with Aftermarket Magazines
.38 Super - 9 Rounds Standard

 

[John Browning]

STI Trojan - The Best 1911 for the Money

Stats
Manufacturer: STI
Model: Trojan 5.0 (Full Size 1911)
Price: $1100 MSRP
Calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .38 Super (Others Available on Custom Order)
Barrel: Ramped Wilson / Nowlin Style Barrel with Standard Rifling
L ayout: F ull-Size Government 1911A1 High Grip Frame w/o Schwartz Safety
Stippling: STI "Chain Link" Front | Checkered Mainspring Housing
Guide Rod: Full Length One-Piece Steel
Spring Rate: 11 - 16# (9mm - .45 ACP)
Safety: External Extended RH Safety with High Grip Friendly Grip Safety
Capacity:
.45 - 7 Rounds Standard, 8 - 10 with Aftermarket Magazines
.40 - 8 Rounds Standard
9mm - 9 Rounds Standard, 9 - 10 with Aftermarket Magazines
.38 Super - 9 Rounds Standard

This is a tall claim, but I believe strongly that the STI Trojan is the best 1911 you can buy for the money. It's a completely US made, hand-built pistol made using quality materials made in-house by STI in Georgetown, TX.

The STI Trojan 5.0 is a standard full-size 1911 built on a government spec frame and slide. The slide and frame are milled from forged steel bar stock by several stages of CNC machining. They are dehorned and finished by hand prior to fitting, where a single gunsmith will fit the slide and frame by hand. Every STI I have handled, as a result, has had a phenomenal slide to frame fit. Very little, if any, deflection and a slick action. The slide glides like glass over the frame and helps to build a quality handling experience. "End Quote"

STI Trojan 9mm is my latest acquisition Have one in 45 wanted another 9 for my collection. Trojan Frames are cast, not machined in a CNC, I love it. anyway.On Friday I got my Taurus 992 back from Taurus and it still sucks, only had it a week before I sent it back So Yesterday I was shooting two new guns at the range. The Taurus is a 22lr/22wmr interchangeable cylinders.Kinda matches one of my Colt Snakes that's why I bought it.Never again a cheap gun.

 

[benz]

got a 5.0 in .45 acp back in march. traded in my SIG P220 (which I actually liked a lot), and dropped close to $700 more.
much more accurate, less muzzle rise, and no slide play. definitely worth it.

 

[Dreamliner787]

A STI gun is deffinitely on my list but what's the difference between the $1000 Trojan and the next level at $1300 Lawman or next level Tactical? Assuming they do the same quality work on fit and finish it must be the components right?

 

[inceptor]

I recently bought a Trojan and I love it. I may have to pick up another STI before too long

 

[Texas1911]

STI Trojan 9mm is my latest acquisition Have one in 45 wanted another 9 for my collection. Trojan Frames are cast, not machined in a CNC, I love it. anyway.On Friday I got my Taurus 992 back from Taurus and it still sucks, only had it a week before I sent it back So Yesterday I was shooting two new guns at the range. The Taurus is a 22lr/22wmr interchangeable cylinders.Kinda matches one of my Colt Snakes that's why I bought it.Never again a cheap gun.

The frames are milled in the CNC from forged blanks. Both of my Trojan's have forged frames, the Spartan is the model that has an investment cast frame.

 

[Texasjack]

A STI gun is deffinitely on my list but what's the difference between the $1000 Trojan and the next level at $1300 Lawman or next level Tactical? Assuming they do the same quality work on fit and finish it must be the components right?

The quality is the same, but they have slightly different features that affect the price.

 

[Texas1911]

A STI gun is deffinitely on my list but what's the difference between the $1000 Trojan and the next level at $1300 Lawman or next level Tactical? Assuming they do the same quality work on fit and finish it must be the components right?

You are paying for small features like finishes, grips, checkering, and in some cases a metal mainspring housing. The internals are the same.

 

[kusai]

I am getting on the STI bandwagon as soon as I can, but I am most 9mm guy. I hope to find a Duty one 5 in 9mm soon.

 

[Techna]

I love my 9mm Trojan. To be honest I've had it for a only short while and haven't had a chance to shoot a match with it, but the 300 rounds of mixed ammo I've run through it have been without malfunction. It shoots laser straight too.

 

[Pilgrim]

What do you do when it breaks or locks up?

I see what you did there...

 

[GLI45]

A STI gun is deffinitely on my list but what's the difference between the $1000 Trojan and the next level at $1300 Lawman or next level Tactical? Assuming they do the same quality work on fit and finish it must be the components right?

Another difference is the frame. Both the Lawman and the Tactical SS have forged frames. I believe the Trojan is built on a cast frame. Nothing wrong with that, but forging is a more expensive process.

 

[Major Kong]

I will be picking up an .45 STI when in the near future. It will most likely be a Spartan V for budgetary reasons, but will one day add one of the higher end models. It will be nice to be able to purchase a high quality (from everything I have read) firearm from a local manufacturer.

 

[Dreamliner787]

STI has stainless Trojans?

 

[MR2Aaron]

They offer a hard chrome finish. Could Techna's picture be one of those?

 

[claimbuster]

Have a Trojan HC in 40. Absolutely awesome.

 

[Whisky]

.
gun show in Conroe this weekend - will look for something in .40cal, hopefully w/4" barrel - but if I can't find I've got an Edge spotted (5"/.40cal) that I'll spring for (dadgum LGS has a Duty One III in .40 but they've irritated the bejesus outta me, so to heck with them !)

really wanted something with hard chrome but nothing available in 4" !

 

[GLI45]

If you end up with the Edge you'll love it. I have one in 9mm and while I enjoy all my STI pistols, the Edge is my favorite. Smooth, fast, and oh so very accurate. It's an excellent competition gun and fun to shoot at he range.