STI Escort: Round Two.

After a second range trip I did a full detail strip of the pistol. The wear patterns were minimal and as expected. All the internal lockwork is tight, and well machined. I don't know enough about custom or semi-custom 1911s to know if these parts were as they should be, but all looked very good to my eye. Additionally the quality of the fit and finish is notably tighter then my Kimber (at least 10K difference in round count may influence this too).

This time out I was at the NRA range, where I could shoot at longer ranges. The gun is definitely more accurate then I am, but I was able to hold a 4" group at 100 ft with it. I didn't have the Kimber with me for direct comparison, so I'll have to go back.

I have two complaints with the gun: first is that the trigger is a 'long' length, instead of the medium I prefer; second is the plastic mainspring housing.

On the issue of trigger length: I fail to understand why all manufactures seem to be using them at this point. The only people I know who's hands actually fit this length trigger are the men with gorilla hands. Every one else I've seen shoots better with a shorter trigger, myself very much included. I'll be getting a 10-8 flat trigger when I have a chance.

The mainspring housing is purely one of preference and style. I'm not aware of any technical advantage to the metal ones, but I just don't like plastic parts.

The function of the pistol is near flawless. The slide stop is slightly too long on the internal face, where it should engage the magazine follower. This causes the slide to lock open on the occasional cartridge that is slightly too long. A little work with a file, and the problem is likely gone. Next range trip I'll bring a file with me to be sure though.

Overall I'm quite happy with the piece, and carrying it in a 511 holster shirt is very comfortable. The gun also disapears with the holster shirt under a fitted dress shirt.

AE

STI Escort Range Report

At the advice of Mr. Correia I got an STI Escort. After taking it shooting once my only complaint is that I didn't bring more ammo.

I had oiled the gun up a couple days before heading out, and there was still oil in all the places I put it when I got to the firing line. After a hundred or so rounds, about as fast as I could reload the mags, I saw 2 failures to feed. The cartridge was not quite making it out of the feed lips. Another squirt of MachineGun lube, and that was solved for the rest of the day.

Those were also the only failures seen, and may have been the mag, not the gun.

My initial impressions were good: out of the box the gun was very tight, and the trigger has some take up, breaks like glass (about #4) and has no over travel.

Shooting was no less impressive: it holds tighter groups then I can appreciate, and the narrow front sight makes shooting at 25 yards easy. Up close the three dot sights are easy to pick up and use.

I'll have to try an IDPA match to really get a feeling for how fast the gun is, but my suspicion is that it will do anything I can, better then I can.

Compared to my Kimber: the recoil is much harsher. The weight savings of the aluminum frame take the big push of a full size 1911 and turn it into more of a snap. Its still not as snappy as a Glock or my Sig, but defiantly more recoil then the Kimber. That one gripe aside, it makes a very nice little sister to the Kimber.

Bottom line: I'm happy with it, and suspect LadyElf will be stealing it from me sooner then latter.

Cleaning report and view of the funky STI take down system to follow after I get some work done.

AE