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And picking up a Les Baer Stinger for full coverage of both weapons.

Opinions?

http://www.lesbaer.com/StingerSS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A bit OT, sorry...
What shortcomings are you finding about the Shadow?
I'm considering the Shadow and Escort...

RoyGBiv wrote:A bit OT, sorry...
What shortcomings are you finding about the Shadow?
I'm considering the Shadow and Escort...

I purchased it 2nd hand, and the recoil spring setup will not put enough force on the upper receiver to keep it in full battery. When I purchased the weapon, I was having fail to feeds every magazine, and sometimes fail to full battery, where the gun would appear to be fully closed, but was a mm from closed and wouldn't allow the gun to fire.

We (the range I purchased it from) have since replaced the recoil spring with a new factory unit, and it's still not enough force on the upper receiver. With very little effort (by hand), you can cause the upper to scooch back far enough to keep it from going full battery (and from firing).

Also, when firing it, I can feel the difference between the case ejection action and the battery action, like there is a minute pause between the two. Makes me think the upper is "bottoming out" at the end of the slide after ejection. This would be caused by a spring not being strong enough also.

It may just be my weapon. Maybe the tolerance from the muzzle of the upper to the ground point on the lower for the recoil spring is just a little too long causing the spring to not be compressed enough when the gun is closed. I don't know. But i've owned the gun since before christmas and I haven't been able to shoot it w/o some kind of failure.

Trading in guns lets someone else make the margin. Sell them outright I youre not happy. It seems like you are on the quest for the perfect 1911. It won't stop at a LB and you're likey to keep trading and loosing money each time.

If it were me, I'd inject some work into what I had to make them 100% and save for the next big purchase. STI will fix it. Let them.

gigag04 wrote:STI will fix it. Let them.

I hear nothing but good news about STI's warranty service.

Thanks for the details.

Someday you will regret getting rid of anything that says "Colt". I know, I have made that mistake and I won't ever do it again.

I don't think I've ever sold a gun and not regretted it later for one reason or another.

If your going to sell the STI let me know, for the right price I will buy it and get it fixed by STI, a gun that runs properly is worth more than one that has issues which need to be resolved. Personally I do not see what the Les will bring you other than being able to say you have a Les I have shot them and personally I do not feel that they are that much better than other 1911's which cost much less... The bottom line is if that is what you want then go for it, make yourself happy, we only live once.....

Just got back from the range testing the shadow after they replaced the recoil spring with a factory new unit, still failing to battery. Every magazine I fed it (went through 3 loaded with 5 each) had at least one fail to battery.

I have had problems with both of my current 1911s right off the shelf. My colt was having at least one FTF during every magazine (winchester white box ammo) and I had to send it back to the factory twice, and it still never rectified the issue. It wasn't until I upgraded to an 18# spring, started using wilson combat mags, and polished my feedramps (and ceiling) that they seemed to go away. I still get one every now and then. It was a lot of work to get a factory weapon to just FUNCTION. I would never in my wildest dreams depend on the Colt for anything. I simply don't trust it fully.

I just want a gun that I can rely on out of the box. You know the old adage, if you have more than 5 failures (feed/extract/battery) in the first 1000 rounds, sell the gun. At the very least it's not fit to carry. I am outright SCARED to carry the STI now.

Not sure your bg on 1911s, but they pretty much all require some form of reliability package. It's like a high performance vehicle needs constant tweaking to stay in top shape. With such concerns, you may look to another platform like any of the solid striker fired designs.

Question for the OP-

Have you let anyone else try the STI? Did they have the same problems?

mbw wrote:Question for the OP-

Have you let anyone else try the STI? Did they have the same problems?

I don't know if the guys at the range have shot the weapon or not. I've left them 100 rnds of ammo to use to diagnose and repair the gun. They're welcome to shoot it and confirm the problem.

danpaw wrote:Someday you will regret getting rid of anything that says "Colt". I know, I have made that mistake and I won't ever do it again.

Listen to him. I learned that lesson when I got rid of my Anaconda. It has since tripled in value.

punkndisorderly wrote:I don't think I've ever sold a gun and not regretted it later for one reason or another.

Taurus PT1911. Sold it, never regretted it. If I find one for under $100, I'll buy it just to have a 1911 to practice gunsmithing with. Their "hammer lock" safety feature locked up my pistol 3 different times. I would never trust my life to that gun, and any gun I don't trust my life to ain't worth ownin'.

And listen to what others say: Keep your Colt

OldCannon wrote: any gun I don't trust my life to ain't worth ownin'.

Nominating this for signature-line worthy quote ....

I fervently believe this myself. Other than an old wall-hanger .22 rifle handed down from my grandfather, I don't own a firearm I wouldn't trust to defend my life if necessary. No tempermental, race-car-like, safe-Queen, range-only firearms in my safe. If I'm not comfortable relying on it to bang EVERY TIME, then I don't own it.