Click to copy, then share by pasting into your messages, comments, social media posts and websites.
Click to copy, then add into your webpages so users can view and engage with this video from your site.
Report Content
We also accept reports via email. Please see the Guidelines Enforcement Process for instructions on how to make a request via email.
Thank you for submitting your report
We will investigate and take the appropriate action.
STI Grandmaster Review A Handgun For USPSA/IPSC Competitors
Looking for an open gun ideal for someone just dipping their toes in USPSA/IPSC open class, I was on the hunt for a handgun primed for entry-level performance. The Guns.com Vault revealed a pistol ready to take up this task -- the STI Grand Master.
Chambered in .38 Super, the Grand Master sports a 5-inch Trubor compensated barrel. A Trubor barrel is manufactured from a single piece of rifle-grade steel. It’s then fitted to the compensator to improve accuracy and reduce muzzle flip. To really work that compensator, the .38 Super round allows for more powder and, for that reason, is a popular open caliber for reloaders.
Weighing in at 44.6-ounces the gun is hefty but manageable. As I shot it felt balanced and didn’t impede my transitions from target to target.
The Grand Master is a factory-standard model that offers a few upgrades, chosen at the time of purchase, but otherwise is standard among its series. If you compare this gun to other factory models, it’s quite competitive; however, it shouldn’t be compared to a custom open gun. That’s like comparing apples to oranges or a Chevy to a Ferrari.
The pistol offers rear cocking serrations, STI’s steel magwell, an ambitious magazine release, and an installed C-More optic. For an open gun, it has what you need to get to the range and stretch your legs in Open Class. That being said it is lacking features like slide cuts and barrel ports, but, again, this isn’t a true custom gun. For a factory model, it gets the job done at a more affordable price point.
In taking it to the range the Grand Master shot flat. The trigger brought very little creep and even less take-up, which one would expect from an open gun. I felt the Grand Master had much more punch than other open guns which affected the shooting experience but certainly did not impact accuracy.
Some feeding issues are due to the neutered 10-round magazines. With some tuning, I believe they would run flawlessly. Otherwise, there were no issues and it ran consistently.
The magazine release was easy to grasp and the magwell made reloads sweet. My main gripe would be the lack of a slide racker, but the rear serrations do help. This was a very fun gun for practice and I feel on a stage it would really shine.
Though STI halted production of its open guns in 2019 — to focus on other product lines — the open series will most likely reappear after 2020. This particular Grand Master is from the pre-DVC line, which makes it a tad older. With that being said this Grand Master looks practically new and hardly used. In a world where open guns tend to see insanely high round counts and abuse, this one is a gem.
Overall if an entry open gun is your desire- this one fulfills that! See more at www.guns.com.
sti,STI Grandmaster Review,grandmaster,uspsa,open gun,3 gun,competition gun,competition pistol,ultimate gun,taran tactical,tti,john wick,jade struck,taran butler,keanu reeves,competitive shooting,jerry miculek,miculek,9mm,.38 super,38 super,.38 cal,race gun,impressive gun,futuristic gun,space age gun,atlas gunworks,1911,2011,shoot fast,fastest shooter,fast shooting
Category | None |
Sensitivity | Normal - Content that is suitable for ages 16 and over |
Playing Next
Related Videos
Battle-Scarred Israeli M-50 Sherman Roars
2 years, 7 months ago
The Russian 122mm D-30 Howitzer Is A Beast
2 years, 7 months ago
My Favorite Machine Gun: H&K MP5 SD
2 years, 8 months ago
Turkey Guns & Gear 2021 Edition
2 years, 8 months ago
Investing in Class 3 Guns Presents Great Opportunity
2 years, 8 months ago
The World's Largest Shooting Sport Event
2 years, 8 months ago
Warning - This video exceeds your sensitivity preference!
To dismiss this warning and continue to watch the video please click on the button below.
Note - Autoplay has been disabled for this video.