STI International Inc
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STI International, Inc. (known as STI in the shooting community) is a Texas-based company that manufactures complete M1911 pistols and parts for competition, duty and self-defense. It is most well known for its modular frame guns (so-called because the lower grip and trigger guard, which is made of a fiber reinforced plastic, is a separate component from the metal upper portion of the frame that is comprised of the dust cover and frame rails). STI and Strayer Voigt Inc. co-share the patent on the modular frame.
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[edit] History
In 1980, Virgil Tripp, a gunsmith and machinist, started building custom 1911s for competition use, especially USPSA/IPSC. After a while, Virgil began designing parts for 1911s, including Electrical discharge machining (EDM) hammers and sears. Virgil's company was called Tripp Research, Inc. and most of his parts were sold and marketed by Chip McCormick, a champion pistol shooter, under his company's name, Chip McCormick Corporation (which is known as CMC).[1]
Around 1991, a engineer and computer aided design (CAD) guru named Sandy Strayer joined Tripp Research, Inc. and Sandy and Virgil revolutionized the 1911 market by designing a modular hi-capacity 1911 frame for IPSC shooters. While Para Ordnance already had a hi-capacity 1911 frame on the market, it was made of steel. The modular frame was a combined trigger guard and grip made of a fiber-reinforced plastic which had an integral magazine well that used a proprierty trigger which attached to the upper portion of the frame (a metal part that comprised the dust cover and frame rails) via allen screws. The result of the modular frame was that the frame weighted less than half of what the steel Para Ordnance frame weighted. Virgil and Sandy were listed as the co-patent holders on the modular frame. Soon after the modular frame was introduced, the company name changed to STI (which stood for Strayer-Tripp Inc.) and Sandy was given an equity stake in the new company.[2][3]
In June 1994, Sandy Strayer left STI and started a new company called Strayer Voigt Inc which now competes with STI.[4]
In November 1994, Dave and Shirley Skinner, who were the owners of an electronics company named Tessco, Inc., became involved in the operation of STI along with Virgil Tripp. In early 1997, the Skinners completed their purchase of STI from Virgil Tripp and renamed the company to STI International, Inc.[5][6] Virgil went on to start a new company using the name Tripp Research, Inc., which produces various finishies for firearms and magazines for 1911s.[7]
From 1994 through the late 1990s, STI had a custom shop, which would build guns to customer's specifications. Past heads of the custom shop include Benny Hill and David Dawson.
[edit] STI Today
Today, STI manufactures a full range of 1911 pistols based on its modular frame, in addition to single stack 1911s using steel frames in a variety of calibers such as 9mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W, and .38 Super. STI also manufactures a full line of parts for 1911 pistols, such as modular frame kits (which are used by gunsmiths to build complete guns), slides, barrels, compensators, triggers, hammers, thumb and grip safeties, slide stops, firing pins, guide rods, magazine wells, magazines, and scope mounts. STI's modular frames are marketed under the brand name 2011 (a take on the 1911 name).
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.trippresearch.com/history/history.htm
- ^ http://www.trippresearch.com/history/history.htm
- ^ http://www.stiguns.com/USPress/a_handgunner/ah9-01/AH9-01.html
- ^ http://www.trippresearch.com/history/history.htm
- ^ http://www.stiguns.com/USPress/a_handgunner/ah9-01/AH9-01.html
- ^ http://www.trippresearch.com/history/history.htm
- ^ http://www.trippresearch.com/history/history.htm
