The Continuing Evolution  of the 1911   

By Dick Metcalf

STI 10MM CUSTOM HUNTER

At the top premium end of the scale of current l0mm hunting handguns is the new STI Model 1911 Custom Hunter, which is available as a total parts "kit" from STI for assembly and specific accessory setup by your choice of pistolsmith or as a completely finished custom pistol from STI itself. I first became aware of this offering when studying STI's product literature while gathering review samples for my recent survey of current Model 1911 technology. It consists of an STI Model 1911/2011 l0mm Auto modular grip setup with a heavy six-inch bull barrel, heavyweight full-length slide, full-length extended frame, heavy-duty bushing, and full-length recoil spring guide rod designed to accommodate the power and recoil velocity of full-power .41 Magnum-equivalent l0mm Auto loads for hog and deer hunting.

Supplanted in personal defense and law enforcement use by its offspring .40 S&W, the 10mm Auto cartridge  has found a not-too-surprising  popularity among handgun hunters.

At the top premium end of the scale of current l0mm hunting handguns is the new STI Model 1911 Custom Hunter, which is available as a total parts "kit" from STI for assembly and specific accessory setup by your choice of pistolsmith or as a completely finished custom pistol from STI itself. I first became aware of this offering when studying STI's product literature while gathering review samples for my recent survey of current Model 1911 technology. It consists of an STI Model 1911/2011 l0mm Auto modular grip setup with a heavy six-inch bull barrel, heavyweight full-length slide, full-length extended frame, heavy-duty bushing, and full-length recoil spring guide rod designed to accommodate the power and recoil velocity of full-power .41 Magnum-equivalent l0mm Auto loads for hog and deer hunting.

The 10mm Auto was introduced during the 1980s as primarily an auto pistol duty-type round; today it is enjoying a revival among handgun hunters.

As the chart shows, my scoped l0mm STI/Heinie Hunter will put a nine-round magazine of Hornady's full-power 180-grain l0mm HP/XTP hunting loads into a 2.00-inch circle at 50 yards from a benchrest, and the overall average for all groups fired in the same review series as the Glock and S&W Model 610 came in at 2.34 inches. That's nearly as good as the S&W revolver and is by far the best overall performance of any l0mm auto pistol I've ever handled. Extremely comfortable to shoot and quick to recover, I can't think of a better tool for rapid-fire work on pigs in the thickets.

STI's 10mm Hunter was accurate with all loads fired, and author says it was very comfortable to shoot.

For an "also-ran" loading, the 10mm is actually looking pretty good in the hunting field these days. Few other handgun cartridges, even those more conventionally viewed as hunting loads like the .44 Magnum, are available in as many different handgun formats as the current l0mm offerings. Revolver, standard-grade autoloader, or full personalized custom-house gun, all are fine working hunters. You make the pick.

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