[Beladran]

Do they make a 2011 high cap compact?

 

[Rbelote]

SV has one out they designed for a carry gun. STi also has a 4 inch slide now I think,

 

[DBChaffin]

STI has had the VIP out for years, which is a compact grip, aluminum or steel frame, and 4" barrel and slide. Just this year, they released the Eclipse, which is an even shorter grip, steel frame, and 3" barrel and slide. Note that STI will not sell either the grip or compact frames separately. They will only sell them as complete guns.

SV will build you just about whatever you want, although I don't know if they get quite as small as the Eclipse, I know they will do a 3.5" barrel Officer's size. Here are a couple:

Unfortunately, they are not selling frames anymore. I have a grip like the one pictured in the second photo and an SV commander frame open gun that will eventually be turned into a compact carry gun. This is a project on my list...

 

[Guest]

I like the hammer on the Infinity. Any one know where I can get one? I've searched the web for two days looking.

 

[DBChaffin]

Sure. Like most SV parts they are expensive but also very good. I've got one of the hammers pictured with the "SV" in it and have a lot of rounds on it (25-30K plus), and the trigger pull has stayed very consistent throughout at somewhere around 2 lbs and hasn't needed any retuning. I also have a QBX7 on my newer gun and an older SV "round hammer" on my older gun.

They come with the angles basically perfect if the frame holes and sear are right, and the finished hooks are nice from the factory. I'm not saying it will definitely drop in, but I would give their hammer as good of chance as any to do so. They are also some of the harder hammers available, being EDM machined from S-7 tool steel and hardened to between Rockwell C 54-56.

I have gotten a couple from Speed Shooters International, where they are $80:
http://speedshooter.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=SV3XQB&n=SV-Infinity-XQB-hammers

The only other option I know of is from SV Infinity themselves, but they are almost $90 there:
http://sviguns.com/1101.php?indx=14

 

[Guest]

I see my mistake now. I was looking for an STI hammer instead of SV. Thanks for the link. That will probably be my next upgrade.

 

[DBChaffin]

Yeah, it can be confusing. Sandy Strayer and Virgil Tripp formed Strayer Tripp International (STI) but later had a falling out of some sort. They split with the agreement that both would make guns on their patented frame design. Tripp ran STI before selling it to Dave Skinner, the current owner, while Strayer went into business with Mike Voigt and formed Strayer Voigt Infinity. Strayer and Voigt later had a falling out, with Voigt now shooting STI firearms. Strayer kept the SV name but tend to go by "Infinity Firearms" more now.

 

[Beladran]

sounds like Sandy Strayer cant get along with partners....

 

[Xd357]

All I know is that either one of those would make a sweet ccw.

 

[DBChaffin]

sounds like Sandy Strayer cant get along with partners....

Yeah, it does appear that way. I don't know the full story though.

As I understand it, Strayer was the design/engineer, Tripp was the gunsmith, and when they initially got together, Chip McCormick was the shooter that already had a succesful business going, so the frames were initially sold with his name on them. Even after STI started putting their name on them, the early serial numbers started with "CMC" because they had been building them under Chip's name.

I dealt with Sandy directly when I bought my first SV at the Nationals in '01. He was a nice guy and helped me out. Definitely more like an engineer than most gun guys I have dealth with though. More recently, I have been dealing with his son, Brandon. I don't know him that well, but he definitely different than his dad.

All I know is that either one of those would make a sweet ccw.

I think so, too. A little too thick to be ideal for me through the grip/frame interface and of course expensive, but sweet, sweet firearms. If you haven't ever shot one, you should give one a try.