Two high end, precision 1911 manufacturers, STI International and Detonics Defense, have entered into a business partnership in the hopes of producing better 1911s. It seems that the two seem to compliment each other, with STI having very good quality control and production facilities but lacking the theory and design ideas necessary for a “modernized” or “combat orientated” 1911. And Detonics having put alot of research into their design ideas and proof of concepts, but not having any of the mass production facilities of STI International.

Detonics Defense has 27 years of human factor research and training experience working with military, law enforcement and security personnel designing ergonomic and functional handguns.

“This partnership will give STI access to Detonics patents, R&D and human factors engineering talent,” said Jens Krogh, STI Director of Sales and Marketing. “With our manufacturing capabilities and their research, we feel it is a marriage of the best ideas with some of the best performing guns in the industry.”

“This partnership will help us achieve our long term goals of creating innovative human factor engineered products while having a partner fully dedicated to manufacturing excellence. We are excited to announce the results of Detonics and STI’s joint efforts to the firearms consumer later this year,” said Kevin Siddle, Detonics Director of Operations.

Image taken from Detonics Defense product page.

Both manufacturers make very highly priced 1911s ($1000 plus), STIs reputation is legendary in the competition world, but holds a lower position in the practical 1911 market. Honestly I’d never heard of Detonics Defense before this press release, but they must have some promising concepts if STI is willing to partner with them. But they appear to have been around since at least the 1990s or so. This is a video review I found of one of their different models