At SHOT Show’s Range Day I went hands-on with the new STK100 from Armscor, a GLOCK-17-sized, striker-fired pistol with a nicely sculpted aluminum frame.
The STK100 felt great in my hands and I really enjoyed shooting it.
One unique aspect of the STK100 is its use of a clamshell design — two halves bolted together — for the frame rather than being machined from a single piece. This certainly makes it easier to create internal features and helps Armscor hit a $599 MSRP.
If you didn’t know the STK100’s frame was a left side and a right side bolted together, you might never notice. Machining and fit are really good, so while there’s a very fine, visible seam if you look closely enough, it isn’t something that’s felt.
On the range, the STK100 shot really well for me. I’ve shot some other aluminum-frame pistols that are GLOCK parts-compatible (and I’m assuming from the look of the STK100 that it is, but I don’t actually know that for sure at this point…though it does accept GLOCK 17 magazines) and they all had snappier recoil or at least more felt recoil in the hand than an equivalent, polymer-frame pistol.
For whatever reason that wasn’t my experience with the STK100, which shot flat, soft, and smooth for me. Its ergonomics and grip angle are solid, and the beavertail is great.
I’m not entirely convinced that there’s a huge market for a striker-fired, aluminum-framed, duty-sized pistol in the U.S., but the STK100 certainly seems like a great option for fans of modern striker guns who still prefer the solid feel of a metal frame over polymer.
