The effective interaction GXPF1 for shell-model calculations in the full pf shell is tested in detail from various viewpoints such as binding energies, electro-magnetic moments and transitions, and excitation spectra. The semi-magic structure is successfully described for N or Z = 28 nuclei, 53 Mn, 54 Fe, 55 Co and 56,57,58,59 Ni, suggesting the existence of significant core-excitations in low-lying nonyrast states as well as in high-spin yrast states. The results of N = Z odd-odd nuclei, 54 Co and 58 Cu, also confirm the reliability of GXPF1 interaction in the isospin dependent properties. Studies of shape coexistence suggest an advantage of Monte Carlo Shell Model over conventional calculations in cases where full-space calculations still remain too large to be practical.