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The Staccato CS: Tested and Reviewed

The Staccato CS may not be the everyman’s concealed-carry gun—but it’s worth every penny

BY TYLER FREEL | PUBLISHED MAR 16, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

The Staccato CS is dependable and lightning-fast. *Tyler Freel*

uns are like cars. If you want to go fast, it’s gonna cost some money.”

Those words stuck with me as I packed up my gear at the range. They wrapped up a farewell from an older gentleman and his wife after I’d had them both fire a few magazines through the Staccato CS that I was there to test. We’d joked about him having to buy one as his small-statured wife looked anything but frail as she chewed a hole the center A-zone on a USPSA silhouette with the pint-sized 9mm pistol.

The Staccato CS is new for 2023, and it’s the latest in Staccato’s line of 2011 9mm pistols. The CS is smaller than their previous C and C2 compact models, but promises to deliver the level of performance that 2011 pistols like the Staccato P have established. The world of concealed-carry pistols is a buyer’s market, and a premium gun at a premium price is going to have to bring the goods if a company hopes to strike a chord with discerning shooters.

I’ve been shooting a lot of handguns this winter, and am currently poised to tick over 5,000 rounds of 9mm and 10mm since the beginning of January. I’ve got deep roots in the average-joe Glock caste, but the Staccato P had no trouble winning me over, and its influence gave me very high expectations for the Staccato CS. I noted that Staccato’s punchline for the CS is “Pure Staccato, Just Smaller.” We’ll have to see about that, I thought while looking over the compact 2011 for the first time. I had the feeling that I would either be thoroughly impressed, or bitterly disappointed. There wasn’t room for a middle ground.

Staccato CS Specs

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 16+1
Action: Single-action, hammer-fired
Barrel: 3.5-inch, bull profile, fluted, stainless steel
Dimensions: 7.1 inches (L) x 5.6 inches (H) x 1.2 inches (W)(grip)
Weight: 27 ounces (w/empty 16-round magazine and Holosun EPS Carry optic) (measured)
Frame: 7075 billet aluminum
Slide: 4140 billet steel
Optics: Cut for optic, uses Dawson Precision optic system
Controls: Right-handed slide stop, mag catch, ambidextrous safety levers
Finish: Black DLC
Grip: Polymer grip module, laser-etched stipple texture
Sights: Dawson Precision fiber-optic front, serrated black square-notch rear
Trigger: 1911-style single-action, curved aluminum shoe, 3 pounds, 15 ounces (measured)
MSRP: $2,499

Getting Spun-Up on the Staccato CS

In mainstream-shooter America, Staccato 2011 (formerly known as STI) is steadily gaining name recognition, but they’re still somewhat of an enigma to most. The world of 2011’s and 2011-style pistols can be a bit of a wormhole for the average shooter, and Staccato actually owns the trademark on the term “2011.” Generally speaking, 2011’s and similar pistols are double-stack 1911’s that use a grip module that’s separate from the frame, not grip scales that are attached to each side of a frame like single-stack 1911’s. Pistols like the Springfield 1911 DS Prodigy and Staccato P are good examples, and I go into greater detail on general 2011 info in those reviews.

The Staccato CS is all 2011, but it’s refined in some key ways that help optimize it for concealed carry. Under Staccato, the concealed-carry line started with the C, which was a single-stack pistol. The C2 is a true double-stack 2011 that holds 16+1 rounds but, like its full-size siblings, it’s beefy. The CS looks and feels like the C2 and P in many ways, but its grip is nearly 8 percent slimmer, and the barrel is almost half an inch shorter. For comparison-sake, the Staccato CS is about the same size as a Sig Sauer P365 XMacro—but a little thicker. It’s slightly more petite than the venerable Glock G19.

The magazines for the Staccato CS aren’t bottlenecked like normal 2011 mags. *Tyler Freel*

The Staccato Family Resemblance

There’s no milkman in the Staccato CS’s neighborhood; it looks very much like the other pistols in the family. The CS is a double-stack 1911 with a grip safety, ambidextrous thumb safety, a generous beavertail, skeletonized hammer, and the same lines as Staccato’s full-size pistols. It has a curved aluminum trigger shoe and a wonderfully crisp trigger that breaks at four pounds—give or take an ounce. The trigger has an excellent short reset as well.

The CS has the same front and rear cocking serrations you’ll see on the bigger pistols like the P, XL, and XC; they’re aggressive but not excessive. It has the same scalloping on the bottom side of the slide stop lever too. The frame features a single-slot accessory rail and polymer 2011 grip module with the same sandpaper-like stipple texture that the Staccato P has.

The Staccato CS is very similar to the larger P (top), but is more fitting for concealed carry. *Tyler Freel*

Unique Features of the Staccato CS

Despite carrying the looks of the larger pistols in the Staccato line, the CS has several key updates that set it apart.

Magazines

The Staccato CS uses 16-round magazines like the C2, but they’re a bit slimmer, shorter, and they lack the notable bottleneck that the typical 2011 magazine has. They are similar in size and shape to the Sig Sauer P365 XMacro magazines, but narrow down more quickly at the top.

The magazines have slick steel bodies, smooth-running followers, and aluminum base plates that are scalloped on either side for gripping them if they don’t fall free of the pistol—loaded or empty, they do generally fall freely when released. The magazines have good spring tension, but are easy to load; full magazines seat easily under a closed slide.

Magazines from left to right: Staccato P 17-round, Sig P365 17-round, Staccato CS 16-round, and Glock G19 15-round. *Tyler Freel*

Barrel

The Staccato CS has a generally heavy-profile barrel, but with some interesting fluting and machining. The outside of the chamber is machined with a pattern that mimics the slide serrations where it’s exposed in the ejection port, and the concealed portion of the barrel has fluting as well. Other Staccato models have smooth barrels. This machine work isn’t just for looks—it cuts unnecessary weight and helps the barrel heat dissipate more quickly. The barrel has the typical 1911/2011 pivoting barrel link at the rear and a gradual recessed crown at the muzzle.

Extractor

Like the other Staccato Pistols, the CS uses a fixed ejector that’s just to the left of the disconnector when facing downrange. However, the extractor is different. Other pistols like the Staccato P use a traditional 1911-style internal extractor. It’s essentially a piece of spring steel that’s installed and removed from the rear of the slide. The springiness of the extractor itself is enough to grab case rims, but the extractor hooks are relatively small. The Staccato CS has a beefy external extractor, with a spring under the back end, that pivots on a pin installed vertically through the slide. The extractor on the CS is similar in size, shape, and function to what you’ll see on the Sig P365. It’s got lots of surface area to grab and hold cases firmly.

Recoil System

Although the larger Staccato pistols like the model P use premium full-length guide rods and some modern parts, they’re still 1911-style recoil systems. The Staccato CS has a patent-pending dual spring and rod recoil system made by Dawson Precision. It looks similar to what many striker-fired pistols use, but the front features a spring plug fitting that interfaces with the slide. To remove, simply pull up on the rear of the guide rod and the guide rod system clicks up about 20 degrees—allowing the whole assembly to be pulled free of the slide.

Sights and Optics for the Staccato CS

The bare bones Staccato CS has an optics cut, but comes with a Dawson Precision cover-plate and sights. Like the sights on the P, the CS comes with a variety of fiber-optic colors that you can change out if you like. A variety of pistol red dot plates are available from Staccato or Dawson Precision that come with a small rear sight behind the optic. I ordered my pistol with a plate and Holosun EPS Carry red dot installed, but I’ve also tried the basic iron sight cover plate. I can co-witness my iron sights with the EPS Carry.

Shooting the Staccato CS

I mentioned that I had high hopes for the Staccato CS; I was anxious and a little nervous to shoot it. I’m rooting for every gun I shoot to be a winner, and a lot of them just aren’t. And this pistol was no exception: I really wanted the CS to be everything it’s cracked up to be.

In a few weeks of testing, I fired over 1,400 rounds through the Staccato CS. I’ve fired handloaded and factory ball 9mm ammo of every available weight, and a wide variety of defensive loads too. I have yet to experience a single malfunction of any kind, and shooting the Staccato CS still leaves me in disbelief.

Typical results of a 100-round drill session at 21 feet with the Staccato CS. *Tyler Freel*

Recoil Control

With the disclaimer that I haven’t shot every single compact concealed-carry pistol on the market, I’ve shot a lot of them—and the Staccato CS is the smoothest-shooting and most accurate compact 9mm I’ve ever fired.

The only thing I can compare it to is its larger sibling, the Staccato P. They are different in some ways: The P has a larger grip that’s easier to index and maintain position, and the recoil cycle of the P feels a little softer because of the heavier, longer slide. However, I can’t say that I can shoot the P much faster than I can shoot the CS with equal accuracy. The CS has a faster recoil cycle that I want to describe as snappy, but it doesn’t snap up with recoil—maybe brisk is a better descriptor. With a good grip, the sights or dot never leave the target during the recoil cycle.

Some striker-fired compact 9mm pistols are very manageable and, when you can develop a good grip, you can do a lot with them. None of them can really compare to the CS though. It’s in a different league.

How Accurate Is the Staccato CS?

The good trigger and smooth-shooting recoil system of the Staccato CS help it achieve excellent accuracy scores for a compact gun. When looking at any pistol—particularly a concealed-carry pistol—I consider primarily practical accuracy: how easy it is to shoot a gun under stress accurately. In the case of high-end guns like the Staccato CS, I’ll also do some on-paper accuracy testing.

The Staccato CS shoots great with a variety of carry ammo styles and weights. *Tyler Freel*

I’ll normally gauge the practical accuracy of a compact gun by how easily I can keep most of my hits in the A-zone on a USPSA silhouette at 50 feet while shooting just slow enough to catch the reset. With the Staccato CS, I can burn through entire magazines at about 80- to 90-percent speed, and keep everything in the A-zone. At the shot, the dot wobbles, then drops right back to the center of the target. At 21 feet, I would regularly run through 200 rounds shooting 1-to-5 drills and Bill drills and not drop a single C-zone hit.

To really challenge myself and the pistol, I hung a half-size USPSA silhouette steel plate at 100 yards. I fired several strings of 16 rounds in 20 seconds, and averaged 14 hits per string. That’s something I can’t repeat with most handguns—simply because the triggers won’t allow it. Relatively speaking, most striker-fired triggers feel like trying to break off a birch sapling after becoming accustomed to the CS.

On paper, the CS printed some great groups too. I recorded 10 5-shot groups with three different defensive loads, fired at 50 feet using a sandbag for support. The average group size was .676 inches, and the smallest group was a .357-inch bughole. Compare that to an average of 1.477 inches from my Glock G47.

An excellent 5-shot group from 50 feet with the Staccato CS with Black HIlls 100-grain +P Honey Badger. *Tyler Freel*

Carrying the Staccato CS

The Staccato CS is designed and built to be a concealed-carry gun, but it might not be perfect for everyone. It firmly resides in the compact category, but is larger than the micro-compact 9mm pistols that have been hot-ticket items in recent years. It’s very similar in size to pistols like the G19, Sig P365 XMacro, Sig P320 XCompact, and Springfield XD-M Compact. It’s not a hard pistol to conceal, but your body type, dress style, climate, and method of carry will factor into how well it will work for you. I have carried the CS for over a month, and find that an IWB appendix carry is a good fit for me.

Holsters for the Staccato CS

Concealed-carry guns require holsters to use them properly, and there are already a few good options for the CS. I have been using a Blackpoint Tactical Dual Point IWB. The Shogun from LAS Concealment is another good option, and if you dig, you’ll find more. If you’re going to purchase a pistol like the CS, it’s worth trying a couple different models. You won’t be able to find them on the sporting goods store shelf, but you won’t find the CS there either.

Train With What You Carry

The Staccato CS is a Ferrari of concealed-carry guns but, if you’re like most folks who carry and shoot striker-fired guns, switching to a 1911-style pistol like the CS brings a couple caveats: train with what you carry, and don’t mix-and-match.

The facets of concealed carry are great, even fun, to discuss; but it’s also serious business. The biggest difference that striker-fired shooters will encounter when using a 1911-style pistol in a carry application is the safety. People who carry 1911-style pistols like the CS most commonly do so in condition one: chamber loaded, magazine loaded, hammer back, and safety on. On the range, getting used to disengaging the safety is easy, but it takes time to change your default actions when drawing under stress. Most striker-fired guns have no external safety, and if you’re not used to disengaging one, it can cost you precious time. Fortunately, the safety levers on the CS are easy to index your grip on and, with some practice, operating the safety quickly becomes an automatic part of the process.

In addition to acclimating to the manual safety, it’s important to avoid changing your carry setup regularly. Each handgun carries and points a little differently, and switching them up can cost you valuable time if you have to use it. For example, my carry gun for the past year has been a Sig P320 XCompact and, when switching over to the CS, it took some time and practice to become accustomed to the way the CS points. If I decide to carry the P320 tomorrow, I won’t be able to get on target as quickly because my default is now the CS.

The Staccato CS is close in size to other compacts. From left to right: Sig P320 XCompact, Glock G19, Staccato CS, and the Sig P365 XMacro Tacops. *Tyler Freel*

What the Staccato CS Does Well

The Staccato CS gets top marks from me in just about every metric of performance. It’s reliable, compact, has great capacity, and most importantly—it’s really easy to shoot accurately.

Where the Staccato CS Could Be Better

The only thing that I think some shooters might not care for is also a factor with the larger Staccato pistols. The slide stop is tough to reach with the gun-hand thumb without breaking your grip. Many shooters use the support hand to break the slide stop loose, but if you’re not used to that, it will feel awkward.

Is the Staccato CS Worth the Money?

No matter the accolades or performance characteristics, the price of a gun is often a sticking point. Every shooter has to work within a budget, and value plays a huge role in what we pick. The Staccato CS is far from the most expensive 2011 on the market, but it does command a premium price. Is it worth it? That depends.

Objectively, the materials, workmanship, and performance are there. The Staccato CS stands apart from every lower-priced gun I could compare it to—even full-size pistols. If you’re a seasoned pistol shooter or shoot the CS alongside run-of-the-mill compact 9mm pistols, you’ll see the differences instantly. For a serious shooter, or someone who wants a best-in-class concealed-carry pistol, it’s worth every penny. In fact, I would personally find it worthwhile to forgo four or five of my other pistols if it meant I could afford the CS.

The other reality is that not every individual will see the value in the Staccato CS. There are some great, effective concealed-carry guns that are much cheaper, and although they objectively are not on the same level as the CS, they aren’t bad choices. Stick to your budget, and don’t go mortgaging the family farm to purchase a top-shelf pistol if it’s not a realistic buy for you. If you’re a beginner or don’t shoot much, the benefits of the CS won’t seem as pronounced as they do when you’re shooting constantly. Sure, you will likely be able to shoot it well, but a top-speed sports car isn’t what everyone wants or needs. Damn if you won’t want one after you get behind the wheel, though.

UK Veteran & Hero Joins Staccato Training Team

The hire of retired combat veteran Chris Craighead highlights Staccato’s increased training efforts

[GEORGETOWN, Texas, April 5, 2023] – Today, Staccato welcomes retired UK Special Mission Unit (SMU) operator Chris Craighead to the company’s training division.

The 28-year combat veteran, Craighead is highly respected for his actions in Nairobi, Kenya when he defeated terrorists in a hotel siege and saved over 700 lives. Bringing his extensive experience and expertise, Craighead will conduct elite programs including active shooter response training for SWAT teams across the United States.

“We are honored to welcome another true hero to our team,” Staccato Chief Executive Officer Nathan Horvath said. “Christian exemplifies our core values and his actions in Nairobi represent the epitome of acting with honor and doing what is right, especially when it is difficult.”

Craighead’s recruitment further demonstrates Staccato’s commitment to supporting law enforcement education. Staccato is a leader in producing high-quality handguns that are built and designed with heroes in mind. Since the company’s birth in 2019, Staccato has seen remarkable growth, earning approval by over 1,000 law enforcement agencies. These agencies include 65 of the nation’s top SWAT teams such as the U.S. Marshals SOG, LAPD SWAT, and the Texas Rangers SRT.

“From the first time I experienced a Staccato, I was completely taken back by how well the weapon functioned,” Chris Craighead said. “It’s important to have the right weapons and tools for the right people. Staccato delivers high quality and precision. Beyond their handguns, the core values of Staccato marry up with mine… it’s a good match.”

With the addition of Craighead to the team, Staccato is poised to continue its rapid growth and provide the best possible training solutions for all heroes. “What I am most looking forward to is assisting ALL members of the Staccato family to step up and do the right thing… whenever or wherever that may be,” Craighead said.

Craighead’s appointment is effective immediately.

Address threats with confidence

By Laura Neitzel, Police1 BrandFocus Staff

In the current atmosphere where the public is quick to label any officer-involved shooting as an act of police violence, the last thing any officer wants to do is fire a weapon and hit an unintended target. However, accidental shootings or unintentional discharges happen every year, despite officers’ efforts to avoid them.

An accurate firearm is safer for the officer and ensures no unintended target winds up in the line of fire. (Staccato)

While some of the deleterious effects of extreme stress can be mitigated through training and practice, the quality of the firearm can also make a notable difference.

PRECISION-ENGINEERING AN “INSANELY ACCURATE” FIREARM

“With a handgun that is easier to shoot, better to shoot and more accurate, you have less likelihood of missing the intended target and hitting an unintended target,” said Rick Evans, a 29-year law enforcement veteran and LE/Military business development manager at Staccato. “That reduces your risk management as it relates to civil liability for law enforcement.”

There are two advantages that a highly accurate firearm like Staccato pistols can offer to help ensure that if an officer needs to fire a round, it hits the intended target and no other.

First, Staccato pistols are precision-manufactured to a higher degree of tolerance, making them “insanely accurate,” said Evans. “It’s built and engineered to such a high degree that it is just a better shooting platform.”

Second, the Staccato is easy to shoot well, even under stress. “Staccato pistols are insanely accurate, helping officers of all shooting levels shoot their best,” said Evans. “1-inch groupings in 25 yards is common with Staccato pistols.”

See why this SWAT officer trusts Staccato:

That’s why nearly 1,000 law enforcement agencies across the country have approved Staccato for duty use, including Los Angeles Police Department, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Department and SWAT teams in Dallas Police Department and the City of Lakeland Police Department, to name a few.

NO BULLETS GO ASTRAY

In addition to diligent training, having an accurate pistol that allows an officer to address the threat with the fewest number of accurately placed rounds can help ensure that no bullets go astray.

“The fewer the rounds fired is always better for any situation,” said Evans. “So, if you’ve got a pistol that will allow you to address that threat where if, heaven forbid, you have to use deadly force, the most successful conclusion to that incident would be one in which no one was hit other than the suspect.”

See the original article at Police1.com

How this LAPD officer achieved a perfect score

By Laura Neitzel for Police1 BrandFocus

Los Angeles Police Department’s Bonus Qualification Course is legendary. Established in 1964, aspiring officers had to get a certain score on the course in order to graduate from the police academy. Today, the bonus course lives on not as a requirement to graduate, but as a qualification test for officers to demonstrate their level of marksmanship. To achieve a perfect score of 400, a shooter must place 40 rounds inside 10 rings on a human silhouette target.

Officer Justice Huynh achieved a perfect score on LAPD’s bonus qualification score using Staccato P. (LAPD)

Of the thousands of officers who have shot the course in the decades since its founding, only 41 had achieved a perfect score. In January 2022, using a Staccato P, Officer Justice Huynh became the 42nd.

Huynh’s path to a perfect score on his shooting qualification test started when he was 7 years old. His father, a police officer, took him to the local gun range and started teaching him the fundamentals of shooting.

“We laugh about it now, but all these drills and everything he ran me through from 7 on, they’re all little snippets of what the department actually teaches and uses to qualify officers,” said Huynh, who has been with LAPD for four years.

That childhood experience has stood him in good stead in his career at LAPD. By achieving a perfect score and a top marksmanship rating of “distinguished expert” ─ earned by shooting an average score of 385 for six months ─ Huynh received recognition as a member of the elite “400 Club.”

WHAT IT TAKES TO SHOOT THE BONUS COURSE

The Bonus Course is not just shooting a 40-shot course of fire. It’s a rapid-pace, six-course test that consists of shooting 40 rounds at two different targets from different yardages and landing left body/right body/head shots within a specific time frame – all in about five minutes. Each phase gets progressively more challenging and more stress-inducing.

Here’s how that breaks down:

Six Phases of the LAPD Bonus Course
Phase 1 – Start at Seven 7-yard distance 2 targets 4 body shots in 3 seconds – 2 right, 2 left 2 head shots in 1.5 seconds	Phase 2 – The Quick Six 7-yard distance 2 targets 6 body shots in 3.5 seconds – 2 right, 2 left, 2 right
Phase 3 – Three for Four 10-yard distance 2 targets 4 body shots in 3 seconds – 2 right, 2 left 2 head shots in 1.5 seconds	Phase 4 – Two Shots Two Seconds: 10-yard distance 2 targets 2 body shots in 2 seconds – left target 2 body shots in 2 seconds – right target 2 body shots in 2 seconds – left target
Phase 5 – Reload Round 17-yard distance 2 targets 2 magazines of 4 and 6 10 rounds in 30 seconds, alternating right and left Reload after 4 shots	Phase 6 – The Stress Test 25-yard distance 2 targets 2 rounds in 4 seconds from right side of barricade – one right, one left 2 rounds in 4 seconds from left side of barricade – one right, one left 2 rounds in 4 seconds on top of cover – dominant hand, one right, one left

DOES A CHOICE OF WEAPON MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

While Huynh seemed destined to become an expert marksman, it wasn’t easy. It takes tremendous time and dedication to go to the range day after day. In addition to the hard work, Huynh credits his using a Staccato P.

“If I didn’t use a Staccato, I don’t think I would have shot a 400 score.”
– Officer Justice Huynh

LAPD officers who qualify with scores of 365 or better in the bonus course and take a 1911/2011 pistol transition course can use Staccatos on duty. More than 2,000 LAPD officers have purchased the weapons, including more than 90% of LAPD SWAT officers, and 80% of those carry them on duty.

“When I got the perfect score with my Staccato P, I was fortunate enough to go to 1911 school,” said Huynh, “and ever since then I’ve been carrying a Staccato on duty. I think it’s the best one out there.”

COUNTING ON YOUR SKILLS AND YOUR WEAPON WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS

Reflecting on his perfect score, Huynh gives most of the credit to his father.

“It was very beneficial being able to have my dad help me throughout the way. He’s been a police officer for 27 years now, so I’ve definitely looked up to him my whole life,” said Huynh. “He definitely motivated me and gave me the inspiration to join the police department, too.”

Obtaining a perfect score has inspired Huynh to continue perfecting his marksmanship. He’s part of the LAPD’s shooting team that travels to national precision pistol competitions. But as an officer, he’s just grateful for what his marksmanship skills and a trustworthy duty weapon provide him.

“Our families are depending on us to come back home,” said Huynh. “I hope I’m never put in the position of needing to defend my life, but if I were, I want to have the confidence in the marksmanship I need to be able to do that. Having the tools available to me to keep my job ─ and my life ─ gives me peace of mind.”

About the Author

Laura Neitzel is Director of Branded Content for Lexipol, where she produces written and multimedia branded content of relevance to a public safety audience, including law enforcement, fire, EMS and corrections. She holds degrees in English from the University of Texas and the University of North Texas, and has over 20 years’ experience writing and producing branded and educational content for nationally-recognized companies, government agencies, non-profits and advocacy organizations.

See the original article at Police1.com

Lupe & Sal: Growing Together

Meet Lupe H.

Competitors live and breathe an Always Forward mindset, which is one of the many reasons we are proud to be a Platinum sponsor of the Tactical Games. Meet husband and wife podium winners Lupe and Sal.

This SWAT team was an early adopter of the Staccato P. Here’s why.

Adopting a duty weapon new to law enforcement was a risk that paid off

By Michael Knetzger, Ph.D., for Police1 BrandFocus

November 29, 2021

In the last three decades, law enforcement equipment and methods have evolved in ways that have made officers, communities and the people they serve safer. Among the many changes have been the transition from revolvers to semi-automatic weapons.

After much testing, Riverside County Sheriff's Office in California became one of the first agencies to choose the Staccato 2011 handgun for its SWAT team. — After much testing, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in California became one of the first agencies to choose the Staccato 2011® handgun for its SWAT team. (Staccato)

One of the newer brands in that market, Staccato, has already garnered the trust of more than 325 law enforcement agencies since its debut in 2019.

The Riverside County, California, Sheriff’s Department SWAT team was one of the first law enforcement agencies to adopt Staccato pistols when it first entered the law enforcement market. After months of rigorous testing, Sgt. Ethan Kaas concluded that the Staccato 2011 handgun is a reliable, accurate, durable and dependable firearm to effectively protect lives in Riverside County.

The most high-risk incidents, such as hostage situations, barricaded subjects, or serving warrants upon dangerous people in dangerous places, are frequently resolved by SWAT teams. SWAT operators are expected to be proficient with all their equipment and to be accurate shooters. Any weapon that improves accuracy, is reliable and easy to use, and simple to fix, is worth adding to the SWAT operator’s tools. Enter the Staccato P, a 2011® pistol. The 2011® platform is an evolution of the 1911 platform handgun specially made for the rigors of law enforcement.

AN ELITE TEAM WITH AN ELITE WEAPON

The Riverside County SWAT team is comprised of 32 operators who handle high-risk incidents across 7,303 square miles and a population of 2.45 million. In 2018, SWAT operators were consistently experiencing issues, such as malfunctions and parts failures, with the 1911 single-action pistols they were issued. Many operators began carrying personally owned pistols, from 1911 style to striker fired. Previous policy prohibited operators from carrying different models until Sgt. Kaas assisted with the expansion of SWAT teams’ approved list of weapons to include Staccato.

Sgt. Kaas contacted Staccato and requested demo pistols. The firearms company sent a representative to Riverside County and left behind two pistols, a 9mm and .45 caliber, for testing. Riverside County SWAT operators put the Staccato pistols through diligent testing. Twenty-two thousand 9mm rounds and eight thousand .45 caliber rounds were fired through the weapons. The pistols were exposed to dirt, debris and sand. To say the weapons merely passed field testing is an understatement. Elite shooters reported reduced recoil and quicker time on target. Malfunctions were rare. Shooter accuracy and confidence improved.

Although malfunctions were rare, Sgt. Kaas’ team occasionally experienced magazine or slide lock back problems with early (circa 2018) pistols and mags. After reporting these concerns to Staccato, newly redesigned magazines and slide stops were provided to Riverside free of charge. Staccato’s magazines have continually evolved since then and are currently in their third generation with improved consistency and reliability.

Today, nearly 85% of the SWAT operators at Riverside have chosen to personally purchase and carry the Staccato P (9MM) on duty. Operators have the choice to carry other single-action or striker fired pistols, but the Staccato P is the preferred choice among these elite shooters. This weapon, according to Sgt. Kaas, is in the 95^th percentile of all weapons on the market.

IMPROVED OPERATOR PERFORMANCE

According to Sgt. Kaas, operators have experienced increased shooting accuracy with the Staccato P.

No doubt, Sgt. Kaas’ team is comprised of expert shooters who master their skills on the range daily. In addition to operator skill, Sgt. Kaas also attributes improved shooting performance to the Staccato P recoil springs, which minimize recoil and help keep the weapon on target. A plastic or polymer grip attached to the steel frame also mitigates recoil.

Trigger pull also affects weapon accuracy. “Awesome” and “fantastic” were the words used by Sgt. Kaas to describe the Staccato P trigger pull. With a 4 to 4.5 pound trigger, Sgt. Kaas has experienced a consistent straight-back trigger pull, which minimizes barrel whip and improves accuracy.

STACCATO’S ARMORY SCHOOL

As part of Staccato’s law enforcement department program, Staccato brought their “Level-1” armory school to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Staccato’s lead warranty gunsmith Ricky Shanline taught SWAT team armorers to mount attachments, such as a red dot optic or tactical lights.

An essential and simple maintenance skill – field stripping the pistol – was covered in the armorer’s school. Field stripping the Staccato P is identical to 1911 pistols. “Our guys generally detail strip them every thousand to two thousand rounds,” said Sgt. Kaas. “It is very simple, very easy, and the maintenance has not been an issue whatsoever.” Field adjustments are also easy, such as increasing extractor tension, which is another of many skills taught by Staccato’s armorer instructors.

SWAT armorers also learned how to make necessary repairs, which are uncommon but not unexpected when thousands of rounds are put through the weapon each year. When recoil springs or, in one instance, a broken firing pin stop needed replacement, Staccato shipped the parts at no cost and the parts were replaced at the Sheriff’s Office.

It is evident that Staccato is committed to developing an elite weapon for elite operators and providing the users with knowledge, skills and abilities to help maintain peak performance.

A TRUSTED PARTNER AND GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

Sgt. Kaas spoke to the great customer service and partnership that was developed with Staccato, using phrases like “Great to work with,” “resolved issues quickly,” and “quick response.” Staccato also prides itself in building relationships with the agencies they serve. These relationships have created “the utmost trust in the guns and their ability to service them and keep us up and running,” said Sgt. Kaas. In the hands of protectors, “these guns are just as reliable and much easier to shoot that any other current offering I have tested,” he added.

Staccato is here to stay and has become a trusted duty proven firearm for those who protect and serve throughout the United States. Staccato’s innovation, creativity and customer service further enhance the dependability and reliability of their pistols.

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