TFB Review: The New Staccato C – The Most Flexible Staccato Yet

The 2011 platform has long been a favorite among competition shooters—fast, accurate, and smooth in a way that makes your average off-the-shelf gun feel clunky in comparison. But let’s be honest: these pistols have historically been big, heavy, and not exactly carry-friendly. Staccato not only noticed this gap in their product lineup but due to the more widespread adoption of Staccato 2011 pistols for not just competition, but duty as well meant that the new Staccato C was an inevitability. Staccato announced its launch earlier in 2024, with the first few pieces shipping out in mid-2024 - mine included. This updated model replaced the earlier single-stack Staccato C, introducing enhancements like a beefier frame and new magazine geometry tailored for versatility in concealed carry, duty, and home defense as opposed to pure competition performance.

For the last half-year, I’ve had the opportunity to extensively test the 15-round compact grip variant to see if it truly delivers that perfect balance of performance and practicality that I think Staccato is going for with their newest C variant. As opposed to their newest Staccato CS - an even smaller 2011 more fit for CCW, the C still looks to be the one gun you might want to buy if you were dead set on a 2011 but wanted to be able to carry it and compete with it too. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor, a concealed carrier who appreciates a good trigger, or just someone who loses the shooting performance of Staccato pistols, the question remains: does the new Staccato C work as a high-end jack-of-all-trades?

More from Staccato at TFB:

• Staccato HD: New 2011 Pistols with Glock Magazine Compatibility
• Staccato 2011 Pistols Duty-Approved by Over 250 Agencies
• TFB Review: Staccato Tactical DS H.O.S.T 4.0 – Long Term Review

TFB REVIEW: The New Staccato C – The Most Flexible Staccato Yet

Product Link: https://staccato2011.com/products/staccato-c

Specifications:

• Caliber: 9x19mm
• Barrel Length: 4.0” Bull Barrel
• Trigger Pull: 4 - 4.5 lbs
• Frame: Aluminum
• Slide: Optics-ready, forward and rear serrations
• Grip Options:
• Compact Grip – 15-round capacity
• Full-Size Grip – 17-round capacity
• Weight: 26 oz (unloaded)
• Recoil System: 4.0” Tool-less
• Sights: Fiber optic front sight, Dawson Precision rear sight
• Safety: Ambidextrous manual thumb safety
• Magazine Compatibility: Staccato C/CS 2011 pattern magazines

Features

• Optic-ready slide factory-cut for red dot optics
• Lightweight aluminum frame for carry and duty use
• 1911-style single-action trigger with a crisp break and minimal reset
• Slim profile designed for improved concealability without sacrificing capacity
• Tool-less recoil system for easy maintenance and simplified takedown
• Aggressive grip texture and high undercut trigger guard for improved control
• Flared magazine well for smoother reloads
• Forward and rear slide serrations for better manipulation and press checks

MSRP: $2,599.00

Testing the Staccato C

I’m not what you’d call a “big guy.” In boots, I barely reach the average height for the US and when it comes to the average American physique, I’m a little on the slimmer side of things. What I’m trying to say is that it’s not easy for me to conceal a pistol the size of a Staccato C - even if it's technically possible. On paper, the Staccato C has about the same form factor and heft that the Glock 19 does with the 2011 being just slightly larger and heavier. If you can easily or reasonably conceal a Glock 19, you should be able to do so with a Staccato C.

First Impressions

At first glance, the Staccato C checks all the right boxes. It’s got a 4-inch bull barrel, a lightweight aluminum frame, and an optics-ready slide. It’s available with two grip options including a slightly larger version that features 17-round magazines as standard, but I’m testing the 15-round compact grip, which keeps the profile sleek while still offering plenty of rounds in the mag. With a tool-less recoil system, slim profile, and Staccato’s signature smooth trigger, this is a good example of Staccato’s slow but methodical progression as a pistol company throughout the years.

Range Performance

I’ve been consistently running between 250 and 500 rounds through the Staccato at every range trip for about six months now, and let me tell you, it’s been a ride. I’m no stranger to burning through mags at the range—usually with my Glock 45—but this thing’s a different beast. A lot of average and even good shooters who are primarily striker-fire gun shooters will have an almost instant improvement to their speed/accuracy combo when shooting virtually any single-action gun.

It shouldn’t come as any surprise then that the Staccato C feels like it was mostly meant for competition. That crisp 4–4.5-pound single-action snap with practically no reset—perfect for ripping off doubles faster than you can blink. I ran it with the Dawson Precision optics mount and swapped between the Trijicon RMR HD and Holosun 507COMP a handful of times, and both feel and look pretty good on the Staccato C. However, I eventually settled on the more competition-oriented big-window 507COMP. Compared to my Glock 45, which is solid but a little mushy in the trigger department (as to be expected from a Glock), the Staccato C feels almost like cheating on every trigger pull—every pull’s a clean break and every follow-up’s right where I want it under controlled fire.

I threw it in the Safariland ALS holster Staccato sent over, and drawing from retention is smooth as butter—key for any match where you’re racing the clock or if you want the best in security when you’re on the range. The SureFire X300 Turbo was mostly mounted on there for some added weight and to better fit the ALS holster. During an ill-fated drop test to check out the C’s drop safety, the X300 Turbo, unfortunately, had its front lens fractured - a necessary sacrifice in the name of safety checks. The Staccato C shares the same additional safeties that all Series 80 1911 pattern pistols do so no worries on that front.

If red dots aren’t your thing, then I’m happy to report that the fiber-optic front sight and Dawson rear are money if you’re running irons. However, with the optics cut, I’d be nuts not to go red-dot for virtually any other application than CCW.

Recoil’s tame thanks to that bull barrel, grip texture, and added weight of the X300—nothing snappy like the shorter Staccato CS I’ve tried. It’s not just controllable; it’s fun to shoot, which matters when you’re dumping rounds all day. Compared to the much larger Staccato XL, the new C feels more maneuverable, and controllable the way I have it set up.

At the Range with Staccato and SureFire

Staccatos often suffer from a lot of internet rumors and anecdotes that they’re either unreliable or prone to malfunction when dirty. Until 2024, I had very little experience with actual Staccato platforms until I was offered an opportunity to visit the Staccato Ranch for a media event along with SureFire. Combined we got to test out a few different variants of Staccato’s pistols including the C2 and C pistols. In the interest of continuing my testing on the platform, I chose to go with a Staccato C once again for the entire week. For part of the class put on by legendary practical shooter Matt Pranka of XRAY ALPHA, we were able to test out an early prototype variant of the highly anticipated Suirefire XC3 weapon light. This compact light is Surefire’s newest, low-profile weapon light and I think it's a perfect fit for both the Staccato C and the smaller CS.

Throughout the week-long event, a dozen other individuals ran a bunch of Staccato pistols absolutely ragged through an entire class structure which consisted of lots of drills and followed up by some friendly competition in the form of a few mock USPSA stages. While there, I shot Staccato brand ammunition exclusively and ran into no malfunctions just as with the mixed 9mm factory ammo I’ve been shooting at home. It obviously wouldn’t have felt like a true Staccato event without these stages and I think it really gave us writers a chance to see what these pistols were capable of. If you’re within driving distance, Staccato Ranch is open to the public and they now offer memberships. It’s set up and built for competition so it’s a great place for those of us who love to run our guns under the buzzer.

Final Thoughts

After six months and thousands of rounds with the Staccato C, I’ve got a pretty solid read on this thing. It’s been a blast—literally and figuratively—and I’ve put it through the wringer, from casual range days to mock match drills with Lucas D who is not only a better shooter than me but is also one of the biggest Staccato fanboys out there. For me, a skinny dude who’s not exactly built to hide what the 1990s would call a “compact” pistol, the carry part’s been the trickiest. Sure, it’s close to a Glock 19 in size, maybe a hair bigger and heavier, but I’m still fiddling with holsters to make it disappear under a shirt. If you’re bigger or better at concealing than I am, you’ll probably have an easier time—but let’s be real, this gun shines brightest when it’s out of the holster and in your hands at the range under the timer.

So, does it nail the jack-of-all-trades title? Pretty damn close. For competition, it’s a no-brainer—I’d take it to a match tomorrow. Duty use? The ALS holster and 15-round mag say yes, and it’s got the reliability to back it up (drop test mishap aside—RIP X300 lens). Carry is where it stumbles a bit for me personally, but if you can conceal a Glock 19, this isn’t much of a stretch. At $2,599, it’s a chunk of change, but you’re getting a 2011 that flexes hard across the board—prettier than my Glock, smoother than most, and a total crowd-pleaser at the range. My buddies keep begging to shoot it, and I get it: it’s a head-turner that delivers.