Staccato Firearms is a US company famous for makinig pistols of excellent quality, prized for accuracy and reliability, especially in sporting competitions. The company was born in 2020 from the rebranding of STI, is based in Texas, is run by veterans and more than a quarter of its staff have served in the US armed forces. The company's name is derived from musical parlance, where the Italian term staccato refers to a sequence of short but separated notes, just like the sound of bullets hitting a metal target. According to the statements of Staccato's bosses, the term aptly describes "the quick, distinct and highly controlled sound of a firearm being fired quickly and accurately, which is a key feature of the company's pistols designed for competition, professional use and self-defence".
Staccato XL, a 9mm that looks like a .45
The Staccato XL, which we present to you here, is the model with the longest barrel in the Texan manufacturer's lineup, with a bull barrel 5.4 inches long, equivalent to 137 millimeters. The pistol is built on the classic 2011double-stack frame capable of accepting a magazine with a capacity of 17 rounds in 9mm. The frame construction is steel, with polymer wrap-around grip; the manual safety, in the usual thumb-operated position, is on both sides. The grip safety is of the Wilson type, i.e. with a beaver tail that protects the user's hand from unpleasant contact with the hammer when firing and allows a higher grip. This is complemented by a straight backstrap with 25 lines per inch checkering and an aluminum magwell that makes fast magazine changes easier. The unloaded weight of the Staccato XL is 1,080 grams, which certainly helps to tame felt recoil on firing. The trigger is single-action only, with a pull weight of 1,100 grams, and thanks to its excellent clean characteristics it allows the gun's great inherent precision to be exploited to the full.
The slide of the Staccato XL has cocking serrations on both the rear and the front, and this too is a feature we have become accustomed to, but on this version the front serrations are cut through and also serve the function of significantly lightening the slide and dissipating heat.
The slide is also optic-ready and the XL package includes a hardware kit to mount Trijicon RMR, SRO, RMRHD, Leupold Delta Point Pro, Holosun 507C, 508T, 507Competition sights. The mounting of other sights is possible by purchasing the necessary mounting kits separately. The mechanical sights consist of a dovetailed rear notch and a front sight with a green optical fiber insert, which can be adjusted laterally. Their height is designed to co-witness with the Leupold Delta Point Pro and Trijicon RMR red points. There is a rail on the dust cover for mounting a light or a laser, should the need arise.
Separating the frame from the slide gives access to the heart of the gun: the Staccato XL's recoil system is tool-less, which means that the spring rod and recoil spring form a single assembly that can be removed without having to resort to pins or other more or less improvised tools, as on some previous models. Maintenance is therefore less time-consuming.
Staccato XL technical specifications and price
Model: | XL |
Caliber: | 9mm |
Magazine Capacity: | 17 rounds |
Barrel Length: | 5.4"/137 mm |
Oberall Length: | 231 mm |
Sights: | Adjustable rear notch and front side, optic-ready |
Frame: | Steel |
Safety: | Manual ambidextrous on the frame, automatic on the grip |
Trigger Pull Weight: | 1,100 g |
Weight: | 1,080 g |
Price (MSRP in the US): | $3,599 |
The Staccato XL comes in a custom soft case that has space for up to five magazines, with a zipped front pocket for storage, a personalised name plate and a padded divider. In addition to the gun, the case contains two 17-round magazines, a cable lock with key, instruction manual, and warranty and safety cards.
The price in the US of the XL is $3,599. This is certainly not a gun made on the cheap, and this can be seen in every detail. On the contrary, it is one of the most promising sport shooting pistols on the market, even if the caliber and size limit its use in the IPSC circuit.
The Staccato XL can be used primarily in the Open Division and Classic Division, but due to the 9mm chambering it is to be considered a Minor gun. Furthermore, it does not fit into the test box (225x150x45 mm) used for size verification in the Standard Division, due to its length and 5.4-inch barrel. But you can still have fun firing it in other disciplines.
