Like most people, I can’t afford a $2,500 pistol, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy one every so often. The Staccato HD P4 in this review was sent as a loaner, and I’ve had quite a bit of fun with it. Which leads us to ask: Is it worth $2,500?
Staccato HD P4 Goes Duty
Staccato is solely responsible for the 2011-ification of the industry. Everyone makes a double-stack 1911, and apparently, they are selling. Staccato went from a company known for high-end race guns to being everywhere by embracing the duty market. Ever since they got their first contract with the U.S. Marshal’s Service, they’ve hit the duty market hard.
By 2020, 250 agencies allowed the Staccato series to be used for duty. By 2026, they had been accepted by over 1,800 agencies. Whatever they did, they did it right. The HD series exists because of the duty market, and Staccato wants the number of agencies accepting the 2011 to get even higher.
The HD series made two drastic changes to the 2011 platform.
First, they got rid of the pricey and finicky 2011 magazine platform. They swapped to Glock magazine compatibility and shipped the gun with two metal Glock pattern MEC-GAR magazines.
Next, they moved from a series 70 trigger to a series 80, which made the guns drop safe. Some complain this makes the trigger pull worse, but I’m too poor to notice.
Beyond that, they introduced a new optic mounting system called the HOST direct-mounting system. The optic connects directly to the slide, and you use specific space plates to fill gaps, align the optic, and integrate recoil bosses. This creates a very stable method of optic mounting.
We also get sights that co-witness with the red dot system. The rear sight is mounted forward of the optic, and while odd, it’s quite functional.
Me and the HD P4
Staccato makes a few different sizes. The HD P4 felt like the best all-around version to me. It mates a compact slide with a full-sized grip. There are larger and smaller options available, but I’m partial to the compact slide/full-sized grip crossover style guns.
At first grip, you’ll notice two things. First, the grip is quite wide and quite large. It fills your hand from side to side. Smaller-handed shooters might not feel at home with the grip.
Second, the grip texture on the panels is extremely aggressive. I like the aggressive design for a sure grip regardless of the condition of my hands.
The HD P4 features both an ambidextrous safety and slide release. Neither is afraid to be called XL. They are absolutely shelves, which do allow for easy engagement. A similar XL-sized beavertail shoots out the back of the gun for a nice high grip.
The hefty 32 ounces of gun puts it in the heavyweight division. Everything’s a bit beefy with the gun, from the bull barrel to the steel frame; weight savings wasn’t the primary concern.
At The Range With the HD P4
What happens when you combine a fat, aggressively textured grip on a 9mm that weighs 32 ounces? You get hardly any recoil. A traditional 1911 in 9mm is tame and mild, and this is a single step further in that direction.
The compact slide on the full-sized frame creates a fast return-to-battery effect that makes the red dot snap right back into place, setting you up for a rapid second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. shot. A fast-cycling gun with low recoil makes me feel slow.
There’s an “oh’ moment for a millisecond that I realize I could have broken the next shot even quicker. Speaking of, the trigger is incredibly light, smooth, and crisp. I’ve seen some complain that the Series 80 trigger is worse than the Series 70. I don’t shoot enough high-end 1911/2011s to be able to tell the difference.
Maybe the Series 70 Staccatos are better, but the HD trigger is a stud compared to the rest of the modern market. A good trigger and 4-inch bull barrel make the gun easy to shoot accurately. Stacking rounds into a 2-inch circle at ten yards is absurdly easy.
I normally shoot a gong at 25 yards and an IPSC steel target at 50 yards. I did that, and to no one’s surprise, the hits were easy. When I moved out to 75 yards and took my time, slowly pressing the trigger with a purposeful, constant grip, I heard the sweet ding of lead on steel.
I shot ten rounds at 75 yards and landed seven of the ten shots. For a subpar shooter like me, I feel like that’s an outstanding performance.
Going Fast
I was able to get a personal best for splits. I drew and fired three rounds into an A-zone and scored a .19, .20, and .19 split with each shot inside the A-zone. My draw sucked, and I’m so used to guns lacking manual safeties that it took me some time to reprogram my brain to press that big safety downward.
Since it takes Glock mags, I tried some extended 33-round OEM magazines and just let loose at ten yards. I didn’t fire till I confirmed my dot on target, but I went as fast as I could. Even with fast trigger pulls and 33 rounds, the gun never drifted out of the A-zone at ten yards.
I felt obligated to spend a lot of time with this gun due to the weapon’s price. I shot the hell out of it, let other people shoot it, and took it through a 500-round class. In all that shooting, I can only report three malfunctions.
I had two failures to fire with Monarch Steel Cased ammo. It’s not that uncommon with this ammo. Second, I used a KCI Glock magazine, and it failed to feed the first round. This didn’t occur in later shooting. I also used Magpul, Glock OEM, and KCI magazines on top of the Mec-Gar magazines included with the gun.
I also never cleaned this thing because I heard that 2011s are ‘finicky.’ It’s shot north of 1,500 rounds, been shot in the rain, sat in a wet holster between strings of fire, and been exposed to both winter and spring.
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Holiday Staccato HD P4 Bundle | Staccato 2011 | $ 2699.00 |
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Safariland 6360RDS OWB Holster Right Hand Staccato HD P4 4" with Surefire X300U Cordura Wrapped Polymer Multicam | MidwayUSA | $ 237.40 $ 204.40 |
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Staccato HD P4.5 | Staccato 2011 | $ 2699.00 |
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Safariland 6354RDSO OWB Holster Right Hand Staccato HD P4.5 4.5" with Surefire X300U Cordura Wrapped Polymer Multicam | MidwayUSA | $ 205.80 |
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Worth the Cost?
$2,500 is twice what I paid for my first car, so is the Staccato worth it? It’s tough to answer. I do like that not only are these made in America, but everything, down to the steel, is an American product. It’s not cheap doing anything solely in America; ask Primary Arms.
I call myself a low-skill, high-opinion shooter. Did I see differences in my times and accuracy on something as basic as a Glock? Yes, small differences. If I were a better shooter, I think this gap would grow. I drive every day, but if you put me in a race car, I’m not going to be a race car driver.
I think the HD P4 is worth the cost if you’re a dedicated shooter who is willing to train hard and consistently, and to continually seek to be a good shooter. In terms of 2011s, the Staccato is the affordable premium option. It’s not a Turkish-made MAC, and it’s not a custom Atlas. It has a comfortable position in the market, with a defensive focus.
The good news is, this is America. If you want to commute in a race car, it’s your right to do so.
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.
