Staccato HD P4 2011 Handgun

I recently picked up a new Staccato HD P4 2011 handgun as a shop gun for RFV Tactical. I wasn't that interested in the new HD line of Staccato guns when they first launched because all of their new features weren't really that important to me, but they have become very popular and I felt like I needed one for holster fitment/display purposes, as well as to showcase my stippling and trigger tuning on them. I actually acquired this brand new "Standard" package for $300 less than MSRP, so I felt like it was a pretty good deal.  

Photos from the Gunbroker auction

I installed a new Vortex Defender ST Enclosed red dot on the gun. Vortex's new Defender line of pistol optics have received really good reviews in the competition scene, and this new enclosed version was very appealing to me. The glass is crystal clear and the window is a little taller than the Holosun 509T. The 509T has been my favorite optic for concealed carry, but there is currently not an option to mount a 509T to an HD P4 without stacking two mounting plates together. I also installed a Modlite PL350C light that I had purchased a while ago for holster making purposes, but never had a gun that I wanted to dedicate it to until the HD. I'm not a big fan of the Modlite pistol lights, but I think the PL350C looks good on this gun.

I tuned the trigger down to just under 3 pounds, as I do with all my 2011 style guns, but since the HD is a Series 80 system, it requires a little extra work and a lighter firing pin block spring to get the weight under 3 pounds. I also went with my Concealed Carry texture on the grip module while retaining the Star logos. I purchased three extra Mecgar 18-round metal magazines for it and made a new full-size weapon light indexing holster for the PL350C with an integrated mag carrier so that I can carry it and shoot it at action pistol matches occasionally. I also purchased a "BlueGuns" prop gun that I will modify and prep so that I can make holsters specifically for the HD P4 since it doesn't fit my normal 2011 holsters due to it's wider frame and slide. 

I was very surprised to find that the gun felt really good in my hands initially. The thumb safeties didn't appear to get in the way of my high grip because the grip module is a little wider at the top near the frame to accommodate the Glock magazines. Zeroing the gun after the optic install resulted in the absolute best bench rested grouping that I've ever got with a handgun, so I was very impressed with it's accuracy. 

The gun shoots just as soft as my non-ported Springfield Prodigy 1911DS with my lower powered reloaded ammo, but it's not as heavy as the 1911DS, so it is way more snappy with factory off the shelf ammo. It also doesn't return to zero quite as consistently for me as the 1911DS or any of my other 2011 style guns. This may be because I am more familiar with how to grip traditional 2011s, and I'll just need to spend more time with the HD to figure out the correct grip pressures. Overall, I am impressed with the HD P4, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with the gun.

UPDATES:

I used the HD P4 at a local USPSA action pistol match, and quickly discovered that the safety levers were a little too wide for how high I grip the gun with my large hands. I kept inadvertently engaging the safety while shooting the gun, which cost me a lot of time and frustration. Initial reviews of the HD P4 consistently complained about the safeties inadvertently getting engaged while shooting, but Staccato supposedly addressed that issue. I'm sure that issue was amplified by the way I grip the gun, so I had to modify it specifically for me. I thinned the safety levers down and refinished them in my custom DLC Mimic Cerakote color. I didn't have to remove as much material from the levers as I've done with the safeties on my traditional 2011s, and the wider grip module is even more pronounced now, which is a good thing for how I prefer to grip the gun. I also discovered that the safeties' plunger detent for the "off" position was virtually non-existent (most likely the real culprit), so I created a little more of a detent spot for the plunger and the safeties now have a much more positive resistance when flipping them into the "on" position. 

The polymer that is used for this new grip module is very durable but also very abrasive. When I stipple a frame or grip module in my Concealed Carry texture, I will usually go over it with a small piece of 180 grit sandpaper after I stipple it to knock down all the high spots to make it a little more comfortable. With this HD grip module, sandpaper did not help at all. I went over it with sandpaper several times, and ended up having to go back over it with a small file to make it bearable as it was still too aggressive, even for me. I actually got some skin abrasions on my support hand and my stomach from shooting and carrying the gun before taking a file to the stippling. I honestly wouldn't recommend stippling the HD grip modules if you don't like really aggressive texture. The factory texture is more than adequate for most applications.

The Vortex Defender ST Enclosed optic has worked good, but I have noticed that the dot gets gradually dimmer as it moves up towards the top of the window. This has been a little distracting to me as I have briefly wondered if the dot was going out or malfunctioning during recoil. Now that I know what is actually going on I can try to ignore it, but it certainly reduces the benefit of having a taller window than the Holosun 509T.

After spending some time carrying and shooting the HD P4, I have to admit that I'm not as impressed with it as I was initially.  It has a lot of cool features like the keyed guide rod plug, the ambidextrous slide stop levers, reversible mag release button, the beavertail safety delete, and that it takes Glock magazines, but those things just simply aren't important to me. Even though the HD P4 wears the trademark 2011 banner, in my opinion it doesn't do anything better than a traditional 2011, and I'm not able to shoot it as well as a traditional 2011. I still plan to carry it and shoot it at matches occasionally, but it will end up in the safe as just another shop gun.

Outlaw Action Pistol Match - 09/20/2025

Outlaw action pistol match (USPSA rules with IDPA scoring) at the Amarillo Rifle and Pistol Club. I was shooing my new Staccato Heritage P from concealment (AIWB) in the Optics division. This was my first time using the Heritage P at a match. The gun ran great, as expected, and it was much easier to shoot than my lighter weight Staccato C2 that I've shot at the last two matches. The two larger stages were my design (same layout, different start positions).

Stage 1: A three position stage that included strong-hand and weak-hand shooting. I wish I could've done it a little faster, but it was a solid run and I ended up winning the stage with only two C-zone hits.

Stage 2: A one position stage with 11 targets. I ended up with one hit in the hard cover of a target (which is a miss), but the rest of the hits were decent with only two C-zone hits. There were several people that had magazines that could hold more than the required 22 rounds, but I had to reload as my largest mags only have a 20 round capacity. The miss on the hard cover and the extra two seconds for the reload left me in 6th place on this stage.

Stage 3: A decent run, but my plan to shoot the two targets through the port while moving forward didn't happen as quickly and smoothly as I had planned. I ended up in 3rd place with four C-zone hits.

Stage 4: I pushed my speed a little bit more on the closer open targets and was able to win this stage with only one C-zone hit.

I ended up in 3rd place Overall out of 16 total with the least amount of points down for the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6av5brxj4Y

USPSA Action Pistol Match - 09/06/2025

USPSA action pistol match at the Southwest Shooting Center in Clovis, NM with the Southwest Performance Shooters club. I was shooting my non-ported Staccato C2 from concealment (AIWB) in the Limited Optics division.  I had planned on shooting my new Staccato P 4.15 Heritage, but the Dawson Precision optic mounting kit that I purchased was missing some parts and I haven't received the replacement parts yet. I had still been carrying and training with the C2 since the last match, so I decided to shoot it again at this match. It was unseasonably cool outside, which was definitely a welcomed change from the Texas summer heat.

Stage 1: A one position stage with a lot of different targets. I was the first shooter of the day on this first stage. Since I wasn't warmed up I tried to shoot it conservatively, but still landed four C-zone hits and ended up in 6th place.

Stage 2: No close up targets to go fast on this one. I executed my plan pretty well with only three C-zone hits, but ended up in 7th place.

Stage 3: A short stage with no need for a reload. I had three C-zone hits, two of them on the target that I shot on the move, and ended up in 4th place.

Stage 4: Mostly all close up targets on this stage, but most of them had to be shot while standing on a balancing beam. There were 10 targets total and I considered doing a reload in the middle of it, but decided against it since I would be walking on the beam during the reload, so I just used a 20 round mag and topped it off after chambering a round. I ended up going to slide lock at the end with one make-up shot. I had two C-zone hits and ended up in 6th place.

Stage 5: "Hi-Jinx" classifier stage. I tried to be really accountable for all of my shots and only had one C-zone hit, but I ended up in 8th place.

I ended up in 5th place Overall. Certainly not my best performance, but I'll take it. The lighter weight Staccato C2 with a small window RMR optic is definitely challenging to shoot at a match, but I must admit that I am enjoying it. It forces me to work a little harder, which should help to improve my action pistol shooting skills.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXwqICrrNEo