Consolidate to one (model) pistol? A few Sigs or a few Staccatos?

fwafwow

WKR
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Several years ago I narrowed down my pistols to mainly Sigs, and especially P320s. Based on recent events and information, I've put my three P320s in condition 3 for the moment, and while their fate remains uncertain, I'm revisiting my prior effort to narrow the pistols I own to possibly going with "one gun" (not necessarily a single pistol, but maybe one model and a few of those).

I think I've narrowed it down to two choices: (1) all hammer-fired Sigs; or (2) a couple of 2011's (most likely Staccato).
  1. Sigs -
    • I already own a P226 (MK25) and two P229s (Legion and M11-A1).
    • It seems to me that the manual of arms of these are close enough for a "one gun" approach. (And if not exactly the same, narrowing down to P229 and P226 gets me much closer to the "one gun" concept than the various pistols I have now.)
    • This would mean much less additional expense (if any - 3 is probably enough), especially given the magazines I have for the above (and a Milt Sparks holster for EDC with the M11-A1).
  2. Staccatos
    • My first defensive pistol was a Colt M1991A1 Compact, which I still own.
    • My affinity for the 1911 has never gone away, and I've been drawn to the 2011 platform a few times over the years.
    • The Oracle Arms 2311 was recommended to me by a friend of the owner (or one of the owners) of that company. I will dig a bit further to compare
    • Going this route would probably make the most sense (something I don't always do) if I get rid of all of the above pistols, and accessories. But there is a material PITA factor of unloading any gear, and considerable expense in getting new (or even used) 2011's
Options 1 and 2 are not completely mutually exclusive, as I can go with #1, unload some of my P320 gear, and then switch to #2 later. Baby steps.

Any feedback would be most appreciated.
 
Several years ago I narrowed down my pistols to mainly Sigs, and especially P320s. Based on recent events and information, I've put my three P320s in condition 3 for the moment, and while their fate remains uncertain, I'm revisiting my prior effort to narrow the pistols I own to possibly going with "one gun" (not necessarily a single pistol, but maybe one model and a few of those).

I think I've narrowed it down to two choices: (1) all hammer-fired Sigs; or (2) a couple of 2011's (most likely Staccato).
  1. Sigs -
    • I already own a P226 (MK25) and two P229s (Legion and M11-A1).
    • It seems to me that the manual of arms of these are close enough for a "one gun" approach. (And if not exactly the same, narrowing down to P229 and P226 gets me much closer to the "one gun" concept than the various pistols I have now.)
    • This would mean much less additional expense (if any - 3 is probably enough), especially given the magazines I have for the above (and a Milt Sparks holster for EDC with the M11-A1).
  2. Staccatos
    • My first defensive pistol was a M1991A1 Compact, which I still own.
    • My affinity for the 1911 has never gone away, and I've been drawn to the 2011 platform a few times over the years.
    • The Oracle Arms 2311 was recommended to me by a friend of the owner (or one of the owners) of that company. I will dig a bit further to compare
    • Going this route would probably make the most sense (something I don't always do) if I get rid of all of the above pistols, and accessories. But there is a material PITA factor of unloading any gear, and considerable expense in getting new (or even used) 2011's
Options 1 and 2 are not completely mutually exclusive, as I can go with #1, unload some of my P320 gear, and then switch to #2 later. Baby steps.

Any feedback would be most appreciated.


I used 226’s and 228’s extensively. The P22x series is such a down grade in shootability, that I would just use Glocks…. And there isn’t any reason to do that.


Option 3 is the answer.

1). Get a Stacatto C or CS for main concealed carry.

2). Get a Tisas 9mm 1911 or 2011 for practice and back up uses.

3). Add higher end 1911 or 2011’s when able.


Doing the above, you aren’t “making do” with good enough or wondering what would be better. You have the highest performing pistol platform made.
 
I used 226’s and 228’s extensively. The P22x series is such a down grade in shootability, that I would just use Glocks…. And there isn’t any reason to do that.


Option 3 is the answer.

1). Get a Stacatto C or CS for main concealed carry.

2). Get a Tisas 9mm 1911 or 2011 for practice and back up uses.

3). Add higher end 1911 or 2011’s when able.


Doing the above, you aren’t “making do” with good enough or wondering what would be better. You have the highest performing pistol platform made.
I should have known it would not be as simple (or inexpensive) as I envisioned it. And for the C/CS, I had just started to compare the various Staccato models.
 
@fwafwow - if you're considering Form's suggestion above about the C or CS, here are some videos by Hilton Yam you might find interesting:



And if you really want to go down the Staccato rabbit hole, he has a 42-video Staccato 2011 playlist, including, for example, two or three videos on holster options alone:


Enjoy!
 
@fwafwow - if you're considering Form's suggestion above about the C or CS, here are some videos by Hilton Yam you might find interesting:



And if you really want to go down the Staccato rabbit hole, he has a 42-video Staccato 2011 playlist, including, for example, two or three videos on holster options alone:


Enjoy!
Thanks, I think. At the moment I'm suffering (or benefiting) from inertia. Maybe I'm for once rationalizing or being realistic, but I'm probably more than fine with just keeping my 320s in limbo (or for range use or secreted around the house for "grab guns") and tilting my carry to some of my 22x Sigs.

Famous last words...
 
I used to own, carry Kimber's, but moved away toward simple Glock 19 / 43 +2 beaters to relentlessly shoot, beat, minor mod without any remorse. Ammo and keeping it simple was the reason.

I would move the Sigs out of your inventory and just keep your M1991A1 Compact.

HK also makes some nice pistols.
 
I used to own, carry Kimber's, but moved away toward simple Glock 19 / 43 +2 beaters to relentlessly shoot, beat, minor mod without any remorse. Ammo and keeping it simple was the reason.

I would move the Sigs out of your inventory and just keep your Staccato M1991A1 Compact.

HK also makes some nice pistols.
Sorry, I edited my original post to make clear the M1991A1 is a Colt. I don't own a Staccato.
 
Thanks, I think. At the moment I'm suffering (or benefiting) from inertia. Maybe I'm for once rationalizing or being realistic, but I'm probably more than fine with just keeping my 320s in limbo (or for range use or secreted around the house for "grab guns") and tilting my carry to some of my 22x Sigs.

Famous last words...

I'm a big fan of TDA pistols and the "pick one and practice" mindset, so I wouldn't be concerned about going this route. Especially since it sounds like you are already pretty set on pistols and support gear. 22x Sigs are also a durable, reliable, and proven platform that are generally more shootable than many give them credit for.

2011s take a more dedicated user than modern service pistols. If you go to a USPSA match, you'll regularly see 2011 shooters cleaning mags every time they hit the dirt. It's certainly possible to have a reliable and durable 2011, but it's just a more sensitive platform than most modern service pistols (especially when it comes to lack of lubrication).

3x 2011 $ also = a lot of 9mm practice ammo for your Sigs
 
I'm the gay hipster millennial that has an affinity for CZs.

I don't think the $1000+ staccato premium gives you $1000 more of performance over a shadow 2 carry or compact.

Worth a look.
 
I’ve yet to find a pistol that I shoot better or more naturally than my P226 in .357 Sig. Shortly after I bought it, I got a second barrel in .40 S&W so I could shoot cheaper practice ammo. I have put thousands of rounds through it. When I am in good training, I can headshot squirrels with it out to about 25 yards. Although I have several other full-size pistols, I could happily sell them all tomorrow.

I’ve never tried a Staccato, so I cannot compare. My brother loves his CZ pistols.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”
 
I'm probably more than fine with just keeping my 320s in limbo (or for range use or secreted around the house for "grab guns") and tilting my carry to some of my 22x Sigs.

Your situation is pretty similar to something I just went through not too long ago. In case it might be helpful, I'll share some details with it all. It's long, but if you're trying to evaluate, they may be useful.

Short version: sell the guns, get the Staccato C, don't look back, and enjoy with complete peace of mind.

Up until very recently, Sig 22x-series guns were the only ones I'd actually stake my life on in the "one gun" type of context you're discussing, giving the best combo for reliability, durability, short-distance speed at contact/conversational distances, and accuracy and precision out to 100yds. It's an area Form and I simply disagree on, strongly - I just don't see them as a downgrade in shootability in any way over any striker fired gun I've ever put time on, especially beyond 25yds. And that's okay, his opinions and mine on reality-based handgunning are both extremely well-informed through experience and knowledge. The fact is, we probably agree entirely on 98%+ of the subject matter. So just take the info and evaluate it.

About 4 or 5 years ago though, I switched up from hammer-fired Sigs to the 320 - I bought into the "consistency of trigger pull" stuff, and put a lot of time and ammo into them. And, just never got them to perform at the all-around level I require. Which was damn frustrating. The best I could say is that all I got with a mediocre but consistent trigger was mediocre but consistent performance, compared to DA/SA.

But just in the last few years there's been a big leap in reliability with guns that are simply superior in their shootability over classic Sigs, Glocks, etc, etc. So it was time to change up, and get back to the performance I required, that I personally just couldn't get out of striker guns, or DA/SA guns. Some guys can get that high performance out of a Glock, but I am just not one of them. However, these newer guns seem to have the performance of the custom-built 1911s I've had built, with the reliability of the best DA/SA or even striker-fired guns.

The top contenders have been the DWX Compact, Staccato's new C, Sig's SAO 229, Wilson Combat's EDC X9 series, and even Kimber's KDS9c got some attention. I gave each a lot of consideration, along with also considering the DA/SA CZ Shadow Compact and Carry models. The 229 SAO was just too top-heavy compared to others...it was a perfectly good gun, but the recoil impulse and slide mass just made it kinda chonky. The CZs, while also great guns overall, had absolute dogsh*t SA triggers compared to the SAOs in the selection, and were ruled out quickly. The EDC X9 was way cooler on paper than actually running it, and every time I picked one up something just felt off and not right. The KDS9c felt like a curvy 2x4 in all the wrong ways, and I wasn't convinced of its reliability yet. So it came down to the DWX Compact, and the Staccato C.

I went with the DWXc for a few reasons. Mostly it was what it did in my own hands. The combo of how its sights aligned most properly without trying (pick up the gun, close eyes, point gun at target with eyes closed, open eyes, check sight alignment), and that its sight and bore-axis were significantly lower over the Staccato. It just tucked down into my hand, the sights were aligned without trying, and the gun pointed/handled like magic. Handling the Staccato C, it felt like I was looking up over the top of the gun to get the sights aligned, and the sights didn't line up very well in my hands just naturally picking up the gun - none of which are inherently deal breakers, and would be overcome with even just a little training. But side-by-side, it gave the DWXc the edge - for me, personally. I could also change out grip panels with the DWXc and it had a good selection of triggers, which is extremely helpful in tuning the gun to your hands and performance needs. I ended up experimenting with several sets of Lok grips, palm-swell on the left side to help with recoil management, and thin/flat on the right, which seems to help with trigger control and keeping the sights aligned. Along with installing the shortest trigger available, which works best for trigger control in the geometry of my hands.

Those are the reasons I went with the DWXc.

All that said, I don't think I'd recommend it over the Staccato C. Had the DWXc not been an option, I'd have taken the Staccato C in a heartbeat, compared to all the other options. The DWXc is an excellent option, but there are some asterisks.

Dan Wesson has some teething problems with it, most notably the finish. It is the most dogsh*t finish I've ever seen on a modern handgun - it's supposed to be DLC, which is nearly impervious to wear and is ultra-low friction, but the reality of my example is that krylon would do a better job holding up. Another teething problem are the grip screws - the gun is a mix of CZ and 1911, and it uses CZ grips...but 1911 grip screws. So I had to replace the grip-screw bushings in the frame after installing the first set of Lok grips, after stripping the threads. Lok Grips offers the correct-thread screws as a separate item, but they're long and actually bent my sear spring from the sides, so I had to replace that and then shorten the screws too. So, functionally minor but extremely annoying teething problems. You're also limited in holster options still, especially if you're mounting both red dot and light, though I've picked up both an appendix and OWB holster from LegacyFirearmsCo and have been very happy with both.

Performance wise, however, mechanical reliability has been impeccable. I'm just shy of 10,000 rounds with it, and I've only had 3 malfunctions, each being ammo-related, cleaning and re-lubing every 2k rounds. It's got a bit of a snappy recoil-impulse, but in both directions, so it's fast and the slide velocity going forward seems well-balanced in getting the sights/dot back on target smoothly and quickly. Durability is still TBD. Mechanical accuracy is also phenomenal. I've never seen a gun lock up so tight, while also being so reliable - those are usually antithetical to each other. Roughly speaking, I'm about 10-15% faster and more accurate with the DWXc from 3-100yds over the hammer-fired Sigs, and about 20% or so over the Sig 320s and other striker-fired guns, in any drill or test I've done. Precision shooting at distance (beyond 75yds) especially, has the groups and speed cut up to 40-50% over the striker guns. Performance-wise, overall I'm exceptionally happy with it - the gun just assists in everything I want it to do, rather than getting in the way.

The thing is, I have 100% faith I'd have similar performance with the Staccato C, with none of the teething problems of the DWXc.

A lot of the actual performance differences would likely be marginal or personal-preference ones. The Staccatos just have too good of a track record, with people whose opinions I personally trust, who have personal experience both on the range and in the real world with them. They're about $1k more than the DWXc, and mags are about 2x the cost of the CZ-75 mags the DWXc uses, but those really aren't issues when you're looking at premium, high-performance reliability and durability you might stake your life on.

While there's nothing at all wrong with your current hammer-fired Sigs, I personally believe you can be 100% comfortable in expecting a quick and notable performance gain in investing in a Staccato.

I hope these details are useful to you.
 
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