Staccato is well known for high-end precision-engineered firearms. While its guns are well-known, many firearm enthusiasts may not be aware that the company also has a new line of ammunition. For the purpose of this article, I will focus on the new Staccato 9mm 136gr Match ammunition.
Staccato 9mm 136gr Match Ammunition
Desiring to better support its customers, the company engineered ammunition that is, as it states, “purpose-built for Staccato shooters to perfectly complement their 2011 pistols and enhance their shooting experience.”
Staccato introduced two offerings earlier this year at SHOT Show: 9mm Staccato 124 gr Range FMJ and 9mm Staccato 125 gr Match HAP.
Always moving forward with innovation, the company has developed a new cartridge to replace its current 9mm 125 gr Match. Introducing the new Staccato 9mm 136 gr Match ammunition.
Staccato states that its new 9mm Match ammo in 136 gr, 990 FPS, provides better accuracy and shootability than even its legacy match ammo. The company claims that the Stacatto-patented 136-grain match bullet lends the shooter the advantage of a heavier bullet impulse without feeling like you will outrun your gun.
Additionally, benefits include a better recoil impulse. As a result, it offers more “push” than “snap” while still creating the proper reciprocation speed in the slide.
Adhering to Staccato Excellence
Staccato adheres to the same standard of excellence with its ammunition as it does with its firearms. All testing is performed using its ballistics lab in accordance with both SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) specifications and ISO 9001 QMS standards, ensuring a consistent process.
As a result, Staccato can maintain high-quality control and lot traceability. The company makes its ammo in small batches, each undergoing strict and exhaustive testing. As part of that process, the loaded ammunition undergoes more than 20 separate quality control checks, including:
- Verify powder weight using a calibrated precision scale
- Verify overall length using calibrated calipers
- Verify the proper crimp using calibrated calipers
- Verify proper case diameter using calibrated calipers
- Verify overall length using calibrated calipers
- Check push (setback) strength values using a calibrated force gauge
Lot sampling procedures consisting of:
- 20 shot group out of a SAAMI 4″ accuracy barrel
- 20 shot pressure reading out of a SAAMI 4″ pressure barrel
- 20 shot velocity reading out of a SAAMI 4″ pressure barrel using Oehler infrared screens
- Function and Casualty for the remainder of sample, using 15 different pistols and two pistol caliber carbines
Testing the 9mm Match Ammo
Staccato sent me 500 rounds of its new Match 136 gr ammo to test and evaluate for this article. I always find ammunition reviews interesting. Even more so, given how many people utilize those reviews to form an “educated” opinion.
For example, testing at 25 yards with equipment that eliminates the human variable is going to provide more accurate data. However, a shooter at 25 yards where eyesight, trigger press, grip, and stance play a large role in determining the true mechanical performance of the ammunition.
In short, I was not out to determine if Staccato’s testing claims would ring true. Without having high-end equipment, a ballistics lab, and the ability to eliminate human variables, a true comparison is impossible. What I look for is performance. I want to see how this ammunition will perform for me with my firearms and my regular shooting drills.
Staccato states that its 9mm 136 gr Match consistently provided less than 2-inch groups at 25 yards. I spent several range days spanning just over one month shooting drills from varying yards and benched with a rest.
To shoot, I utilized the new Staccato C and four other handguns from my collection. Each pistol incorporated similar red dot optics. I performed the same sets of varying drills the same way with each firearm.
I can honestly say that the Staccato 9mm 136 gr Match ammo performed very well. There were no misfires, hangfires, or squib loads. This ammo performed just as well in my non-Staccato firearms as it did the Staccato C, as I experienced zero firearm malfunctions.
My group results were fantastic. The few larger groups never exceeded 2 inches, and the majority were 1 inch or less.
More Bang for Your Buck
One of the more impressive attributes of Staccato ammunition is that it’s reasonably priced. The 9mm 136 gr Match is $24.50 for a box of 50 and $450.00 for a case.
Ammunition can be bought directly through Stacatto’s website. In addition to individual purchases, the company offers a subscription service that locks in your price and guarantees your supply.
Subscriptions are available in single box or full case quantities at your choice of one-, two-, three-, and six-month intervals. So, even doing a subscription for one 50-round box every six months would lock in your discounted price for a full year. Likewise, it would guarantee your supply of ammo at that interval for the life of your subscription.
Staccato backs that claim whether you need 100 rounds per year or 1000 rounds per month.
Staccato values its customer base and considers each one family.
I enjoyed reading this statement on its website:
“Customer-obsessed American innovation. Those four words are what drove us to make the best shooting handguns and what continues to drive us to excel in our ammunition production. We strive to bolster and uplift the entire Staccato family by ensuring each member will be guaranteed a supply of ammo through our subscription service.”
For more information, please visit Staccato2011.com.
