The desert sun blazed over the Nevada sand as the air filled with the sharp scent of… burnt gunpowder. Don’t you love that smell? This was not just another day at the range for me; it was a high-octane celebration of guns and ammo. As it is each year, the day before SHOT show begins is range day. This was my first time at the Staccato Range Day however, and one worth writing about.
This event kicked off a sea of writers and eager enthusiasts ready to shoot some guns. While we are here to cover the new guns and gear for 2026, it’s shooting the guns that makes it so fun. You walk from one booth to another, stopping at the ones that catch our eye. This process goes on until the sun goes down and the magazines run dry.
Staccato’s Range Day is an annual event where attendees can get some hands-on experience with the newest products being offered from various vendors. And of course, this included Staccato’s newest additions. For 2026 that would be their new line of compensated HD pistols.
But before we get into the HD pistols and all the other cool firearms and gear at this event, let’s give a shout out to Staccato for hosting it.
Who is Staccato?
For those new to the firearms industry, Staccato is a Texas-based company formerly known as STI. They are the pioneers of the 2011® platform. This design transforms the classic 1911 into a more modern version, including a high-capacity (double-stack) handgun. They focus on “built for heroes.” This means their guns are duty-ready and incredibly reliable.
Today, over 1,500 law enforcement agencies use Staccato, including elite teams like LAPD Metro and the Texas Rangers. They also build every pistol right here in the United States.
Staccato Range Day takes place at a facility located in Pahrump, just outside Las Vegas. It spans 550 acres and includes more than 50 shooting ranges.
The campus includes “non-standard” ranges that mimic real-world environments. This includes full-scale buildings that are built into the range. These structures allow you to practice navigating corners, clearing rooms, and more.
But that’s enough about the range, lets get to the stuff you really came to read about… the guns and gear.
Here are some of the highlights for me during Staccato Range Day.
Staccato HD C4X
It would be a crying shame to talk about any gun at the Staccato Range Day before talking about Staccato’s newest release. Or I guess I should say “future” release. As of this writing, Staccato is anticipating a February release date for the new HD C4X pistol.
Building on the HD line that was introduced during SHOT 2025, the C4X has a one-piece barrel integrated compensator. Integrated compensators have been gaining in popularity over the past few years. Adding a compensator allows the gun to shoot flatter, and having one helps keep the gun more compact.
As you would expect from a Staccato handgun, it has a flared mag-well, oversized and extended safety, slide release, and mag release. It’s also fully ambidextrous, something hard to find on a 1911 style pistol.
When it comes to mounting an optic, the HD line uses the “HOST” (holographic optic slide tool). This means the slide is engineered for direct-to-slide mounting via a spacer plate. I would expand on the reliability and craftsmanship of the C4X but hey, it’s a Staccato.
Silencers
Besides compensated barrels on handguns, silencers are currently among the most popular items in the firearms world. And there were plenty of them at Staccato’s Range Day. This included Surefire’s new SOCOM RC4 suppressor that is specifically for heavy duty use and flash reduction.
Besides the companies showing off their new silencers, there were plenty of guns with silencers on them as well. One of my favorites was the Genesis Arms Gen-12 SBM. Not only is this 12 gage shotgun fully auto, it had a silencer attached as well. You can’t have any more fun than pulling the trigger on a full-auto 12 gage!
Optics
Just about every gun you shoot at an event like this is equipped with some sort of optic. So, not only do you get to see and shoot a lot of new guns, but you get to use all the gear that’s attached to them. Trijicon however had a dedicated booth next to the Staccato’s media area. This gave people the chance to try out their rifle and handgun optics in multiple calibers.
Because the range is so big, there were plenty of targets at various distances for people to shoot at. Between rifles with scopes, LPVO’s, and red dots on handguns, you could find just about any type of optic you wanted.
Rifles and Shotguns
The AR-15 platform has become the most popular in the US, and manufactures are continuously making some type of modifications to them. At the Staccato Range Day, there were plenty of AR variations with all kinds of foregrips, stocks, barrel-lengths and calibers.
One of my favorite AR-15 brands is Daniel Defense, so I was delighted to see several vendors using their rifles to showcase their silencers, optics, and other accessories.
I’ve already mentioned the Genesis full-auto shotgun, but in my opinion, it kind of overshadowed any other shotgun at the range. The piles of empty shotgun shells all over the ground were a great indicator of how well these things will hold up. It’s also guns like this that put that extra “fun” in these kind of range day events.
Is this event worth attending?
SHOT show brings all kinds of firearms related events to the Vegas area each year. The Staccato range day was just one of them, but I have to say, it was one of my favorites. Because the range is spread out in several sections, you can park by the section you want to check out. This saves a lot of walking, and precious time you could be shooting.
Registration and check-in was easy, even down to printing your badge when you first arrived. The staff was friendly and most importantly, and there was plenty of ammo to shoot. If you’re ever in the Las Vegas area the week of SHOT, this is an event you should check out.
