Key Takeaways
- STI Firearms, LLC announced from Georgetown, Texas, on May 26, 2020, that it would operate as Staccato, a brand it had introduced in 2019 for duty and personal-defense pistols.
- Staccato says it moved from Georgetown to a new manufacturing plant in Florence, Texas, in 2023. Before the move, CEO Nate Horvath described a 75,000-square-foot manufacturing floor, nearly triple the Georgetown footprint.
- Staccato Ranch opened to members on May 11, 2024. It sits on 770 acres alongside the company headquarters and has a 26-lane indoor range, 17 outdoor pistol bays, and factory tours for members.
Staccato, maker of the 2011 double-stack pistol, built its business in Georgetown, Texas, as STI. In 2023, it moved to a purpose-built manufacturing plant in Florence, and the next year it opened a private shooting club on the same property, just north of Austin. [1][2]
The Georgetown Years
The company describes the 2011 platform as built on its FlaTec design. In a 2020 announcement, it said it had introduced the platform about 25 years earlier. [3]
The company’s direction changed in 2019. That year it introduced the Staccato brand for pistols aimed at duty use and personal defense. On May 26, 2020, STI Firearms, LLC announced from Georgetown that it would operate under the Staccato name, effective immediately. The announcement said ownership and staff were unchanged. [3]
Police sales grew quickly under the new name. On October 13, 2020, the company announced from Georgetown that more than 250 police and sheriff agencies had approved its 2011 pistols for duty use. It named the Los Angeles County and Riverside County sheriff’s departments and the Long Beach Police Department. In the same announcement, the company said its first law-enforcement partnerships were less than two years old and that more than 25 percent of its team members were veterans. [4]
Outgrowing Georgetown
Before the move, CEO Nate Horvath discussed the plans in an interview with the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association. He said the company had just over 200 team members and was “bursting at the seams” in Georgetown, and he described Florence as “just up the road.” He described the Florence plant as a blank-site design: a 75,000-square-foot manufacturing floor and about 15,000 square feet of offices, nearly triple the company’s Georgetown footprint. In Horvath’s account, the company campus would cover 40 acres inside a larger property with outdoor shooting ranges. He said the company was “investing heavily in Florence.” [5]
The company says it completed the move in 2023, relocating from Georgetown to the new Florence plant. Florence also houses the company’s Longhorn Ammunition and Longhorn Precision operations. [1]
Florence and the Staccato Ranch
On April 25, 2024, Staccato announced from Florence that its headquarters, where its handguns and ammunition are made, sat on 770 acres that would open to members as Staccato Ranch on May 11, 2024. The announcement listed 17 private outdoor pistol bays, a 26-lane indoor range, three sporting clays courses, two five-stand courses, a clubhouse and pro shop, and member tours of the factory. [2] NRA’s Shooting Sports USA reported the same facilities and opening date. It added that owners in Staccato’s handgun-owner program, Staccato 368, would get priority for membership. [6] The ranch’s published address is 1275 County Road 233, Florence, Texas. [7]
A leadership change followed shortly after. On July 10, 2024, the company announced from Florence that Horvath, who had been CEO for almost seven years, would become co-chairman of the board. Buck Pierson, previously chief business development officer, and Justin Honea, previously chief operating officer, were named co-CEOs. The same release said the 2011 pistol had been approved for on-duty or off-duty carry by more than 1,600 U.S. law-enforcement agencies. [8]
Frequently Asked Questions
Staccato makes its handguns and ammunition at its headquarters in Florence, Texas. The company moved there from Georgetown, Texas, in 2023.
STI Firearms, LLC announced the name change on May 26, 2020, effective immediately. The company said ownership and staff were unchanged.
CEO Nate Horvath said the company had just over 200 team members and was “bursting at the seams” in its Georgetown facility. The Florence plant was designed to give it nearly triple the space.
Staccato Ranch is a private shooting club on the 770-acre Florence property that also holds the company headquarters. It opened to members on May 11, 2024, with indoor and outdoor ranges, clay courses, and factory tours.
In October 2020, the company said more than 250 police and sheriff agencies had approved it for duty use. By July 2024, it said more than 1,600 U.S. agencies had approved it for on-duty or off-duty carry.
Sources
[1] Staccato 2011. “Careers.” Staccato 2011, LLC, n.d.
[2] Staccato. “Staccato Announces Opening of Staccato Ranch.” ACCESSWIRE, April 25, 2024.
[3] Staccato. “STI Firearms, LLC Announces Company Name Change to Staccato.” Newswire.com, May 26, 2020.
[4] Staccato 2011, LLC. “Staccato 2011 Pistols Approved for Duty by Over 250 Law Enforcement Agencies.” Newswire.com, October 13, 2020.
[5] Horvath, Nate. “MFG Austin Ep 15: Nate Horvath, CEO of Staccato.” Interview, MFG Austin, Austin Regional Manufacturers Association, n.d.
[6] SSUSA Staff. “Staccato Ranch Will Open To Members On May 11.” Shooting Sports USA, National Rifle Association, April 25, 2024.
[7] Staccato 2011. “Staccato Ranch.” Staccato 2011, LLC, n.d.
[8] Staccato. “Staccato Announces Promotions of Strategic Leadership.” Newswire.com, July 10, 2024.
