There are not many guns as fun to shoot as an XC

 

I know comps and porting are all the rage now and all the cool kids are doing it.

I went through that phase pretty hardcore in the 90’s and felt like I was way in the minority.

I own various Stacattos including the XL. I have no interest in the XC in spite of all of the hype.

Unless you consider yourself a top tier shooter I doubt that you can tell much difference between the two.

The extra length and weight of XL does a good job of almost catching up to flat shooting of the XC.

If the $700 difference is a stretch for you like most shooters, don’t worry the XL will keep you smiling without the extra sting.

Now, as far as comparing to various CZ’s…

Let me just say that I haven’t touched my CZ 75, Shadow2, or Tactical Sports since I dove into the 2011 pool 2.5 years ago.

Let me add, I have two Atlas’ which are very near the top of the totem pole, and I still shoot my XL regularly.

 

Unless you consider yourself a top tier shooter I doubt that you can tell much difference between the two...

Let me just say that I haven’t touched my CZ 75, Shadow2, or Tactical Sports since I dove into the 2011 pool 2.5 years ago.

Opinions here might differ. A many times over national champ, on a Beretta and a Tanfo which is a CZ clone, just did a several weeks / thousands of rounds eval of XC. He found no appreciable performance differences. A general consensus holds that weaker shooters benefit from performance enhancing things like comps etc.

I ain't a world champ but I found no measurable performance differences between my Atlas and my Shadow2. I went 4 months with the Atlas and neither my drill / practice time nor, more importantly, match placement was any different. I'm happily back to CZ now.

 

These small comps are value added. But they barely work.

One lil port? Lol. 3+ large ports, and a large charge of slow powder to produce some thrust, and you'll begin to see an advantage.

But then you're in open.

Your choice in shoes is more important than choice in pistols. If you're willing to put in the time and practice, you can get used to any pistol.

The guys that sweat over picking a 22 round magazine, or a 23, ain't winning nothing.

 

Having both I tend to like the XL better feel and balance wise although I can shoot the XC just a little bit faster. But in general I like shooting the XL's better. I used my Mantis to measure muzzle rise on a P, XL and XC, the XC was as much better than the XL was better than the P. Not much but there was a few degrees difference between each of them. Oh, and the XC is actually like a 4.3" barrel if you don't include the comp.
I think if you took the magwell off the XL it might fit it the IDPA box otherwise I think it's a little too long. I shoot the XC's in IDPA CO and ESP and I shoot the XL's in USPSA LO and Limited Major.

 

Staccato's own brand ambassadors and shooting team will tell you that the XL is their best kept secret.

 

Honestly, no one can tell you what you're going to like better without you shooting them side by side. Most video's I've watch claim the XC is one of the flattest shooting 2011's out there. I had one for a while & it was a great shooter. But even dbl. plugged, the comp noise kind of bothered me.

I would really like to try the longer XL, as I like that extra weight out front. Maybe I'll pick one up one day. And when I check out the used gun section at 1911addicts, I'll see XC's for sale. But rarely do I see XL's. If that's any indication of what people prefer?

Just buy either one, and if you don't like it, take the few hundred loss on resale and get the other. I love to "buy and try" different guns all the time. I'm not going to keep anything forever or take anything with me. It's just part of the gun journey.

 

Okay, $3600 vs. $4300 and a pseudo-5" barrel stock length versus the IDPA box gun length of 5.4".

The XL is cataloged at 9.1" OAL, The Box is 8.75".
I don't know what the extra 0.4" gains for you in shooting, but it is not getting you into IDPA.

I sometimes wish I had not cut the compensator off my old IPSC Modified gun, but I am not much motivated to start over even though IDPA would now allow it.

 

I own both. I shoot my XC much more often than the XL. The XC for me runs much faster.

 

I like the concept of a longer barrel so I like the XL but I’ve shot both and the XC has a lighter trigger and less recoil and is faster back on target, so whatever that means to you.