Someone must be a classical music buff.

Not a good name for a gun company; I also thought it was a dumb name for a 2011 model. STI was a better name for the company. But, it is their company.

Thanks to John Wick 3, everyone knows who the company is, and their production probably falls-short of demand. They have consolidated their production line, emphasizing Europellet guns. Once the John Wick craze ends, sales will fall-off, and we will hopefully see additional calibers added to the catalog. Am surprised .357 SIG and more .40cal guns are not available.

I like my new (taking a deep breath) Staccato P Duo in .45ACP and wish a 2020 model was available in that caliber, .40 cal, or 10mm, for duty use. I came to the STI family late, but from reading earlier posts, others say their lineup greatly fluctuates year-by-year, so I expect to eventually see those calibers offered.

 

I wouldn't hold out too much hope on additional caliber offerings (at least in the near future). There were posts that said that the "P" in 45acp only sold a couple of handfulls of pistols in 2019 while the 9mm sold hundreds/thousands. It seems each model is purpose driven ("P" is duty offering, "C"/"C2" is ccw, all others are geared toward shooting sports - USPSA, except for the "R" which fils the bill of any single stack 1911).

As far as the name change, a company is free to do what they want. I feel that there is value in the STI name.

 

They will tell you that the name and history of STI comes with mixed reviews on quality. Their goal is to change the reputation of the company having mediocre pistols to being tier one quality you can bet your life on. I'm paraphrasing here, but something very close to that.

 

Re-name the company after the latest pistol line? Nope, don't like it.
The STI name has a good history and positive overall public image. Sure there have been challenges, but overall good. Why throw that away (along with competition market share) for a new unrecognized name?
Legal/financial reasons?

It seems Westwind Investors wants to morph into primarily a tactical/duty version of SVI.
Maybe low margin public sector contracts mixed with high margin private sector sales is the answer to long term survival? IDK, but I don't like it and I don't perceive stability.

 

Why throw that away (along with competition market share) for a new unrecognized name?
Legal/financial reasons?

Once that six sigma expert from Westwind gets into how much the STI Lifetime warranty costs they will kill that too.

"oh you had a lifetime warranty with STI International, this is Staccato, your warranty is no longer valid".

That's what I wondered.
Replacing cracked slides gets expensive. Maybe phasing out legacy STI product coverage over time?

Or perhaps based upon recent moves and the new company name.... disconnected & quick.

 

And sharing an acronym with sexually transmitted infections can't be great for business, either.

I wish they would rename their different pistol models with a more logical and consistent, well, letter, if you insist on using just one letter instead of a name.

 

And sharing an acronym with sexually transmitted infections can't be great for business, either.

Which, coincidentally, was ALSO re-branded (from "STD"), and now the preferred terminology, since "infection" sounds less dire than "disease".

 

Hopefully better QC will come with the new name.

 

I certainly would not have changed the name but the equity firm is in charge now. They are going in a completely different direction. I wish them well but I'm probably done acquiring STIs. Once that six sigma expert from Westwind gets into how much the STI Lifetime warranty costs they will kill that too.

"oh you had a lifetime warranty with STI International, this is Staccato, your warranty is no longer valid".

 

Honestly when I first heard of STI, I was like, “Subaru makes guns?”

 

Have to laugh..I thought that too. :biglaugh:

 

Something very "fishy" is going on at STI...I've had to send my Costa carry comp back 3x in 2 years, and the nature of the service changed on the last trip (for a cracked slide). Yea, I do wonder what it is costing STI to fix all theses guns going back all the time...I'd hold off buying any new guns from them personally till they get through these changes (whatever the heck they are)...Gun companies go out of business from time to time, and they will not give you a warning. I already lost my warranty on my Conan. WTH knows what STI is going to do next. (Granted, STI is a much different dynamic than Conan, but when a company starts doing unexplained things - just proceed with caution, that is all I'm saying).

On the new name, it makes absolutely no business sense to toss their current, established, respected (mostly), well-know, brand, UNLESS they have some hidden agenda.

 

Am guessing they are experiencing growing pains due to the movie. Am hoping their communications' skills improve...

 

I know others here may have already seen this; from another Forum's post:

I just emailed STI about the name change and some concerns I had, in less than a half hour they replied. If anyone has questions about issues that will sway your decisions either way you might as well ask the company, apparently they are ready to talk about them

"Staccato is simply part of our re-branding going forward. The only real change is improvements in business strategy, quality of product and increase in production.
Again the change in quality is concentration on improvements - not anything retro. All our parts are USA made, all machined, no MIM, etc. The original owner still has a lifetime warranty !
You will be pleased with our products in 2020 and the future - no relaxing of standards.
Thanks for the inquiry."

If the reply email from STI is as he received it, I'm very curious as to the statement:

The original owner still has a lifetime warranty!

If true, what's this going to do to the used STI market?

 

I hate to say it, but gun owners are often a paranoid/distrusting bunch. If paranoia levels increased as the number of guns owned increased, I would be one of the most paranoid people on the planet!

Fortunately, that equation does not hold true.

I will bet anyone here that STI ISN'T changing their name so they don't have to offer warranty claims or get rid of their lifetime warranty.

I will be in Vegas on Sunday and at SHOT Show all week. I always make time to slip out of my booth at intervals to talk to friends in the industry and check out the latest and greatest. That said, I will definitely stop by the "STACCATO" Booth and find out what's up.

I assure you STI has a very good reason for the rebrand, at least to them it is a good reason, but it is definitely not for devious reasons as many suspect here. FYI, I'm also not a fan of the new name and/or re-brand, but I don't have to like it for it to be a sensible business move.

 

Hope you enjoyed SHOT Show, Harrish! Just curious about what STI/Staccato had to say.

 

'Staccato'..... Meh! I know what they're going for, but we'll see if it pays off. Perhaps 'Capriccio' or 'Crescendo' would have worked better. Then again, get too Italian-sounding and they may find themselves acquired by Uberti. You don't want to wake up one morning and find yourself 'Diminuendo'!!!!!

As for 'companies' making sound, logical decisions...... we'll, yeah, not so much. :hrm::hrm::hrm: I've been in the corporate world long enough to know that some decisions are made solely for the sake of making decisions.

 

LOL!:rock:

I heard they are re-branding to position themselves to sell a full, premium-line, of cappuccino machine's, just in case the gun industry goes under.

 

I have read statements such as these on this AND other Forums concerning STI's Warranty:

And as you mentioned, it is backed by great customer service and a lifetime warranty, whether you are the first owner or the 10th.

I did see they have a lifetime warranty though no matter at what point you buy the pistol.

Again, I have read this many times; and IIRC, our valued expert Descartian has also pointed this out.

However, after seeing a Warranty related post by Bob Londrigan, I checked the STI website and saw this:

Subject to terms, conditions, and limitations outlined below, STI Firearms, LLC (“STI”) guarantees its pistols against defects in materials and workmanship that adversely affect their operation for the lifetime[1] of the original purchaser. STI agrees to correct any defect in the firearm for the original purchaser by repair, adjustment or replacement, at STI’s option, with the same or comparable quality components (or by replacing the firearms at STI’s option); provided, that the firearm is returned unloaded and freight prepaid to STI Firearms, LLC.

As many of you know, I am a fan of the STI product as my Son and I both own them. It appears to me that the Warranty has recently changed, and that was my only concern.

I will still continue to purchase STI products......my choice will be the older models though.

And, please correct me if I'm wrong on this Warranty change.

 

A line of premium semi automatic espresso machines wouldn't be the worst diversification.

Really hoping our skepticism is unwarranted, Harrish.

 

I think they are for the most part, making a smart move. They are consolidating their 1911 and 2011 lineup and offering them in a perceived "superior" cartridge that is being fired from a decidedly superior handgun design that works really well for competition, SD, and police work. I just hope they eventually offer their lineup in calibers larger than Europellet-size.

 

Looking over their website, there is almost no mention of STI except for the move logo in the information section in the bottom of the pages.

Also another telling clue is their retail section. Not a single piece of their retail has STI on it. It’s all 2011.

 

Someone pointed out new updates to the warranty information.........

Thank you for your purchase of an STI Firearms pistol. By selecting our pistol, you are part of an elite group that includes the world’s best law enforcement agencies, such as the U.S. Marshall’s SOG team, and the best competition shooters worldwide who have chosen STI for its proven reliability, accuracy, and shoot-ability. We are committed to building the World’s Best Shooting Handguns and we stand behind every pistol we make. Our commitment to you, our customer, is supported by our industry leading warranty policy to which you just agreed.

This limited warranty is void if any of the following occur:

The pistol has been misused or damaged by the user or accident.
The pistol has not been properly maintained as described in the product manual.
The pistol grip is modified, changed, or removed/replaced by anyone other than an STI Factory Certified Gunsmith. Use of a metal grip expressly voids the warranty.
The pistol is altered or modified in any way, including cosmetic alterations.
The pistol has been used for the firing of re-manufactured, reloaded, or hand-loaded ammunition (excluding Open guns manufactured specifically for major power factor ammunition).
This warranty is not transferable to any other person. No implied warranties of any kind are made herein and this warranty does not apply to any accessory items attached or appurtenant to the firearm.

In no event shall STI Firearms, LLC be liable for any incidental or consequential damages arising from or in connection with this limited warranty.

The sole and exclusive remedy pursuant to this warranty is the repair or replacement of your STI pistol, at the sole discretion of STI Firearms, LLC.
The implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are expressly disclaimed.
All disclaimers and limitations of liability shall still apply even if the limited remedy of repair and replacement fails of its essential purpose.
STI assumes no liability for incidental or consequential damage or for incidental expenses and any action based on an alleged breach of this warranty must be brought within one (1) year of the claimed breach.
How to use your warranty

If you discover a defect in material or workmanship, please complete the claim form below and you will be contacted by one of our Warranty or Customer Service Team Members. NOTE: If your pistol was purchased new within the past 12 months, we will send you a prepaid shipping return label. If your pistol is more than 12 months old you must cover the shipping costs to return the pistol to us.

Once we receive and evaluate your pistol, our warranty team will be in touch with you to discuss resolution.

Descartian:

Does this raise any concern for you as the owner of SEVERAL older STI pistols?

Simply curious.........

 

The reloaded ammo part is a huge issue, but then they have to prove you did it, right? If you blow your gun up with a double charge or bulge the barrel from firing another round behind a squib, thats on you/us anyway. I can't see reloads causing any other detectable issue.

 

It seems to say you have to cover shipping cost for warranty work after the first year.....I remember spending a lot of money shipping a pistol back to Les Baer 3 different times, back in my rookie ranger days......

 

I shipped a gun back to Nighthawk late last year. Am thinking it was between $45-75 for 2nd Day UPS w/ insurance, and I believe it was the lower amount. I consider that reasonable for one-way shipment.

 

As a new 2011 STI owner that will, in the near future, be on the hunt for a 2017-2018 DVC Limited in Hard Chrome, I am simply curious if anyone has it in writing that STI would warranty their unaltered, undamaged pistols with a lifetime warranty regardless if I were the first or 3rd owner?

As I stated in my post #17 above, I have read this many, many times! But, have never seen it in writing. And, I have .pdfs of the 2015 and 2017 STI brochures that do not have this in detail.

As an example, Dillon Precision has had this "in writing" for many years; and I have used it many times; going back into the 1990s...........

On used equipment, the warranty applies, with the following exceptions: Missing parts on used equipment are not a warranty item. All electrical/electronic components , including motors, have a one-year warranty from date of original purchase from us.The RL300,RL1000, RL1050 and Super 1050 did not have a lifetime warranty.There are virtually no RL300 parts left, except what interchanges with the RL550 B.

Beyond that, it doesn't matter if you're the first or the fourteenth owner, we'll take care of you. Little parts we'll simply mail out;some larger components must be sent in before repair/replacement.

Of course, I'm aware of contacting STI directly. But I would also like to hear it directly from any STI owners that can hopefully offer first hand experiences.

Thanks!

 

Close mouth usually doesn't work-out well for customer's ;-).

 

The response (or lack of) from Staccato is not confidence inspiring. Sorry to hear, I really didn't want to be right.
My skepticism was acquired through experience.

 

STI name change....

I believe the name STI had to do with the original owners last names.....Strayer and Tripp Inc. Virgil Tripp eventually parted ways with Strayer, and I believe founded SVI guns.... Vigil Tripp was a machinist and gunsmith, and also founded Tripp Research. Chip McCormack sold a great deal of Tripp Research products....

STI is well known by competitive action pistol shooters, but the average gun owner may have never heard or seen an STI 2011 gun. Furthermore, I have seldom seen new STI 2011 guns in retail gun shops but once in a while I may see a used one.....

Since the STI name has not been marketed very well, it may be in the best interest of STI to change their name, improve the quality control, and expand their market share to less focus on competition guns, and more mainstream use for civilian and law enforcement..... Any company that is struggling to survive has to do whatever it takes to make a profit.....so perhaps a name change is part of their new company strategy.....?