Inside the Staccato Ranch:
How a World-Class Firearms Manufacturer Builds Shooting Bays That Actually Work
When a company like Staccato builds a shooting facility, it's done right.
Staccato 2011 pistols are trusted by law enforcement, competitive shooters, and professionals nationwide. Their tolerances are tight, their standards are high, and their reputation is built on performance that holds up under real use. When they developed their Staccato Ranch facility in Florence, Texas, the goal wasn’t simply to create another place to shoot...it was to build an extension of the Staccato brand.
With more than 20 shooting bays on the property, Staccato needed a target solution that could deliver consistency, durability, and a premium experience across the entire facility. Rather than overcomplicating things, they applied a repeatable steel target formula, and used it in every bay.
That formula is built with TA Targets.
Why Consistency Is Critical in Large-Scale Range Design
One of the most common mistakes in range design is inconsistency. Different target types, different layouts, and different mounting systems from bay to bay create confusion, increase maintenance, and complicate training.
At the Staccato Ranch, consistency was intentional.
By running the same layout in every bay, Staccato created an environment where shooters immediately understand the setup, instructors can run classes without re-explaining equipment, and maintenance becomes predictable instead of reactive. This approach improves the shooter experience while reducing long-term operational costs.
That consistency starts with the silhouette systems.
AR550 Silhouette Target Systems with Armored Posts
Built Around the C-Zone A-DAP
The C-Zone Silhouette has become a staple at professional facilities because it balances accessibility and accountability. At the same time, it delivers some of the loudest and most consistent audible feedback in our steel target lineup. An important factor at busy ranges where shooters may be wearing electronic hearing protection.
At the core of every bay are AR550 Silhouette Target Systems built around TA Targets’ AR550 Steel A-DAP Systems.
Each Staccato bay includes six silhouette target systems, allowing for wide, flexible target arrays that support transitions, movement, and varied distances. This layout supports everything from basic pistol fundamentals to more advanced training without requiring constant target changes.
To support high-volume use, these silhouettes are mounted on our Armored Post. Traditional wood posts are a constant failure point at most ranges, especially with newer shooters or high round counts. Armored posts eliminate that issue, dramatically reducing downtime and labor costs while allowing the targets to stay in place long-term.
1/2" C-Zone A-DAP Target Ratings (when used per TA Targets guidelines):
- Pistols: All standard handgun calibers - 10+ Yards
- Light Rifles: up to 5.56 / .223 - 30+ Yards
- Larger Bore Rifles: up to .308 - 50+ yards
- Magnum Rifles: Larger than .308 - 100+ Yards
Every steel target system needs a solid foundation to be reliable. That’s where the 20″ Round Steel Target Base came in. The round footprint gives the target a low, stable center of gravity that holds up to repeated impacts and hard use. Our 20" Base is the foundation of our steel targets and also allows for Paper holders to attach Cardboard Mounting Strips that can assist in training on cardboard and paper.
For a facility the size of Staccato’s Ranch, this combination provides durability without sacrificing flexibility.
Increasing Accountability with the Hostage Assembly
To add another layer of training value, Staccato Ranch equipped their silhouette systems with the Hostage Assembly.
This introduces a smaller, reactive paddle that swings when struck, immediately increasing shot accountability. Shooters can combine fast silhouette engagements with more precise paddle shots, building better trigger control and shot discipline...all within the same target system.
The Hostage Assembly allows instructors and shooters to increase difficulty without adding clutter or complexity to the bay.
Supporting Paper Training with Extra Bases
Steel Targets are excellent for feedback and repetition, but paper still has an important place in training.
Staccato Ranch addressed this by keeping Target Bases with paper holders available in each bay. These bases allow shooters or instructors to quickly set up Paper or Cardboard Targets for diagnostics, zeroing, or specific course requirements.
It’s a simple addition that significantly increases the versatility of each bay.
The Phoenix Plate Rack: A Premium Standard
Every bay at the Staccato Ranch includes one Phoenix Plate Rack.
Plate racks are often one of the most heavily used target systems on a range. Shooters gravitate toward them, instructors rely on them, and they tend to see a wide variety of skill levels and shooting styles. Because of that, a plate rack at a professional facility needs to do more than simply reset. It needs to hold up under constant use while maintaining a consistent, safe shooting experience.
AR550 Steel Target Plate Rack - Phoenix
The Phoenix is TA Targets’ premium plate rack system, built entirely from AR550 steel, including the shield, paddles, and pulley guard. This fully armored construction protects the most common failure points found on traditional plate racks, especially in high-volume environments where low or off-center impacts are inevitable. By shielding critical components, the Phoenix is designed to remain operational even under less-than-perfect shooting conditions.
One of the defining features of the Phoenix is its adjustable forward lean, which allows the rack to be tuned for different use cases and distances. This adjustability helps manage splash, improve reliability, and extend the service life of the paddles. Additionally, the Phoenix is fully serviceable. If a component is damaged, individual parts can be replaced using hand tools and standard hardware rather than removing the entire system from service.
For a high-end training facility like the Staccato Ranch, the Phoenix does more than provide just another reactive target system, it reinforces the overall quality of the range. When shooters step onto the line, the targets downrange match the same standard as the pistols in their hands and the facility around them. That consistency is part of what defines a professional shooting environment.
The Rifle Dueling Tree: Reactive, Durable, and Truly Rifle Rated
To round out each bay, Staccato added one Rifle Dueling Tree.
AR550 Dueling Tree Target
Reactive targets play an important role in shooter engagement, and the Rifle Dueling Tree provides that engagement without sacrificing durability. Unlike many dueling trees on the market, this system is built with a fully AR550 shield with reinforced gussets, and AR550 paddles.
Staccato selected 3/8” AR550 paddles, ideal for their predominantly pistol-focused use while still maintaining rifle capability.
3/8" Rifle Dueling Tree Rating (configuration dependent):
- Pistols: All standard handgun calibers - 10+ yards
- Light Rifles: 5.56 / .223, 300 Blackout, 7.62×39, and similar intermediate calibers - 50+ yards
- Large rifle calibers - 200+ yards (if 1/2" paddles are used the distance shrinks to 100+ yards)
This makes the Rifle Dueling Tree both a training tool and one of the most enjoyable systems on the range.
The Staccato Ranch Formula
Across the entire Ranch, Staccato uses the same proven layout in every bay: six AR550 Silhouette Target Systems, one Phoenix Plate Rack, and one Rifle Dueling Tree. This balance provides durability, training flexibility, and shooter engagement without overcomplicating the range.
For range owners and builders, the takeaway is simple: effective range design isn’t about having more equipment... it’s about choosing the right systems and applying them consistently. The Staccato Ranch is a clear example of how a thoughtful steel target layout can support both performance and longevity.
Buy Once. Cry Never.
— TA Targets
Staccato Ranch: The Steel Target Formula Behind a World-Class Shooting Facility