STI kicked off the 2011 trend when they were founded in 1993. I think it’s safe to say, though, that the industry was taken by storm when the rebranded to Staccato around 2020. The 2011 is an enhanced 1911 design with modern features. It blends the best of the 1911 platform with additional features like attachment rails, optics support, and double-stacked magazines for additional capacity. The Romulus is a very attractive offering from Alpha Foxtrot in Duluth, GA.
While the Staccato still leads the genre (though this could arguably be due to outstanding marketing), Alpha Foxtrot is often seen as making the most comparable 2011 models at a fraction of the cost. My Romulus, for example, was $1700 compared to the Staccato C2 I was looking for $2700.
The fit and finish of the Romulus is very nice. I opted for a matte finish, but they do have a glossier one was well. You’ll find a variety of options not only in pistol size, but also barrels. I chose the threaded barrel but standard and compensated models are available. The tolerances seem very tight. There’s absolutely no rattle when you shake the gun. The oversized, ambidextrous thumb safety is nice.
It’s a little mind boggling to think that with the Romulus and a single mag (mine came with 1 17-round and 2 20-round mags) I have almost the same capacity as my current EDC 1911 with two spare mags. I absolutely love the 1911 platform but the additional capacity is hard to turn a blind eye to. I can carry almost 60 rounds with my current mags.
You’ll receive two optics plates. I opted for the RMSc plate and mounted an Osight SE red dot. I have the same sight (in green) on my SAR9 and wanted to maintain consistency. It’s a very compact optic and fits beautifully on the slide with no overhang.
When the ATF decides I’m worthy, the Romulus will be paired with the Rugged Obsidian 9.
Here’s a short and sweet video on disassembly/reassembling the Romulus for cleaning and maintenance. This is something that’s messed up in the manual. The instructions provided actually describe the takedown process for a Glock-style weapon, not a 2011.
There are a few points I’d like to point out which aren’t mentioned in the video but I think are important and/or helpful:
– When you put the slide back on, make sure you STOP when the barrel link aligns with the hole and insert the slide stop. If you don’t, and the slide moves too far back, it’s possible for the barrel link to jam the barrel against the slide locking everything up which will require some additional effort (and possibly a vise) to correct.
– You may find that the parts are very tight. I find it helpful to use a small, non-marring punch to push the slide stop out from the opposite side. I can’t ever seem to get enough grip with my fingers to pull it out.
– A small, non-marring hammer can be used to lightly tap the slide stop back in once everything is aligned properly. Tapping at about a 30 degree angle helps push it back into place rather than tapping straight against the slide.
