Girsan 2311 Match Review: Budget Race Gun or Bust?

Shooting fast has become a major priority for many people, and it is no surprise that quite a few of them turn to 2011s when seeking speed and accuracy.

And of course, when something is hot, every manufacturer wants a piece of the pie. The result has been a massive influx of 2011s and double-stack 1911s hitting the market over the past few years.

Girsan decided to tap into that market and target the budget-minded folks. But with many big-name 2011s eclipsing the $2,000 mark, how good can a $900 one be?

Well, I got my hands on the Girsan 2311 Match to find out just how good this budget 2011 is and how it compares to some of the other 2011s we have tested.

Girsan 2311 Match Specs & Features

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Action: Single-action, hammer-fired
• Capacity: 17 (flush), 20 (extended)
• Barrel Length: 5″
• Overall Length: 8.75″
• Width: 1.59″
• Height: 5.8″
• Weight: 30.4 oz
• Country of origin: Turkey
• Comes with: Deluxe hard case, (1) 17rd & (1) 20rd magazine, owner’s manual, gun lock, takedown tool

Features

• Match-grade bull barrel
• Full-length Picatinny rail
• RMSc footprint optics-ready slide
• Fully adjustable rear sight
• Forged frame, slide, and barrel

Girsan 2311 Match Backstory

When Strayer-Tripp International (STI) rebranded and changed their name to Staccato in 2020, they saw a massive surge in popularity.

Suddenly, everyone wanted a 2011; they finally tapped into the mainstream. Shortly after, other companies began developing their own 2011-style pistols to try and cash in on the craze.

In 2023, Girsan first introduced their 2311 line of pistols to the US market, with EAA importing them. At the time of their release, they were the most affordable true 3-piece 2011 on the market.

And in 2025, Girsan expanded their 2311 lineup to include new, higher-end models with nicer features, including the 2311 Match that we are looking at today.

“The Girsan Witness2311 Match Double Stack pistol is meticulously crafted with all the essential features any discerning shooter demands. With a full-length steel government-size frame and precision cone lock-up mechanism, the Witness2311 Match ensures superior performance and reliability,” EAA said about the 2311 Match.

Shooting the Girsan 2311 Match: Accuracy & Reliability Analysis 

I was pleasantly surprised by some aspects of the 2311 Match, but also disappointed by others.

Accuracy

The 2311 Match shot noticeably low and to the left out of the box. However, I was able to easily adjust the rear sight enough to rectify this.  

While 2311 Match doesn’t shoot as soft as something like a Staccato P, the recoil impulse is still pleasant, and the gun shoots pretty flat.

I could put double-taps with an inch or two of each other at 7 yards, and rapid fire at 10 yards resulted in a ragged 3-inch hole in the middle of the target.

However, when doing slow-fire accuracy testing at 7 yards, I would almost always start by having three or four shots touching, only to have a small flyer pop up in the next round or two.

Overall, I’d say the mechanical accuracy is great, but a subpar trigger and mediocre sights (more on that in just a bit) hold this gun back.

Reliability

The first thing that really stood out to me during testing was the reliability. It is no secret that 2011s are known for being finicky creatures, especially when it comes to magazines.

So I was surprised when I ran through 500 rounds with zero failures to feed or eject. Even more impressive was that I got lockback on empty mags every time.

I lubed the gun before firing the first time and again around the 250-round mark, but that is something I would do with any 2011 since most of them like to run wet.

The 2311 Match ships with one 17-round and one 20-round magazine, both made by Checkmate. For those who don’t know, Checkmate is the OEM for Staccato magazines, and Staccato mags are considered the gold standard.

I tried two different Staccato-branded magazines in the 2311 Match, and they ran flawlessly.

However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows here. While the gun ran well, the ejection pattern was sketchy at best. Sometimes it would throw casings out with authority to the right, sometimes they would kind of just barely spit out in a random direction.

But more annoyingly, I had spent casings coming straight back and hitting me in the face with much more frequency than I’d like. I even hit that thing with the GI Joe Kung Fu Grip to make sure I wasn’t limpwristing, but to no avail — brass straight into the noggin sometimes.

Ergonomics: Fit & Feel

I was immediately surprised by how tight the slide-to-frame fit was on this gun. Even after 500 rounds, it passed the maraca shake test, producing only the slightest sound when shaken vertically.

The 2311 Match features a match-grade bull barrel, which is a huge bonus for me personally with 2011s.

Oddly enough, the barrel itself seems to be coated in the same gray finish that is on the frame. You can see where the finish wore off on the top of the barrel hood and toward the muzzle.

Takedown of the 2311 Match requires you to use the included guide rod tool or a paperclip. It is annoying to say the least. If this were my gun, I’d seriously consider upgrading to a tooless guide rod.

I also want to note that the slide stop/takedown lever is a bit tough to remove on this gun without using a pen cap or something to push on it.

Frame & Controls

Girsan did a good job with their grip module. It does have a slightly cheaper, plasticky feel, but the texture is just the right level for me. It is neither too aggressive nor too smooth, and I never felt like my grip was compromised.

The mag release is your standard button-style found on most 2011s; nothing of note there. You get ambidextrous safety with the perfect amount of resistance and positive feedback when engaging and disengaging it.  

A flared magwell graces the bottom of the grip. It does a nice job funneling the magazines in there, and I had no issues seating the shorter flush-fit 17-rounders.

Other features include a nice extended beavertail, a full-length Picatinny rail, and some ho-hum but perfectly functional forward and rear slide serrations.

Trigger

1911s, and by extension, 2011s, are known for their awesome triggers. In a gun like this, you’d ideally want a 2.5-3.5 lb trigger with a clean take-up, a crisp break, and a short reset.

Unfortunately, the 2311 Match falls short here. I suspect the polymer trigger is dragging on the polymer grip module, resulting in a less-than-smooth trigger pull.

On top of the rubbing, the trigger itself is heavier than it should be. I took a five-pull average using a Lyman digital trigger gauge, and the 2311 Match trigger clocks in at 4.45 lbs. It does have a solid and tactile reset, but the pull just isn’t it for me.

Girsan lists the pull weight as 4.5 lbs “max,” so they are being truthful here. It isn’t a terrible trigger, but it is definitely not a match trigger.

Sights

Here we are looking at a fully adjustable blacked-out rear sight and a white-dot front sight.

I found that the rear sight seemed to “eat up” a significant portion of the front sight post when aiming. This made seeing the front sight a bit difficult. The addition of either a U-notch rear sight or a fiber optic front sight would have been a big upgrade here.

This gun comes with the ability to direct mount an RMSc / Holosun K optic. The ability to direct mount without an adapter plate is awesome, but the RMSc footprint limits you to optics with small windows.

No one wants to shoot a high-speed gun with a tiny red dot. An RMR footprint and adapter plate would have been better here, even if it meant the optic hangs over the slide a bit.

Improvements We’d Like To See

First and foremost, I’d like to see Girsan tune the extractor and ejector better. Shooting doubles and triples with brass hitting you in the face is distracting and takes a bit of the fun out of it. This would also give me more confidence regarding long-term reliability.

Secondly, I’d like to see a better trigger. Lowering the pull weight to a crisp 3.5 lb would improve overall feel and shootability.

Girsan uses a fiber-optic front sight on its compensated 2311 Match X model, and I believe it would be a significant upgrade over the standard white-dot front sight on this model.

Although these are optic-cut for RMSc red dots, I wish they would include an optics plate adapter for the larger RMR footprint. Even though the slides are thin, most people don’t want a small optic on a full-size gun.

Who Is It For?

The Girsan 2311 Match is a viable option for someone looking for a Staccato-pattern 2011 while staying under $1000.

The accuracy and reliability potential is already there with this gun, but there is likely a higher performance ceiling for those willing to tinker on and upgrade their 2311 over time.

By The Numbers

Reliability: 5/5

I suffered zero stoppages of any kind and got consistent lockback on empty magazines. But the inconsistent ejection pattern makes me wary of potential long-term issues with the ejector and extractor.

Ergonomics: 3.5/5

The grip texture isn’t a home run, but it feels nice and functions well. The safety feels great, and the rest of the controls are standard 2011 fare. This gun has the same blocky feel that most 2011s have.

Accuracy: 3.5/5

The mechanical accuracy is closer to a 4/5, but the trigger and lackluster sights bring it down a bit. I really had to concentrate during slow fire to squeeze the accuracy out of this gun.

Customization: 3.5/5

As with most true 3-piece 2011s, you can swap out the grip module. Many other 2011 parts, such as triggers and tooless guide rods, can be fit. The Picatinny rail and optics-ready slide have you covered for accessories, though I wish the optics cut were for RMR rather than RMSc.

Value: 3/5

The 2311 Match is on the cheaper side of bull-barrel 2011s at $900-$1,000. But that is still a lot of money to spend on a gun where the trigger and ejection pattern leave quite a bit to be desired.

Overall: 3/5

Upgrades & Accessories for the Girsan 2311 Match

Avoid those iron sight woes with one of the best small pattern pistol dots on the market — the Holosun 507K.

Want to soften recoil even more? Easy, just add more weight with the ultra-durable and industry gold standard SureFire X300U weapon light.

Keep your ears safe and your head comfortable with the excellent EXO PRO gel-cup electronic earmuffs from ShellShock Protection.

How We Tested the Girsan 2311 Match

We evaluated the Girsan 2311 Match for reliability and accuracy over the course of 500 rounds using the following types of ammunition:

• AAC 115 GR FMJ
• Magtech 115 GR FMJ
• Speer Lawman 124 GR TMJ
• Speer Gold Dot 124 GR +P JHP

Accuracy testing was conducted freehand with iron sights. I fired 5-shot groups at 7 yards, as well as subsequent 5-shot groups at 10, 15, and 25 yards.

To test how the gun handled under recoil, various drills were performed at 7 and 10 yards, including double-taps, Mozambique drills, and Bill drills.

Meet the Experts

This review was written by Pew Pew Tactical Editor & Senior Review Analyst Wyatt Sloan. Wyatt is an NRA-certified and USCCA-certified instructor, former competitive shooter, and an avid hunter.

Wyatt has previous experience as a home-based FFL and personally owns over 200 firearms — including various competition guns and a 2011 of his own.

Between his different shooting disciplines and time reviewing firearms with Pew Pew Tactical, he has a fair amount of trigger time behind various 2011s, double-stack 1911s, and other similar platforms.

These guns include the Staccato CS/C2/P/XC, Springfield Prodigy, Kimber 2K11, Sig P211 GTO, Tisas DS9, Atlas 2011s, STI 2011s, Wilson Combat SFX9, Kimber KDS9c, Dan Wesson DWX, and more.

Final Verdict on the Girsan 2311

The Girsan 2311 Match exceeded my expectations while also letting me down at the same time.

If the trigger were a little cleaner, the ejection pattern were more consistent, and the front sight were fiber optic, Girsan could have a serious contender on their hands.

That being said, it is an accurate and reliable gun with great mags. I see the potential there for those willing to put in a bit of work to tap into it, but the legwork can be a tough sell on a gun that is already pushing $ 1,000.

What are your thoughts on the Girsan 2311 Match? Do any of you have experience with this gun or other budget 2011s? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Interested in other 2011s that won’t break the bank? Check out our review of the Springfield Prodigy AOS Comp!