Lots of REALLY GOOD stuff to cover in this one and we’re gonna’ set a record for length!!!!!!!!!

Good news for you Christmas shoppers, we can start quoting 8-10 weeks right now. The goal is to be able to quote you 6-8 weeks by early 2008. Additionally, we’ve had an off-shore Distributor stub his toe on his product mix and a domestic Distributor set overly optimistic goals for himself. Consequently, we have some number of guns available for immediate shipment and a few more in the pipeline that could use a good home. Please contact your Customer Service person here for details.

As we announced last Sgram, we’re faced with a cost increase on the "Spartan". With a little belt tightening, molar grinding, negotiating, and number crunching, it won’t be much. For the next four-six months, we’ll be just $11.00 higher to the Distributor with no change at any other level. We’re gonna’ leave it to you guys to sort it out from there. BUT: We’re pretty much guaranteed an additional $20-30.00 Distributor increase at that time. That one will, obviously, have to crawl on up the price structure.

The pocket pistol that I alluded to in the last communication has been named and defined. Its’ name is the "Rogue" and it is currently a 3.0", 20 ounce, 9mm, with the sights smoothly integrated as part of the slide. Blue. Single side thumb safety. All the normal STI features.

The "SteelMaster" that was introduced last Sgram will have a 4.15" dramatically and attractively lightened slide (full stroke) with a T-1 Trubor barrel, C-More sight, blast shield, and ambi safety. Blue with stainless controls! Weight to be announced. Designed for factory power factor and below, 9mm only!

You know about the "Off Duty"! 3" back-up gun with tactical rail. We announced its’ launch in Sgram #101 and then forgot to put it on the website. (No wonder we haven’t sold many!) It should be there by the time you read this!

Well, we just flat couldn’t do it! We couldn’t discontinue the "Legacy"! It’s just too fine (and beautiful) a firearm to fade away quietly. Our "go to guys" in the back have come up with a new method of bluing that looks almost as good as the Physical Vapor Deposition (P.V.D.) finish we had been using. We’re gonna’ reduce the Legacy’s price by the cost of that finish and give it another chance. The only difference in appearance should be that we won’t be bluing the barrel or the hammer due to the differences in the chemical reactions to critical surfaces (barrel rifling and hammer hooks). Price reduction at MSRP will be almost $250.00. We’re also going to open the options to include 9mm. We still have three (3) of the PVD finished .45ACP models in stock so, if you want a collectors’ item that will last forever, give us a call. We’ll have the "new look" on the website shortly.

We’re having second thoughts about having discontinued the "VIP", also. Not just because it was a personal favorite but because of the phone and email inquiries that we’ve received, as well as the disappointment that we’ve seen on a couple of the gun forums. I think we’ve decided to do a survey on this one similar to the survey we posted on the website for the "Off Duty". Maybe we’ll get a similar level of input. Watch for it and I’ll keep you informed of the results.

I don’t think I’m guilty of spreading rumors here because I have heard it from three (3) reliable sources. It is my understanding that "Bomar", the people who brought us all the pistol sights that became the industry standard, is going or has gone out of business. In the event that this is true, please be assured that we have the capacity and have already geared up to fill the void in that market requirement.

Just a quick "upbeat" for you guys who sell in Massachusetts, we’ve now had the time (and taken it) to study that states’ laws. Except for the firearms that we’ve designed for concealed carry and law enforcement use, it looks like most of our product line will qualify for sale there. We’ve filled out and filed all the requested paperwork and should know something before next Sgram time.
On the "flip side" of states’ laws, we have California! As you know, we let all of our DOJ listings lapse several years ago. We also stopped selling to CA law enforcement agencies in the same time frame. We did, however, continue selling to individual officers, who could get their agency to approve, for (IPSC, IDPA, etc.) sporting purposes. Now we have more even MORE onerous restrictions on the general populace? No more! We’re sorry! We’re done! No guns! Nobody! ‘Nuff said!

O.K.! I saved the best for last this time and still may be premature in this announcement. Here goes, anyway!

STI International, Inc. of Georgetown, TX and Grand Power s.r.o. of Banska Bystrica, Slovakia officially announce their Business Alliance!

That’s about the most formal I have ever gotten in a SkinnErgram and it felt pretty good!

I’ve had conversations with many of you throughout this year alluding to some big things in the works for our future product lines. This is one of them!

First, the easy part of this deal to explain: Grand Power has agreed to represent and distribute STI International products throughout many of the old "Warsaw Pact" countries and several other countries where we have no representation or contacts. We welcome the entire Grand Power group into the STI family. They are a fine group of people with a series of innovative products and a well grounded understanding of the international import/export firearms business.

Now for the more involved portion of our side of the explanation. As mentioned above, GP currently manufactures, and to some extent exports, a varied product line of semi-automatic pistols. Additionally, STI’s personnel have suggested and GP personnel have concurred on some upgrades and/or new products, some of which we will discuss here.

Probably the easiest way to start is to direct you to the Grand Power website so that you may become generally familiar with the GP named products.

http://www.grandpower.eu

NOW, in no particular order, here are the things that STI and their network gain from this relationship.

1. STI will be representing GP in all those countries where STI currently has representation, actually in competition with current GP Distributors in those areas where GP already has exposure.
    
2. STI will be the exclusive distributor for GP in the U.S.
    
3. GP will be building some of their products exclusively for STI and STI’s Distribution network, worldwide, that will not be available through GP’s normal network.
    
4. To save on shipping costs, STI Distributors may purchase both GP standard products and STI specific products (built by GP) directly from GP at the STI Distributor, volume negotiated, price. This is highly recommended for all business you European folks will be doing under this program.
    
5. All U.S. and Canadian orders should come through the US. Orders for less than 100 units for Australia and most of Asia should be directed through us here in the US. These orders for less than 100 will be consolidated with your normal shipments. Orders for more than 100 units from Australia and most of Asia may be taken directly to GP for the shipping savings. Your prices do not vary with your order entry or shipping point.
    
6. Currently ONLY the GP product, the K100, has been approved by the U.S. B.A.T.F for import into (or through) this country, so that will be the first product available here or, in quantities of less than 100, to Australia and most of Asia. The GP product, the P1, has been submitted for approval. Those are the only two GP specific products that are being submitted at this time. For all other GP specific products you must go directly to GP, regardless of quantity, for the time being.
    
7. The only current product that we will call STI specific is the GP6. This is (what we consider) an upgrade to the K100 which STI has contributed to. It is currently available to ALL of you except the U.S. and Canada, directly from GP for the moment. Samples have been submitted to the BATF for approval for import and we have every confidence that the approval will happen without delay. This product, like all STI specific products, will not be available outside of STI’s distribution stream.
    
8. The next STI specific product will be called the GP7. We won’t discuss this one in depth right now because of pending patents. I honestly expect this one to not be available for 8-9 months. (Maybe 11 in the U.S. and Canada, depending on the approval cycle.)

This is a "for real" opportunity for many of you and Grand Power is a "for real" company experienced in firearm manufacturing. Mike Voigt and I have been there. We have toured the GP facility and all of their vendor’s facilities. We have been with them when they demonstrated their products to law enforcement agencies in Slovakia. We have inspected and test fired samples directly off the production line.

Additionally, I was present in Cheval Blanc, France last month when the Slovak Team won the Production Division portion of the IPSC Level IV European Championship. While I was there, we exhibited a STI GP6 and allowed other country’s teams and individuals to test the new model. All were pleased and pronounced it to be a better gun than the ones they were currently using. No one was appalled by the price.

We look forward to a long, pleasant, and profitable relationship with Grand Power and we are sure that you will be pleased with the products we bring you, together! Website updates and pictures to follow shortly.

Sell a bunch. Have fun. Do good. Not necessarily in that order!