Hi Guys,
We're just back from the IWA Show in Nuremberg , Germany where we had the
same overwhelming reception that we experienced at the SHOT Show. In
addition to meeting with all of our old customer/friends and meeting/making
some new ones, we had the opportunity for meetings with our European
Shooting Team. During those meetings, Saul Kirsch was selected Team Captain
and most of this years' appearances were scheduled. Those of you in Europe
should feel us as a much larger presence this year than in the past.
Pauletta and I will be back in Philipsburg ,
Germany June 2-4 at the "STI European Open Championship" if any of you
missed us in Nuremberg and need a "sit down".
Below are the things that I asked about
last time. These are the things that have been requested of us to consider
for production later this year (when we catch up) and next. Noted in italics
are our conclusions to date based on your responses to date.
- An "LS" style pistol with a titanium
frame… Probably going to do it in titanium or aluminum.
- A "Colt Defender" sized pistol…
Probably going to do it.
- A "low end" pistol, probably utilizing
some parts of foreign manufacture… Probably going to do it.
- A less expensive .22 long rifle-using
cast and MIM, rather than barstock, parts… Currently not a
consideration.
- Some small pistol that accommodates the
GAP cartridge… Currently not a consideration.
- Some variety of rifle that handles the
.223 cartridge… Currently not a consideration.
- A revolver for the "Cowboy Action
Shooting" crowd… Probably going to do it. Probably emulating the Colt
SAA 2nd Generation.
- "Mouse guns". i.e. .380ACP and smaller
pistols… Currently not a consideration.
- An "off shore" 1911 (like Springfield
Armory does) built to STI specifications (with many STI fabricated parts)
… Probably going to do it.
Over the course of the last eight years or
so, our cost of having guns hard chromed combined with the freight to and
from the plater has crept up significantly. Due to my not paying close
enough attention, none of these cost increases have been passed through to
you, our customer. That was the good news. The bad news is, now that we
realize what has happened, we must raise our price to you for hard chrome.
Effective immediately we have increased the hard chrome OPTION price.
Guns that are currently on order with this option will be honored at
the quoted price. New orders will be entered at the new price.
There are three guns that come standard
with hard chrome: the "GrandMaster",
the "Executive", and the "IPSC
30th Anniversary". Because the "30th " is just ½
chrome and because it will go out of production at the end of 2006, we will
not be changing anything. The
GrandMaster and the Executive
prices will increase when we release the new price list. Again, all open
orders will be honored.
Compared to hard chrome, gold plating has
gone through the roof. We have made a decision to discontinue the "Special
Edition" effective June 30, 2006 . All guns on order at that time will
be price and delivery honored.
Now that you've all seen the 2006 catalog,
do you have any recommended changes or additions for the 2007 issue? We're
always open to suggestion.
Do good. Sell a bunch. Have fun. Not
necessarily in that order! |
