The Operators Manual for the Texican should be available by late October. Actual gun deliveries should be O.K. for mid-November. This gun has attracted more attention than the Spartan, which has gotten more than appreciable attention. I assume that is because it is such a wide departure from all that which we have done before. Already scheduled are three magazine articles and a T.V. show.

We've had calls from several of the SASS "top guns" in addition to the ones that we consulted with. Right now it sounds to us like the SASS guys have a lot in common with the IPSC/IDPA/PPC folks, i.e. we may need to include Dremel tools with each sale just so they can add that "personal touch".

The "Guardian" and the "Escort" are also right on schedule and each has quite a number of pre-orders. Remember, the "Escort" is a 3" gun on a forged aluminum commander frame.

As stands right now, it looks like the "Stinger" is on its way out. It seems that the guys in the market for a shorter race gun are willing to spring the big bucks to the custom builders. Makes our life easier and opens another parts market.

Due to the increasing strength of the provisional single stack Division in USPSA, we've been getting more and more requests for a semi-trick gun to play "Single Stack" with. We are currently looking at ways to "trick out" a re-configured "Lawman" to fill the bill. We'll keep you posted.

It never fails. All we have to do to get interest in a product is discontinue it. It's happened again with the "VIP" pistol and the "Model 2200" rifle. I'm sorry; they're gone! They'll not be back! If you have an interest in building some of the rifles, let us know and we'll put you in touch with "Force Productions, Inc." I believe that they have an interest in supplying receivers and trigger assemblies. How far else they are willing to go, you'll have to ask them.

Enough about product! Let's talk delivery. Remember early this year when we were so overwhelmed with orders? Lead times of 16-18 weeks? Remember how we buckled down, got 22 CNC machines up and running, added people, etc. and brought our lead times back down to 6-8 weeks, just recently?

Well, we've added quite a number of additional second-op machines and continued to increase employment as fast as we could comfortably train new engineers, operators, assemblers, quality control folks, and support personnel. There are nearly 70 of us here now, most of us working at least 6 days a week. That's the good news from your perspective. Here's the "other shoe dropping": In less than a month, our lead times have gone back to 16-18 weeks! Explanations? The U.S. economy is good, the U.S. dollar is still weak compared to some foreign currencies and, there's a war on. The other, very obvious reason is that you folks have done a marvelous job of helping us promote our products and get the STI name known and recognized world wide. Thank you!

That was just sort of a lead-in to the fact that you already know: our busiest part of the year is just now starting. Regardless of the number of people and machines we add, I expect our lead times to get longer yet. As I did last year, I suggest that you get your blanket stocking orders in line now. It saved the butts of some of you this year. It can again.

More and more, we are finding that some of you are calling in more than should be necessary. If you are tying up your sales contact with frequent inquiries and gossip, they are falling further behind in entering your orders and expediting them through. Please try to hold those calls to a minimum. If you've got a real problem or concern, please send your contact an email. They'll research the situation and get back to you. Honest. It'll save you a phone call, it'll save us a phone call, and it'll leave them with more time to give your account the attention that it deserves. Thanks!

Well, we just spent all day Monday entertaining Michael Bane and his film crew from the "Shooting Gallery". They plan to devote an entire show to STI on the "Outdoor Channel" and air it a minimum of forty times. If you've wondered what we're about, tune in.

As many of you know, I've owned STI International, Inc. for the last twelve of its sixteen years in business. As of October 6, 2006 , 100% of the stock in this company was transferred into the Employee Stock Ownership Plan that we set up effective January 1, 2005 . From now on, whenever you are dealing with anyone in this company, you are dealing with a person who has a personal interest in seeing that your business is accomplished and executed in a timely and professional manner! And to those of you who may be celebrating prematurely; NO! I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be here, maybe, just maybe, slowing down a little bit and charting a more reasoned course for the company. It's time!

On that note, Pauletta and I were in Tulsa for the USPSA Open Nationals, I'll be at the NASGW, and we're planning on being at the Mega Mall gun show in Manila in November.

Please remember that the SHOT Show will be earlier than usual this year. I mention that only because it will probably be the first opportunity that many of you will have to actually see, and better yet touch, our new product lineup. Since it's in Orlando this year, many of you might consider coming to see the entire line in one place at one time. If you are coming from somewhere other than the USA , you might want to take the opportunity to come by the factory and get the real flavor of what we're all about. Citizens are welcome, too. <VBG>

A little late breaking news: As things grow and change, things change. Our own John Kestel has decided that his work here is done and is going to move on to bigger pastures. We wish him well and expect to see ‘im on the range! We expect to name a replacement within a week or so. Stand by.

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