Well, the summer doldrums have given way to some spicy industry news.
The 5.7×28mm cartridge—and firearms chambered for it—is having a moment, thanks to the courage of a full-time caregiver.
“When gunshots rang out at a Twin Falls In-N-Out, this Idaho man shot back” read the headline in the Idaho Statesman. And thanks to social media, most are at least partly familiar with the story.
On Saturday, August 1, a mass shooting event at the In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls ended shortly after it began when a good guy with a gun stepped up to engage a bad guy with a gun.
Upon hearing shots fired and seeing customers flee the In-N-Out, Jordan Salinas, 35, fell back on his training. He drew his suppressed FN Five-seveN from his shoulder holster and went through his four-step process: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (In fighter pilot training it’s called the “OODA Loop”).
When he identified the active shooter and determined it was time to act, using a two-hand grip Salinas leveled his gun at the shooter and fired back.
When confronted by Salinas, and an off-duty state trooper, returning fire, the gunman retreated and tapped out, shooting himself before Salinas and the trooper did it for him.
Three people were killed with another seven injured, but most agree that had it not been for the courage of a man trained and lawfully carrying his firearm, the death toll would have been far worse.
While FN and its 5.7Ă—28mm round are getting all the attention in firearms circles, another gun maker is getting less positive attention.
Staccato, the double-stack 1911 gunmaker formerly known as STI, decided that it can do with fewer dealers.
In a letter that can best be called blunt, Staccato informed an undetermined number of dealers that “you will no longer be an authorized Staccato dealer effective immediately.”
The company said the move was “part of a broader initiative to reduce the size of our dealer network so we can provide greater support and resources to a smaller group of partners,” and was not “a reflection of your organization's performance or the value of our business relationship.”
The “it’s not you, it’s me” Dear John letter doesn’t feel genuine, particularly when the company informed dealers that they “cancelled all your existing backorders” and "will not be shipping any orders.”
Just in case dealers were thinking about getting back together, Staccato asked for the ring back, telling the now ex-dealers “all open invoices shall be paid within (15) days of termination/expiration.”
Since they were moving out, Staccato also wanted the television, the record collection, and the dog. Dealers were instructed to “please remove all Staccato branding, logos, and any references identifying your business as an authorized Staccato dealer from your storefront, website, and online listings.”
The “please” was an especially nice touch.
They close the letter with a heartfelt, “We sincerely appreciate your partnership and support of the Staccato brand, and we thank you for your business.” Or, in other words, “Buh Bye.”
Companies are constantly changing how they go to market. And the distribution dance of two-step to one-step, and back to two-step is not uncommon. Nor the hybrid distribution model of direct to dealer AND through wholesalers.
It happens all the time…except in the case of Ruger, but only time will tell if Ruger’s approach will actually work.
But this feels different. This letter—and the fact that it was sent to Gunsite, one of the most respected brands/companies in the industry—raised more questions than answers.
Asking around on Tuesday, most were surprised, and more than a few were taken aback by the tone of Staccato’s dealer notice. An inquiry from the Outdoor Wire Digital Network has yet to receive a response.
While there are no clear answers, speculation within the industry ranged from consolidating dealers to better control pricing and insure ability to deliver product, to questions about inventory levels or cash flow—both common subjects of speculation whenever a company dramatically restructures distribution.
But the fact that Gunsite, the gold standard of firearms training and a company that several major manufacturers routinely partner with, was targeted as a dealer Staccato doesn’t want to be associated with, begs the question exactly how much does Staccato think of itself?
Maybe misreading this as corporate arrogance is a mistake, but without any clear guidance beyond the letter sent to dealers, it's difficult to read it as anything else.
One thing is for sure, every company that makes a double-stack 1911 pistol will be reaching out to Gunsite to happily work with them to fill the slot abandoned by Staccato. Gunmakers that like touting the company they keep will likely be eager to replace Staccato at Gunsite.
– Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network