Mini-master

[B]

Hoping to get my hands on a sidewinder!

[Forward thinker]

Our Import Certificate has been approved. Next step is waiting for an ETA on the guns themselves!

I see the wheels are moving, slowly but moving. It is all good news. NAA had a few delays so we might be looking at October now for Canada.
Here is North American Arm's News release for July.

I'm disappointed to report that we anticipate a one-month delay in the delivery of the first of the Early Bird Sidewinders. Where we earlier "promised" August deliveries, that date has now slipped to September.

This is due to a delay in our receipt of cylinders from a long-term machining partner. While we last year invested in new equipment that enabled us to make "most" of our cylinder requirement, recent market demand for our mini-revolvers has outstripped our internal capacity. We have made (as yet undelivered) machine purchases which will allow us to become self-sufficient for both "ordinary" cylinders as well as (very similar but different) Sidewinder cylinders, but we don't anticipate that capability being in place before the end of the year. As such, unfortunately, we're still dependent on the performance of others.

Some of you who have followed our growth will recall that, for the first several years of Guardian production, we had what once was a successful - but ultimately unreliable - relationship with Kahr Arms to machine the major pieces (frame and slide) of that gun. Ultimately we found ourselves forced to invest in both the machinery and the people to operate it so that we could become the masters of our own fate. While it was an expensive and time-consuming process, we were ultimately successful and, in terms of manufacturing what we want, how we want, and when we want it, we are a better company for the transition. This is very similar to what we are facing presently, except that we already have the talent and experience of making these pieces so we expect the transition to be much easier once the equipment arrives.

While we don't anticipate ever being entirely self-sufficient (I don't expect us to build an investment casting foundry, or to make grips, springs, holsters and the like), we continue to reinvestment in our company to enhance our ability to manufacture fine firearms to our standards and on our schedule, to the ultimate benefit of our customers. I appreciate your patience and your understanding

[happy feet]

Thanks guys for the updates. Hopefully any delays won't be to long.

[Forward thinker]

Here is NAA's News Update for August. This news is from the owner of the company.

Sorry for the delay. Summer tends to make me a little lazy(ier than I normally am!).

Fortunately, no one (well, almost no one) at the factory is lazy and I feel confident that we will ship our first pieces of the Sidewinder on or before September 1st. With the start-up and ramp-up of production pieces from our manufacturing partners, I expect it will takes us several weeks to complete the delivery of all the Early Bird orders which were placed, which I have promised to do before we begin general distribution to our wholesale partners. As we confirm/tweak several modest dimensional issues, build manufacturing and assembly fixtures and become more practiced with building these pieces, I expect we will begin manufacturing these "in volume" before the end of the year, but we still anticipate a backlog that most new firearms generate. When we have finished production pieces, we will post pictures.

[ljh]

ttt

[Forward thinker]

Update from the Owner of North American Arms (Sandy) on the Sidewinder.


As earlier promised, we will begin to make Early Bird deliveries of The Sidewinder immediately after Labor Day.

Patience is a virtue (but I understand and appreciate your enthusiasm).

[happy feet]

Yes, two weeks and they start shipping out the factory door. The excitement of a Christmas arrival.

[BabySeal]

So far so good. The manufacturing of these firearms seems to have been a fairly efficient process so far. I will truly be impressed if I have one in hand by Christmas.

[WanstallsOnline]

Well they gave us the go ahead on a Canadian run of the Sidewinder if we were interested. Unfortunately they want a minimum of 200 units, in 22lr/22mag combined. I don't think the market will bare that kind of volume. Pricing looks like $399 landed in Canada...

Thoughts..

[Sean17]

I think there will be more than enough interest in these. It would be great if you brought them in.