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