Well, the summer doldrums have been less doldrum-y this week. 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, a mass shooting 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 burger joint, Jordan Salinas, 35, fell back on his training. He drew his suppressed FN Five-seveN from his shoulder holster and went through the four-step process: observe, orient, decide, act.
When he identified the active shooter and determined it was time to act, Salinas leveled his gun at the shooter and fired back. When confronted by Salinas’s incoming fire — along with that of an off-duty state trooper — the gunman retreated and then 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 5.7×28mm round are getting all the attention (and possibly some newfound respect) in firearms circles, another gun maker is getting less positive attention. Texas-based 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 described as blunt, Staccato informed about 200 retailers 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 sentiment of the “it’s not you, it’s me” Dear John letter doesn’t really feel genuine, particularly when the company informed dealers that they had “cancelled all your existing backorders” and “will not be shipping any (in-process) orders.”
Just in case dealers were thinking there might be a chance of 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 decided they 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 closed 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 take their products to market. And the distribution dance of two-step to one-step, and back to two-step isn’t uncommon. Nor is the hybrid distribution model of direct to dealer and selling 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.
This feels different, though. The 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 topics of speculation whenever a company dramatically restructures its distribution model.
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 Staccato thinks 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, hoping 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 in the Gunsite Pro Shop.
Deleted?
This is one of many examples of the “strange behavior” that happens in the gun industry. The Staccato is also far more ($$$) than I’m willing to spend on a new handgun.
There’s more competition for average buyers these days. They’re probably going to focus on LE sales with their Glock mag compatible line. They already consolidated the rest of their lineup. It’s good to have some diversity when you’re in business, but you have to prioritize the most profitable areas.