Grey Arsenal

We normally keep our media positive, but there’s a situation we feel deserves addressing.

We’ve been a Staccato dealer for about 15 years, going all the way back to the STI days. Recently, Staccato decided to cull hundreds of dealers—the same ones who helped build their business. After 15 years, how did we feel? Honestly? Relief.

This industry runs on relationships. We work with all the major brands, and we know these people. You fish with the Smith & Wesson guy. You grab dinner with the HK guy. Yes, the relationships are mutually beneficial, but beyond business, it’s a bunch of decent people truly working together.

Staccato has never operated that way.

They cycle through reps every six months who don’t know you and, frankly, don’t care. Their dealer program changes constantly. First, they eliminate early payment discounts. Then they shave another 3% or 4% off our margins, while their products increase every year. Dealers make less while Staccato keeps increasing the amount they REQUIRE us to charge.

Then come the restrictions. You can’t offer Staccato online in certain places. Eventually, you can’t even offer USED Staccatos in certain places. USED!!

The attitude has always felt like: “We’re Staccato. Our product is so important that you’ll take what we give you and follow whatever rules we impose.”

I’ve even had Staccato reps curse at me. They are, by far, the worst company we’ve ever dealt with. They were removed from our buying cooperative because of dealer treatment. I'm not aware of another company that has happened to. Absolutely intolerable people to work with.

I could list 15 more examples, but this was consistently our experience: They treat dealers terribly, they’re awful to deal with, and everything seems geared toward squeezing every possible nickel out of everyone—from the dealer to the end user.

The stuff about loving this industry and its technology, America, those who serve, etc.? It's not real. It's marketing strategy.

Fifteen years ago, STI made a genuinely unique product. Now there’s Turkish 2011s that deliver 90% of what a Staccato does, while Sig, Kimber, and others offer comparable quality without the absurd, constantly increasing price tag. Plenty of choices now cost a grand less and are every bit as good.

Meanwhile, their latest 3.5k “groundbreaking” product seems to be the same one they already made with a ¼-inch-shorter grip.

Zero meaningful product innovation.
I think Staccato is slipping into irrelevance, and I’m glad we won’t stock them anymore.

For us it’s a relief. No more of their BS.
This industry doesn’t need companies like Staccato.
I hope they get all the success they deserve.

Illegal in Japan, but just a Tuesday in America! https://notthebee.com/t1a5e

‘It’s something we don’t get in England’

Happy Independence Day, everyone. Enjoy a hot dog and a cold beer, and try not to blow your fingers off!

Keep 'em clean!

Happy Independence Day!

https://www.abmc.gov/d-day80

"Memorial Day isn't just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that's a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve.
It's a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it."