We don't intend to qualify any more models for the CA market.

This problem is easily solvable.  Please call the factory for return instructions (at our expense) and accept my apologies for your disappointment and inconvenience.

What would you like it to be about?  At the moment, I haven't identified a topic; let me know.

As a contracted exhibitor for this second annual event, scheduled to be held this weekend in Richmond VA, I was very disappointed to learn that it was being cancelled in anticipation of approaching storm Florence.  As concealed carry/personal protection is the raison d'etre for the NAA product line, this was expected to be a particularly rich target audience and I was very much looking forward to the opportunity to personally visit with customers and friends, old and new.

Notwithstanding, as a most-of-the-time-resident of SW Florida reflecting on the one year anniversary of Irma, I am reminded of the potentially life-threatening devastation that typically accompanies major storms such as these and I applaud the prescience of the NRA to act proactively.  Regardless of the severity of the storm - or possible lack of - the disruption to travel, both on land as well as by air, will most certainly be overwhelming and all who can avoid putting themselves in harms way, even if only peripherally, are well advised to do so.

In the meantime, we extend our thoughts and prayers to those who are forced to suffer through this event and hope that the losses of life and property are fractional of what has been forecasted.

Delay due to upload issues w/our site.

That said, "Gone fishing".  Sorry if anyone anticipated anything more interesting this month.

... and now, a celebrity chef (Mario Batali)!  OMG!!  I'm breathless and have a desperate need to learn more - please tell me!

What garbage.  It may not be "fake" but it's certainly not "news".  Just stop it.

I have learned that last week (ending 12/08), we shipped no Ranger IIs.  While we attempted to manufacture almost 100 of them, most of that batch were scrapped for a whole variety of reasons.  These reasons include poor parts from a couple of key vendors as well as poor/improper assembly and finishing techniques employed here at the factory.  It probably won't surprise many of you to learn that, while the Ranger II is in many ways almost identical to many of the other guns we manufacture, there is still a very substantial learning curve.  To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement; to say that I'm surprised would similarly be an overstatement.

The bad news is that we have further delayed our initial rollout and have further disappointed many of you who have been waiting patiently for your deliveries.  I am very aware of the mental "exhaustion" (Ranger Rage?) that some of you are suffering while waiting for your piece(s) to be delivered.  It now appears possible that we may not achieve the Christmas deadline that was our target for all EB deliveries.

The good news is that we have identified and implemented solutions to virtually all of the interruptive issues and expect to resolve them almost immediately, if not sooner.  Unlike other times when faced with similar challenges, in this case we have both accurately identified the litany of problems encountered as well as the solutions, which we believe can be quickly and successfully effected.  It is our intent to return to delivering "many" pieces before the end of this week.

I'll admit that waiting for feedback from you all is just KILLING me.  I share your anxiety over this protracted delivery process.

I'm told by the factory that they expect to ship 100-120 pieces on Mon. 11/27, half of which will be sent to Early Bird customers, the other half being sent to our distributor customers.

I apologize for the confusion.  We promised not to collect any monies until your order was processed, accepted and product shipped.  The shopping cart software we used simply processed the transaction before we intended, despite our earlier assurances.  Yes, you will have to reenter your order when we get this sorted out (and advise you in a later note), but it in no ways impacts your chances of our accepting your order.

We'll take you money when - and only when - we send you a gun.

Because of personnel transitions in our IT dept., the Soapbox update is behind schedule.  Here is what you will read when it's posted.

August Soapbox – Ranger II Progress

I was at the factory yesterday and will be returning tomorrow to visit with the manufacturing/engineering consultant who is scheduled to arrive today, and who will remain onsite "almost" until the project is ready for introduction.

While I am encouraged by what I see as the progress we've made and the brightness of the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm all too aware of the variety and unanticipated nature of the pitfalls which may yet remain between "here and there", to include vendor cooperation/performance, continued tweaking to achieve a production-grade product and procedures, etc. etc.

I still have every reason to believe we can achieve our goal of "before Christmas" and "under $500".

Yes, I expect we will offer an Early Bird purchase opportunity for registered members of our Message Board community – details to follow.

I look forward to reporting on our continued progress with firmer details as they become available.  I appreciate your interest and your patience.

I enthusiastically endorse spreading the gospel of engaging the safety notch.  Half-cock is NOT a safety.

I've recently received an engraved 4" Sidewinder I asked Otto Carter to work on for me.  It's the second piece he's done for me, the first being a .380 Guardian.  He displays both on his site: http://www.ottocarter.com/NAA_sidewinder.htm (Note Chisholm1 on bottomstrap in photo 1).
Here's my Guardian http://www.ottocarter.com/NAA380.htm . Unarguably, Otto's one of the best.

In the near future, I'll post photos of a recently engraved 4" Earl done by a guy named Jim White from Alaska, along with another holster I ordered from the Absaroka Kid (ED FISHER Owner <[email protected]>).  There are a lot of talented artists/craftsmen out there; these guys are at the top of the heap, I think.

Like I said, just braggin'

My bad; of course the existing model includes a 1" barrel.

But a 2.5" barrel?  Why not?  Stay tuned.

That's preposterous.  The price is now $5 flat.

"So let it be written, so let it be done".

I may be going out on a limb, but I believe we will start shipping from the factory on or before June 1 2015.  I understand - and share - your frustration with the delay; nothing's ever as easy as it seems.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=465960774

This http://northamericanarms.com/accessories/l-accessories/l-grips/grw-l.html will fit the short, as will all LR grips.  Not sure why we don't have it in oversized rubber ...

Uncle Lee - Your dream of a 4" Sidewinder is MUCH closer to being realized than you might imagine. - Sandy

Crumbs? ... no - not yet.

NAA's policy with regards to doing business in CA is discussed at length in the July 2001 and August 2005 Soapboxes.

From my experience, I'd bet the salesmen at the store failed to put the hammer in the half cock position.  With the hammer at "full rest", the blade protrudes into the cylinder pocket and will certainly interfere with the intended movement of the cylinder out of the pocket.  As that step is not necessary with non-rimfire revolvers, it's not a practice that many people are familiar with, particularly if they don't read the instructions.  Jus sayin' ...

Admittedly, experiences like this are inexcusable.  Please contact the factory to give us (another) chance to make this right.

Sandy Claus responds ... it's a Christmas miracle!
http://northamericanarms.com/press_releases/cch2014bgsm.pdf

I just got one: black leather to fit a Black Widow w/Venom laser.  Great workmanship, fit.  Color me "very pleased/satisfied".  Thanks, Kid!

I understand that we built, tested and shipped another dozen or so Sidewinders last week and are now receiving an increasing flow of component parts.  It is my hope that we will satisfy most/all of the Early Bird subscription before the end of November.

I'm sorry for the lack of feedback from the factory.  I've learned that yesterday we received components which will allow us to build about another 70 pieces, which we should be able to ship from the factory in 7 - 10 days.  Additionally, I learned that we should in the next two weeks begin to receive parts on a regular basis which will allow us to deliver a couple/several hundred pieces monthly.

I appreciate your patience. After just recovering power following a 4-day outage, I've needed to exercise a little patience myself.

The Sidewinder will be generally available after we complete deliveries to our Early Bird customers, which I expect will be before the end of the year.  We will distribute production through our national network of distributors who in turn will distribute them amongst their dealer/FFL customers based on the wholesaler's priorities/relationships.  The Sidewinder has an MSRP of $349.00.

I assure you all that I find much of this as unsettling as you.  Please feel welcome to post your concerns, or contact our Webmaster, Steven [email protected], in your attempt to regain comfort with how this Message Board works.  Please help us find/fix any bugs and learn what you can do to make your experience a more personalized/customized one.

This is what I know.

   

   20 Sidewinders have been built and were being put through their paces in test-fire when I left Provo Wed. afternoon.  That morning we randomly selected orders (from those placed within the first 72 hours of program announcement) representing 20 pieces.  These orders were for both single and dual cylinder guns, and comprised both orders for one and two pieces.  Most orders were paid for by credit cards, which were charged that morning.  I was assured that all these guns would leave the factory before the end of this week (I've since learned that two were kept behind for additional attention and will ship Mon./Tue.).

   

   I have found that the serialization prefix is simply EB (not SWEB).

   

   We have learned much about this product from this first batch, which will benefit the manufacture and assembly of subsequent pieces.  We're still tweaking some of the dimensions/tolerances (we're still tweaking the 40 year-old original mini-revolver engineering, too!).  Obviously, these pieces enjoy our standard lifetime warranty and are additionally covered by a 30 day money-back offer.

   

   I'm told we plan to deliver the next batch of 20 before the end of the month (but that might still slip), and that production should be around 100 pieces/week for several weeks thereafter.

   

   FYI, we received orders for more than 190 EB pieces.  The program was only announced in my Soapbox and so all of these pieces will be going to members of our Message Board community (and friends they may have told).

   

   While we have made a supplement to our Owner's Manual, we have also posted a short video in our YouTube library (http://www.youtube.com/naamovies">www.youtube.com/naamovies, select Sidewinder).

No, fits both 1.125 and 1.625 barrels.

Available for both Mag and LR

   ... at long last.

   http://northamericanarms.com/accessories/l-accessories/l-cc.html">http://northamericanarms.com/accessories/l-accessories/l-cc.html

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).

Magnum and LR frame sized models.

I expect we'll reintroduce the "skeleton"-style buckle before the end of Summer.