Over 45 Years Of Invisible Progress

"What's the major difference between yours and theirs?"

As often as we hear this question, it would be nice if there was a simple answer.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case, and trying to narrow it down to one component or feature would be taking the easy way out.

In a recent podcast, I heard the phrase "invisible progress." Its the concept that outcomes many times are the result of the small, undetected factors - even as inconsequential as they might seem at the time. I immediately thought of our products, particularly when trying to answer that common question, "what's different about yours?"

Noticeable differences stand out, such as our barrels, our triggers, how our products are machined, and in some cases, the finishes we use. These top-level items get covered in our marketing material. A DLC coated bolt, a gold trigger, or a uniquely fluted barrel stand out to even the most casual observer. They are also some of the first questions customers ask before ordering a particular part or firearm.

It's the little details that go unnoticed. These are the things that we can only learn through trial and error.

Machining a .002" radius, adding or subtracting a few seconds from a polishing process, or hand-deburring a part in a particular way doesn't exactly make for exciting product write-ups, but that doesn't make these processes any less critical to overall performance.

Each time we make what is seemingly a minute change, it requires testing and potentially holding a machine waiting for results. It takes time, resources, and a willingness to take a step backwards in the process .

All manufacturers have access to the same equipment, but that doesn't mean all manufacturers produce the same quality from those machines.

What's the separator? This answer is simple - the people behind the machines! Their attention to detail from a raw billet to a finished part requires individual commitment to taking no shortcuts. This could mean changing out tooling more often than what seems necessary, putting in extra effort to maintain a machine's precision, or measuring that critical area twice. Would our customers ever know the difference? Maybe not, but our machinists would and that's not acceptable to them.

It's the same mindset that our technicians have when building your firearm. Once again, it would be easy to cut corners to be more productive, but that's not how they are wired. They realize they're signing their name to the Certificate of Authenticity that we include with each firearm we ship.

Would it be easier to be content with "if it's not broke don't fix it?" It absolutely would be! That way of thinking isn't who we are, though. Our team is constantly searching for what we can improve.

So "what makes our firearms different?" The answer is 45+ years of invisible progress.