Industry, Lawmakers Come Together in Washington

KEY ISSUES ADDRESSED AT CONGRESSIONAL FLY-IN . . . The National Shooting Sports Foundation sponsored a congressional fly-in for firearms industry executives last week in Washington, D.C. The 30-member delegation spoke with key congressional leaders on legislative issues important to the industry like parity in the federal excise-tax payment schedule and removing anti-competitive export controls that harm U.S. manufacturers. "This was a great opportunity for industry executives to speak directly to lawmakers about their concerns," said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. "These industry leaders demonstrated that they are as comfortable in congressional offices as they are in boardrooms." Commenting on the success of the legislative fly-in, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane noted, "Our efforts are already bearing fruit. We have been promised that legislation to reform the federal excise-tax payment schedule will be introduced as early as this week." Following the legislative fly-in, NSSF sponsored an ATF-manufacturer seminar. The seminar was a forum for manufacturers and ATF to have a constructive dialogue concerning enhanced ATF regulatory compliance and best business practices.

• SUMMIT REGISTRATION TO CLOSE FRIDAY . . . With registration ready to exceed capacity, NSSF will be closing registration for the 2008 Shooting Sports Summit on Friday, May 16. Those who haven't yet made arrangements to attend are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Also, attendees who have registered but have not yet made hotel reservations at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Colorado Springs are encouraged to book their rooms soon. There are a limited number of special rate rooms available for summit attendees. Register Online | Hotel Reservations

• SHOT JUMPS SIX SPOTS ON 'TRADESHOW WEEK 200' . . . NSSF's annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show advanced six positions -- to No. 23 -- on "Tradeshow Week" magazine's annual ranking of the largest trade shows in the U.S. and Canada. The ranking was based on net square feet of paid exhibit space at the 2007 SHOT Show in Orlando. SHOT Show ranked No. 29 on last year's list.

• BACKGROUND CHECKS ON GUN SALES UP IN APRIL . . . The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 940,961 background checks on the sale of firearms in April, a 12 percent increase from 840,271 reported in April 2007. Adjusted state figures for April show background checks up 10.7 percent. Year-to-date figures reveal a total of 3,945,510 background checks reported by NICS. The increase coincides with an uptick in excise taxes reported by firearms and ammunition manufacturers, an increase in small-arms production and a slight increase in hunting license sales -- all key economic indicators for the firearms industry. View three-year comparison.

• 'NAFR NEWS' DEBUTS TOMORROW . . . A new electronic newsletter from NSSF exclusively distributed to members of the National Association of Firearm Retailers, NSSF's retailer division, is scheduled to make its debut on Tuesday, May 13. Called simply "NAFR News," the publication will be created and distributed when news warrants it. The first issue features a welcome from Tom Larson, NSSF director of retail partnerships, and addresses a number of timely issues of particular value to the firearms retailer.

• CNN'S GLENN BECK DEVOTES WEEK TO GUNS . . . Glenn Beck, multimedia personality, plans to devote both his television and radio programs all week to the Second Amendment and firearms issues. His Web site will carry audio and video clips from what he calls, "Gun Week."

• FARM BILL NEARS FINAL FORMAT, BUT PRESIDENTIAL VETO FEARED . . . As congressmen fine-tune the language of the Farm Bill legislation, which encourages significant benefits for wildlife conservation, the executive branch continues to threaten a veto of the legislation. Congress Daily PM reports that Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer acknowledged the possibility that the president's veto may hurt Republican candidates in congressional races, but said he was proud of the president for sticking to his position, which has been his announced opposition to what he views as increased farm subsidies in a time of high prices. Not mentioned is the damage such a veto would do to wildlife, as well as hunting opportunities.

• SUPPORT URGED FOR BILL TO CUT RED TAPE FOR MEDIA ON FEDERAL LANDS . . . The Professional Outdoor Media Association is asking members of the outdoor industry to urge their federal representatives to co-sponsor H.R. Bill 5502, which would greatly reduce the fees and bureaucratic red tape individual journalists and small media crews currently must pay and cut through to film on public lands.

• IHEA BENEFIT SHOOT JUNE 9-10 . . . The International Hunter Education Association's (IHEA) 9th Annual Benefit Shoot will be held June 9-10 at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio. The IHEA Foundation Board invites all companies and organizations interested in hunting and shooting sports to sponsor a team, or to sponsor a local youth team. Learn more about the event. 

• STRONG SALES PROPEL ATK IN FOURTH QUARTER . . . Alliant Techsystems Inc. (NYSE:ATK), maker of ammunition, propulsion systems and aerospace supplies, said Thursday that strong sales in each of its divisions helped fourth-quarter earnings rise 19 percent. In the company's Armament Systems division, which includes ammunition, medium-caliber gun systems, energetics and accessories, sales increased 8 percent to $405 million, compared to $376 million in the prior-year quarter. ATK said the increase "reflects continued strength in civil ammunition."

• OUTDOOR CHANNEL APPOINTS CFO . . . Outdoor Channel Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:OUTD) has named Shad L. Burke as its permanent chief financial officer. Burke, 35, has been serving as the company's interim chief financial officer since Dec. 14.

• SURVEYS SHOW TOP HUNTING, SHOOTING EQUIPMENT BRANDS FOR 2007 . . . Southwick Associates, which tracks the hunting and shooting industry through its online surveys HunterSurvey.com and TargetshootingSurvey.com, has announced what brands and products hunters and shooters preferred most in 2007. The list was compiled from the 19,288 surveys that hunters and target shooters returned from HunterSurvey.com and TargetshootingSurvey.com last year. See the list.

• CABELA'S SUPPORTS YOUTH PROGRAMS . . . The Youth Shooting Sports Alliance partnership with Cabela's is providing much-needed support to youth shooting sports programs around the country. Cabela's has generously donated a variety of its private-label equipment to upgrade priority youth programs, which will help increase participation and add new shooters. Cabela's donated gun storage cases to the Mobile Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Mobile, Ala.; a 16-gun capacity double-door cabinet, shooting glasses and firearm cleaning kits to the Tukabatchee Area Council, BSA, Montgomery, Ala.; and scoped rifle cases and leather shooting gloves to the Western Alamance High School JROTC unit, Elon, N.C. The priority programs were selected based on the National Assessment of Youth Shooting Sports Program Needs conducted by YSSA last summer. Learn more about YSSA at its Web site, www.youthshootingusa.com.

• INDUSTRY CAREER CONNECTION . . . Visit www.nssf.org/jobs for current employment opportunities in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Employers: Log in to post a job opening.  

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