February 8, 2010

Vol. 11 No. 6

This Week:

Industry News

Hunting

News of Note

Jobs

After Three Decades of Service,
Behn to Retire from NSSF Board

Robert Behn

NSSF'S LONGEST-SERVING BOARD MEMBER . . . The National Shooting Sports Foundation Board of Governors has announced that its longest-sitting member, Robert W. Behn, is retiring. Behn, the former president of Marlin Firearms and senior advisor at Remington Arms, was elected to the NSSF Board of Governors in 1980 and has served terms uninterrupted for three decades. Behn held many leadership positions while on the NSSF Board of Governors, including at the time of his retirement, co-vice chairman. "It's been an honor to serve with so many distinguished industry leaders on the NSSF Board of Governors and to have played a part in promoting, protecting and preserving the firearms industry, an industry that has meant so much to me and my family," said Behn. Full Story

Industry News

Mark DeYoung

  • DEYOUNG TAKES REINS AT ATK . . . Twenty-five year company veteran Mark DeYoung has been appointed president and CEO of Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:ATK). DeYoung previously headed ATK's Armament Systems group, where he led the group's expansion from approximately $600 million of revenue in fiscal year 2003 to a projected $2.1 billion in fiscal year 2010. Under his direction, Armament Systems has expanded into commercial ammunition, the tactical accessories market and international markets for non-standard ammunition and medium-caliber gun systems. "The board of directors reviewed a select group of outstanding and highly qualified internal and external candidates," said Gen. Ron Fogleman, chairman of the board. "Mark emerged as the most qualified to lead the company. His breadth of experience across ATK's core businesses, his strategic vision, results-driven leadership style and focus on delivering long-term shareholder value will position our company for continued success in the years to come." DeYoung serves on NSSF's Board of Governors.

  • SHOT SHOW LIVE CHAT SET FOR WEDNESDAY . . . NSSF will be holding a live chat on Wednesday from 2 to 2:30 p.m. EST. During the live chat, NSSF Senior Vice President Chris Dolnack will answer questions related to the 2010 SHOT Show as well as the upcoming 2011 show. Visit nssf.org/shotshowchat to take part.

  • JANUARY BACKGROUND CHECKS ON FIREARM SALES . . . NSSF's research department reports 1,119,229 NICS background checks were conducted on the sale of firearms in January, ranking the month as the second highest January for NICS checks. This figure, while being a 7.8 percent decrease from the 1,213,885 checks conducted in January 2009 -- the early stage of an ongoing surge in firearms and ammunition sales -- is an increase of 18.7 percent over checks in January 2008. Data was provided by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

  • 12 DAYS REMAIN IN MODERN SPORTING RIFLE AUCTION . . . An auction to benefit NSSF's Modern Sporting Rifle educational campaign will continue at GunBroker.com until Feb. 20. Up for auction is a custom-built AR-15-platform modern sporting rifle donated by Rock River Arms to InterMedia Outdoors for a cover story in the Shooting Times' 50th anniversary issue (March 2010). In addition to the rifle, a poster-size print of Shooting Times' anniversary cover featuring the firearm will be presented to the winner of the auction.

  • SHOT SHOW AUCTION YIELDS MORE THAN $15,000 . . . Coordinated by the Hunting Heritage Trust in conjunction with NSSF, the 2010 SHOT Show auction featured the 4 millionth Savage Model 110 and the 10,000,001st Remington Model 870. The two guns had been posted on GunBroker.com and were on display at the SHOT Show. Bidding concluded on the final day of the SHOT Show, and at the close of the auction more than $15,100 had been raised in support of America's hunting and shooting heritage. At the SHOT Show, the Hunting Heritage Trust presented plaques to GunBroker.com, the two firearms manufacturers and Baron Engravings for their participation in the auction.

    Lawrence G.
    Keane

  • CALIFORNIA RETAILERS HONOR NSSF'S KEANE . . . The California Association of Firearms Retailers (CAFR) has bestowed upon NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane its President's Award. "We felt it was important to acknowledge Larry's unwavering support and vision in developing the CAFR organization for the benefit of not only the firearm dealers in California, but our customer base as well," said CAFR President Marc Halcon. Accepting the award, Keane said, "I consider helping California dealers to form the CAFR to be among the most important things I have done in my professional career."

  • RUGER EXPANDS STOCK REPURCHASE TO $10 MILLION . . . Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE:RGR) announced Friday that it has expanded its stock repurchase program from $4.7 million to $10 million. The company is now authorized to repurchase up to $10 million of its common stock from time to time in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions.

  • ATF-INDUSTRY QUARTERLY MEETING CANCELLED . . . Due to the inclement weather in Washington, D.C., and a second snowstorm expected to hit the area in the next day or so, NSSF has cancelled its Feb. 10 ATF tours and Feb. 11 ATF/industry quarterly meeting. The tour and quarterly meeting will be rescheduled for a date in late March or early April. More details will be announced soon.

  • ATF NOTICE TO LICENSED FIREARM MANUFACTURERS . . . The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is reminding all licensed firearm manufacturers to file their annual manufacturing and exportation reports by April 1. Read ATF's letter to manufacturers.

Hunting

  • GOOD NEWS ABOUT ADULT HUNTERS MENTORING YOUTHS . . . NSSF's Aiming for Accuracy blog reports on a recent HunterSurvey.com study commissioned by NSSF that shows an impressive level of adult sportsmen and women mentoring young hunters. That's good news because developing new hunters means more advocates for hunters' rights and more support for wildlife conservation.

  • FAMILIES AFIELD BILL INTRODUCED IN VERMONT . . . In line with the Families Afield program of breaking down barriers preventing young people from hunting with their parents and other adults in a closely supervised environment, state Rep. Steven C. Adams has proposed HB 243 to create a license for mentored hunters. The license would allow an individual of any age to hunt for two seasons without taking a hunter education course or having a hunting license. Holders of this license would be allowed to hunt only under the direct control and supervision of someone over the age of 21. Adams is chair of his state's legislative sportsman's caucus. Families Afield is a joint initiative of NSSF, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

  • MISSISSIPPI BILLS AIMED AT SERVING YOUNG HUNTERS . . . Two bills have been introduced into the state legislature by Rep. Herb Frierson that could expand opportunities for young hunters. HB 1270 would reduce the minimum age from 21 to 18 for a person who is required to accompany a hunter with an apprentice hunting license, thus increasing the availability of mentors for those "apprentices." HB 1070 would require the establishment of a special hunting season for terminally ill youth under the age of 18.

  • THREE STATES PROPOSE TYING IN VOTER-REGISTRATION OPPORTUNITY WITH HUNTING LICENSE PURCHASE . . . Members of three states' legislators have sponsored bills that would allow purchasers of hunting licenses also to have access to applications for voter registration. New Jersey AB 141 and Virginia HB 1335 would authorize voter-registration forms to be available where sporting licenses are sold. New York AB 2960 would actually integrate the application into the sporting license application.

  • NEW JERSEY COUNCIL TO PROPOSE BEAR HUNTING SEASON . . . With a newly elected hunter-friendly governor and the removal of a commissioner of the state agency that has last word on hunting regulations -- and who repeatedly rejected wildlife manager's and sportsmen's calls for a black bear hunting season -- the New Jersey Fish and Game Council is putting the finishing touches on a new bear management policy that would include black bear hunting. Furthermore, Assembly Bill 181 would prohibit the state's commission of the Department of Environmental Protection from blocking a bear hunt that has been approved by the council. Sportsmen are urged to continue to voice support for the bill to New Jersey legislators and for the recommended bear management policy by submitting written comments to the Fish and Game Council, P.O. Box 400, Trenton, NJ 08625.

News of Note

  • NSSF LAUNCHES FACEBOOK PAGE: BECOME A FAN . . . In just five days, NSSF's newly launched Facebook page has accumulated nearly 900 fans. By becoming a fan, Facebook users not only show their support of NSSF, but they will also receive NSSF status updates on shooting, hunting and the industry with links to news releases, blog posts, legislative alerts, videos and more. Become a fan.

  • SENATOR APPLAUDS PROJECT CHILDSAFE, FAILS TO MENTION INDUSTRY . . . Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) entered into the Congressional Record language applauding a sheriff's office for distributing Project ChildSafe gun lock safety kits. Absent from Sen. Levin's comments was any mention of Project ChildSafe being a firearms industry program. NSSF has sent Sen. Levin a letter pointing out that Project ChildSafe was developed by NSSF, is funded by the Department of Justice and the firearms industry and has distributed 35 million firearm safety kits to gun owners.

  • STARBUCKS REJECTS ANTI-GUN GROUP'S REQUEST . . . Starbucks has rejected a request from the Brady Campaign to prohibit gun owners from carrying firearms in the company's California stores. In a response to the anti-gun group's request, the company said, "Starbucks does not have a corporate policy regarding customers and weapons; we defer to federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding this issue." Read more from the Contra Costa Times and the D.C. Gun Rights Examiner.

  • THREE ACCURATE STORIES ABOUT MODERN SPORTING RIFLES . . . Writers Mark Taylor of the Roanoke Times in Virginia, John Weiss of the Post-Bulletin in Rochester, Minn., and Colin Moore of ESPNOutdoors.com each filed stories recently that accurately discuss AR-style modern sporting rifles. NSSF, which has launched a campaign to correct confusion about these rifles, appreciates their professional reporting and invites you to read their pieces.

  • USPSA ANNOUNCES DATES OF 2010 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS . . . The U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) has announced the dates of its 2010 national championships. Divided into four events, the nationals are expected to draw more than 1,000 top-level shooters competing in a variety of divisions. The USPSA National Championship dates are: Single Stack Nationals (April 28-March 2), MultiGun Nationals (Sept. 9-12), Open & Limited-10 Nationals (Oct. 8-12) and Limited, Production & Revolver Nationals (Oct. 13-16).

  • OWAA TO HOST INAUGURAL WRITING WORKSHOP . . . Novice communicators and published professionals may both profit from a weeklong workshop designed to improve skills in outdoor, nature and environmental writing. The first Goldenrod Writing Workshop, hosted by the Outdoor Writers Association of America, is scheduled for Aug. 1-7 at the University of Montana in Missoula. Enrollment is limited to 30 applicants, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jobs


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NSSF's Aiming for Accuracy Blog hunts down and corrects inaccuracies in the media about firearms, the firearm industry and the shooting sports.

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