June 7, 2010

Vol. 11 No. 23

This Week:

Industry News

Legal & Legislative

News of Note

Jobs

NSSF Fights Microstamping in New York

LEGISLATION COULD FORCE MANUFACTURERS TO RELOCATE . . . As part of a coordinated effort to stop firearms microstamping in New York, NSSF today launched a radio ad campaign in targeted districts of the state. The NSSF radio ad blitz complements a series of legislative action alerts that encourage sportsmen and gun owners to contact their state senators and urge them to oppose the flawed technology of microstamping. "Passage of this bill could result in hundreds of layoffs for New York workers, as firearm factories consider moving out of the state," said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "Furthermore, all firearms manufacturers could be forced to abandon the New York market altogether rather than spend the astronomical amount of money needed to completely reconfigure their manufacturing and assembly processes. This would directly impact law enforcement, firearms retailers and their law-abiding customers." NSSF encourages all New Yorkers to learn more about microstamping and encourage your state senators to oppose this legislation.

Industry News

  • MAY BACKGROUND CHECKS ON FIREARM SALES . . . Data released by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 1,016,876 checks in May 2010, ranking the month the second highest May for most NICS checks. This figure, while being a .6 percent decrease from the 1,023,102 checks conducted in May 2009, is an increase of 14.7 percent over checks in May 2008. The total number of background checks reported since the beginning of NICS is 115,931,009.

  • GUN MAKER BRINGS NEW JOBS TO SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA . . . Firearms manufacturer Loki Weapon Systems held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week in Coalgate, Okla., where it will be bringing dozens of new jobs, KXII-TV reports. Loki Vice President Brad Shields says the decision to come to southeastern Oklahoma was an easy one. Added State Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, "Oklahoma is the second friendliest gun state in the United States, and that made a big difference." Gumm co-wrote legislation in 2004 aimed at attracting firearms-industry companies to the state.

  • SPORTSMAN CHANNEL NAMES HARVEY CEO . . . Sportsman Channel, the cable network of InterMedia Outdoor Holdings, has announced the hiring of Gavin Harvey to the position of chief executive officer. Harvey has more than 20 years of experience with cable television networks, which includes the post of executive vice president and general manager of Fuse. Prior to Fuse, Harvey served as president of Versus, the national sports network owned by Comcast. At Versus, Harvey is credited with expanding the network's outdoor television and digital media franchise.

  • OTIS TECHNOLOGY'S MILLER NAMED TO SGB 40 UNDER 40 . . . Denise Miller, Otis Technology vice president of sales and marketing, has been named one of SportsOneSource's SGB 40 Under 40. The awards honor the work of sporting-goods industry executives under the age of 40. Miller has been with Otis Technology since its inception 25 years ago, building the business from the ground up with her family.

  • REMINGTON ACQUIRES MOUNTAIN KHAKIS . . . Remington Arms Co. now owns 75 percent of outdoor clothing company Mountain Khakis under a new venture. Located in Charlotte, N.C., with its design center in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Mountain Khakis is a leading designer and marketer of men's pants in the specialty outdoor apparel segment. Remington is a member of the Freedom Group of companies.

Legal & Legislative

  • PAPERS SHOW KAGAN INVOLVED IN CLINTON GUN-CONTROL POLICY . . . Newly released documents show Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan was involved in forming Clinton Administration policy on gun control, including, apparently, proposing that President Clinton issue an executive order to prohibit the sale of a firearm without a police certification approving it. The Washington Post reports the documents show Kagan was "a political player and congressional negotiator" for the Clinton White House. During the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings this summer, NSSF looks forward to a full exploration of Kagan's involvement in gun-control issues during the Clinton administration, the most anti-gun administration in history.

  • NSSF OPPOSES FEE INCREASES FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS IN OREGON . . . NSSF submitted written opposition to the Oregon State Police Criminal Justice Information Services Division regarding proposed fee increases by the Oregon State Police (OSP) to conduct background checks on firearm purchasers. "There is simply no need for firearm purchasers to pay any fee, let alone a fee increase, to the OSP," reads the NSSF letter. "The state police already run background checks through the FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) -- which charges no fee. Any subsequent checks performed are redundant and unnecessary."

  • INDUSTRY OFFERS REBUTTAL TO ANTI-GUN COLUMNIST . . . In her column last week ("The responsibility is ours," May 25, 2010), Susan Estrich claimed that crime in Mexico was attributable to "American assault rifles bought at gun stores on the border" and that "Eighty percent of the 75,000 assault weapons seized by Mexican authorities were traced back to the United States." To set the record straight, NSSF President Steve Sanetti submitted his own op-ed piece for publication. Read the full op-ed here.

  • CALIFORNIA LONG GUN REGISTRATION BILL PASSES HOUSE . . . Legislation (AB 1810) that would extend the same reporting requirements and regulations that govern handguns to rifles and other long guns passed the California Assembly on Thursday and now moves to the state Senate, the Associated Press reports.

  • PRO-HUNTING LEGISLATION PASSES CALIFORNIA SENATE . . . Legislation (SB 1179) supported by NSSF allowing two free hunting days per year has passed the California State Senate (28-6). The bill, sponsored by Sen. Hollingsworth (R-36), now advances to the Assembly where it will be heard in committee.

  • NRA ENDORSES MCCAIN IN ARIZONA REPUBLICAN PRIMARY . . . The National Rifle Association has endorsed John McCain in Arizona's Republican Senate primary, the Arizona Daily Sun reports. The NRA said McCain's overall record is friendly to gun owners, despite past disagreements.

News of Note

  • NSSF ISSUES FIREARM SAFETY REMINDER DURING NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH . . . NSSF reminds gun owners to review their procedures for safely storing firearms in the home -- a message in keeping with June being National Safety Month. A few simple steps -- such as storing firearms unloaded with ammunition stored separately under lock and key -- can help prevent an accident. NSSF provides firearm safety brochures and videos to help gun owners and non-owners make informed decisions when it comes to firearms safety. "The goal for firearm owners is to prevent a child or unauthorized person from accessing a loaded firearm," said Steve Sanetti, president of NSSF. "Accidental firearm fatalities are at historic low levels thanks to the precautions taken by responsible firearms owners and because of safety programs promoted by NSSF and other concerned groups." Read the full NSSF news release.

  • ESPN TO CUT OUTDOORS COVERAGE . . . ESPN will be pulling the plug on most of its outdoors shows at the end of the year, About.com reports. ESPN spokesman Doug Grassian said the network is cutting "the outdoors block due to its focus on event-based and live programming." The only survivor of the cuts will be B.A.S.S. Tournament Trail programming, which will air on ESPN2 on weekend mornings, Grassian said.

  • MICULEK, GOLOB CLAIM IRC OPEN TITLES . . . Jerry Miculek has missed just one International Revolver Championship, which is why he has only won 18 of the 19 times it has been held. In the most recent championship, Miculek was one of two Team Smith & Wesson shooters to capture Open division titles. Read more about the exploits of Miculek, and of Julie Golob, who had to overtake fellow S&W team member, 13-year-old Janae Sarabia, with her final shots of the match to capture the Women's Open title.

  • SCTP SUCCESS STORIES GROW WITH DONOR SUPPORT . . . It's been a year of successes for many of the thousands of youth participants in the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP). The program, created to introduce youths to the fun and excitement of shooting, was originally administered by NSSF. The Foundation handed the reins over to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation last year in a move that would allow the new foundation to better focus on the needs of SCTP's youth participants and coaches and further grow the program. Read a few SCTP success stories and also learn about how to further contribute to the program by visiting sssfonline.org.

  • YOUNG MARINES ADOPT SCHOLASTIC STEEL CHALLENGE . . . The Young Marines, a youth education and service program for more than 14,000 participating boys and girls nationwide, has adopted the Scholastic Steel Challenge as a supplemental training program. This marks the first time the youth group has allowed a centerfire or handgun discipline to be included in its marksmanship program.

Jobs


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