June 14, 2010

Vol. 11 No. 24

This Week:

Industry News

Legal & Legislative

News of Note

NSSF Members

Threat Remains for Microstamping in N.Y.

VOTE COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME . . . A vote on firearms microstamping (S. 6005A) could happen at any time in New York. In response to collective efforts by NSSF and its allies in the Second Amendment community to defeat this flawed technology, New York City politicians, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, are trying to bully state senators into supporting this gun ban -- and make no mistake, microstamping is a gun ban. If S. 6005A passes, firearms manufacturers would be forced to abandon the New York market rather than spend the astronomical sums of money necessary to completely reconfigure their manufacturing and assembly processes. In addition, this bill could result in hundreds of layoffs for New York workers as firearm factories consider moving out of the state. Full Story

Industry News

  • U.S. QUARTERLY IMPORTS UP 3.8% . . . The NSSF research department reports that overall U.S. quarterly imports of sporting arms and ammunition rose 3.8 percent for the quarter of January to March 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. Ammunition imports led the way with a 25.5 percent increase, followed by rifle imports (up 20.5 percent). Handgun imports were up 1.8 percent. Muzzleloader imports fell 7.6 percent and shotgun imports declined 12.4 percent for the quarter. For additional research information and materials, visit nssf.org/research.

  • KAHR ARMS PURCHASES MAGNUM RESEARCH . . . New York-based firearms manufacturer Kahr Arms has purchased Minnesota-based Magnum Research, maker of the Desert Eagle pistol. Read the news release from Kahr Arms on the acquisition.

  • WINCHESTER AWARDED $43M ARMY CONTRACT . . . Olin Corp. has won a $43.4 million contract from the U.S. Army for ammunition, the St. Louis Business Journal reports. Half of the work will be done at the company's plant in East Alton, Ill. The contract is for .50 caliber Winchester SLAP ammunition.

  • ATK AWARDED ADDITIONAL $41M IN AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES DEAL . . . Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:ATK) has received a $41 million contract modification to supply additional non-standard (non-NATO) ammunition to the Afghan Security Forces, under an existing three-year contract with the U.S. Army.

  • LEUPOLD & STEVENS, BUSHNELL REACH AGREEMENT . . . Leupold & Stevens announced it has reached an agreement that will settle its lawsuits with Bushnell. Under the terms of the agreement, neither company will be required to discontinue the sale of any of its products identified in lawsuits filed earlier this year. Read more.

Legal & Legislative

  • NSSF CO-HOSTS ANNUAL SHOOT FOR NORTHEAST LEGISLATORS . . . Last Friday, NSSF, in conjunction with the National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners Action League, hosted the 3rd Annual Regional Legislator's Shoot in Massachusetts. The goal of the shoot was to introduce and educate legislators to firearms and the shooting sports. Contributing time and materials to the shoot were Kahr Arms, Smith & Wesson and Federal Cartridge Co. "This was a great day of shooting and learning," said NSSF Director of Government Relations Jake McGuigan. "Legislators from five states attended, and the event proved a tremendous success."

  • WEST VIRGINIA LAW PROTECTS FIREARMS RETAILERS AGAINST ILLEGAL STING OPERATIONS . . . West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin has signed Senate Bill 1005 into law making it a crime to knowingly solicit illegal gun sales and to conduct illegal sting operations such as those conducted in 2006 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Read more.

  • OKLAHOMA REP. LATEST TO CO-SPONSOR PRO-INDUSTRY LEGISLATION . . . The latest congressman to co-sponsor firearms and ammunition excise tax reform legislation (HR 510) -- legislation that is pro-business, pro-conservation and bi-partisan -- is Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla). The total number of sponsors and co-sponsors of HR. 510 now stands at 117. Companion legislation (S. 632) in the Senate has the support of 29 members. Learn more about this legislation and urge your lawmakers to support it.

  • PENNSYLVANIA CONSIDERS EXPANDING MENTORED HUNTING FOR ADULTS . . . Pennsylvania's mentored hunting program could soon be adapted for adults, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. The state's mentored hunting law for youths has been in effect since 2006, which allows unlicensed youngsters to give hunting a try with a licensed adult. Senate Bill 535 would give the Pennsylvania Game Commission the authority to create and implement a mentored adult hunting program.

  • NSSF REAPPOINTED TO DTAG . . . Representatives from NSSF, ATK and the Freedom Group have been appointed to the Defense Trade Advisory Group (DTAG), which advises the U.S. State Department on munitions export policies.

News of Note

    NSSF Director of Communications Bill Brassard speaks to OWAA members at the group's annual conference in Rochester, Minn.

  • NSSF AT OWAA . . . The 82nd annual Outdoor Writers Association of America Conference in Rochester, Minn., concluded on Sunday with a new executive committee in place consisting of longtime member Tony Dolle, who was elected president, Mike Walker as first vice president, Mark Taylor second vice president and Bill Graham third vice president. The board expressed its appreciation to outgoing president John Beath. Robin Giner accepted the position of executive director (she was previously acting executive director), replacing Kevin Rhoades. According to Dolle, the new, younger board is well-suited to guide OWAA going forward and to build membership in what are challenging times for all outdoor media groups. Industry companies that were conference sponsors and participated in the combined Shooting Day-Breakout Day included Browning, Smith & Wesson, Pro Ears, Alpen Optics and Buck Knives, among others. At Shooting-Breakout Day, NSSF sponsored the luncheon and reminded OWAA members to tap into NSSF as a resource when they are doing stories on hunting, the shooting sports and firearms-related issues. NSSF's Glenn Sapir and Bill Brassard covered the rise in hunting and shooting participation, emphasized that modern sporting rifles are not "assault rifles" and are widely used as sporting firearms, and asked writers to remind hunters in their stories that eating game taken with traditional ammunition does not pose a health risk.

  • NSSF SIGNS ON AS STEEL CHALLENGE PLATINUM SPONSOR . . . NSSF has signed on as a platinum sponsor of the 2010 Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships, taking place Aug. 19- 21 in Piru, Calif. Since the first Steel Challenge in 1981, the event has grown into the premier exhibition of speed shooting in the world and routinely draws the fastest shooters from around the globe. "NSSF is one of the most important partners the shooting sports side of the industry has. They have either led or helped guide many of the major recreational shooting initiatives, and their generous support of matches like the Steel Challenge has helped to raise public awareness of competitive shooting. We are extremely pleased to once again call them 'partner'," said Scott Moore, Steel Challenge sponsor relations. Learn more at SteelChallenge.com.

  • NSSF LAUNCHES NEW FIRST SHOTS WEBSITE . . . A new website for NSSF's successful First Shots program was launched today. The new site serves the needs of range owners interested in utilizing the program as well as new shooters looking to find a First Shots seminar in their area. Take a look at nssf.org/firstshots.

NSSF Members

  • DEADLINE FOR VOTING MEMBER SCHOLARSHIPS IS JUNE 30 . . . NSSF is offering students attending college or vocational school during the 2010-11 school year the chance to win one of 20 scholarships of $1,000 value, but the deadline for submission is coming up quickly. Scholarships are limited to candidates seeking an undergraduate or vocational degree, and only current employees of NSSF voting member companies and certain family members of such employees are eligible to apply. More details.

Jobs


NSSF's Mission

"To promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports."

Click here to visit the NSSF Web site and see how we accomplish this mission.

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