NSSF Bullet Points | Online News Service

June 10, 2013

Vol. 14 No. 22

This Week:

Government Relations

NSSF's S.A.F.E Summer Campaign

NEW PARTNERSHIPS, INFOGRAPHIC PROMOTE SAFE STORAGE . . . To focus attention on the importance of safe firearms storage, particularly while children are at home from school and more likely to be unattended, NSSF last week announced its S.A.F.E. Summer Campaign and a pledge of $1 million to provide firearms safety education kits that include a gun lock to gun owners nationwide. S.A.F.E. stands for Secure your firearms when not in use; Aware of those around you who should not have unauthorized access to guns; Focus on your responsibility as a firearm owner and Educate yourself and others about safe firearm handling and storage. The campaign represents an expansion of NSSF's Project ChildSafe program and partnerships with law enforcement departments to distribute the safety kits. Several lock-distribution events will be announced in the coming weeks, and new educational materials and resources will be provided through social media and a new Project ChildSafe website, starting with a new infographic designed to help firearm owners choose a safe storage option based on their lifestyle and needs.

Government Relations

NSSF ADDS VOICE TO OPPOSE CALIF. TRADITIONAL AMMO BAN . . . NSSF joined some 24 organizations representing millions of sportsmen and traditional conservationists nationally and thousands in California in sending a letter last week to State Sen. Fran Pavley, chairman of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, expressing united opposition to Assembly Bill 711. Recently passed by the California Assembly, this legislation would make that state the first to ban the use of traditional lead ammunition for hunting. NSSF has also purchased air time on radio stations in key districts to help persuade legislators to defeat the bill. Listen to the radio ad here. "If enacted, AB711 will drastically and negatively affect thousands of Californians that participate in hunting and recreational shooting and the firearms and ammunition industries as well as the vital conservation programs they fund," said Larry Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. AB711's next stop is the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water on Tuesday, where it is expected to be brought up for a vote. All California hunters, target shooters, gun owners and retailers should contact their state senator to express strong opposition to this misguided legislation. More information is available here.
MASS. LEGISLATORS SCHEDULE GUN-CONTROL HEARINGS . . . Plans were announced last week for public hearings on several gun-control bills that will begin this month in West Barnstable on Cape Cod and in Worcester in the central part of the state. The Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security will meet at Cape Cod Community College at noon on Wednesday, June 19. The panel also plans a Wednesday, June 26, public hearing at Assumption College in Worcester. NSSF is urging all gun owners and sportsmen in these areas to attend these hearings that will address numerous topics ranging from gun licensing and regulation to hunting.

Listen Here

NSSF AIRS ADS IN ARKANSAS TO THANK SENS. PRYOR, BOOZMAN . . . NSSF is now airing a radio ad in Arkansas thanking U.S. Sens. Mark Pryor and John Boozman for voting to protect the Second Amendment rights of Arkansans and protecting industry jobs during the recent Senate consideration of several gun-control measures. Airing on stations throughout Arkansas, the ad comes on the heels of New York City's anti-gun, billionaire mayor, Michael Bloomberg, running ads attacking Sen. Pryor. The Bloomberg ads have received widespread criticism from state political leaders. NSSF is adding its voice to help counter Bloomberg by pointing out that Pryor and Boozman not only protected Arkansans' Second Amendment rights, but also protected more than a thousand direct firearms and ammunition industry jobs at Remington, Walther Arms and Bresser. Click here for an audio file of the ad.
NEV. GOVERNOR EXPECTED TO VETO BACKGROUND CHECK BILL . . . Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval is feeling the heat from both sides of the issue after the Nevada Assembly last week in a 23-19 vote passed a bill that would require background checks on all gun sales in the state. Sandoval has said he intends to veto the bill, SB 221. Because the prospect that his veto will be overridden is not considered high, however, the anti-gun Mayors Against Illegal Guns led by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been hard at work trying to change the governor's mind. The governor has set up a call-in "vote" line for citizens to vote in favor of this gun-grabbing bill (option 1) or against it (option 2). Citizens from across the country may help Nevadans defeat Bloomberg and help ensure that this legislation is vetoed. Call 775-684-5670. There doesn't seem to be any limit to the number of calls one person can make.
CONN. GENERAL ASSEMBLY "FIXES" PART OF NEW GUN LAWS . . . Both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly last week passed some "fixes" to the extensive package of strict gun restrictions it passed in April. Among the provisions passed was a return to a two-feature test for new rimfire-chambered modern sporting rifles. In the law passed earlier this year, language covering rimfire rifles had been omitted from what otherwise amounts to a ban on MSRs chambered for centerfire. Other revisions passed this week will allow dealers of antique firearms and gun manufacturers to possess rifles that might come under the ban and will allow law enforcement and security personnel to use magazines with capacities of more than 10 rounds, which were banned for all other citizens under the April law. Olympic target pistols prohibited by the April law could be possessed by those who attest that they would use them for competition and target shooting, including college shooting teams.
HEARING TUESDAY ON JONES' NOMINATION AS ATF DIRECTOR . . . The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on President Obama's nomination of B. Todd Jones to become the next permanent director of ATF, originally planned for last week, is now scheduled for Tuesday. NSSF looks forward to the hearing Mr. Jones' testimony on issues of concern to our industry.
PROPOSED N.C. WILDLIFE RESOURCES BUDGET FEATURES 49 PERCENT CUT . . . The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation reports that the North Carolina House of Representatives this week will take up the proposed state budget previously passed by the Senate that saw various cuts across the board. Notably, the Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) appropriations were slashed by 49 percent, from $18.5 million to $9.5 million. The governor's proposed budget had called for an approximate 1 percent cut. CSF is urging North Carolina residents to contact House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Nelson Dollar and other members of the committee immediately to voice their opinion. Additionally, consider contacting Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Sen. Harry Brown and other members of the Senate committee to express concerns over the proposed budget.

SHOT Show

SHOOTING LANES NEARLY SOLD OUT, EXHIBIT SPACES STILL AVAILABLE AT SHOT SHOW INDUSTRY DAYS . . . The ninth annual Media Day at the Range^®, combined the next day with the first Buyer Day at the Range^TM, taking place Jan. 13 and 14, 2014, respectively, will be held as SHOT Show Industry Days at the Range^TM at the Boulder City Pistol & Rifle Range in Boulder City, Nev. Opportunities for industry involvement and exposure are excellent, but they are also being bought up quickly. Rifle and pistol shooting lanes are nearly sold out; shotgun, non-shooting, archery, air gun and demo track exhibit spaces are more readily available. If your business is interested in participating as an exhibitor on these days, which are sponsored by NSSF in conjunction with the SHOT Show, get more information at www.SHOTShowRangeDay.com.

Research

MAY NSSF-ADJUSTED NICS CHECKS UP 15.9 PERCENT . . . The May 2013 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 974,457 is an increase of 15.9 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 840,412 in May 2012. For comparison, the unadjusted May 2013 NICS figure of 1,424,450 reflects a 9.1 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,305,392 in May 2012. This marks the 36th straight month that NSSF-adjusted NICS figures have increased when compared to the same period the previous year. Read more.

Industry News

BILL HICKS & CO. IS NSSF'S NEWEST VOTING MEMBER . . . NSSF is pleased to welcome its newest voting member, Bill Hicks and Co., Ltd. The company's voting membership was approved recently by NSSF's Board of Governors. Voting members make up NSSF's highest membership category and take a special interest in furthering the association's objectives to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Based in Minnesota, Bill Hicks & Co. is a distributor of wholesale sporting goods and sells a wide range of products to retail establishments.
NOSLER TO ACQUIRE SILVER STATE ARMORY . . . Nosler Inc. last week announced plans for the acquisition of Packwood, Wash.-based Silver State Armory. In a press release, Nosler said the addition of SSA's products and manufacturing capacity will help the Bend, Ore., company reliably meet customer demand for its ammunition products. SSA customers include law enforcement, security agencies, hunters and military forces. "The Silver State acquisition provides a strategic opportunity for Nosler to increase capacity at this unique time in the history of our industry," said President and CEO Bob Nosler.
MAYVILLE ENGINEERING ACQUIRES APEX CLAY TRAPS . . . Mayville Engineering Company, Inc. (MEC) announced it has acquired APEX Clay Traps (APEX), a Missouri-based manufacturer of clay trap machines for the shooting sports industry. As a result of the acquisition, MEC will leverage the combined strengths of both firms to launch a full line of clay target machines that will complement the market presence of their popular line of MEC shotshell reloaders. Read MEC's announcement.

Ranges & Retailers

NSSF ADDS TWO FFL COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS . . . The marked success of NSSF's FFL Compliance Consulting Program, in which NSSF provides financial assistance to allow one of its team of retired Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) experts to make a personal visit and consultation to member retailers, has significantly increased demand for this service. Consequently, NSSF has announced the addition of two highly qualified, retired ATF inspectors, Jean Zabel and Gene Baker, to its consulting team to lend their expertise to the industry's premier firearms retailer inspection program.
NSSF RETAILER EDUCATION SEMINARS COMING UP IN MISSOURI . . . The 2013 NSSF calendar includes a record number of free Retailer Education Seminars, and next on the schedule are seminars in the Show Me State. There, NSSF and NSSF's FFL ATF compliance consultants will be showing Federal Firearms Licensees in Missouri how to stay on top of properly filling out the 4473 form, inventory control, store security, straw purchase awareness and the NICS background-check process. The seminars are wrapped up by a question-and-answer session. FFLs from throughout Missouri should have received invitations and instructions on how to register for the June 18 seminar in St. Louis and the June 20 presentation in Kansas City. For further information regarding the seminars, contact Patrick Shay, NSSF director, retail development, at pshay@nssf.org.
RANGEREPORT.ORG, JUNE UPDATE . . . The Range Report, NSSF's E-magazine for shooting facilities, has received a June update at its website, www.rangereport.org. There you'll find features and departments that can help you make your range even better. See what's new this month.

Tornado Relief

APPLY FOR TORNADO-RECOVERY ASSISTANCE; DEADLINE EXTENDED . . . NSSF has made available $100,000 in dedicated aid for business impacted by the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma and northern Texas, and has extended the deadline for applying for relief to June 28. To learn more about the disaster-relief effort, read the press release issued on May 22 (with the original June 14 deadline) and download the online application for aid.

News of Note

10 WAYS FOR TARGET SHOOTERS TO PREVENT WILDFIRES . . . Utah-based Action Target has provided 10 actions target shooters can follow to limit the chances of starting a wildfire in fire-prone conditions. These include bringing a bucket of water to dowse a fire, using quality targets placed on unvegetated dirt or small-grained gravel, and not using exploding targets. Action Targets' good recommendations complement NSSF's recent reminders to target shooters, including an audio public service announcement and poster, to exercise caution in what is expected to be another dry summer in the West.
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROPOSES NATIONWIDE DELISTING OF GRAY WOLF . . . The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) formally announced a proposal to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list throughout the lower 48 states, with exception of the Mexican wolf population. Gray wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains and Western Great Lakes were removed from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Now, under the USFWS proposal, state wildlife management agencies would resume responsibility for management and protection of gray wolves in states where wolves occur. The USFWS is opening a 90-day comment period.
NSSF MATCHING REWARD HELPS SOLVE MICH. CASE . . . An NSSF matching reward provided in response to the brutal assault in March of a federally licensed firearms retailer and the theft of several firearms from his store in Gladwin County, Mich., helped the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the county sheriff's department solve the crime. Although ATF is reluctant to discuss details of the case until the conclusion of the upcoming trial, suspects were apprehended based on information provided by a confidential informant after announcement of the combined ATF-NSSF potential reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. In this case, the retailer was savagely attacked in the course of the theft. Hospitalized in critical condition, he has since been released from the hospital. On Friday, the ATF's Detroit office announced a new combined reward with NSSF in a new case, involving the theft of 22 handguns from a Southfield, Mich. Retailer. For details of that case, read the ATF release here.

Jobs

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

NSSF's Mission

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

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

COPYRIGHT © 2013 by National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. Permission is granted for broadcast, publication, retransmission to email lists, Websites or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, if 1) the text is forwarded in its entirety, including this paragraph, and 2) no fee is charged. "Bullet Points®," "National Shooting Sports Foundation®," "NSSF®," and all other trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and images of the National Shooting Sports Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole property of the Foundation and may not be used without the Foundation's prior express written permission. All other trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and images appearing in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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