NSSF Bullet Points | Online News Service

July 8, 2013

Vol. 14 No. 26

This Week:

CT Gun Laws

Government Relations

Ranges/Retailers

Industry News

News of Note

NSSF Names New SHOT Show Management Partner

LAS VEGAS-BASED CONVEXX REPLACES LONGTIME PARTNER REED EXHIBITIONS . . . After an extensive national search involving the trade show industry's top management companies, the National Shooting Sports Foundation has selected ConvExx as its new SHOT Show management partner. ConvExx replaces longtime NSSF partner Reed Exhibitions. Based in Las Vegas, ConvExx is privately held and has produced more than 200 shows and events, working with more than a million exhibitors and attendees. ConvExx produces the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, which at nearly 1 million net square feet and 135,000 attendees is ranked as the fourth-largest trade show in America by Trade Show Executive magazine (SHOT Show is ranked 16th).

Read more: NSSF News Release | SHOT Show Blog

Connecticut Gun Laws

NSSF BRINGS FEDERAL SUIT AGAINST CONNECTICUT'S NEW GUN LAWS . . . NSSF today filed suit in federal court in the District of Connecticut alleging that Gov. Dannel Malloy and the leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly misused the so-called "emergency certification" exemption in order to bypass procedures and speedily pass strict gun-control regulations. Further, the suit argues the enactment of the new law violated fundamental due-process rights guaranteed by both the Connecticut and United States constitutions. NSSF is asking the court to declare the law invalid and issue an injunction prohibiting its enforcement. Read the filing here. The Connecticut Law Tribune recently published an editorial arguing the same points of the NSSF suit.

Government Relations

NSSF PRESIDENT SANETTI RESPONDS TO NEW YORK TIMES OP-EDS . . . NSSF President Steve Sanetti's letter-to-the-editor response to two recent op-eds in the New York Times was published last week. The two essays had suggested the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act should be repealed and firearms manufacturers held responsible or made to pay in some way for the criminal misuse of their products.
NSSF-FOP OP-ED ON GUN SAFETY . . . The Hill, a must-read publication for members of Congress, last week ran an op-ed piece co-signed by NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti and Fraternal Order of Police National President Chuck Canterbury drawing attention to one of the nation's most successful firearm safety programs--NSSF's Project ChildSafe. Noting that federal funding for Project ChildSafe was stopped in 2008, the op-ed encouraged government to renew its support for a program that has made a difference. "With the congressional debate over firearms safety continuing to grow more polarizing, now is the time to recommit to a program that transcends partisan lines," wrote the authors. Read the complete op-ed.
ILLINOIS LEGISLATORS RETURN TO DEAL WITH GOVERNOR'S VETO . . . Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn used his amendatory veto power last week to rewrite a bipartisan measure that gives Illinois citizens the right to carry concealed firearms. Lawmakers return to Springfield on Tuesday having already begun the steps necessary to override the governor's changes. Illinois is under a federal court order to adopt legislation to end Illinois' status as the lone state in the nation to deny residents the right to carry a concealed firearm.
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY LAWSUIT DISMISSED . . . A Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) lawsuit brought against the U.S. Forest Service in federal court in Arizona has been dismissed. The suit alleged that USFS had violated the federal Resource and Conservation Recovery Act by not banning hunters from using traditional ammunition when hunting on some federal land in that state. NSSF had moved to intervene in the case. That motion was declared moot due to the dismissal.
BLOOMBERG TAPS CITY RESOURCES FOR ANTI-GUN GROUP . . . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been using New York City resources to assist his Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) organization, which he founded. The New York Post reported that Bloomberg sent Christopher Kocher, a New York City employee, to lobby Nevada legislators for stricter background checks on firearm transfers. For more, see NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G Keane's blog post.
REGISTER NOW FOR 12TH ANNUAL FIREARMS IMPORT/EXPORT CONFERENCE . . . In a year of big changes to federal import and export regulations, you can't afford to be on the sidelines. Register today for the Firearms Import/Export conference, hosted by NSSF and the FAIR Trade Group on Aug. 6-7 at the Renaissance Washington, D.C., Downtown Hotel, 999 Ninth St, NW.

Retailers & Ranges

NICS E-CHECK 2.0 COMING SOON . . . FBI/NICS, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, is in the midst of upgrading its E-Check to version 2.0. Among a host of new features will be the elimination of the digital certificate and the ability to access NICS E-Check using any computer and browser. Target date for deployment is July 16, at which time Federal Firearms Licensees can register for this upgrade. For more information, see the announcement from FBI/NICS.

Industry News

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PLACES SHOT SHOW ON ITS INTERNATIONAL BUYER PROGRAM SCHEDULE . . . The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced the selection of the SHOT Show as one of only 26 trade events to be part of its 2014 International Buyer Program. Through U.S. Commercial Service offices in U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, the IBP recruits thousands of qualified foreign buyers, sales representatives and business partners to U.S. trade shows each year, giving U.S. companies excellent opportunities to expand their global sales. Participation in this program is only one of several measures being implemented to increase international buyers at the SHOT Show. Read the International Trade Administration's press release.
CRIMSON TRACE ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT TITLE CHANGES . . . Crimson Trace Corporation, manufacturer of laser sights and tactical lighting products for firearms, has announced that effective immediately current Chief Executive Officer Lew Danielson has been named chairman and Lane Tobiassen, now president, will add CEO to his title. This is the final step in the transition that began in 2009 when Tobiassen was named president and Danielson, the company's founder, assumed the role of CEO.
SMITH & WESSON NAMED TO LIST OF 25 MOST PATRIOTIC BRANDS . . . A survey of 4,500 consumers conducted by Brand Keys, a New York-based research firm, produced a list of the most patriotic brands selected from 197 famous brand names in 35 categories--and No. 18 is an iconic member of the firearms industry. Smith & Wesson, founded in 1852, is the third-oldest brand on the list. In terms of "most patriotic brand" S&W ranked ahead of household names such as General Electric, John Deere, L.L. Bean, Walmart, Craftsman Tools, Wilson Sporting Goods and Wrangler apparel. First on the list? Jeep. Read the related USA Today article, which includes the complete list.
NSSF AWARDS $60,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS . . . NSSF has awarded $60,000 in scholarship funds to 25 students in its annual essay contest for employees of NSSF Voting Member companies and their family members. NSSF makes the scholarships available as a means of thanking its Voting Members for their substantial financial support of NSSF and its mission to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Read NSSF's press release announcing the scholarship winners.
RUGER TO OPEN NORTH CAROLINA MANUFACTUING FACILITY . . . Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE:RGR) announced today that it plans to open its third manufacturing plant, a 220,000 square foot facility in Mayodan, N.C. This will be the company's first major expansion in over 25 years and it is expected to be finalized in August. Ruger currently employs more than 2,000 people in its two plants in Newport, N.H., and Prescott, Ariz.

Research

JUNE NSSF-ADJUSTED NICS CHECKS UP 3.0 PERCENT . . . The June 2013 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 872,025 is an increase of 3.0 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 846,437 in June 2012. For comparison, the unadjusted June 2013 NICS figure of 1,270,817 reflects a 1.5 percent decrease from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,290,210 in June 2012. This marks the 37th straight month that NSSF-adjusted NICS figures have increased when compared to the same period the previous year. Read more.
2013 NSGA SHOOTING SPORTS PARTICIPATION REPORT . . . The 2013 edition of the NSGA Shooting Sports Participation report is now available for purchase at nssf.org. Prepared for NSSF by the National Sporting Goods Association, the report provides the industry with a current look at participation in eight different shooting sports and two net categories -- hunting and shooting sports. Segment reports -- excerpts from the full NSGA Shooting Sports Participation report -- are also available for purchase. Learn more.

News of Note

FIRST SHOTS' BIG CITY TOUR TO MAKE BIG STOP IN HOUSTON . . . The First Shots Big City Tour is heading to the Houston, Texas, area Aug. 2-4. Four ranges are on board for the event. Area facilities offering NSSF's introductory shooting seminar will be: The Arms Room, in League City; Spring Guns & Ammo, in Spring; American Shooting Center, in Houston; and High Noon Indoor Pistol Range, in Crosby. Learn more about these free classroom and live-fire events and claim one of the remaining available slots at the First Shots website.
PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING . . . President Obama has signed an executive order establishing a Presidential Taskforce on Wildlife Trafficking. The taskforce, composed of the State, Interior and Justice departments, will devise a national strategy over the next six months. It will be offered recommendations by an advisory eight-member independent panel. President Obama announced this initiative, aimed at illegal wildlife trafficking and widespread poaching of rhinos and elephants in Africa, during a visit to Tanzania.
VETERAN OUTDOOR COMMUNICATOR DAVE RICHEY DIES . . . Dave Richey, outdoors writer for The Detroit News from 1980 to 2003, as well as a prolific freelance writer and photographer, died recently at age 73 following a stroke. Richey traveled the world, writing of his hunting and fishing exploits, but the articles of which he was perhaps most proud were an award-winning 13-part series that helped bust a Michigan poaching ring and brought resulting death threats to him and his family. The Outdoor Writers Association of America honored Richey during his long career with that organization's three greatest awards, for excellence in craft, service to the organization and dedication to the conservation ethic. Read more about Richey in The Detroit News' obituary.
BASS PRO SHOPS FLAGSHIP STORE TO HOUSE NRA NATIONAL SPORTING ARMS MUSEUM . . . The grand opening of the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum located at the Bass Pro Shops flagship store in Springfield, Mo., will take place on Aug. 2. Covering approximately 7,500 square feet, the museum will feature more than a thousand guns and will include exhibits of original prototypes and paintings from Remington Arms Company, shotguns from the American Trapshooting Association's Hall of Fame and the full collection of guns from the Pachmayr Foundation. Admission will be free daily.

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."

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