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September 22, 2014

Vol. 15 No. 37

Changing Face of Target Shooters

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INFOGRAPHIC TELLS THE STORY . . . NSSF has issued a new infographic that, at a glance, reveals the growing number of new target shooting enthusiasts and how they're surprisingly different from established shooters. Those who have taken up target shooting in the last five years are trending younger and female, and they live in cities and suburbs. The traditional pastimes of handgun, rifle and shotgun target shooting clearly continue to have a broad appeal to new generations of Americans. NSSF invites you to share "The Changing Face of Today's Target Shooter" infographic to educate the public about this exciting and positive trend. Click the infographic to download, and find other infographics at nssf.org/infographics.

Traditional Ammunition

  • NSSF REPORT: CALIF. TRADITIONAL AMMO BAN TO CAUSE SHORTAGES, PRICE SPIKES . . . NSSF has released a new report demonstrating the negative effects that the State of California's Assembly Bill 711 ban on the use of traditional lead ammunition in hunting will have on hunters, the state's economy and wildlife conservation. That report, commissioned by NSSF on behalf of the firearms and ammunition industry, was presented last week at a public hearing of the Wildlife Resource Committee of the California Fish and Game Commission. The report by Southwick Associates quantifies problems the ban will cause, including: Non-lead ammunition not being available for about half of hunting calibers; severe shortages nationwide; at least a tripling in ammunition prices, driving more than one-third of the state's hunters to hunt less or stop hunt less; and fewer dollars for wildlife conservation. Read a news account.

Government Relations

  • http://nssf.org/share/images/Capitol_150.jpgRESOLUTION INTRODUCED IN U.S. HOUSE ON UNPROVEN FIREARMS MICROSTAMPING MANDATE . . . U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) has introduced House Resolution 732 intended to express the sense of the House of Representatives that mandates imposed on manufacturers requiring inclusion of unproven and unreliable technology in firearms is costly and punitive, and the prohibition of firearms without such features is an infringement on the rights of citizens under the Second Amendment. NSSF worked closely with Congressman LaMalfa to draft and introduce this piece of legislation in defense of industry members, specifically those harmed by California's state mandate on new semiautomatic pistols. NSSF will keep you informed as progress is made.

  • D.C. COUNCIL TO VOTE ON CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT RULES . . . The Washington, D.C. City Council is scheduled to vote this week on regulations that will allow firearms owners to apply for concealed carry permits. The action is in response to a July federal court ruling that the city's ban on concealed carry was unconstitutional. The same court last week refused the District's request for an additional 90-day stay of its ruling. Under the proposal awaiting approval, Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier would issue permits to applicants who demonstrate a need to carry a firearm due to a specific threat, making the District a strict "may issue' jurisdiction. Nonresidents with state-issued carry licenses will also have to apply for a District permit. Read a news account.

  • CONGRESSMAN INTRODUCES BILL TO ELIMINATE ATF, TRANSFER DUTIES . . . U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) last week introduced legislation to eliminate the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and reassign its responsibilities to the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Treasury Department. NSSF opposes this proposal, which has one co-sponsor and is not likely to gain any traction in the current session. Read a news story.

For more Government Relations news, read NSSF's latest Government Relations Update.

2014 Elections

  • NSSF MEMBER COMPANIES HELP GET OUT #GUNVOTE MESSAGE . . . NSSF member companies are helping to spread the word about #GUNVOTE, NSSF's voter education and information initiative, by displaying the #GUNVOTE button on their websites and other materials. 2014 is a crucial Congressional mid-term and gubernatorial election year. We are encouraging all industry members to download the #GUNVOTE button and use it in print publications, on your website, blog and social media platforms to get your customers engaged. We are pleased to extend a special thanks to those NSSF companies now displaying the #GUNVOTE button: Glock, Colt's Manufacturing Co., Hornady Manufacturing Co., O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Smith & Wesson Firearms, Sturm Ruger and Co., Taurus Holdings, Trulock Tool and Volquartsen Custom.

  • THANK YOU TO OUR LATEST NSSF PAC CONTRIBUTORS
    • President's Club ($5,000): No new contributors to report
    • Cabinet Club ($2,500 or more): No new contributors to report
    • Capitol Club ($1,000 or more): No new contributors to report
    • Congressional Club ($250 or more): Russell Arnold, Michael Halleron and John Renzulli
    • Industry Club (up to $249): Michael Jolly and Leon Pytlik

    SHOT Show

  • http://nssf.org/share/images/Capitol_150.jpgINTERNATIONAL BUYER PROGRAM WEBINAR TOMORROW . . . For the second year in a row, NSSF is working with the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Buyer Program (IBP) to offer two unique programs to our U.S. exhibitors attending the SHOT Show. To encourage interested exhibitors in participating, NSSF, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, is holding an informational webinar, Sept. 23, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. This webinar is free to U.S.-based SHOT Show exhibitors. Webinar information will cover both IBP programs. For more information on the IBP SHOT Show events, or to register for the free webinar, visit the Services for U.S. Exhibitors page at shotshow.org.

  • SPECIAL HOTEL RATES AVAILABLE TO SHOT SHOW ATTENDEES . . . Through our booking partner OnPeak, we have special rates available at more than 20 official SHOT Show hotels convenient to the Sands Expo Center, including NSSF's official headquarter hotel — the Venetian/Palazzo. These special rates cover a wide variety of room-per-night price ranges and amenities, and all are within walking distance or a short cab ride from the Sands, in addition to having regular shuttle bus service to and from the show. Reservations for these official SHOT Show hotel rooms ends Dec. 17, 2014, but bookings fill fast, so we encourage all our exhibitors and attendees to make their reservations now. Read more about these hotel rates on the SHOT Show Blog, or visit shotshow.org/travel to make reservations.

Research

  • NEW NSSF REPORT DETAILS HUNTING LICENSE REGULATIONS AND FEES . . . Just in time for National Hunting & Fishing Day on Sept. 27, NSSF is releasing yet another new research report.  This NSSF Industry Intelligence Report entitled, Hunting in the 50 States, condenses data from 50 state hunting guides and covers license fees, regulations, species and methods of take. Hunting in the 50 States is viewable to all this week and will require NSSF member log-in thereafter being posted at www.nssf.org/research under the Industry Intelligence Reports tab. Read more about the report in this press release.

Project ChildSafe

  • NEW PROJECT CHILDSAFE PARTNER . . . California Waterfowl, the state's leading, waterfowl, wetlands and hunting heritage conservation organization, has become a promotional supporter of NSSF's Project ChildSafe program, which focuses on storing firearms responsibly when not in use and promotes the message of "Own It? Respect It. Secure It." "We are proud to join forces with Project ChildSafe to share its important message with our members and all gun-owning Californians: Responsible gun ownership means taking all possible steps to help prevent children from handling guns without supervision, risking injury to themselves and others," said California Waterfowl President John Carlson Jr. Read the press release.

Members

  • DID YOU KNOW? . . . NSSF offers great benefits to its Retailer Members, but did you know there is a way to gain even more benefits by becoming a Premium Retailer Member? With unparalleled protection and benefits, this membership is the top-tier membership available for firearms retailers. A portion of the benefits include a set of retailer guide books, an unlimited legal defense fund, a complimentary FFL compliance consultant visit, access to industry research, SHOT Show benefits and more! To find out more about NSSF's Premium Retailer Membership benefits, visit nssf.org. If you are interested in becoming a new Premium Retailer Member, contact member services at membership@nssf.org.

Rimfire Challenge

  • RIMFIRE CHALLENGE SPONSOR LIST STILL GROWING . . . The growing popularity of NSSF's Rimfire Challenge is rivaled only by the number of industry members wanting to support it. In addition to Aguila Ammunition signing on as the competition's newest Gold sponsor, firearms maker Walther and firearms industry insurer Joseph Chiarello & Sons, LLC, have both joined the growing list of Bronze sponsors. For more information on the Rimfire Challenge, including how to become a sponsor of these nationwide competitions, click here.

Retailers

  • PERSONAL FIREARMS AND YOUR FFL BUSINESS SITE . . . When a retailer is inspected, ATF Industry Operations Investigators (IOIs) will presume that all firearms on the license premises are for sale and must have an associated entry in the firearms acquisition and disposition record. What if a retailer (either a sole proprietor or the responsible person of another type of business structure), wants to keep personally owned firearms at the licensed premise? Find the answer in this NSSF Blog post.

  • ATF Q&A . . . Test your compliance knowledge with two more questions from NSSF's ATF Compliance Hotline. The first question relates to how to properly fill out a 4473 form on the return of consignment firearm. The second question relates to how to record a firearm with only a serial number in your bound book. Click on the links to find the answers to these questions and many more.

News of Note

  • STRONG GUN, AMMO SALES BENEFIT WILDLIFE CONSERVATION . . . Record 2013 firearms and ammunition sales provided a healthy infusion of funds for conservation projects across the country through apportionment of a record $760.9 million from the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program. Combined with excise taxes on boats and fishing equipment, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) distributed nearly $1.1 billion this year. The Outdoor Hub website reminded readers of this valuable contribution from America's sportsmen and sportswomen and took on the issue of what 2014 may mean for the industry and excise tax collections, quoting NSSF President Steve Sanetti: "To me, firearm sales data through the first seven months is saying our industry is experiencing a 'new normal.' Like a rocket ship, we've returned to Earth, but we haven't gone back in time. With 2014 on track to be one of the highest sales years in a decade, I call that a sign of a healthy industry serving a passionate, growing customer base." Read the Outdoor Hub story.

  • BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON BRADY CAMPAIGN'S PHONY FUND-RAISING CLAIM . . . A fund-raising email from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence on Friday falsely claimed credit for Cabela's expanded use of NSSF's "Don't Lie for the Other Guy" anti-straw purchasing materials in its ongoing anti-straw purchasing efforts. Townhall.com's "Bearing Arms" writer Bob Owens took the Brady Campaign to task, pointing out that Cabela's had been working on this matter for weeks before the campaign's re-launch of "Bad Apples" initiative. Separately, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Larry Keane addressed purposeful mischaracterization of what the "Don't lie for the Other Guy" program can and cannot accomplish in this blog post, which also detailed the history of the program.

  • CBS 'THIS MORNING' POSITIVE SEGMENT MAY SURPRISE YOU . . . Because originally it aired during the height of vacation season last month, we thought many of you must have missed this completely positive story from CBS News reporter Jan Crawford on the increase in the number of women participating in the shooting sports. View the segment.

  • SHOOTING SPORTS GET A BOOST AT CAL POLY . . . With students returning to classes this week, the Cal Poly Marksmanship Club at the California Polytechnic State University is kicking off the 2014-15 school year with a $10,000 grant awarded through NSSF's Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative. Cal Poly is best known for its Engineering, Architectural and Agricultural programs, and is ranked among the best engineering schools in the Western United States according to U.S. News & World Report's ranking of "America's Best Colleges." Its marksmanship club formed in April and quickly grew to 50 members. Read more.

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    SPECIALIZATION AND THE COMPLIANCE MENTALITY . . . Risk management is an important concept for every business. It's not just the firearms industry that has to confront and master difficult questions that could otherwise result in regulatory violations, civil liabilities, or criminal penalties. There is a very clear demarcation line between those businesses that grasp hold of this concept and consciously integrate it into the operating environment and those that don't. This construct can also bear a direct relationship between the company and industry oversight or failure consequences. Read the latest Orchid Advisory. Orchid Advisors is an endorsed compliance information provider for NSSF members.

  • BIG RESULTS FROM USA SHOOTING TEAM . . . As the 51st International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship came to a close Friday evening in Granada, Spain, reflection of success shined as brightly as the medals in the fading Spanish sun for the USA Shooting Team who gathered 17 medals, two Olympic quotas and celebrate four World Champions and a team champion. Read the full story here.

Jobs

  • FIREARMS INDUSTRY JOBS . . . Visit 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 © 2014 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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