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NSSF, SAAMI Submit Comments as ATF Withdraws Plan to Ban 5.56 'Green Tip' Ammo, Due to Overwhelming Reaction
NSSF and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) today both submitted comments to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) opposing the proposed framework to ban commonplace 5.56 M855 "green tip" ammunition. The comment period was open through today although ATF announced last week it would not move forward for the time being with its plan pending review of the almost 90,000 comments it had already received. NSSF would like to thank all those who contacted their members of Congress and ATF concerning the now withdrawn proposal. Our industry members hope to meet consumer demand by bringing alternative ammunition products to the market and continuing to sell the popular M855 rifle target ammunition. View the letters here: NSSF / SAAMI.
- NSSF THANKS CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS . . . NSSF on Friday issued a press release expressing the industry's thanks to U.S. Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for the pivotal leadership each provided to forestall the ATF effort to introduce a new regulatory framework that would have banned the manufacturing and sale of M855 ammunition widely used by law-abiding Americans for target shooting and hunting. NSSF worked closely with Culberson, Goodlatte and Grassley.
- A WIN FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT . . . "The strength of people who support and take their Second Amendment rights seriously has never been stronger," Larry Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, told the Washington Times following the ATF announcement. "I frankly don't think ATF had much choice in the matter. It was clear that Congress was not going to let it go forward."
- JONES: NO FRAMEWORK, NO RULINGS ON PENDING REQUESTS . . . In testimony last Thursday before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, ATF Director B. Todd Jones said that the bureau would not act on more than 30 requests (pending for more than three years) for sporting use exemptions sought by ammunition makers for various non-traditional ammunition designs without a new regulatory framework in place. ATF has acknowledged these petitions are for the hunting market, which ATF regards as a "traditional sport." Jones's remarks came in response to questioning from Chairman Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) whose committee has jurisdiction over ATF's budget. Said Jones, "…our request for input on a framework was our effort to try and get a transparent process (so) that we could act on the nearly 30 other exemptions that were there and not sort of not look at the exemption that was out there on M855." NSSF attended this hearing and will report on developments.
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Setting the Record Straight
 DECLINING GUN OWNERSHIP CLAIM TAKEN ON . . . While an Associated Press story last week selectively cited the latest General Social Survey (GSS) finding that gun ownership has declined in recent years, several other sources show Americans are embracing gun ownership. As NSSF President Steve Sanetti points out in a blog post reprinted by the Daily Caller, the GSS is in reality counting the number of individuals willing to disclose to a stranger at their front door how many firearms they own.
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Import/Export
- NSSF REQUESTS URGENT MEETING ON POSSIBLE ECR SETBACK . . . NSSF has long-supported the administration's Export Control Reform (ECR) initiative, which would shift our industry's items to Commerce Department control from the State Department's jurisdiction. Although a rule had been drafted in 2012 to shift the export licensing of firearms and ammunition products (USML Cat I - III) to the Commerce Department's Commerce Control List (CCL) from the State Department's U.S. Munitions List (USML) Commerce, we continue to wait for our products to move as part of the ECR. Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that there is a proposal under serious consideration that would reject the goal of the ECR and move commercial, non-sensitive items that have long been on the CCL, including sporting shotguns and non-military scopes, to the USML. We have requested an urgent meeting with the State Department before a decision is scheduled to be made on April 1 in order to discuss how this proposal would place significant additional, unwarranted burdens on our industry members without advancing national security.
Government Relations
- PRESIDENT OBAMA CREDITED WITH $10B IN GUN, AMMO SALES . . . Add the Washington Post's "The Fix" blog to the growing list of sources that credit President Obama with being the best salesman for firearms and ammunition that the country has seen since Samuel Colt. Using a simple linear trend analysis based on NSSF-supplied data, writer Philip Bump calculated the difference between sales projections and what actually happened at the cash register, noting "… it's about a $10 billion increase through the third quarter of last year. Much of that came in late 2012 and early 2013, when gun advocates were worried about new control measures…" Read the blog post.
- THE PRESIDENT'S EXAGERRATED ANTI-GUN CLAIMS EXPOSED . . . President Obama "was playing fast and loose with his language" in recent remarks to college students in South Carolina, the Washington Post's Fact Checker has concluded. "There's little excuse for the claim that in some neighborhoods, it is easier to buy a gun than vegetables — or to say he's 'not exaggerating' when he claims that some people have proposed laws that would allow machine guns in bars," writes the Post's Glenn Kessler. The President won three "Pinocchios" for his latest off-the-cuff, anti-gun commentary.
 BIPARTISAN SPORTSMEN'S ACT GETS FIRST SENATE HEARING . . . The first hearing on the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2015, an NSSF legislative priority, was held before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources last week. Co-sponsored by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act is a package of pro-sportsmen's legislation designed to safeguard and promote America's hunting and fishing traditions and to enhance the role of hunters and shooters and anglers as preeminent supporters of wildlife conservation. NSSF priorities in the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act include protecting the traditional use of lead ammunition, removal of impediments to the use of Pittman-Robertson funds for shooting ranges and provisions to enhance and expand hunting and shooting access on federal lands. Contact your Senators and ask them to support the Bipartisan Sportsmen Act of 2015.
 REGISTER FOR APRIL 22-23 CONGRESSIONAL FLY-IN . . . Registration is open for the annual NSSF Congressional Fly-in, April 22-23 in Washington, D.C. This is a great opportunity for leaders from NSSF Voting Member companies and supporting distributor and manufacturing member companies, as well as leading retailers, to meet with members of Congress. At stake is passage of the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act, the industry's top priority, as well as defeating President Obama's regulatory gun control agenda. To learn more about the importance of claiming a seat at the table, watch this short video. For security purposes, a full agenda including locations and information on how to book a room in the NSSF hotel block will be sent to you via email after you register. Register today to attend this crucial Fly-In.
For more Government Relations news, read NSSF's latest Government Relations Update.
2015 Industry Summit
 ONLY TWO WEEKS REMAINING TO RECEIVE EARLY BIRD PRICING . . . Discounted, early bird registration pricing is in effect until March 31 for the NSSF Industry Summit. Representatives from all segments of the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, conservation and hunting organizations, target shooting organizations and federal and state wildlife agencies are encouraged to attend. Register today to reserve your place at this most important industry event. The Summit's Platinum sponsor is the Georgia Department of Economic Development, but many other sponsorship opportunities are available.
SHOT Show
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 2015 SHOT SHOW 'TREMENDOUSLY VALUABLE,' SATISFACTION HIGH . . . The 2015 SHOT Show, held this past January at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, has proven itself to be one of the best across the collective spectrum of exhibitors, buyers, law enforcement personnel and media members of the show, according to a recent survey conducted by NSSF. While attendance was down slightly from the record-setting number of 2014, that reduction was due to a concerted effort by NSSF to purge the attendance roster of 2,200 non-qualified buyers, an effort those admitted greatly appreciated. Many comments we received indicated both exhibitors and attendees noticed that the crowd quality was higher, leading directly to a more productive show for everyone. Read the full blog post.
Research
 USITC FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION DATA FOR JANUARY 2015 . . . NSSF tracks and reports monthly U.S. import and export units for several sporting arms, ammunition and optics categories from the U.S. International Trade Commission. See a complete breakdown of each category's November import and export data. NSSF members may access additional historical import and export data by logging in and clicking NSSF Industry Research.
Retailers
 2015 RETAILER SEMINAR LINEUP OFFERS EXTENDED CLASSES . . . NSSF is pleased to announce that it has developed a series of extended Retailer Seminars for FFL holders. These new, eight-hour seminars will take the place of the normal five-hour seminars scheduled for the following locations and dates:
Corpus Christi, Texas—April 14;
Anaheim, California—April 21;
New Orleans, Louisiana—May 12;
Atlanta, Georgia—May 19;
and Detroit, Michigan—July 14. The enhanced eight-hour seminars will consist of two educational tracks: ATF Compliance and Customer Diversity. Read the press release.
 SMITH & WESSON IS PLATINUM SPONSOR OF 2015 RETAILER SEMINARS . . . NSSF is pleased to announce that Smith & Wesson
has agreed to sponsor NSSF's 2015 Retailer Seminar series at the Platinum level. Founded in 1852, the Springfield, Massachusetts-based leader in the design and manufacture of firearms and related products adds this sponsorship to a long list of other such partnerships with NSSF. Read the press release.
- ATF Q&A . . . As part of NSSF's goal to provide support for the independent firearms retailers, we've established a free and unlimited 24/7 compliance hotline for our retailer members. Members can call in at any time and receive an answer within 24 hours. Here are two of the questions we received last week. 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 get the answers to these questions and many others.
Members
 DID YOU KNOW? . . . NSSF Members receive special insurance rates through NSSF's partnership with a highly respected insurance company dedicated to meeting needs specific to professionals in the firearms industry, including range operators and retailers, firearms and ammunition makers, gunsmiths, wholesalers, hunting and shooting clubs and associations, and those in firearms accessory manufacturing. Find out more.
Collegiate Shooting Sports
- SURGE IN COLLEGIATE SHOOTING SPORTS AIDED BY INDUSTRY SUPPORT . . . Through NSSF, the firearms industry since 2009 has awarded more than $1 million to help start some 80 shooting programs at colleges and universities across the United States. Thousands of students have benefitted from their involvement in these programs. In a positive front-page story on Sunday, Washington Post writer Michael S. Rosenwald took a look at the experiences of the students on the MIT rifle and pistol teams, while an accompanying online video documented the success of the George Mason University shooting sports program. Read the Washington Post story.
News of Note
- COMPLIANCE CONFERENCE MAY 11-13 IN ORLANDO . . . NSSF and Orchid Advisors are sponsoring the annual Firearms Industry Compliance Conference, May 11-13, at the Marriott's Orlando World Center Resort. Discounted registration is available to all NSSF members. The 2015 conference brings together firearm manufacturers, importers, exporters, distributors, dealers and regulators such as the DOJ and ATF to answer the question, "How can I optimize compliance?" Larry Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel, explains, "NSSF is pleased to join with Orchid Advisors to co-sponsor this important and timely conference because it will offer the practical, operations-oriented solutions to our member base that we strive to provide." Register to attend. Highlights from last year's event can be found on the Orchid Advisors website.
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- SERIAL NUMBER INVENTORY CONTROL AND REGULATION . . . It's an unfortunate circumstance when a manufacturer, importer or dealer is the victim of a robbery, but what about loss arising from inventory discrepancies? FFLs have had a long-standing obligation to report in a "timely" manner, but what exactly does that mean and what does an inventory entail? In this Orchid Advisory learn more about differentiating between the concepts of an "Inventory Balance" and your Book of Acquisition and Disposition (the "A&D Book"). They aren't the same thing. Orchid Advisors is an endorsed compliance information provider for NSSF members.
- USA SHOOTING'S HANCOCK 'PERFECT' AT WORLD CUP . . . Two-time Olympic skeet medalist Vincent Hancock of Eatonton, Georgia, shot a perfect world record qualifying score of 125 at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico, en route to his sixth World Cup gold medal. Hancock did not miss any of the 157 clays presented to him in the day's competition. "Awesome is always great to watch," remarked Dave Johnson, USA Shooting's Director of Operations. Hancock's performance concluded a terrific showing by Team USA shotgun athletes at the World Cup in which they won four of the five shotgun disciplines, earned two addition medals and secured three Olympic quota slots.
 VOLQUARTSEN SPONSORS 2015 RIMFIRE CHALLENGE . . . Rifle innovator Volquartsen Custom
has once again agreed to join NSSF as a Silver Sponsor of the Rimfire Challenge. A pioneer in the customization of Ruger's famed 10/22 rifle, Volquartsen today crafts some of the world's finest rimfire rifles and handguns. This is Volquartsen's second year sponsoring the Rimfire Challenge program at the Silver level. Read the press release.
- N.Y. STATE OUTDOORSMEN HALL OF FAME INDUCTS 12 . . . Focusing on many fields of endeavor and accomplishment in the outdoors, the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame has inducted 12 new members, including two posthumously in the Pioneer Category. The organization is dedicated to honoring those individuals who have spent many years preserving our outdoor heritage, working for conservation or enhancing outdoor sports for future generations. The inductees will be honored at the April 25 banquet in Canastota, N.Y., and will have their plaques displayed at the NYSOHOF Museum in Vail Mills.
- SAVE THE DATE FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN DEER SUMMIT . . . The National Deer Alliance has announced that the second annual North American Deer Summit is approaching. Following the success of the inaugural Summit in Branson, Missouri, in March of 2014, the need for a second summit was made apparent by all in attendance. The 2015 North American Deer Summit is scheduled for May 6-8, 2015, at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. Review the Summit Agenda for additional information on this event.
NSSF PAC
 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
Caucus Club ($500 or more): James Boyce
Congressional Club ($250 or more): Susan Lorusso
Industry Club (up to $249): Gary Rogers
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.
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COPYRIGHT © 2015 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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