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HR 1022:
Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2007: Click here to download a copy of the H.R. 1022

National Shooting Sports Foundation:
www.nssf.org
NSSF Legal & Legislative:
http://nssf.org/legal/index.cfm?AoI=LL


Industry Driven NRA Memebership Initiative:
http://insureyourgunrights.com

Hunting And Fishing: Bright Stars Of The American Economy
http://www.sportsmenslink.org
By Russ Thurman
May 2008
 

The Many Forms Of Gun Control
 
Wal-Mart’s decision to sign the Bloomberg agreement in April blindsided the industry. But for the retail behemoth, it’s just business. Just as it was in 2006 when Wal-Mart stopped selling firearms in 1,000 of its stores; it was a business decision.

Wal-Mart’s support of the measures created by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” provides significant benefit. By agreeing to abide by the 10 points of the “Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership,” Wal-Mart wraps itself in a layer of protection from anti-gun forces.

And, anti-gun forces are powerful. For those in the industry who think the anti-gun movement has been neutralized, based on its lack of progress on the national level, think again. Microstamping, bullet serialization, ballistic imaging, onerous zoning, restrictive and prohibitive sales of firearms and ammunition — and more — are driven by anti-gun proponents. There are many forms of gun control. The Bloomberg agreement is a powerful one.

The Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership is a “masterful” form of gun control, developed by those vehemently opposed to the private ownership of firearms. While you go about the business of running your business, anti-gun zealots are going about their business. And, they are good at what they do. The challenge: In addition to making and/or selling firearms, ammo and myriad associated gear, you have to battle anti-gun forces — every day. Anti-gun forces, however, don’t do anything but develop ways to stop you from doing business — every day.

Wal-Mart’s “business” decision will likely endear them to Mr. and Mrs. America, who, while they believe in and support the Second Amendment, also want “Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership(s)” and who wouldn’t want to support “Mayors Against Illegal Guns”? These are the Wal-Mart customers who generally don’t buy firearms and ammo from the retailer, but they sure push a lot of shopping carts to the checkout stands every day. That’s business.

Undoubtedly, the firearm and ammo companies who sell a significant number of guns and pallets of ammo through Wal-Mart will be hurt. That Wal-Mart would enter into the Bloomberg agreement without notifying its longtime firearm-industry partners is, yes, a shock, but not surprising. Remember, it’s business.

It’s important for all of us to know about the Bloomberg coalition. Visit www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org. There you will discover how the industry is being targeted and if your mayor is a member of the coalition.

Summit Looks To Future

The NSSF 2008 Shooting Sports Summit, June 23-25 in Colorado Springs, Colo., is attracting a lot of attention from leaders throughout the industry. The focus of the event: the future of hunting and the shooting sports.

The summit is attracting a growing number of sponsors, including Outdoor Channel, Safari Club International (SCI) and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA).

“Ensuring a strong future for our sports is a common goal shared by all of us in the hunting and shooting community,” said NSSF Senior Vice President Chris Dolnack. “With the support of Outdoor Channel, SCI, USSA and others, this year’s summit is shaping up to be perhaps the most significant industry gathering of this decade.”

This is the first NSSF summit in six years, with organizers planning numerous sessions designed to “forge new strategies aimed at taking current recruitment and retention programs to the next level.”

NSSF will present a comprehensive three-year $389,000 study aimed at improving hunter and shooter recruitment and retention. Results of the “Future of Hunting and the Shooting Sports” project, funded by a U.S. Fish & Wildlife grant and conducted in partnership with Responsive Management, will serve as the basis for the summit.

The summit’s keynote speaker is former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

For more information, visit www.nssf.org/08summit.

Southwick Provides Market Insight

Southwick Associates has released its data on the top-selling brands in six categories for January and February. The data is from Southwick’s Internet program: HunterSurvey, a monthly consumer monitoring service.

Southwick can provide greater detail on these and many other product categories on a subscription basis. For a sample of monthly reports and pricing, contact: info@southwickassociates.com.

Remington Targets Turkey Hunters

How much money is there in selling turkey-related firearms, ammo and gear? A bundle big enough that Remington assembled a 16-page catalog devoted to gobbler-getting stuff early this year.

Nicely designed, it had hunters drooling over eye-popping images of the new Model 11-87 Sportsman Super Mag ShurShot Turkey 12-gauge, along with tom-taking ammo and all the must-have accessories.

The Remington 2008 Turkey Products Guide was available for download on www.remington.com. Smart marketing.
HK45 Hits Target
The delayed delivery of Heckler & Koch’s HK45 hasn’t dampened consumers’ enthusiasm for the pistol. Internet blogs are heavy with praise for the pistol’s “shootability,” “reduced recoil” and “interchangeable backstraps.”

The HK45 is available in 10 HK variants, including the double-action and single-action Law Enforcement Modification (LEM).
Visit www.hk-usa.com.
LeGate Calls Shots For NBC
Congratulations to Shari LeGate, who has been hired by NBC to be the shooting sports analyst for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. LeGate, a two-time national champion and World Cup medalist, was a member of the U.S. National Team in skeet for 12 years, winning numerous titles and medals. She was the target sports analyst for ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games and currently produces and hosts the ACUI Intercollegiate Clay Target National Championships.

In 2001, she was presented the Shooting Industry Award by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence for her accomplishments in introducing thousands of women to the shooting sports. The former executive director of the Women’s Shooting Sports Foundation, she is currently the spokesperson for the NSSF’s Project ChildSafe and is a representative for the First Shots program.

LeGate is also a Shooting Industry contributing editor, and will again compete in the Shooting Industry Masters in July.
This Industry Watch is sponsored by:

FNH USA
www.fnhusa.com
Shooting Industry is a publication of FMG Publications and a registered Trademark of Publishers Development Corporation.
© 2007 Copyright by Publishers Development Corporation. All rights reserved.