ICYMI: Industry News
From Aug. 26–30, 2024
Taurus Contributes $25,000 To Protect Liberty PAC
NSSF’s Protect Liberty Political Action Committee (Protect Liberty PAC) received a $25,000 contribution from Taurus Holdings Inc., to support the election of candidates who will protect Americans’ liberty and freedoms, especially the Second Amendment which is under constant attack by Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president.
“With only 75 days until Election Day, now is the time for members of the firearm industry and gun owners to take a stand against the severe gun control and industry attacks that lie ahead if we fail to act. At Taurus, we are proud to support NSSF’s Protect Liberty PAC in this fight,” said Bret Vorhees, president and CEO of Taurus Holdings Inc. “A Harris-Walz administration would be a complete disaster for the firearm industry and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of hardworking Americans who work in our industry and the over 100 million law-abiding gun owners in our great nation. I challenge my industry colleagues to join this fight and contribute to Protect Liberty PAC because our rights and the future of our industry are on the ballot on Election Day.”
Protect Liberty PAC is a federally registered “super PAC” founded in 2023 by NSSF. Protect Liberty PAC is an independent-expenditure-only political committee and can accept unlimited personal and corporate contributions from companies in or outside of the industry, so long as they do not have federal contracts. Protect Liberty PAC will expressly advocate for the election or defeat of specific candidates and that advocacy will be completely independent of any candidate or political party.
For more info: protectlibertypac.com
Indian Army Orders Additional 73,000 SIG716 Rifles
SIG SAUER Inc. announced a second procurement contract with the Government of India, Ministry of Defence to supply an additional 73,000 SIG716 rifles. When completed, 145,400 SIG716 rifles will be in service with the Indian army.
“We are proud to be a partner in the modernization effort of the Indian army, and prouder still that the SIG716 rifle achieves the Ministry of Defence’s modernization goals with the second largest army in the world,” began Ron Cohen, president and CEO, SIG SAUER Inc.
The Government of India, Ministry of Defence first awarded SIG SAUER a contract for the SIG716 in 2019 for 72,400 riles. The successful fielding and overwhelming soldier acceptance led to this follow-on award for an additional 73,000 rifles.
“Since the initial fielding of the SIG716, we have received phenomenal end-user feedback on the performance and reliability of the platform. Throughout this time, we have strengthened and further solidified our partnership with the Indian Ministry of Defence and are honored to earn their continued trust in equipping their frontline infantrymen,” Cohen added.
The SIG716 is an enhanced AR platform chambered in 7.62 NATO featuring a 16″-barrel, M-LOK handguard and a six-position telescoping stock. SIG SAUER designs and builds the SIG716 rifles for the Indian army and for all its customers in the U.S.
For more info: sigsauer.com
SAF Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Aug. 26 marked 50 years of the Second Amendment Foundation’s (SAF) unwavering commitment to defend, secure and restore the Second Amendment rights vital to the defense of liberty. SAF has been at the forefront of numerous legal battles, challenging unconstitutional firearms regulations such as “assault weapon” bans, magazine capacity bans, young adult carry laws, “sensitive places” restrictions, red flag laws, prohibited persons and more. Through aggressive, strategic litigation, SAF has successfully challenged restrictive gun laws across the nation, dismantling barriers that impede the right to keep and bear arms for all Americans.
SAF has scored numerous successes in the past half-century, including the all-too-important McDonald v. City of Chicago decision handed down by the Supreme Court in 2010. SAF’s win in McDonald has been critical to the fight against modern gun control, as it paved the way for legal action against states and municipalities for violations of the Second Amendment.
“The goal when I created SAF was to get a case all the way to the Supreme Court,” said SAF Founder and Executive VP Alan M. Gottlieb. “We did that in 2010, and that momentum hasn’t stopped. SAF has been part of more than 260 lawsuits since our founding and we currently have more than 55 active cases across the nation. This includes one case — Garland v. Vanderstok — that will be argued before the Supreme Court in October.”
In 2022, SAF brought executive director and practicing attorney Adam Kraut on board to lead the organization into the next half-century.
“When Alan started SAF 50 years ago, he laid out a comprehensive vision to fight for our right to keep and bear arms,” Kraut said. “Over time, he and those who joined him built a solid organizational foundation that was effective in winning where it matters. I think we continued to build on that foundation and have a tremendous team to lead the organization into the next 50 years. I’m looking forward to the challenge of continuing to build on the work Alan started.”
For more info: saf.org
