ICYMI: Industry News
From Aug. 5–9, 2024
Avient Launches Composite Heat Release Tech
Avient Corporation, provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions and services, announced the launch of its Composite Heat Release technology for firearm barrels.
Composite Heat Release is a new, patent-pending, multi-layer composite material innovation that incorporates layers of ceramic and carbon fiber reinforced composites applied to original equipment steel barrel bores. The material composition of the Composite Heat Release technology applies the concept of thermal inertia to speed heat transfer from the steel through the composite sleeve. This reduces barrel bore temperature over multiple firing rounds, reduces total barrel weight and increases stiffness to improve overall sport shooting and hunting performance.
In a unique and collaborative design and fabrication process, Avient applies the composite materials onto Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) compliant steel barrel blanks supplied by the firearm manufacturer to Avient. Using their own steel bores combined with Avient’s composite technology, firearm manufacturers can achieve specific properties customized to their barrel requirements, such as weight, length and other performance needs.
“Our technical specialists work closely with our firearms customers to elevate their brands with new, groundbreaking barrels that are highly customized,” said Mike Mosley, GM, Advanced Composites at Avient. “Unlike traditional carbon fiber wrapped barrels, our Composite Heat Release materials are specifically formulated to remove heat from the internal steel bore. Because of this, barrels made with this technology heat slower and cool faster than the competition.”
For more info: avient.com
2024 SSSF National Championship Continues To Break Records
The 2023–2024 season for the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation’s (SSSF) youth development programs has concluded with another record-breaking National Championship, hosted at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. Between the SSSF’s clay target and action shooting youth programs, 40 states were represented at the National Championships, which saw over 3 million rounds safely fired without incident.
Once again in 2024, the SASP broke the world record for the largest action shooting event in the world, all by youth athletes. With over 2,600 entries, athletes safely fired over 565,000 rounds of ammunition in competition, along with side matches, sponsor demos and practices tallying in additional hundreds of thousands of rounds. SCTP participation surged as well with over 3,100 athletes and over 9,000 event entries during the 12-day event schedule. This marks the largest national championship the SCTP has ever conducted, with over 2 million White Flyer targets being thrown in competition, side matches and practice.
The SASP and SCTP programs focus on team-based youth shooting sports as the catalyst for youth development into high-quality, responsible young adults. Both programs serve as official youth feeders for the respective sports of USA Shooting. Athletes competing in the international disciplines of the SCTP and SASP often have Junior Olympic and Olympic goals in mind, with the youth feeding programs fostering those ambitions with additional opportunities.
For more info: sssfonline.org
Industry Shows Support Of MidwayUSA Foundation
The Vortex Optics campus recently welcomed MidwayUSA Foundation for an exclusive event to support youth shooting sports. This event brought key players from the industry together, offering every attendee the experience of a lifetime while also raising over $90,000 for youth shooting sports. Vortex Optics, Silencer Central, Ruger and Federal Premium Ammunition, all sponsors of MidwayUSA Foundation, attended and provided customized gear for each guest to use and take home.
Attendees started the experience with a VIP tour of the Vortex Optics campus before they received in-depth product training from each company covering the function, design and details of the firearm and the accessories. Next, the group put their knowledge and skills to the test on both a 100-yard indoor range and a 1,000-yard outdoor range. Using their newly customized and fitted rifle, scope, and suppressor kit, every attendee hit a 1,000-yard target, earning them an exclusive Vortex challenge coin.
In addition, Vortex Optics allowed every attendee registration to be a direct donation to the youth shooting team endowment of the guest’s choice. MidwayUSA Foundation matched those donations, totaling over $90,000 for youth shooting program endowments.
“It is humbling to see industry leaders, Vortex Optics, Ruger Firearms, Silencer Central and Federal Premium Ammunition, come together to support MidwayUSA Foundation and the future of youth shooting sports. Their commitment to our nation’s communities and youth is without exception, and we were honored to work with them on this unique collaborative event,” said MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director G. Scott Reynolds.
For more info: midwayusafoundation.org
ASP Equips French Army For Olympics Security
Just weeks before the Olympic opening ceremonies, the French Ministry of Defense contacted MP-SEC — the European distributor for Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP) — with an urgent request. As part of the host country’s massive antiterrorism plans, ASP was asked if it could produce and ship over 7,000 of its tactical police batons, and an equal number of carrying scabbards, to arrive in France within around 3 weeks.
ASP Vice President of Sales, Daryell Harmon, said the company is ideally set up to meet urgent demands like this one.
“We invest a huge amount of money in keeping substantial supplies of parts and materials on hand,” he noted. “This allows us to build a wide variety of products to order, often on nearly impossibly short notice. We have a tremendous partnership with MP-SEC, and they have the facilities and resources to make sure that if we do our part and make the gear fast enough, it will get to the end users in time.”
The order for ASP Talon expandable batons and Envoy Scabbards — around 15,000 units in all — was received on June 18. It was produced, packaged and shipped in under three weeks, and was in the hands of French soldiers well before the torch was lit.
“Our motto is ‘Protecting Those Who Protect,’” said Harmon, “and this is how we walk the talk.”
For more info: asp-usa.com
