ICYMI: Industry News From
June 12–16, 2023
NSSF Reminds Recreational Shooters To Help Prevent Wildfires
NSSF reminds outdoor recreationists, including target shooters and hunters, to take precautions so they don’t accidentally ignite a wildfire.
NSSF’s “Help Prevent Wildfires” public service announcements campaign provides video and audio PSAs, an 8.5 x 11 poster, an infographic and shareable social media posts that remind recreational shooters and other outdoor enthusiasts to be mindful of their surroundings and to take precautions, such as:
• Being aware of official restrictions on shooting and other activities in fire-prone areas
• Not using tracer rounds, exploding targets or ammunition that is steel-jacketed or contains steel-core components
• Knowing that a vehicle’s hot exhaust systems can ignite dry vegetation
• Making sure all campfires and smoking materials are properly extinguished
“After seeing the awful destruction and heartbreak wildfires can cause, no one would want to accidentally be the cause of one,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF president and CEO. “As gun owners, we care about safeguarding our communities and our natural resources, and so we remind everyone to check the fire-danger levels in their area and take precautions before heading outdoors to pursue our warm-weather activities, including recreational shooting.”
For more info: www.nssf.org
Streamlight Renews C.O.P.S. Support For 24th Year
Streamlight Inc. has renewed its sponsorship of Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) for the 24th year in a row. The company’s support helps to underwrite ongoing programs and activities for survivors of fallen officers. Streamlight’s 2023 contribution as a C.O.P. S. Guardian Sponsor totaled $144,500, including proceeds from recent sales of its “blue” C.O.P.S. logoed products.
Every year, Streamlight earmarks $1.00 from the sale of each Blue Nano Light for C.O.P.S. The keychain flashlight boasts a super bright white LED and a double-sided FOB that features the C.O.P.S. logo on one side and Streamlight’s logo on the other side. Streamlight also donates $2 from the sale of each Blue Siege AA lantern, featuring one white and two blue LEDs and the C.O.P.S. logo on its globe.
“Streamlight is proud to serve as a Guardian Sponsor of C.O.P.S., and to support the organization’s many programs for those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty,” said Streamlight President and CEO Ray Sharrah. “As a leading provider of lighting equipment for first responders, we are committed not only to providing tools to keep police safe, but also to assisting C.O.P.S. in the important work they do for law enforcement.”
For more info: www.streamlight.com
Freedom Munitions And United AG & Turf Finalize Partnership
Freedom Munitions and United Ag & Turf (UAT) announced a strategic partnership that will supply ammunition directly to UAT’s farm, fleet and turf customer base though UAT locations across the country.
Freedom Munitions will maintain brand exclusivity throughout UAT retail sites, offering many of their standard pistol and rifle calibers to provide a wide selection of ammunition to UAT’s customer base.
This partnership came about through Fernandez Holdings Inc., which currently owns UAT and has recently acquired.
“It’s a very logical partnership,” said Toby Thill, president of Freedom Munitions. “This move strengthens both Freedom and UAT by increasing Freedom’s reach and offering UAT customers a key product which is most likely integral to their lifestyle.”
Freedom Munitions’ ammunition will initially be available in July in six store locations: Van Alstyne and Haltom, Texas; Ardmore, Oklahoma; as well as three locations in Maine-Fairfield, Auburn and Presque Isle before expanding into more of UAT’s 93 total locations.
For more info: www.freedommunitions.com
Crimson Trace Announces Consumer Rebate Program
Crimson Trace announced it is offering a rebate with the purchase of certain Crimson Trace products from May 1, 2023 through July 31, 2023 in the CT Sight-In and Save Program. The rebate offer is valid on the purchase of any Crimson Trace product priced at $100 or higher at retail locations in the U.S.
The purchase of any Crimson Trace product priced at $100 or higher at any U.S. location where Crimson Trace products are sold between May 1, 2023 and July 31, 2023 qualifies customers for the Crimson Trace rebate program. Customers must complete and submit the online rebate form. All submissions must include proof of purchase and be submitted electronically on or before August 15, 2023. Rebate categories include:
• $25 USD prepaid card on the purchase of any Crimson Trace item priced $100–$249.99
• $50 USD prepaid card on the purchase of any Crimson Trace item priced $250–$499.99
• $75 USD prepaid card on the purchase of any Crimson Trace item priced $500–$749.99
• $100 USD prepaid card on the purchase of any Crimson Trace item priced $750+
For more info: www.crimsontrace.com/rebate-2023
SAAMI Auction Raises Funds For USA Shooting & NSSF’s Project ChildSafe
At its annual meeting last week in Branson, Mo., the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute Inc. (SAAMI) auctioned many generously donated products from the industry to raise $20,000 in support of USA Shooting and $4,000 in support of Project ChildSafe, the firearm safety program of NSSF.
“While conducting the important business of SAAMI at our annual meeting, it was both fun and an honor for attendees to raise funds to support two programs that mean so much to our industry — USA Shooting and the Project ChildSafe Foundation that supports NSSF’s gun safety program of the same name,” said SAAMI President and CEO Joe Bartozzi, who also is NSSF’s president and CEO and chairman of the Project ChildSafe Foundation.
Industry sponsors of the SAAMI auction were: AccuShoot, AKT1 Sport, Ammo-Up, Arms Appraisals, Beretta, BPI Outdoor, Bravo Concealment, Browning, CCI/Speer, Colt’s, Electronic Shooters Protection, Federal, Fiocchi, GLOCK, Havel’s Medical, Hodgdon Powder, Hornady Manufacturing, H-S Precision, Kahr Arms, Kent Cartridge, Mossberg, New River Energetics, North American Arms, Nosler, NSSF, Olin/Winchester, Ruger, Savage, SIG SAUER, Smith & Wesson, Specialty Cartridge, Taurus, Timney Triggers, True Velocity, USA Shooting and Weatherby.
For more info: www.saami.org
NSSF Awards $50,000 In Patron Member Student Scholarships
NSSF awarded $50,000 in scholarship funds to 20 students in its essay contest open to employees of Patron Member companies and their family members.
“We congratulate the scholarship winners and extend our appreciation to all who entered the essay contest,” said Samantha Hill, NSSF’s director, member services, who oversees the NSSF Patron Member Scholarship Program. “In their winning essays, students explored issues that affect firearm ownership in America today and the future of target shooting and hunting. This scholarship program allows NSSF to recognize its Patron Member companies for their extraordinary commitment to their trade association.”
Earning the grand prize $8,000 scholarship was Kendall Boone, whose father is an employee at Olin Winchester. Taking the first prize scholarship of $5,000 was Victoria Wegley, whose father also works at Olin Winchester. The second prize scholarship of $3,000 was awarded to Andrew Harlow, who is employed at Sturm, Ruger & Co.
The 17 runner-up prize winners each received $2,000. They are Mattie Lively, Olin Winchester; Landon Zentz, Hornady; Bowen Mather, Sturm Ruger; Anna Livermore, FN America; Hayden Livermore, FN America; Jacob Schwartz, Olin Winchester; Wyatt Tiller, Timber Creek Outdoors; Philip Mather, Sturm, Ruger; Hadlee Russell, Sturm Ruger; Andrew King, Fiocchi; Cappi Hoeting, Sturm Ruger; Leif Hogg, Fiocchi; Lilly Dunn, Olin Winchester; Ciara Cooper, Olin Winchester; Jacob Bleisch, Olin Winchester; Breena Davis, Olin Winchester; and Joseph Brinkley, Sturm Ruger.
NSSF makes the scholarships available as a means of thanking its Patron Members for their substantial financial support of NSSF and its mission to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.
For more info: www.nssf.org
Garand Collectors Association Donates $30,000 To 2023 CMP Scholarships
Along with the $218,000 in scholarships awarded by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) in 2023, the Garand Collectors Association (GCA) provided a generous $30,000 contribution to be distributed amongst the remarkable young applicants from across the country. These top individuals were chosen by the CMP Scholarship Committee and awarded a one-time, $3,000 scholarship.
Receiving the $3,000 GCA scholarships were Kenlee Ewton (Soddy Daisy, TN), Caroline Audette (Fort Mill, SC), Elizabeth Lilly (Marble Falls, TX), Kimi Yokoyama (Honolulu, HI), Kaitlyn Choy (Kaneohe, HI), Diane Heschel (Oak Harbor, OH), Emma Bueschel (Joliet, IL), Garrison Brown (New Stanton, PA), Paige Hildebrandt (Belgrade, MT), Colby Fujino (Honolulu, HI), Ashton Arlington (Granbury, TX), Jenna Kruger (Pierre, SD), Christian Bell (Parrish, FL), Elijah Spencer (Boise, ID), Olivia Schammel (Kingwood, TX), Tess Hines (Springfield, VA), Matthew Stout (Poquoson, VA), Ava Downs (Muskego, WI), Blake Jankowski (Toms River, NJ) and Ada Korkhin (Brookline, MA).
The GCA’s mission is to exchange information and expand knowledge of the M1, to publicize and preserve its history and to assist others in collecting the rifle for personal and competitive use. The organization has also shown unwavering support for the upcoming generation of marksmen and women, such as through these noteworthy scholarships.
For more info: www.thegca.org
Mission First Tactical Announces New Manufacturing & Distribution Facility
Mission First Tactical (MFT) announced it has officially moved into its new manufacturing and distribution facility. MFT is now located at 945 Horsham Road, Horsham, PA 19044.
The new 40,000-sq. ft. manufacturing and distribution facility will enable MFT to serve its dealer base and vendors well into the distant future. The company added sales offices, conference rooms and product training rooms, and state-of-the-art warehousing enabling MFT to streamline inventory, shipping and receiving processes.
“This move gives us the capacity to grow and expand our holsters and accessories lines with a greater offering of products, and the ability to operate at the highest level,” said Gordon Edelman, MFT president. “With this new space, we are committed to the shooting sports industry and our partners for many years to come.”
For more info: www.missionfirsttactical.com
Wildlife Research Center Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Four decades ago, Wildlife Research Center started out with one simple idea: to make a better deer scent than anything else on the market. It took many years of extensive field testing on wild deer and hundreds of ingredients and formulations to get it just right. Then in 1983, the winning combination, Trail’s End #307, became the scent that started it all.
Trail’s End #307 is a complex blend of doe urine with estrus secretions and other ingredients that are highly effective at attracting whitetail bucks. This powerful attractor scent hits several appeals all at once.
For more info: www.wildlife.com
