An Industry Under Fire
Here in mid-June, the industry is facing multiple attacks from the anti-gun/anti-industry movement. Their efforts to suppress gun rights were reignited following the tragic shootings at a Buffalo, N.Y., grocery store and elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Firearms manufacturers, accessory makers, dealers and other businesses have come under significant fire from elected officials, government agencies and other entities.
In Congress, outlandish efforts such as a proposed 1,000% tax on ARs/MSRs have been floated. At the state level, New York raised the age requirement for buying a semi-auto rifle to 21, while the Delaware General Assembly passed a gun control package banning AR-15s and magazines with a capacity greater than 17 rounds, among other measures.
Even the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has joined in, with a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register (published June 9) including a phased ban on traditional ammunition by 2026. (There is a touch of irony with this decision, as the USFWS announced earlier this year a record-breaking $1.5 billion was apportioned to the states for conservation projects, of which $1.1 billion was directly tied to Pittman-Robertson excise taxes paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers.)
From The White House
These efforts have been upstaged by President Biden’s recent public statements, which have made his views on gun ownership quite clear.
May 24, the day of the tragic school shooting, the president said, “The idea an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong.” He later added, “It’s just sick.”
May 30, President Biden expanded his scope to include 9mm handguns, which he labeled a “high-caliber weapon.” During an exchange with reporters outside Marine One, he continued, “there’s simply no rational basis for [9mm handguns] in terms of thinking about self-protection, hunting.”
“We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And if we can’t ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21.”
President Joe Biden
June 2, the president spoke to the nation during a primetime address, where he repeated a familiar trope expressing his views of gun ownership and the industry.
“We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” he said. “And if we can’t ban assault weapons, then we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21. Strengthen background checks. Enact safe storage laws and red-flag laws. Repeal the immunity that protects gun manufacturers from liability. Address the mental health crisis deepening the trauma of gun violence and as a consequence of that violence.”
Bipartisan Action
June 21, a bipartisan group of senators — led by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) — unveiled the text of the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.” The bill includes a mix of support for mental health and school security measures, as well as strengthened background checks. It calls for expanding background checks for 18-to-21-year-olds purchasing a firearm and closing the so-called “boyfriend loophole.”
Upon introducing the bill, Sen. Cornyn admitted it’s “not going to please everyone.”
“Some think it goes too far. Others think it doesn’t go far enough. And I get it,” he said. “But the nature of compromise and the nature of actually wanting to get a result requires everybody try to find common ground where we can.”
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Remington Ammunition Helps Families Nationwide With Gun Club Cure
The newest addition to Remington Ammunition’s Gun Club product family, Gun Club Cure, is destined to help families nationwide. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Gun Club line will benefit children’s hospitals and disease research. Loaded in the U.S. with Remington components, Gun Club Cure delivers the trusted performance Remington is known for while giving back to those in need.
“We’re thrilled to bring Gun Club Cure to the 2022 new product lineup, and we couldn’t be more excited to help such a good cause,” said Joel Hodgdon, Remington director of marketing. “These loads give Remington shooters a great opportunity to give back to those in need and the beautiful color of Remington Blue will stand out when you’re at the range showing your support of families in need.”
Gun Club Cure is available in two 12 GA loads: 2 3/4″ (8 Shot 1,100 fps) and 2 3/4″ (8 Shot, 1,145 fps).
ALLEN Company Acquires Breakthrough Clean Technologies
Allen Company announced the acquisition of Breakthrough Clean, an innovative manufacturer of firearm and outdoor gear cleaning products.
“The Breakthrough team is excited to be joining the Allen team. We’ve worked extremely hard to develop truly innovative products, and with the help of the Allen team, we have even higher aspirations to take the brand and the products to the next level,” stated Breakthrough Founder Erick Navarro.
“Allen Company is excited to bring Breakthrough Clean Technologies into our family of products and our company. We plan to take a vastly different approach than most acquisitions in our industry by devoting the resources needed to significantly grow their market share. Breakthrough will be a great addition to our family-owned business which strives to bring exceptional products at affordable value to the consumer as well as increase our efficiency with our retail and wholesale partners,” said George Cavanaugh, Allen’s founder and president.
Arriving late fall 2022, the initial Wilson-built NULA rifles will be the Model 20S and Model 20 (pictured).
There are also plans to offer the Model 24 and Model 28 at a later date.
New Ultralight Arms Joins The Wilson Combat Family
Wilson Combat announced the acquisition of the assets of New Ultralight Arms LLC in Granville, W.Va.
A company press release stated, “Melvin Forbes’ New Ultralight Arms (NULA) has been the leader in high quality, extremely lightweight bolt rifles since 1985 and is a perfect fit for the Wilson family of companies. Prior to Melvin’s NULA rifles, an accurate 5# rifle chambered in one of the .308 family of cartridges was considered impossible.
“We’re pleased Melvin will be supplying us with all the necessary technical advice needed for a seamless transition, continuing his legacy of building the highest quality, lightest weight rifles on the market. Melvin plans to continue to be available to discuss his fine ‘Melvin’ rifles over the phone. Together with Melvin and Bill, and our skilled gunsmiths and machinists will perfect the proven techniques required to achieve the highest quality and performance standard of these fine rifles.”
Production of NULA rifles will relocate from West Virginia to the Wilson Combat plant in northwest Arkansas in the coming months. Initial product offerings will be the Model 20S (chambered in .223 Wylde, 300 HAMR and .350 Legend) and Model 20 (chambered in .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm 08 Rem., .284 Win. and .308 Win.), with further plans to extend offerings to include Model 24 (chambered in .270 Win. and .30-06) and Model 28 (chambered in 7mm Mag. and .300 WM).
Wilson Combat plans to allow pre-order of the NULA line, with estimated first production delivery in late fall 2022.
NULA is the newest member to the Wilson family of companies, which includes Chip McCormick Custom, Circle WC Ranch, Khumba Bush Camp, Lehigh Defense, Scattergun Technologies, Wilson Custom Ammunition and Wilson Combat.
Springfield Armory’s FIRSTLINE Program Supports First Responders
Springfield Armory announced FIRSTLINE, a new program to support America’s first responders by offering generous discounts on a select line of products.
“We recognize the sacrifices these individuals make every day for all of us, and we want to do our part to help protect and support them,” said Phil Rawlings, VP of sales and L.E. for Springfield Armory.
The FIRSTLINE program is open to a wide range of qualified professionals. Those categories are: active and retired law enforcement officers; paramedics and fire fighters; active and retired military personnel, including reservists and National Guard; honorably discharged veterans; corrections, parole and probation officers; state-licensed armed security officers; commercial pilots and federal flight-deck officers; court judges and prosecutors; L.E. academy cadets.
FIRSTLINE is designed to be simple and streamlined, ensuring qualified first responders can access the benefits as easily as possible. The program is dealer-direct, with immediate discounts on products. Qualified users can visit one of nearly 200 authorized dealer locations nationwide and purchase the firearm of their choice.
The select line of FIRSTLINE firearms from Springfield Armory includes 38 specific models and variants from the Hellcat, 1911, XD, SAINT, Hellion and M1A families of firearms. All pistols offered in the line come with three magazines.
Travel Company Expands Incentive Travel For The Industry
The Art of Travel Company announced it has added corporate incentive travel to its offerings, to include incentive travel for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry.
The woman-owned travel agency was founded in 2017 by Air Force veteran Paula Iwanski, who spent more than 20 years as a marketing and sales professional in the shooting industry.
As companies in the industry strive to retain and replace staff during the “great resignation,” more business leaders are adding incentive travel programs to improve employee relations and attract high-quality talent.
“Educating my colleagues and customers in the firearms marketplace about creative marketing trends outside our industry has always been important. It’s an open secret we struggle with retention and hiring from outside our own walls, so the time is ideal for helping companies excel. Incentive travel is an excellent way to connect with, motivate and reward your workforce. It pulls people in and builds morale and loyalty in a unique way,” said Iwanski.
While incentive programs traditionally focus on top performers and senior team members, companies are now working to close the gap between what senior leadership teams value and what their employees appreciate.
The Art of Travel Company LLC is an affiliate of Virtuoso’s Valerie Wilson Travel (VWT). The affiliation gives Iwanski’s agency the advantage of VWT’s big-agency buying power.
Wicked North Gear Acquires DIY Taxidermy Company
Hunting manufacturer and lifestyle brand Wicked North Gear has completed the acquisition of DIY taxidermy manufacturer, Big 8 Products.
“Big 8 has brought smart, clean and relevant designs into the hunting industry, so we were very interested when the opportunity for acquisition was presented to us,” said Bobby Herda, Wicked North founder and CEO. “Adding DIY taxidermy to our lineup is a natural addition to our post-harvest solutions. The brand on the products will change, but the same product quality Big 8 customers have come to expect will be well-represented within the Wicked North brand.”
Big 8 Products launched in 2019, with its patent-pending Change Up Antler Mount delivering an easy DIY, less-mess solution for skull mounts and for matching or single sheds for the shed hunter. Follow-up product introductions like the Turkey Beard Hanger and Hang Up European Mounting Bracket have been well received by the market.
When Wicked North launched in 2020, the company targeted the hunting segment with a memorable brand and a Turkey Field Dressing Kit and has maintained its growth.
Glen Reich, director of e-commerce for Kelly Brand Management, added, “I knew right away this acquisition would be a perfect fit when I compared each of the brands’ strengths. The robust community Wicked North has developed over the years, combined with the expanded assortment of quality taxidermy products Big 8 Products created, offers a massive opportunity for growth. Retailers and consumers alike should be very excited to see these products on store shelves this fall.”
The plan is to sell the current inventory of Big 8-branded products as they build their newly branded Wicked North SKUs.
Winchester Awarded NGSW Contract
Olin Winchester announced the U.S. Army has awarded the company a $15 million cost-plus contract for the design of the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) ammunition manufacturing facility.
Work will be performed at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, Mo., the United States’ only government-owned, contractor-operated small caliber ammunition production facility.
“Winchester is honored to have been awarded this NGSW ammunition manufacturing facility design project at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant,” said Brett Flaugher, president of Winchester. “The ultimate design will incorporate best practices, key learnings and stakeholder input to create a state-of-the-art production facility which delivers the U.S.
Army an optimal manufacturing solution for NGSW ammunition. The NGSW ammunition produced at Lake City’s new facility will equip the American Warfighter for success on the battlefield for generations to come, helping to ensure the nation’s security and defense.”
Lake City recently announced a recruitment campaign aimed at hiring its Next Generation workforce.
“These skilled individuals will form the crucial first generation of the Winchester NGSW ammunition production team at Lake City,” Flaugher said. “This team’s focus will be to ensure every round of 6.8mm ammunition produced at Lake City is Warfighter ready.”
Trulock’s new 4,000 sq. ft. warehouse will be used to house overflow material and
provide additional space for machinery — giving the company added control over
its supply chain. New machinery will also enable Trulock to serve customers better.
Trulock Choke Tubes Expands Business
Trulock Choke Tubes is expanding its business by purchasing a 4,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Whigham, Ga. Renovations on the space were completed in May, and this warehouse will be used to house overflow material storage and provide additional space for machinery.
“We’ve needed this space for some time as demand for our choke tubes has increased over the years. Plus, we never want to be in a situation where we’re subject to supply chain issues, so now we have the capabilities to store materials at a low cost, which will allow us to continue to deliver high-quality products quickly and at a reasonable price to our customers,” shared George Trulock, president of Trulock Choke Tubes.
Another way Trulock is serving customers is the addition of a Fanuc Robodrill vertical machining center at its facility. This automated vertical machining unit is equipped with many features to assist Trulock in producing a specific firearm part for one of Trulock’s major firearm accounts.
“This Robodrill is extremely accurate and rapid, which allows us to increase our productivity while maintaining exacting quality standards,” said Trulock. “It offers an automatic pallet changing shuttle system, a 1,000 PSI coolant system and exceptionally fast chip-to-chip time. All of these features allow us to do more in less time and deliver quickly to our customer.”
Celerant Technology Partners With Countrywide Sports
Celerant Technology, provider of retail software for the firearms industry, recently integrated its technology with firearms, ammunition and accessories distributor Countrywide Sports (CWS).
The integration allows dealers of all sizes to automate their supply chain, carry more inventory and better manage their businesses, including ATF compliance. Dealers can carry more products in-store and online by auto-ordering and displaying data feeds from CWS via Celerant’s retail software.
“With all the supply-chain disruptions, it’s important to have access to your vendor’s stock levels as quickly as possible. Integrating with Celerant provides our dealers with the technology they need to operate their businesses and leverage our available, on-hand inventory,” said David Gregory, president of CWS.
Through Celerant’s point-of-sale, dealers can access the CWS catalog and import its products, with no manual entry required. They can send automated purchase orders from the software’s backend and set up minimum/maximum inventory levels to reduce their overstocks.
“To be successful in today’s market, firearm dealers need inventory as fast as possible, and the ability to automate their supply chain. Partnering with Countrywide Sports provides just that. Our integration automates processes for ordering, populating websites with products and drop-shipping — helping our dealers to be more competitive and successful,” said Ian Goldman, president and CEO of Celerant.
Celerant’s integration with CWS is available for both Cumulus Retail and Stratus Enterprise.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), New York Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Hunters of Color,
New York Department of Environmental Conservation and National Deer Association came
together to host a Field to Fork mentored hunting event for aspiring hunters from the Black,
Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community. (Photo: Screenshot from NDA’s
“Finding New Deer Hunters in Under-Represented Communities” YouTube video.)
NDA Addresses Under-Represented Hunting Populations
The National Deer Association (NDA) has joined a growing movement in the outdoor industry seeking to increase hunter participation from underrepresented communities in the U.S., and shore up conservation funding.
The NDA cites a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey conducted every five years that shows the number of people who participate in hunting has been declining since the 1980s. The same data shows of the approximately 11.5 million licensed hunters in the U.S., 90% are male and 97% are Caucasian.
The country’s wildlife conservation system is heavily dependent on sportsmen and women for funding, with license fees and excise taxes providing more than 60% of the funds for state wildlife agencies. This need makes outreach to a more diverse group of future hunters critical.
Nov. 2021, the NDA teamed with several other hunting and conservation organizations to host a Field to Fork mentored hunting event for aspiring hunters from the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), New York Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Hunters of Color and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation took part.
The event was hosted on TNC’s Hannacroix Preserve and the NSSF Hunting Heritage Trust grant program provided financial support. Participants ranged in age from 34–62. They were given the opportunity to go through New York Hunter Education, learn about deer biology and behavior through NDA’s Deer Hunting 101 online course, gain experience shooting, go on multiple hunts with an experienced mentor by their side and enjoy the camaraderie of a deer camp.
“We wanted to make sure this program was specific, and having groups that target and work with (underrepresented) communities was critical,” said Paul Gallery, TNC steward coordinator.
The NDA also recently released a six-minute video documentary of the hunt as an outreach tool. It is available on its YouTube channel at youtube.com/deerassociation.
“It’s totally possible to teach yourself how to hunt, but these programs are so important because you’re learning from experts; you’re learning from people who want you to be there as well,” said Lydia Parker, executive director and co-founder of Hunters of Color.
Plans are underway for more such events.
Mossberg, APEX Help Powell Win Premier Turkey Hunt
Mossberg’s Linda Powell earned the title of Grand Champion at this year’s Alabama Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt, held on various hunting lands around the state in late March.
Powell took the hunt’s largest gobbler — 25+ lbs., with an 11.75″ beard and 1.125″ spurs — with Mossberg’s new 940 Pro Turkey auto-loading shotgun and APEX Turkey Tungsten Super Shot #9s.
The Alabama Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt is a premier event that was started in 2002 and last held in 2015. The event raises funds to benefit the many projects of the Alabama Conservation and Natural Resources Foundation, including scholarships at the University of Alabama and Auburn University.
A total of 64 hunters participated in this latest invitation-only event, including CEOs, corporate presidents, outdoor and entertainment celebrities, media representatives and sponsors.
Powell and her guide, Justin Rock of Riverview Farms, worked at calling and repositioning the huge gobbler three times before she got her shot.
“I’ve used the APEX Tungsten Super Shot on all of my turkey hunts this spring, and have been so impressed with how well it patterns in my 940 and how effective it is in the field,” Powell said. “Everywhere I’ve hunted, the guides, landowners and other hunters have all asked what I am shooting and where (they can) buy that gun and ammo.”
“We couldn’t be happier for Linda, and tip our hats to her on not only bagging such a huge bird, but truly enjoying the process and experience of the hunt,” said Jason Lonsberry, CEO of APEX Ammunition.
