AIRPORT CAMPAIGN COINCIDES WITH INDUSTRY SUMMIT, SAAMI MEETING . . . Members of the firearms industry–and all other travelers–flying into Bradley International Airport in Hartford and T.F. Green Airport in Providence will notice the NSSF-sponsored campaign promoting industry’s “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” firearm safety initiative. Designed to encourage secure storage of firearms when not in use among all firearms owners, the safety information campaign, a component of NSSF’s Project ChildSafe program, coincides with June as National Safety Month. Featured in terminal displays and on highway billboards, the campaign also coincides with the NSSF Industry Summit in Springfield and the annual meetings of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute in Providence–both slated for this week.
NSSF Industry Summit
INDUSTRY LEADERS GATHER FOR NSSF INDUSTRY SUMMIT . . . Leaders from industry, state wildlife agencies and hunting and shooting organizations will consider strategies to expand participation in the shooting sports at the NSSF Industry Summit in Springfield, Massachusetts, this week from Monday evening through Wednesday afternoon. Attendees will listen to experts from both inside and outside of industry, review successful recruitment-and-retention initiatives, and discuss increasing diversity in the shooting sports and how to handle social media attacks on hunters and hunting. Learn more, see a list of attendees and view the agenda at nssf.org/summit.
#NSSFSUMMIT . . . Summit attendees who use Twitter are encouraged to include the hashtag #NSSFSummit in their tweets to contribute to a “live journal” of the event that will benefit all those not able to be in Springfield for this important industry gathering. NSSF will collect #NSSFSummit posts and provide a link to them in next Monday’s Bullet Points. Hear something worth noting? Have an idea? Tweet it and tag it with #NSSFSummit.
Research
INTERESTED IN OPENING A SHOOTING RANGE OR FIREARMS RETAIL SHOP? . . . NSSF Customized Market Reports (CMR) are a great way to learn more about the demographic makeup, potential customer base and local competition in and around the area you’ve selected to open a range or retail establishment. A CMR from NSSF averages 80 pages and contains detailed data for a chosen radius on any U.S. address. To learn more about Customized Market Reports and how you can commission one, email Dianne Vrablic, NSSF research coordinator, at dvrablic@nssf.org or call her at 203-426-1320 ext. 263. More information on this report is available at the NSSF website. This custom report, which costs non-NSSF members $5,000, is available to NSSF members for $500. Read about one member’s experience with a CMR and view a sample report.
ALL ABOUT “MODERN SPORTING RIFLES” ARTICLE . . . In the May 2014 Varmint Issue of AR Guns & Hunting, NSSF’s director, industry research & analysis, Jim Curcuruto, penned an article “Many Uses, Many Sales Lead To Many Questions” that provides answers to questions such as “How many Americans own an MSR?,” “How popular are they?” “Why are they being purchased?” and “Who is buying them?” NSSF has conducted much research on MSR’s and MSR owners to better understand this important market segment. One such research report, MSR Comprehensive Consumer Report 2013, may be accessed for free by NSSF business members by logging in and selecting “Explore Titles Available” under the Shopping Cart, then selecting “Research” in the gray bar. Not a member but want to be? Contact NSSF Member Services at membership@nssf.org.
Import/Export Conference
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR IMPORT/EXPORT CONFERENCE . . . To help industry members navigate the federal laws and regulations that govern the import and export of firearms and related products, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the FAIR Trade Group will present our 13th annual Firearms Import/Export Conference on Aug. 5-6. This year’s conference features a morning of round-table sessions with key ATF branches, Customs and Border Protection, Treasury’s Tax and Trade Bureau, and Census Bureau’s Automated Export System. The conference will also feature presentations from ATF, an update on the U.N. arms trade control actions, and State Department speakers covering policy updates, enforcement trends, compliance, commercial export policies and brokering licenses, among other topics. Register now for early bird pricing.
Government Relations
BIPARTISAN SPORTSMEN’S ACT NEEDS MORE SENATE CO-SPONSORS . . . The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014, S. 2363, is the most important package of measures for the benefit of sportsmen in a generation and the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s number one priority in the Senate. More than 40 national pro-sportsmen’s and pro-conservation organizations are urging expedited U.S. Senate passage. To keep S. 2363 moving forward, call your senators at 202-224-3121 and ask them to co-sponsor the bill if they haven’t already done so. Find the list of co-sponsors and call today or as soon as possible. This vital piece of legislation will prevent the restriction of hunters’ ammunition choices, provide state fish & wildlife agencies with more flexibility to use Pittman-Robertson funds to build and maintain public shooting ranges, and help provide more access to federal lands and waters for hunting, recreational fishing, and shooting. For a good review of S. 2363, read this Field & Stream blog post.
U.S. SENATE PANEL PASSES JUSTICE, ATF SPENDING BILL . . . The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee late last week passed the FY2015 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which funds, among other agencies, the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The report that accompanied the bill included a recommended $3 million competitive grant program for firearms safety kits and gun locks.
HEARING HELD ON FAST-TRACK MASS. GUN BILL . . . After more than a year of committee hearings and task force recommendations, Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo last week held a hearing on proposed gun-control legislation at which NSSF testified. Much of the bill focuses on ensuring appropriate mental health records are submitted to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and is in response to NSSF’s FixNICS campaign. However, other sections of the bill mandate undefined suitability requirements for those seeking firearms licenses, violate federal tracing laws, force retailers to conduct paperwork on firearms they are not selling and allow the attorney general to further restrict handguns available for sale. NSSF will seek amendments, but many provisions had been negotiated before the hearing.
R.I. HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES FIXNICS BILL . . . In a welcome development, the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee held a hearing last week in which FixNICS legislation was approved and sent to the House floor. Jake McGuigan, NSSF Director, Government Relations, State Affairs, testified numerous times concerning the industry-supported FixNICS campaign and, most recently, this specific legislation. Rhode Island is currently not submitting any mental health records to NICS, making it one of the priority target states in NSSF’s nationwide FixNICS initiative.
CALIF. AMMUNITION REGISTRATION BILL HEARING TUESDAY IN SACRAMENTO . . . A hearing has been set for Tuesday, June 10, before the California Assembly Committee on Public Safety on SB 53 (DeLeon), a bill to require permits and registration for nearly all ammunition purchases. Under terms of the bill, the state would charge a fee and require a background check for a permit to buy rifle, shotgun and handgun ammunition. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in the State Capitol building, Room 126. SB 53 would reinstate provisions of previously enacted law not put into effect after a court ruled the definition of handgun ammunition used was unconstitutionally vague: 1) Ammunition sales could only be made in “face to face” transactions; 2) Purchaser information, including a signature and thumbprint would obtained by the retailer, and 3) The brand, type, and amount of ammunition purchased would be recorded for each transaction. NSSF is urging California residents to contact their Assembly Member to express opposition to SB 53. Find your legislator.
MICROSTAMPING IN N.Y. SENATE CODES COMMITTEE . . . In the wake of the SAFE Act implementation nightmare in their state, anti-gun legislators from New York City continue to seek passage of firearms microstamping legislation this year. A.3244A, sponsored by Assemblywoman Schimel, a member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, would result in the eventual ban of many firearms in the Empire State. Last week, the Assembly Codes Committee referred A.3244A to the Rules Committee for further consideration. NSSF expects that this legislation will see a vote on the Assembly floor in the near future. If microstamping were to become law, firearms manufacturers would be forced to employ a patented concept that independent studies indicate will not work consistently or reliably.
BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON HSUS . . . The organization Humane Watch continues to score major public awareness points in its ongoing effort to show that The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) engages in duplicitous fund-raising and has been caught by the legal system for trying to cover its tracks. Last week the organization ran this full-page ad in USA Today for the second time. A local television affiliate in Indianapolis, meanwhile, ran a story exposing where donations to HSUS actually go — and it’s not your local shelter. NSSF often squares off against the HSUS in state capitals as it pursues its anti-hunting agenda.
PLEASANT HILL, CALIF. CITY COUNCIL WEIGHS ZONING CHANGE . . . The Pleasant Hill City Council tonight is scheduled to consider amending the zoning ordinance to incorporate restrictions from the firearms ordinance on where gun stores may operate that it has already passed. Last month, planning commissioners voted unanimously against recommending approval of the amendments, in part, because they believed the rules were redundant, among other things. NSSF has filed suit against the city over the ordinance that requires federally licensed firearms retailers have a permit from police to operate their businesses. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane. Those who believe that this local ordinance is an unnecessary infringement on the lawful commerce in firearms should attend tonight’s meeting. Read a local news story.
For more Government Relations news, read NSSF’s latest Government Relations Update.
Retailers
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ORCHID ADVISORY: SPENDING A LITTLE TIME WITH ATF FORM 4473 . . . Whether you are astorefront FFL dealer or a nationwide chain, 75 fields on a Form 4473 need to be properly completed with each firearms transaction. Given the requirements to comply (or even exceed expectations), one can develop sound training, processes and monitoring controls to achieve success. Remember, auditors will be auditors, and each error can potentially translate to an unwanted violation. Orchid Advisors is an endorsed compliance information provider for NSSF members. Read Spending A Little Time with ATF Form 4473.
MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED . . . This week we answer two more of the many questions received on NSSF’s members-only ATF compliance hotline. One question concerns transferring firearms to a dealer out of state, and the other is about running a NICS check on a customer who special ordered a firearm. Take a moment to make sure you know the correct procedures and share them with your staff.
News of Note
FN MANUFACTURING AND FNH USA TO CONSOLIDATE U.S. OPERATIONS . . . The Herstal Group has announced it will consolidate FN Manufacturing in Columbia, South Carolina, and FNH USA in McLean, Virginia, into a single entity, FN America, which will be headquartered in McLean. FN America’s production facilities will remain in South Carolina. “The consolidation of FN Manufacturing and FNH USA creates an exciting opportunity for efficiency, growth and profitability,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO of FNH USA. “This merger will ensure a stronger, more agile organization that is better poised to meet current and future U.S. market challenges.” Read more.
RAISING FUNDS TO FIGHT ILLNESS AND PROMOTING THE SHOOTING SPORTS . . . The charitable organization Shoot For A Cure, with outstanding support from many firearms industry companies and NSSF, recently made a $200,000 donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since 2003, Shoot For A Cure has raised over 1.9 million dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the National MS Society and various other charitable causes, thrown over 1,250,000 targets and introduced more than 7,000 new shooters to the fun and excitement of sporting clays shooting. Read more about Shoot For A Cure.
INDUSTRY TO “PLUNDER” TREASURE COAST . . . Supporting the First Shots Program and the USA Shooting Team, the 12th annual Shooting Industry Masters, owned and produced by FMG Publications, is slated to take place July 18-19, at the Indian River Shooting Range in Sebastian, Florida. This year’s industry-only event is celebrating a record number of teams and sponsors signing on to participate in this year’s Masters on the Treasure Coast — which will have a distinct pirate theme to it. Since 2001 the Shooting Industry Masters has raised nearly $300,000 for NSSF programs and the USA Shooting Team, helping to strengthen awareness as well as support for the sport of shooting. Read more about the Masters.
MINNESOTA GOVERNOR OPENS YOUTH TRAPSHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIPS . . . Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton on Friday took part in the opening ceremonies of the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League’s 2014 championship, TwinCities.com reports. A total of 3,948 high school athletes were registered to shoot over the course of five days. Upwards of 15,000 people are expected to attend. “It’s the fastest-growing high school sport in Minnesota — over 6,100 participants,” Dayton said. “It’s just grown exponentially from when it started. Look at it here, 8 in the morning, and this place is just filled with parents and coaches and kids who are learning something they can do for the rest of their life and do responsibly.”
OWAA EIC CONTEST WINNERS . . . The Outdoor Writers Association of America has announced the winners of the 2014 Excellence in Craft Contests. First-, second- and third-place winners were chosen in 10 contests, with cash prizes totaling more than $11,000. Prizes were presented to winners at OWAA’s 87th annual conference, May 23-25, in McAllen, Texas. Read the press release.
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