KS&E GUNS’ CASE IN INDIANA SUPREME COURT . . . Lawyers for KS&E Guns argued before the Indiana Supreme Court last week that state law shields the store from liability in a civil lawsuit concerning an illegal straw purchase of a firearm that was later used to shoot an Indianapolis police officer. NSSF is involved in the case in the capacity of a friend of the court. KS&E is being sued by the officer who was wounded in a shootout. Read the Indiana Lawyer account.
LEGAL
Read NSSF’s latest Government Relations Update for more.
ATF ISSUES NITROCELLULOSE UPDATE . . . To end growing confusion and uncertainty, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) last week issued an addendum to its June 2016 Explosives Industry Newsletter that included a brief discussion of nitrocellulose and attempted to clarify the circumstances under which wetted nitrocellulose is considered a high explosive under 27 CFR, Part 555. Read the ATF addendum.
POLL: MOST AMERICANS FAVOR PROTECTING SECOND AMENDMENT . . . A Pew Research poll shows 52 percent of Americans surveyed said they believe protecting the Second Amendment is more important than controlling gun ownership. In addition, 58 percent of those surveyed say that gun ownership does more to protect people from becoming victims of crime while only 37 percent believe it does more to put people at risk. Read the new blog post from the NSSF’s Larry Keane.
NEW FOR 2017: SUPPLIER SHOWCASE . . . The SHOT Show is creating a dedicated event for suppliers to present their products to industry manufacturers. The inaugural Supplier Showcase will be held the day before the show opens, Jan. 16. Learn more and view a list of suppliers already on board for the new event.
SHOT Show
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 3RD ANNUAL HAVA GOLF CLASSIC . . . Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual NSSF/HAVA Golf Classic. Organized to support Honored American Veterans Afield, the pre-SHOT Show outing is a charity event that raises money to support disabled veterans with their healing process through guided hunts, target shooting events and other outdoor sports activities. Register a team.
EXHIBITOR MEETING ROOMS NEARING SELL-OUT . . . SHOT Show exhibitor meeting room space is filling at an unusually fast rate, so we’d like to encourage everyone who anticipates needing a room for meetings other than press conferences to reserve a room while space is still available.
#GUNVOTE
RUGER JOINS NSSF’S #GUNVOTE PRESIDENT’S CLUB . . . Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has joined NSSF’s #GUNVOTE President’s Club, contributing $100,000 in support of the association’s critical voter registration and education campaign. NSSF’s #GUNVOTE provides vital information on the hundreds of pro-gun and anti-gun candidates up for election in 2016, as well links to polling places and voter registration, election news, voter education video resources and more.
Government Relations
BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO ADVANCE EXPORT CONTROL REFORM . . . House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), U.S. Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.) and U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) are leading efforts in Congress to urge the Obama administration to rescind its July guidance under the International Trade in Arms Regulations and complete the Export Control Reform Initiative for sporting firearms and ammunition. Sen. Donnelly also sent his own letter. Call your Senators and Representatives; urge them to support Export Control Reform. Read the NSSF Import/Export News alert.
REMINGTON, GLOCK SUE MASS. ATTORNEY GENERAL . . . Remington Arms Co. and Glock, Inc., have filed lawsuits against Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s investigation into what she says are possible safety problems involving guns manufactured by the companies. Earlier this year, Healey cited her authority under state consumer protection law to demand a wide range of documents, including complaints from customers. The companies contend Healey is abusing her authority by casting a broad net for documents, most outside of her state jurisdiction.
Retailers/Ranges
SHOT SHOW UNIVERSITY SPEAKER LINEUP CONTINUES TO GROW . . . The latest speakers to join the lineup for the 2017 SHOT Show University include Jean Zabel, Harry McCabe, Wally Nelson, Jared Sloane, Bryan Stear, Joe Keffer and Doug VanderWoude. Read more about presentations and other SHOT Show retailer news at shotshow.org.
ATF Q&A . . . More great questions came in on our 24/7 NSSF member compliance hotline last week. One question asks what information should be entered into the A&D records in regards to the heading “Type” under “Description of Firearm.”
DID YOU KNOW? . . . NSSF partners with a U.S. company to provide its members with a discount on safety markers that demonstrate a firearm’s chamber is unloaded. Learn more.
News of Note
KAHR ARMS BECOMES NSSF VOTING MEMBER . . . Award-winning manufacturer of defensive handguns Kahr Arms, based in Greeley, Pennsylvania, has recently been approved by the NSSF Board of Governors as an NSSF Voting Member.
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK . . . The America Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which recently announced a partnership with NSSF to develop educational materials for distribution by firearms retailers and shooting ranges, asks that you become more informed on the subject during National Suicide Prevention Week, September 5-11, by visiting this resource website.
U.S. SHOOTING ATHLETES READY FOR PARALYMPICS . . . Twenty-year-old McKenna Dahl is among the USA Paralympic Shooting team athletes who will compete at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro starting this Friday. Get to know the other team members.
NHF DAY EVENTS . . . National Hunting and Fishing Day is a great way to introduce youth and newcomers to traditional outdoor activities and at the same time remind people of the contributions sportsmen and women have made to protecting wildlife and habitat. Find an NHF Day event closest to you this NHF Day, Saturday, Sept. 24.
VISTA OUTDOOR ACQUIRES CAMP CHEF . . . Vista Outdoor, Inc., which includes Savage Arms and Federal Premium Ammunition among its outdoor industry brands, announced last week its acquisition of privately owned Camp Chef, a leading provider of camp stoves, grills, smokers, fire pits and cast-iron cookware.
JESSIE DUFF EARNS WSSC TITLES . . . Taurus Team Captain Jessie Duff won the Overall Single Stack and Ladies Open titles during the World Speed Shooting Championships at the SLOSA Hogue Action Pistol Range in San Luis Obispo, California.
MAX MICHEL NOTCHES WORLD SPEED TITLE . . . Max Michel earned his fourth consecutive title at the World Speed Shooting Championship Steel Challenge last month in San Luis Obispo, California. Michel, whose newest sponsor is Action Target, is the only shooter to holds seven WSSC titles in all. Watch Max.
ROBERT MITCHELL READY FOR LIFE AFTER USA SHOOTING . . . Seventeen years after leading USA Shooting as its CEO/Executive Director and after more than 57 years in the sport, Robert Mitchell has moved on. He was honored recently by the USA Shooting Board of Directors, members of the U.S. Olympic Committee, friends and family at a reception in Colorado Springs.