NSSF

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Too Cool For An AR?

August 7, 2012 by 2 Comments

Richard Stengel, Princeton ’77 and Rhodes Scholar, is too cool for an AR. He also thinks you don’t need one either.

Stengel’s profile picture from Time Magazine

Stengel is the Managing Editor of Time Magazine and penned a blurb for the Aug. 6th issue entitled “Talking Common Sense About Guns”. In the blurb, Stengel said, “And gun owners know better than anyone else that an AR-15 has little or no sporting purpose.”

Even if one accepts – and I don’t – the ATF’s interpretation of the sporting purpose language of the Gun Control Act of 1968 which they use to say that 3-Gun competitions are not “sporting”, AR-15s in a variety of calibers are used to hunt everything from ground squirrels to whitetail deer and everything in between. Firearm manufacturers ranging from the venerable Remington to the newer Daniel Defense are now making ARs for the hunting market.

Stengel’s comment brought a swift reaction from Steve Sanetti of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Sanetti sent a letter which said, in part,

It never ceases to amaze recreational shooters and hunters when persons who wouldn’t touch a firearm on a bet presume to tell us that certain firearms “have no sporting purpose”…

People fear what they don’t know, and that’s perfectly understandable. But to presume to know what kind of equipment many millions of other law-abiding Americans use for legitimate recreational pursuits in the face of the facts is just wrong.

I don’t know whether Stengel’s comment comes from ignorance or willfulness but I do find him to be as arrogant and out of touch as the magazine he edits. Sorry Mr. Stengel, that is just not cool.

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#gunvote

July 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has just released a 30-second public service ad reminding people just what is at stake in this election. They remind people that one vote is what made the difference in the Heller and McDonald cases and that the next President of the United States will likely nominate at least one new Supreme Court Justice.

I think it is an effective and well done adverstisement. The NSSF has a special section on their website devoted to the #gunvote campaign. It has news, lets people find where their polling station is located, and has a registration guide for all 50 states plus the District of Columbus.

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25 Months And Counting

July 10, 2012 by

June 2012 marks the 25th straight month in which the number of NICS checks made during the month surpassed the number from the prior year.

Graphic by NSSF

From NSSF:

The June 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 846,437 is an increase of 24.5 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 679,840 in June 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted June 2012 NICS figure of 1,290,210 reflects an 11.4 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,157,714 in June 2011.

Graphic by NSSF

As the NSSF noted, June 2012 was a 24.5% increase over June 2011. However, the difference between June 2012 and the earlier years is very significant. June 2009 and 2010 look to have about 600,00 adjusted NICS checks or a quarter-million less than this year. That is a large difference!

It should be noted that NICS checks are not a perfect correlation with firearms sales but are a strong indication of general trends in firearm sales. Some states such as Kentucky, Iowa and Michigan use the NICS system for their CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW holders. Conversely, in states such as North Carolina where the Concealed Handgun Permit is an approved substitute for a NICS check, purchases by permit holders will not be counted.

I don’t think we can know conclusively if this continuing trend in the increase of NICS checks is due to the fear of an Obama reelection or just the rise of Gun Culture v2.0. I do know that strong sales have been reflected in the stock prices of companies like Smith and Wesson. Today, the stock hit a 52-week high at $9.50 per share which reflects a four-fold increase in share price.

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Scope Tracking

June 7, 2012 by 2 Comments

In another of the NSSF videos on rifle shooting, Ryan Cleckner explains that not all scopes track identically. He offers a drill you can use to find out if your scope over or under tracks in both windage and elevation.

I think the NSSF provides a fine service by producing videos such as this. With each one I learn a little bit more about shooting, firearms, and the like.

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24 Months And Counting

June 5, 2012 by 5 Comments

May marked the 24th straight month in which the NSSF-adjusted NICS checks were greater than the same period in the year before. While not a perfect correlation with gun sales, the NICS checks are indicative of the direction of the firearms market and the associated sales. The NSSF adjusts the gross NICS checks by dropping out the checks from Michigan, Kentucky, and Iowa that are used for CCW permit application purposes as well as those from checks on active CCW permits.

The May 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 840,412 is an increase of 20.6 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 696,947 in May 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted May 2012 NICS figure of 1,305,392 reflects a 7.0 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,219,872 in May 2011.

May 2012 also marks the highest number of NICS checks for the month of May over the last 13 years. It is almost double what is was in the year 2000.

One often cited reason for the growth in NICS checks – and presumably gun sales – is the fear of an Obama re-election. However, I tend to agree with Michael Bane who has argued that the growth in sales is more a reflection of the growth of Gun Culture v.2.0 and the new entrants to gun ownership especially for personal defense.

While the presidential election is rather tight, it is not a runaway in favor of Obama and the latest Rasmussen daily poll actually puts Romney in the lead. Nonetheless, if it looks like Obama is solidly in the lead come September and October, I think then it will be Katie bar the door for gun and ammo sales. I really hope it doesn’t come to that.

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Doug Koenig – Finding Out What Works For You

May 18, 2012 by 2 Comments

In another of his fine videos for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Doug Koenig discusses finding out what works for you. Doug notes that everyone is a little different in terms of physicality, strength, and balance.

He uses himself as an example. When he first started shooting the Bianchi Cup, he was advised to use a revolver. That is fine except he was an auto guy. After a few years, he decided to go back to his auto which was the right move for him as he has now won 13 Bianchi Cups.

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23 Skidoo

May 7, 2012 by 2 Comments

23 Skidoo was a slang expression from the Roaring ’20s. It could just as easily be applied to the latest NSSF-adjusted NICS figures for April 2012 which represent the 23rd straight month in which they have increased when compared to the previous year.

The April 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 931,658 is an increase of 10.5 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 843,484 in April 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted April 2012 NICS figure of 1,416,074 reflects a 5.7 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,339,673 in April 2011.

To see the year over year data graphically for the last 12 months, go here. You can also see how April 2012 compares to the previous 12 years by going here.

It should be remembered that NICS checks are used in some states such as Kentucky, Iowa, and Michigan for CCW background checks on new and existing permit holders. Nonetheless, while NICS checks are not a direct correlation to firearm sales, they certainly do illustrate the growth trend in those sales because of their use for purchases background checks at the point-of-purchase.

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Practice Dos And Don’ts From Doug Koenig

April 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

In his most recent video for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Doug Koenig goes over the dos and don’ts for successful practice sessions. Given most people have the goal of becoming a better shooter, Koenig says go in with a game plan on what you want to work on. Moreover, he says to stretch yourself and do hard stuff. No one ever got better by only doing the easy stuff.

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22 Months And Counting

April 3, 2012 by 1 Comment

This is getting to be something of a broken record – not that I’m complaining. March 2012 marks the 22nd straight month in which the NSSF-adjusted NICS checks (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) has increased when compared to the same period last year.

From the NSSF:

The March 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,189,152 is an increase of 20.0 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 990,840 in March 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted March 2012 NICS figure of 1,715,125 reflects a 19.3 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,437,709 in March 2011.

While NICS checks are not a direct correlation with firearm sales, they do give a good indication of the state of the firearms market. NICS checks are used by some states such as Kentucky, Iowa, and Michigan to conduct their concealed carry permit application checks. Moreover, in states such as North Carolina where a Concealed Handgun Permit is a substitute for the NICS check for the purchase of a firearm, you have some underreporting.

March 2012 was the highest month in the last decade with 1.2 million NSSF-adjusted NICS checks. It eclipsed even the then record number checks for March 2009 and March 2011.

The possibility of Obama’s reelection is one factor frequently cited as the motivation behind the increased sales of firearms. While this certainly is a major factor, the increase in the number of women taking responsibility for their own protection as well as the growth in concealed carry has to factor in as well.

With this 22nd continuous increase from prior year periods, I think there is little doubt that we will see that the April and May numbers will mark the 23rd and 24th consecutive months of increases. Josh Horwitz of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (sic) can rant and rave all he wants that these figures are meaningless in terms of gun sales and new gun owners. The tide has turned and it is sweeping over him and his hoodie-wearing wannabe staffers just like the tsunami swept over northern Japan.