NSSF

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So Riddle Me This, Josh Horwitz

March 21, 2012 by 2 Comments

Josh Horwitz, the head of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (sic), is on this campaign to have you believe that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, gun ownership is declining.

The gun lobby is desperate to perpetuate its image as The Lobby That Cannot Be Crossed by Politicians in the face of a very harsh reality: Declining gun ownership in the United States.

As The Riddler used to say in the old Batman shows, “So riddle me this”. I think we can all agree that the economy is in recession. Moreover, small businesses are closing right and left due to the poor economy. So given that, why have the number of Federal Firearms Licensees been on the increase since January 2010?

According to data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the number of 01 FFLs – dealers in firearms – has increased from 47,411 in January 2010 to 48,987 in February 2012. This is an increase of 1,576 dealers or a 3.3% increase during that time period. The days of the kitchen table FFL are, for the most part, long over due to the Clinton Administration. Thus, this means that 1,576 people thought the growth in the market for firearms was strong enough to invest their time and money into a storefront business.

You can see this in graphic form below.

So riddle me this Mr. Horwitz, if as you claim the number of gun owners is declining and that the new sales are only going to existing gun owners, why would anyone in their right mind open a new gun shop in a bad economy? The answer is that they wouldn’t. So either those 1,576 people getting new dealer licenses are delusional pawns of the gun industry or you are deliberately trying to minimize the real growth in the number of gun owners to mask the ineffectiveness of your arguments.

I vote for the latter.

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NSSF’s Steve Sanetti On The Arms Trade Treaty

March 14, 2012 by 1 Comment

NSSF President Steve Sanetti was interviewed by Ginny Simone of NRA News at the recent IWA Show in Germany. This show is the European equivalent to the SHOT Show. They discussed the international aspects of privately owned firearms, the industry, and, most importantly, the UN’s Arms Trade Treaty.

The Arms Trade Treaty is an UN effort that seeks to control small arms and ammunition. Under the draft terms of this treaty, a home reloader would be considered an ammunition manufacturer and would have to be licensed. The previous Bush Administration had told these folks to take a hike but the current Obama Administration has indicated their support for the treaty. All international treaties to which the United States is a party must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. Currently, 50-some Senators have voiced their opposition to it.

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Good Advice Even If You Aren’t A Competitor

March 8, 2012 by

The NSSF is out with a new Doug Koenig video on handgun shooting. Goal setting is an important part of getting better. While much of what he is saying applies to competition, it can apply equally well to practicing for self-defense. If you go to the range just to blast away, you are plinking. But if you go with a goal in mind and certain skills you want to work on, that is practicing.

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21 Months And Counting

March 7, 2012 by

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, has released its statistics for the month of February. We are now at 21 months and counting of year over year increases in monthly NICS checks adjusted for CCW checks.

From the NSSF:

The February 2012 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,266,344 is an increase of 31.4 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 963,746 in February 2011. For comparison, the unadjusted February 2012 NICS figure of 1,734,646 reflects a 18.6 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,463,138 in February 2011.

It is important to remember that this isn’t a direct correlation to firearm sales as NICS checks are used for other purposes such as the background check in some states for a concealed carry permit. That said, the NSSF has adjusted these numbers for those checks. These adjusted numbers do represent a reliable indicator of monthly firearm sales of both new and used firearms despite the denials of gun prohibitionist Josh Horwitz.

What I found particularly interesting in February’s numbers was the incredible increase for February 2012 over February 2008. Both are election year months with the primaries well under way. Looking back to February 2008, it was still neck and neck in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. More importantly, the economy had not started into recession yet and the major banks had not imploded. In other words, consumers were still relatively optimistic and had more money available to buy things like guns and ammo.

Fast forward to today and the unemployment rate is hovering at 9% more or less. The economy is still stumbling. Yet, the adjusted NICS check figure is approximately 500,000 more for 2012 than for 2008. If I had to answer why, my guess is that it has to do with politics. Specifically with the bitter Republican primaries between a bunch of weak candidates that excite very few, the chances of Obama being reelected have increased to at least 50-50. I think this rightly scares gun owners and potential gun owners as there is no telling what an Obama Administration could do in a second term regarding gun rights without having the constraints of reelection. Frankly that is a very sobering thought.

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Committee Hearings Today On HR 4089 – Sportsman’s Heritage Act Of 2012

February 29, 2012 by 2 Comments

The House Natural Resources Committee is holding hearings today on H.R. 4089, the Sportman’s Heritage Act. Included in the bill are significant protections for access to Federally-owned public land for the purposes of recreational shooting.

The NSSF is asking people to contact the committee and urge the passage of this bill out of committee.

The U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources is expected to vote later TODAY on the “Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012″ (H.R. 4089).

The bill combines four legislative priorities that will expand recreational hunting, shooting and fishing opportunities while also protecting the firearms and ammunition industries from detrimental regulations under the Environmental Protection Agency.

NSSF urges that you call the House Natural Resources Committee IMMEDIATELY and urge members of the committee to support H.R. 4089. Call the Republican Committee Staff at 202-225-2761. Call the Democrat Committee Staff at 202-225-6065. Readers can also help by sharing this blog post on Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets.

Included in H.R. 4089 is the Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act, which is the firearms industry’s top legislative priority. The bill amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to clarify the original intent of Congress to exclude traditional ammunition with lead components from regulation by the EPA, and also excludes fishing tackle from the EPA’s jurisdiction. The bill is a response to anti-hunting and fishing organizations, as well as extreme environmental groups, that are actively seeking to ban these products even though wildlife populations have not been negatively impacted by their use. Banning traditional ammunition will drive the cost of ammunition up by as much as 190 percent and curtail wildlife conservation funding supported by the sale of ammunition. For more information about the critical importance of this bill, click here.

H.R. 4089 includes other key legislative priorities of the sportsmen’s community:

The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage Opportunities Act, which requires federal land managers to support and facilitate use and access for hunting, fishing and recreational shooting.
The Recreational Shooting Protection Act, which requires National Monument land to be open to access and use for recreational shooting.
The Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act, which will allow the importation of polar bear parts taken in a sport hunt in Canada, if legally harvested before certain dates.

In addition to calling the staff on both sides of the House Natural Resources Committee, it is important that you also call your Congressman/woman (202-224-3121) to urge them to support H.R. 4089.

My congressman, Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC-11), is one of the co-sponsors of the bill. While there are a number of things I disagree with Heath about, he has always stood solid on Second Amendment issues as well as hunting and fishing. He is not going to seek reelection and I just hope the Republican contenders will be as solid on the Second Amendment as he has been.

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Clearing An AR-15 Double Feed

February 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is back with another one of their video training tips. This one features Gunsite instructor Bob Whaley showing how to clear a double (or more) feed in your AR-15. As Whaley notes, slamming the bottom of your magazine to make sure it is seated can sometimes cause the rounds to “volcano” as he puts it.

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NSSF Statement on Court’s Backing of Multiple Sales Reporting

January 14, 2012 by

Larry Keane of the National Shooting Sports Foundation released this statement today regarding U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer’s decision to allow the ATF to continue requiring multiple sales reporting for certain semi-automatic rifles in the Southwest.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is, of course, disappointed by today’s ruling. We respectfully disagree with the court’s reasoning which places our industry on a “slippery slope.” Today’s ruling will allow ATF to demand whatever information it wants from any law-abiding retailer anywhere in the country for any reason ATF wants simply by sending a letter demanding information. While we understand ATF’s motivation is to try to curtail violence in Mexico, Congress simply has not granted ATF regulatory carte blanche. NSSF looks forward to having the Court of Appeals review the district court’s flawed decision.

Our industry abhors the criminal misuse of firearms, whether on the streets of El Paso, Texas, or in Juarez, Mexico. Notwithstanding our forthcoming appeal, NSSF is continuing to encourage all retailers — not just those along the border — to cooperate with law enforcement and report any suspicious activity to the ATF. Members of the firearms industry take great pride in their longstanding cooperative relationship with ATF. Retailers have long been considered by ATF to be a vital source of information for law enforcement in combating illegal firearms trafficking.

I think the key word in this is “appeal”. They are not going to just give up and let things lie as they are which is good. I think you will also a bigger push for Sen. Jon Tester’s S. 570 which would prohibit DOJ from doing this. It currently has 33 sponsors including a number of Democrats. However, it seems to be languishing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.