ATK/Federal Cartridge Join “Gold Inner Circle”
September 29, 2009
Olympic experts and Biathlon observers have tagged the United States Biathlon Team as “the most improved in the world” and ATK/Federal Cartridge has added its support as the U.S. team takes aim at Olympic success at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February.
“The U.S. Biathlon team cannot be taken lightly and we are proud to support these fine young Americans as they pursue Olympic success and honor for our nation at the 2010 Winter Olympics,” commented Mark DeYoung, President of ATK Armament Systems. “We are also honored to be one of the earliest ‘Gold Inner Circle’ supporters.”
“We are tremendously grateful for this very generous and very timely support from ATK/Federal Cartridge,” commented Max Cobb, Executive Director of the USBA. “This is precisely the type of support and encouragement our athletes need as they prepare for Vancouver.”
Federal’s “Gold Inner Circle” support comes at a time when the United States team has its best chance ever to capture an Olympic Biathlon medal. Michael Dixon, Eurosport TV Biathlon Commentator and International Biathlon observer, recently stated that “The United States Biathlon Team is the most improved in the world. It won’t be long before a moment of brilliance brings them to the podium for their first Olympic medal.”
“Biathlon is a sport that captivates and fascinates nearly all who see it,” Cobb said, “The world-class Biathlete attempts to combine the physically demanding sport of cross-country skiing with the intense precision of rifle marksmanship. The opposing disciplines collide with unique drama at the shooting range. With hearts pounding nearly three times a second, athletes struggle to control their breathing as they attempt to squeeze off a successful shot, knowing that each shot, and the number of seconds it takes to make it, will determine who stands on the podium that day.”
The shooting sports community in America is rightfully proud of the tradition and success of our U.S. Olympic shooting team during the Summer Olympic Games. Biathlon provides an opportunity to expand that positive exposure for shooting sports to the Winter Olympics, as well.
“The USBA recently created a High Performance Plan that included an emphasis on improving our shooting performance,” Cobb outlined. “Thanks to that High Performance Plan and to lots of hard work by our athletes and coaches, we have never been better positioned for a trip to the Olympic medal stand.” Copies of the 50-page High Performance Plan are being shared with industry “Team 2010″ supporters.
Other “Team 2010″ partnership opportunities available to the shooting sports industry include athlete appearances, VIP trips to the Vancouver Olympics and other tailored packages. Additional information on these partnership opportunities is available by contacting Bob Delfay at rdelfay@earthlink.net
Max Cobb, 207 539 4084
North Carolina HP Converts to Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols and RIfles
September 29, 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (September 8, 2009) — Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 157-year old firearms maker, announced today that the North Carolina Highway Patrol has chosen to equip all of its officers with Smith & Wesson Military & Police (M&P) Series pistols and with M&P Series tactical rifles. The M&P357 pistols and M&P15 tactical rifles will be issued respectively as the primary duty firearms and standard issue patrol rifles.
M&P357 Polymer Pistols
The North Carolina Highway Patrol has purchased 1,840 Smith & Wesson M&P357 polymer pistols chambered in .357 SIG. The new duty sidearm will replace non-Smith & Wesson pistols that were previously issued by the department. The M&P pistol’s reliability, ambidextrous operating controls and three interchangeable palm swell grip sizes were noted by officials within the agency as key reasons for the selection of the new duty sidearm. The North Carolina Highway Patrol added that the polymer pistol’s accuracy, reliability during testing and ability to disassemble the firearm without pressing the trigger were all primary factors in their decision-making process.
Colonel Randy Glover, Commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, said, “The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is confident that the M&P357 will prove to be a reliable service weapon for our officers.”
M&P15 Tactical Rifles
The agency has also purchased 300 M&P15 tactical rifles. The semi-automatic rifles will be issued to select officers upon the completion of a certification course. While reviewing new options for patrol rifles, the North Carolina Highway Patrol compared the M&P15 against other competitive rifles. After an extensive evaluation process, the M&P15 was acknowledged for its accuracy, ability to perform in diverse field applications as well as for the training and support services offered by Smith & Wesson.
During the last fiscal year, the Smith & Wesson M&P Pistol Series and Tactical Rifle Series experienced significant growth. To date, 570 domestic law enforcement agencies have adopted or approved the M&P for duty use while 251 domestic law enforcement agencies have approved or adopted the M&P15 rifle. Currently, the company offers over five different configurations of the M&P pistol, incorporating four caliber options. The M&P Rifle Series has also continued to evolve and is today offered in 16 variants. The enhanced design and flexibility of each M&P firearm has played a crucial role in the popularity of the M&P Series, as well as its ability to adapt to a wide variety of applications and requirements.
“As the M&P Series of pistols and tactical rifles expands its reach, we continue to receive new contracts as well as positive reports from the field,” said Leland Nichols, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Smith & Wesson. “Not only is the M&P Series being adopted by state and federal agencies, but it is also being selected extensively by college and nuclear security agencies as well as by elite groups such as the United Nations Security Force, the Ministry of Interior Agencies and the U.S. Armed Services.”
Nichols continued, “As part of our support network with each of these agencies, Smith & Wesson has remained committed to the highest level of service by providing essential elements to help facilitate the transition to the new firearms. Each member of our law enforcement sales team is cross-trained as a certified armourer in order to provide on location instruction and our international sales staff has continued to grow in order to meet the needs of the marketplace. In addition, the Smith & Wesson Academy has also played an important role in our success by conducting a wide array of classes designed specifically for military and law enforcement professionals.”
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, a global leader in safety, security, protection and sport, is parent company to Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of quality firearms and firearm safety/security products and parent company to Universal Safety Response, a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer and installer, as well as parent company to Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting rifles, black powder rifles, interchangeable firearms systems and accessories under the Thompson/Center brand. Smith & Wesson licenses shooter protection, knives, apparel, and other accessory lines. Smith & Wesson is based in Springfield, Massachusetts with manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Tennessee. The Smith & Wesson Academy is America’s longest running firearms training facility for law enforcement, military and security professionals. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com. For more information on Universal Safety Response, log on to www.usrgrab.com. For more information on Thompson/Center Arms, log on to www.tcarms.com.
Matt Rice, Blue Heron Communications (800) 654-3766 or matt@blueheroncomm.com
SIG SAUER – Gives you $200 CASH For your KLUNKER Handgun
September 29, 2009
Exeter, NH --(AmmoLand.com)- Purchase a new SIG SAUER® P220®, P226®, P229®, 1911, SIG556 pistol, or SIG556 rifle from your dealer’s inventory from September 7th through November 30th, 2009, and SIG SAUER will give you $200.00 for your old KLUNKER* pistol or revolver.
To receive your $200.00 payment, simply send your old KLUNKER* with a copy of your form 4473 and proof of purchase of your new Classic pistol (no later than Friday, December 4, 2009) to:
SIG SAUER, Inc., 18 Industrial Drive, Exeter, NH 03833, ATTN: CK-1
*KLUNKER refers to a handgun from any manufacturer that you wish to trade in for the $200.00 payment. Gun must be operational and free from cracks in frame or other key components. KLUNKER must be a semi-auto pistol 9mm or larger, or revolver of .38 caliber or larger. SIG SAUER reserves the right to reject any firearm submitted as a KLUNKER that does not meet our criteria. Rejected firearms will be returned to sender. Please allow six (6) to eight (8) weeks for delivery of your check. This offer cannot be combined with any other program or offer.
Klunkers will not be accepted for payment after Friday, December 4, 2009. NO EXCEPTIONS.
All transactions subject to federal, state and local firearms regulations.
Click here to download this promotion.
About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes J.P. Sauer & Sohn and Blaser GmbH in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland. This global network of companies gives SIG SAUER a world-class firearms knowledge base, unparalleled design expertise, and extensive manufacturing capacity, enabling the company to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and the needs of its military, law enforcement, and commercial markets worldwide. SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2000 certified company with over 350 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER or any of its products, or the SIG SAUER Academy, log on to www.sigsauer.com.
Another 1,000,000+ Guns Added to American Homes in August
September 29, 2009
Background Checks On Firearm Sales Up 12% In August.
Americans buy 1,074,757+ guns in August 2009
Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Data released by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 1,074,757 checks in August 2009, a 12.3 percent increase from the 956,872 reported in August 2008.
So far that is roughly 9,076,205 gun bought this year! The total is probably more as NICS background checks may cover the purchase of more than one gun at a time.
This latest jump in background checks show that Americans are solidly in-favor of keeping firearms in the hands of law abiding citizens and clearly shows that proponents claiming the USA wants more gun control are blatantly wrong.
Gun Owners Say No to Gun Conrtol with their Wallets
The increased trend of Americans buying firearms at a record pace was once thought to be a one time fluke caused by fears of the new Obama administration expressed lust for more gun control. But now 10 months in and the wrongly named “fear buying” has now become the norm as law abiding US citizen exercise their constitutional right to keep and bear firearms by the millions every month with no sign of slowing down.
The bulk of the buying has been concentrated on the following types of guns or calibers:
- Semi Auto Handguns
- Revolvers
- Ar15s and all variants of the Black Rifle
- .50 Caliber
1.17 Guns for Each Person
Conservative estimates of legally owned guns in the USA put the number at 355,029,250 million guns in the USA. That is 1.17 guns for everyone in the USA and if you listen to the liberal press they are all assault weapons. God bless anyone who tries to invade the USA…
Crime Rates Falling
The most stunning in all of this is that we have not seen an increase in crime, murder rates have fallen across most of the USA and Americans have shown that they can be trusted with firearms ownership. This is directly in contrast to what the national media and gun control supporters would have us believe.
Gun owners you are clearly the majority!
McLallen Named Chairman of the Board of Freedom Group, Inc.
September 29, 2009
MADISON, NC — Walter (Wally) McLallen has been named chairman of the board of Freedom Group, Inc. (FGI), effective September 8, 2009.
Freedom Group brands include Remington, Marlin, Harrington & Richardson, New England Firearms, L.C. Smith, Parker, Bushmaster, DPMS/Panther Arms, Dakota Arms, EOTAC, and INTC.
McLallen has served on the FGI board of directors since May 2007. He replaces Paul A. Miller, executive chairman, who resigned to pursue new operational business opportunities.
During his tenure, Miller originally served as chairman of Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC. He was named as chairman of the board for the Freedom Group in June 2008 and began serving as the executive chairman in October 2008.
“Paul should be proud of his accomplishments at Freedom Group. He will continue to support the management team as a consultant and will remain a director of the Remington Outdoor Foundation,” said McLallen. “I want to personally thank Paul for all his support and dedication to Freedom Group.”
McLallen also currently serves as managing director of Meritage Capital Advisors and serves on the board of directors of Tier 1 Group and Alpha Media Group, Inc.
Outdoor Channel Honored With Eleven Telly Awards
August 20, 2009
Winning Entries for Programming and Promotional Spots Demonstrate the
Network’s Extraordinary Creativity
Temecula, Calif., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — In its latest string of professional accolades, Outdoor Channel (Nasdaq: OUTD), America’s leader in outdoor TV, today announced that it has been named the recipient of 11 prestigious Telly Awards, the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV programs and commercials.
“Outdoor Channel is honored to be recognized for our best-in-class outdoor programming and creative promotional spots in a well-known, highly respected national competition like the Telly Awards,” said Tom Hornish, COO, Outdoor Channel. “We are committed to producing the highest quality content for our viewers and developing unique and effective promotional spots to support our shows and marketing promotions.”
The awards include:
2009 Film/Video Winners - Programming Awards
AWARD CATEGORY TITLE OF ENTRY
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Silver Documentary Legends of Rod & Reel "Frank Moore"
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Silver Nature/Wildlife Legends of Rod & Reel "Frank Moore"
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Bronze Information The Best Defense "Safe At Home"
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Bronze Nature/Wildlife Western Extreme "In The Mesquite"
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2009 Film/Video Winners - Promotional Spot Awards
AWARD CATEGORY TITLE OF ENTRY
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Silver Nature/Wildlife Gear Up and Go! Sweepstakes Spot (:30)
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Silver Nature/Wildlife Golden Moose Awards Fan Favorite Spot (:30)
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Silver Nature/Wildlife Spring Fever Sweepstakes Spot (:30)
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Bronze Nature/Wildlife Cross Channel "Shooting" Spot (:30)
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Bronze Nature/Wildlife Fishing "New Night" Promo (:15)
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Bronze Nature/Wildlife Q4 HD Cross Channel Spot - (:30)
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Bronze Nature/Wildlife Cast & Call Cross Channel Spot (:30)
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http://www.outdoorchannel.com/Investors.aspx?page=newsArticle
Outdoor Channel Holdings Reports Second Quarter 2009 Results
August 20, 2009
Legacy Outdoor Channel business generates $2.7 million in adjusted EBITDA, up 69% year over year–Winnercomm Inc. contributes $6.8 million in revenue
TEMECULA, Calif., Aug 04, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ — Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTD) today reported an increase in total revenues of 47.3 percent for the three-month period ended June 30, 2009 due largely to the acquisition of Winnercomm Inc.
Total revenues amounted to $19.2 million for the 2009 second quarter, compared with $13.0 million in the corresponding period a year ago. For the first six months of 2009, total revenues were $36.2 million, compared with $24.7 million in the corresponding period a year ago.
Advertising revenue for the 2009 second quarter decreased 16.3 percent to $7.1 million from $8.5 million in the prior-year period. For the first six months of 2009, advertising revenues were $14.9 million compared to $16.1 million in the prior-year period.
Subscriber fees totaled $5.3 million for the second quarter of 2009 compared to subscriber fees of $4.6 million in the prior-year period. For the first six months of 2009, subscriber fees totaled $10.0 million compared to $8.6 million in the prior-year period.
In January of 2009, Outdoor Channel Holdings acquired certain assets of Winnercomm Inc. and its related entities. The revenues generated by Winnercomm are reported as “Production services.” Production services revenue totaled $6.8 million and $11.3 million during the 2009 second quarter and six month period, respectively. These revenues were comprised primarily of production services for customer-owned telecasts and marketing.
NSSF Bullet Points – News of Note
August 17, 2009
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON FIREARM SALES UP 8.4% IN JULY . . . Data released by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 966,162 checks in July 2009, an 8.4 percent increase from the 891,224 reported in July 2008. This latest jump in background checks follows the release of the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report by the Department of the Treasury just two weeks ago. The report noted that firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid more than $109.8 million in the first calendar quarter of 2009, up 43 percent over the same period in 2008.
EXCISE TAX REFORM GAINS ANOTHER CO-SPONSOR . . . U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) today agreed to co-sponsor HR 510, bringing to 80 the total number of co-sponsors in the House, with 15 currently co-sponsoring the Senate version (S. 632) of the bill. NSSF expects several more co-sponsors to sign on after Congress returns from August recess. It’s vitally important that all members of the firearms and ammunition industry urge their representatives to support this legislation, which will rectify a longstanding inequity in the frequency with which firearms and ammunition manufacturers pay a federal excise tax on the products they sell. More information.
ATK SALES UP 7.5 PERCENT, DRIVEN BY AMMUNITION . . . Sales at Alliant Techsystems rose 7.5 percent in the first quarter to $1.2 billion, driven by strong demand for commercial ammunition products, continued strength in military ammunition and new international ammunition sales, partially offset by expected lower sales in the company’s Space Systems group. Net income in the first quarter was up 28 percent to $69 million. “The strength of ATK’s commercial and military ammunition businesses, coupled with long-term opportunities in aerostructures, precision weapons, and tactical accessories will fuel ATK’s continued growth,” said Dan Murphy, chairman and CEO.
POLL: 83 PERCENT OF AMERICANS SUPPORT RIGHT-TO-CARRY . . . A new poll shows that 83 percent of Americans support right-to-carry laws, the NRA reports. The poll, conducted Zogby International and The O’Leary Report, also showed that right-to-carry crosses party lines, with 86 percent of independent voters and 80 percent of voters who are Democrats supporting right-to-carry.
Ruger teams up with Carhartt
August 17, 2009
Buy any new Ruger® bolt-action rifle between August 15, 2009 and December 31, 2009
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Buck Knives cuts pay, hours
August 12, 2009
By BRIAN WALKER
Staff writer
Posted: Thursday, Aug 06, 2009 – 11:33:46 pm PDT
Workers take 10 percent hit due to economy
POST FALLS — Buck Knives has cut employee pay to try to weather the economic downturn.
“Due to continued slowness in the economy, Buck Knives has implemented a companywide 10 percent reduction in pay and/or work hours,” C.J. Buck, president and CEO, said in a written statement. “We hope the economy is transitioning to a more robust state. However, we must prepare in case it does not.”
Phil Duckett, Buck chief operating officer, said the situation will be reviewed on a month-by-month basis.
The decision affects roughly 200 people at the company’s knife manufacturing facility in Riverbend Commerce Park. Duckett said the company has not had layoffs in several months.
After her shift Thursday, one female employee, who didn’t want to be identified, said the salary reduction is tough to swallow, especially since her husband doesn’t have a secure job, but she understands the company’s situation of being in survival mode.
“Yes, it’s hard and, no, I don’t like it,” she said. “But I think the company is just doing what it has to do for the time being. I just hope it doesn’t get worse before better. I hope we’ve hit bottom with this economy, but it’s hard to tell at this point.”
Duckett said economic woes endured by Buck’s customers have had a ripple effect on Buck.
“One of our significant customers is off-plan over 20 percent, and we have had multiple customers file for bankruptcy,” Duckett said. “(Those) are the major factors in the actions we’ve taken.”
The latest reductions come after multiple layoffs at Buck in 2008, including 23 during one round.
But, to limit the bleeding, Buck has implemented an “American Commitment” program aimed at making more knives in Post Falls and reducing offshore outsourcing.
“We are proud to say that 95 percent of our new knives for 2009 and 2010 will be made here — and all of our hunting knives are made in the USA,” Buck said earlier.
Previously, about 30 percent of the company’s products were imported.
Buck moved from San Diego to Post Falls’ Riverbend Commerce Park about four years ago, partially to cut business expenses.
