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Kroger Says “No” to Moms Demand: Our Customers Can #ShopSafe
Grocery Chain Refuses to Bow to Bullying from Moms Demand Action
Gun control group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America are back at their antics. This time, however, the winner is real common sense, not the anti-gun group’s misguided, misappropriated version of the phrase.
After bullying other retailers with varying results, MDA moved their attention toward their biggest target yet, Kroger – the world’s fifth largest retailer – and their subsidiary, Fred Meyer. Chipotle, Chili’s, Sonic, Jack-in-the-Box, Starbucks, and Target have all either outright banned guns or issued statements asking customers not to carry in their stores. Staples, on the other hand, ejected Moms Demand Action from their property as they tried to deliver their anti-gun propaganda to the company’s CEO, Ron Sargent.
Kroger has indicated that they want to focus on selling groceries, not enter the heated political debate on gun control. In their statement, the company said “Our long-standing policy on this issue is to follow state and local laws and to ask customers to be respectful of others while shopping.” Unlike some of MDA’s other targets, Kroger expressed trust in their customers, choosing to treat them as responsible citizens rather than criminals. “We know that our customers are passionate on both sides of this issue, and we trust them to be responsible in our stores.”
Kroger’s statement makes it clear that they want their patrons to be able to shop in safety. Like a frustrated child, when MDA didn’t get their way, they resorted to their usual tactics and threw the equivalent of a temper tantrum, calling for a boycott Continue reading
Alien Gear Offers New Lines of Holsters, Accessories
Earlier this year I bought a pair of Alien Gear IWB Cloak Tuck holsters for some carry guns. I liked them enough (see review here) to pick up another one on the secondary market. The folks at Alien Gear have been keeping busy and I recently had the opportunity to try out some of their new products and accessories.
One of the big features of Alien Gear products – aside from comfort – is their modularity. The Cloak Tuck IWB holsters consist of the leather backing, the Kydex shell, and front and rear belt clips – each with three different mounting positions to adjust for cant and ride height. The removable shell allows for swapping out shells if you change carry guns or if the shell gets damaged. This modularity is also the driving force behind a lot of Alien Gear’s newest offerings. Continue reading
Brownells 75th Anniversary Big Book Now Available
For the 67th consecutive year, Brownell’s has released their all-encompassing catalog often referred to as the gun industry’s “Bible.” This year’s version – #67 – pays homage to Brownells 75th Anniversary with a cover that recreates Bob Brownell’s original desk where he worked on guns in the 1930s and assembled the company’s first catalog in 1947.
The 696-page Brownells Catalog #67 features the latest and most popular products for handguns, rifles, shotguns and accessories for shooters and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. Presented in Brownells’ unique horizontal format, the catalog is neatly arranged into 35 individual product categories to make finding a specific product easy.
New for this year are spreads dedicated to Brownells newest product categories – Archery and Emergency & Survival Gear. The Optics & Accessories category has been expanded by six pages, and the AR-15/M16 section has grown by five pages. Additionally, a condensed Brownells historical timeline can be found near the center of the catalog; the full timeline can be found here.
“Assembling and mailing the Big Book is always a really big deal for us around here, but this year’s Book is extra special,” said Frank Brownell, Brownells Chairman of the Board. “It’s got Dad’s desk, one I remember well, featured on the cover. That desk is what started it all, so I’m delighted to see it recreated for the 75th Anniversary catalog. We’ve filled it with lots of neat stuff; I think folks will really enjoy it.”
Customers may obtain a catalog by visiting the catalog section of the Brownell’s website or by calling 800-741-0015. Continue reading
2nd Amendment Media Begins Rolling Out New Publications
The first of 15 titles planned to be released by the end of the year from 2nd Amendment Media are starting to hit shelves (and virtual shelves online).
2nd Amendment Media’s inaugural publication, Legally Armed: A Concealed Carry Gun Law, released earlier this month, is billed as “the one guide you need for concealed carry gun law.” This book covers concealed carry laws nationwide, highlighting common points of law for each state and the District of Columbia, such that a reader should clearly understand how each jurisdiction differs.
Any concealed carry permit holder should know that the laws for carrying a firearm vary from state to state. This book clears up any confusion associated with interstate travel or relocation. The opening chapters give a general overview or what to consider before obtaining a permit, how to interact with law enforcement when carrying a concealed weapon, gun handling and storage, and traveling with a firearm. The remaining pages of the book break down concealed carry law by state.
Their second publication, Continue reading
Gun Industry Sales Reflect a ‘New Normal’
Last year was an extraordinary one for firearm sales, a year unlike any other in the industry’s history. That’s a fact to be mindful of when comparing estimated sales through the first seven months of 2014 with those of the previous year, notes Steve Sanetti, President and CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry.
Remove the extraordinary 2013 from the rear-view mirror and sales of firearms in America still show an almost uninterrupted rise over the past 10 years, according to national background check figures adjusted by NSSF to reflect market activity. For the first seven months of 2014, total firearm sales rank as the highest in the last decade, with the one big exception of 2013 (see chart).
(A background check is mandatory for retail purchases of firearms. NSSF adjusts background check data from the FBI’s National Instant Background Check System to remove non-sales activity such as checks conducted for concealed carry permits. This results in NSSF-adjusted NICS data being a better indicator of market conditions than overall NICS data, though NSSF-adjusted NICS figures do not correlate one to one with firearm sales.)
From January through July 2014, NSSF-adjusted NICS figures total 6.95 million background checks against 6.85 million for 2012 and 5.64 million in 2011. In 2013, the seven-month figure was 8.81 million and the annual total was a record 14.8 million. Multiple factors account for last year’s sales surge, including a fear of additional firearms-ownership restrictions, which came to pass in states such as New York, Connecticut and Maryland, as well as increasing interest in owning firearms by women and former servicemen and women.
“Those who are hostile to firearms ownership are trying to suggest Continue reading
