NRA-ILA: BATFE To Ban Common AR-15 Ammo
M855 ‘Armor Piercing’ Classification Could Drastically Impact Ammunition Availability
In a move clearly intended by the Obama Administration to suppress the acquisition, ownership and use of AR-15s and other .223 caliber general purpose rifles, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unexpectedly announced today that it intends to ban commonplace M855 ball ammunition as “armor piercing ammunition.” The decision continues Obama’s use of his executive authority to impose gun control restrictions and bypass Congress.
It isn’t even the third week of February, and the BATFE has already taken three major executive actions on gun control. First, it was a major change to what activities constitute regulated “manufacturing” of firearms. Next, BATFE reversed a less than year old position on firing a shouldered “pistol.” Now, BATFE has released a“Framework for Determining Whether Certain Projectiles are ‘Primarily Intended for Sporting Purposes’ Within the Meaning of 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(17)(c)”, which would eliminate M855’s exemption to the armor piercing ammunition prohibition and make future exemptions nearly impossible.
By way of background, federal law imposed in 1986 prohibits the manufacture, importation, and sale by licensed manufacturers or importers, but not possession, of “a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely . . . from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium.” Because there are handguns capable of firing M855, it “may be used in a handgun.” It does not, however, have a core made of the metals listed in the law; rather, it has a traditional lead core with a steel tip, and therefore should never have been considered “armor piercing.” Nonetheless, BATFE previously declared M855 to be “armor piercing ammunition,” but granted it an exemption as a projectile “primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes.”
Now, however, BATFE says that it will henceforth grant the “sporting purposes” exception to only two categories of projectiles: Continue reading
The Truth About AAC?
Following SHOT Show 2015, Advanced Armament Corporation’s Mike Smith recently made a post on the AAC Blog to clear up “some of the wild rumors and unfounded speculation” about the silencer company, which has been under the purview of Cerberus Capital Management’s firearm and outdoor arm, Freedom Group for the past several years.
The post has been widely criticized as being wildly unprofessional, attacking a writer from another gun blog. Others have come to Smith’s defense saying that it is understandable that he is hot under the collar when his company is the target of unsubstantiated rumors or outright lies. Regardless of how you feel about the tenor of his post, Mike does at least provide some official commentary on what is going on at the company: Continue reading
Brownells Pushes EDGE Program at SHOT
Brownells introduced their new loyalty and shipping program to the shooting industry at SHOT Show 2015. Dubbed Brownells EDGE, members join by paying an annual $49.95 fee and, in return, get numerous benefits – think of it like Amazon Prime for gun stuff.
Brownells EDGE members get free standard domestic shipping on orders, discounts on expedited shipping and free return shipping. The benefits to Brownells customers who order a lot of items are obvious. Company CEO Pete Brownell (who is also a current NRA Board member and 2nd Vice President) even suggested that members who are debating between two products could order both, get them shipped for free, and return the one that they didn’t like. It would seem like cheating if The Man himself hadn’t suggested it.
The EDGE benefits don’t stop at free or discounted shipping either. Program members will also receive exclusive offers and discounts only available to those on The EDGE. Mr. Brownell, in a radio interview during the SHOT Show, even mentioned that members may receive advanced notice of .22 rimfire ammunition coming into stock – a market in which he postulated that we may see shortages for another 18 months.
To help get the ball rolling and build membership, Brownells is entering everyone who purchases a Brownells EDGE membership into a drawing for a chance to win an STI Edge .45 ACP 2011 pistol – valued at $2,180.
“We owe our longstanding success to being in tune with our customers,” said Brownells President/COO, Matt Buckingham. “We’ve heard customers asking for lower-cost shipping options, so we created Brownells EDGE. With just a few orders the membership fee easily pays for itself.”
More information can be found by visiting the Brownells EDGE webpage.
New NSSF Report: More Women Owning Guns, Going Target Shooting and Hunting
‘Women Gun Owners’ report and new infographic highlight fastest growing segment in shooting sports
More than half of women (55.6 percent) participating in a new study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation said they intend to purchase at least one firearm in the next 12 months. That finding and many others reflect the growing popularity of firearms ownership by women, who represent the fastest growing segment of the shooting sports.
Today during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show), NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti discussed the findings in the new report, “Women Gun Owners: Purchasing, Perceptions and Participation.” NSSF, which owns the SHOT Show, is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.
“In the past decade, the number of women owning firearms and participating in target shooting and hunting has soared. This study helps us understand why women are choosing to purchase firearms and accessories and what shooting activities appeal to them most,” said Sanetti.
The study, conducted in 2014, focused on women ages 18 to 65 who owned at least one firearm. Over a third of women in the study were new gun owners, having purchased their first firearm within the last three years. This group of new gun owners, who are primarily between the ages of 18 and 34, reflects the changing demographics among women choosing to own firearms—a change captured visually in NSSF’s new infographic, “Girl Power,” which complements the new report.
“The women’s market is a force in our industry, and manufacturers, retailers and shooting ranges are making changes to their products and services to satisfy women’s tastes and needs. This report will assist anyone interested in knowing more about women’s enthusiasm for and attitudes toward firearms,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF Director of Industry Research and Analysis.
Among the report’s findings Continue reading
NSSF Launches New Premium Range Membership
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) is pleased to announce that it is now offering a Premium Range membership to add to its array of membership options.
Modeled after the success of the Premium Retailer membership, the new category will provide a variety of benefits and tools to range owners and operators seeking to improve how they do business, grow their customer bases and successfully meet the challenges of safety and environmental issues today’s modern firearm ranges face.
“Over the past year, we’ve talked with many of our member range owners who expressed an interest in having a membership level that offered the additional benefits offered to our Premium Retailer members but was tailored to the concerns of shooting range operations,” said Zach Snow, NSSF Manager, Shooting Promotions. “We think the comprehensive list of benefits in the new Premium Range membership addresses those needs and will prove to be a foundation for all ranges seeking to run successful and safe enterprises.”
Members signing up for or upgrading to the new NSSF Premium Range membership will have several important tools and programs available to them. These include:
- OSHA/State OSH Compliance Program Review
- 24/7 EPA and OSHA Compliance Phone-in Hotline
- Professional Media Consulting
- On-site OSHA Mock Auditing
- Access to NSSF’s Legal Defense Fund
“Mirroring the Premium Retailer membership’s focus on ATF compliance, our range owners wanted their membership upgrade to focus on OSHA compliance,” explained Snow. “They expressed strong interest in maintaining their range environments and the health and safety of their staff and customers at the highest levels, and we think this package of tools will help them do just that.”
NSSF range members can learn more about the Premium Range Membership, including eligibility requirements, at nssf.org/ranges/premium.
And don’t forget that getting listed in the GunLink Directory is a great resource for shooting ranges, gun stores, online retailers, manufacturers and other businesses related to the firearms, hunting, and shooting industries. Free listings are available.
130 Year Old Winchester Rifle Found in Great Basin National Park
The Winchester Repeating Rifle Model 1873 was so prevalent on the American frontier – with nearly 3/4 of a million produced between 1873 and 1916 – that it was dubbed The Gun that Won the West. One particular 1873 was also The Gun that was Lost in the West.
Workers in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park found the rifle propped against a tree last November and have been working to track down its origins. Although severely weathered after having been exposed to the elements, the rifle appears to be in relatively good condition with the serial number and other barrel markings readable. Those markings were used to help trace the rifle back to its 1882 date of manufacter, according to records held at the Cody Firearms Museum’s Center for the West in Cody, Wyoming.
It is unclear exactly how long the rifle has been waiting to be discovered in Great Basin NP or why it was left there. Researchers continue to hunt for clues to find out whether it was left there by a forgetful real life Old West cowboy or perhaps in more recent decades by a hunter who may have lost track of the lever-action rifle during a pit stop.
Although the date of manufacture was tracked down, there do not appear to be any records of who purchased the rifle or from which warehouse it was shipped. According to the park’s Facebook page, more than 25,000 such rifles were produced that year with a price tag of $25, lowered that year from the original price of $50. The historic firearm will be preserved the condition in which was found – including weathered wood and rusted metal – to become part of the display commemorating the park’s 30th year in 2016.
Check out more photos below from the US National Park Service: Continue reading
