COVID-19

Make Plans to Attend the 2021 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

With the dates for what would have been the 2020 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings & Exhibits (NRAAM) having come and gone with nary a shooter, hunter, outdoorsman, or Second Amendment supporter to be seen, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing cancellation,  sights are now set on the 2021 show, slated to begin one year from today.

The NRA noted that they “did not reach this decision lightly” and “were ultimately guided by our responsibility to help ensure the safety and well-being of our NRA members, guests, and surrounding community.”    Continue reading

Smith & Wesson Repurposes Portion of Manufacturing Capabilities to Produce PPE for Healthcare Workers

Smith & Wesson Inc. today reported that it has taken a variety of measures to support its employees and local communities during the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Leveraging its manufacturing capabilities and specialized equipment, Smith & Wesson has re-purposed a portion of its manufacturing capabilities to help alleviate a nationwide shortage of personal protection equipment (PPE) and help keep front line personnel safe.

Mark Smith, co-President and co-CEO of parent company American Outdoor Brands, said, “As a manufacturer, Smith & Wesson has talented engineers, specialized equipment, and production capability that we’ve been able to repurpose to help the local community during the coronavirus outbreak. Contributing to our local communities has always been important to Smith & Wesson, and we’ll continue to help wherever and however we can.

Within a few days of the outbreak, the engineering team at Smith & Wesson had designed a process to produce face shields utilizing 3D printers and readily available materials and commenced building. Within two weeks, the company’s plastic injection molding facility had designed, manufactured, and tested molds allowing for large-scale production, and the company is now producing 1,000 face shields per day for use by employees, the medical community, and first responders. To date, the company has donated over 7,000 face shields and 12,000 pairs of eye protection to support front line personnel across the nation.    Continue reading

Ruger Responds to Pandemic with Support for Employees and Local Communities

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has made its people and the communities in which it operates a top priority during the tragic and unprecedented coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Ruger has undertaken a number of measures to help support its people and communities, and has placed significant efforts behind manufacturing resources to help the country at large.

“As COVID-19 has driven us into extraordinary times, we knew we must step up to help our employees, their families and our broader local communities,” said Ruger President and CEO, Chris Killoy. “Our Company values of integrity, respect, innovation and teamwork are more important than ever, and are surely guiding us through these times as we work together on doing what is best for everyone.”

As some local food pantries in our communities have closed or faced shortages, Ruger has set up its own food pantry for employees and is supporting other local food sources to help employees and families in need. Ruger employees have donated food, hard-to-get items and cash totaling over $11,000 to support this effort. Additionally, Ruger has provided two additional weeks of paid time off for hourly employees, as well as other accommodations for employees who are directly or indirectly impacted by this pandemic.

“Supporting our employees is the primary goal of our task force,” stated Sarah Colbert, Vice President of Administration and Chair of the Ruger Coronavirus Task Force. “Our focus is to keep our people safe and healthy; help take care of our Ruger families and local communities where we live and work; and keep us safely working for as long as we can.”

Keeping employee safety in mind, Ruger has reconfigured all locations to accommodate Federal social distancing guidelines at entranceways, on the factory floor and in common areas. Ruger has limited all non-essential access to its facilities, has embraced remote work wherever possible, and has professionally disinfected all manufacturing equipment and facilities utilizing a contracted service.

In an effort to support local communities, Ruger donated resources to hospitals, nursing homes, police, fire and first responder departments, including:

  • 6,500 surgical masks
  • Almost 5,000 safety glasses
  • 700 Tyvek suits
  • 200 shoe coverings
  • Over 200 N95 masks.

Ruger also donated $6,000 in cash to local food charities and made its facilities and resources available to truck drivers and delivery personnel.  Continue reading

SAF Sues Georgia County, Judge Asserting Deprivation of Rights

Second Amendment FoundationThe Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition today filed suit in federal district court in Georgia, in a case alleging Cherokee County and Probate Court Judge Keith Wood have violated the constitutional rights of citizens by ordering that the county would not accept applications for Weapons Carry Licenses during the coronavirus outbreak.

The case names Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia Department of Public Safety Commissioner Gary Vowell, Cherokee County, and Judge Wood, in their official capacities.

SAF and FPC filed the action in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, on behalf of one of their members, Lisa Walters. According to the 16-page federal complaint, Walters’ husband contacted the probate court several days ago to inquire about her ability to obtain a carry license. The county informed Walters’ husband that the order to not accept license applications will remain in effect.

The case is known as Walters v. Kemp. Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Adam Kraut of Sacramento, Calif., John R. Monroe of Dawsonville, Ga., and Raymond M. DiGuiseppe of Southport, N.C.   Continue reading

FN Remains Fully Operational During COVID-19

FN America, LLC would like to inform its customers that the company has been designated as an essential business to the Defense Industrial Base by the Department of Defense and the state of South Carolina. The company’s production facility, based in Columbia, South Carolina, remains open and is operating at full capacity to deliver against FN’s multiple military contracts and customer orders. FN’s two other locations in Virginia also remain open and at full operation, as well.

“As COVID-19 continues to impact our nation, our employees, their families and our customers are at the forefront of our thoughts and actions during this unprecedented time,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America. “Because we are designated as an essential business by our state and by the Federal government, we remain open and continue to produce but have taken measures to ensure the safety and security of our team while we operate under these circumstances. Our customers depend on us each day to supply them with dependable, reliable firearms and we will continue to support them.”

“In response to this outbreak, FN has established a COVID-19 response task force to implement measures above and beyond recommended guidelines, ensure employee safety while on the job and keep our teams informed as we work to minimize disruption to our daily operations. Additionally, FN has implemented telework for those who are able to work remotely and introduced a new program called Patriot Pay.”

“The Patriot Pay program provides a temporary wage increase to FN employees who are working onsite at the company’s production facility directly engaged in manufacturing operations. In addition to this wage lift, employees have flexible leave schedules to care for themselves or their families should they need to, as well as other benefits.”

“During these uncertain times, as our nation responds and adjusts to this unprecedented pandemic situation, please rest assured that FN stands ready to support its customers with the dependable, reliable firearms they expect.”

SAF Rips “Everytown” Anti-Gun Rights Memo Backing Gun Shop Closures

photo: G. Skidmore

The Second Amendment Foundation today responded to a memorandum issued by ‘Everytown Law,’ an arm of Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety gun prohibition lobbying group, calling the document “totally biased” and written solely to support the emergency closure of American gun stores, using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse.

According to the memo, Everytown objects to lawsuits—filed by SAF and other groups—to protect retail firearms stores as “essential businesses” on the grounds that gun rights groups are “seeking…for Second Amendment rights to become super-rights, receiving a level of protection no other constitutional right enjoys.”

“Well I have news for them,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The Second Amendment is a super right. That’s why it’s in our Bill of Rights. It protects all of our other rights.”

The Everytown memo also argues against gun stores being singled out “for special treatment, and be allowed to remain open even in the face of the most severe public-health crisis this country has faced in over 100 years is legally flawed and should be rejected by the courts.”

“The only thing flawed here is Everytown’s memo,” Gottlieb observed. “Constitutional rights are not subject to a public health crisis. Our rights are enshrined in the Constitution to protect them from just this sort of political treachery disguised as legal research. This memo is totally biased and one-sided, and is further proof that they know we are winning this battle.”

For the past two weeks, SAF and other groups have been waging successful legal battles in several states to prevent or reverse gun shop closures, and defend those important local businesses as “essential” during national emergencies, including a pandemic such as the Coronavirus outbreak.

“We’ve been winning,” Gottlieb said, “which means they’re losing. People rushed to gun stores, many for the first time. Everytown wants to stop that by shutting those shops down. Closing gun stores won’t cure the Coronavirus, and they know it. But if Everytown can convince people it’s okay to suspend the Second Amendment during one emergency, they’ll try to erase it entirely the next time we face a crisis. We will not allow that to happen.”

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