| Gun Maker
SMITH & WESSON POSTS RECORD ANNUAL SALES, PROFIT . . . Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ:SWHC) on Thursday reported net product sales increased 48.8 percent and firearm sales increased more than 50 percent in fiscal 2007. Profits also rose significantly, increasing 41 percent from the previous year. In the fourth quarter, sales were a record $82.6 million, a 59.3 percent increase from the same period in 2006. It was the company's 10th consecutive quarter of double-digit sales growth. The gun maker's stock on Friday jumped $1.24 to close at $16.15. It continued upward again today, rising 37 cents to close at $16.46. A "BusinessWeek" story examines how the company "blew away Wall Street" last week and how it continues to boost sales by double digits.
BERETTA BACKS SCTP RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN . . . As an incentive for Scholastic Clay Target Program teams, Beretta has donated five 3901 Target RL shotguns and credit toward clothing and accessories as grand prizes for SCTP's "Recruit to Shoot" campaign. The campaign's goal is to increase SCTP participation this year to 15,000 scholastic shooters across the country. Teams that introduce new youths and parents to the program will be recognized as champions and will be entered to win prizes from Beretta and more.
MAINE PASSES LAW TO HELP BOLSTER HUNTER NUMBERS . . . A Families Afield bill that will help bolster the number of hunters in Maine was signed into law earlier this month by Gov. John Baldacci. The bill, introduced by Wesley Richardson (R-Warren), will establish a one-year apprentice hunting license for persons 16 years and older. Families Afield is a campaign established by NSSF, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and National Wild Turkey Federation to urge states to eliminate unnecessary hunting age restrictions and ease hunter education mandates for first-time hunters.
NSSF RESPONDS TO NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL, OP-ED . . . The New York Times this past weekend ran an anti-gun op-ed by New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and an anti-gun editorial criticizing the proposed reauthorization of the Tiahrt Amendment. The legislation restricts public access to firearms tracing data to secure investigations and protect law enforcement. Doing an about-face, Kelly contradicted his 2002 letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft that acknowledged the need to restrict firearms tracing data from the public. Read NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane's response to the Times.
COMCAST MOVE COULD LEAD TO LOST OUTDOOR CHANNEL SUBSCRIBERS . . . Outdoor Channel Holdings (NASDAQ:OUTD) says it could lose a maximum of about 500,000 subscribers in the Chicago area if Comcast Cable moves Outdoor Channel to a sports and entertainment tier. If the move is made, a Comcast subscriber in the area wishing to continue viewing the channel will be required to pay Comcast an additional $4.95 per month for the tier package.
BASS PRO SHOPS TO HOLD FIRST DAY OF SALE FOR FEDERAL DUCK STAMP. . . The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said its First Day of Sale for the 2007-2008 Federal Duck Stamp will kick off with an unveiling at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo., on June 22. Bass Pro Shops will also sponsor First Day of Sale ceremonies in all of its retail stores throughout the country. This year's stamp features a painting of ring-necked ducks by Delaware artist Richard Clifton.
U.S. PRACTICAL SHOOTING ASSOCIATION TOPS 16,000 MEMBERS . . . Four years of sustained growth have propelled the United States Practical Shooting Association to another new membership record, breaking 16,000 members as of this month. USPSA started bounding ahead in June 2005, and has posted 1,000 new members in 12 months.
PARTNERSHIP HELPS SUPPORT CONSERVATION VIDEOS . . . The Pope and Young Club has announced its continued support of NSSF's conservation education efforts with a $1,000 grant to help fund distribution of NSSF's three school videos, "The Un-endangered Species" and "What They Say About Hunting," for grades 7-12, and "Wildlife for Tomorrow," for grades 4-7. NSSF's conservation video series provides students with a factual overview of sportsmen-supported wildlife management in North America. The Pope and Young Club is a leading wildlife conservation-oriented organization that supports educational activities that communicate the benefits of proper wildlife management practices. The 2007 grant represents a longstanding partnership with NSSF.
REPORT DETAILS CONFLICT BETWEEN PRIVACY LAWS, MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS . . . On the same day the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would help prevent people with mental health problems from clearing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and purchasing a gun, a federal report commissioned after the Virginia Tech shootings detailed how privacy laws often impede the sharing of critical information about the mentally ill. According to a Washington Post story, school administrators, doctors and police officials often do not share information about individuals with mental illnesses, and therefore students and others do not receive necessary counseling and evaluation, and often their mental health records are not included in the NICS database. HR 2640 has bipartisan support in Congress, including backing by the NRA and NSSF, and, as a result, has a good chance of becoming law.
BILL THREATENS HUNTING, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IN NEW JERSEY . . . Assembly Bill 3275 would dramatically change the emphasis given to sportsmen's interests in developing hunting, fishing and trapping programs. A U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance report indicates the bill would remove seats set aside on the state Fish and Game Council for six sportsmen and three farmers and replace them with seven governor-recommended appointees. It also requires the investigation of non-lethal means of wildlife management before establishing hunting, fishing and trapping programs, and it removes the council's authority to consider the use and development of fish and wildlife resources for public recreation and food supply when adopting the State Fish and Game Code.
SPORTSMAN'S TEAM CHALLENGE . . . Results are in from the three-gun Sportsman's Team Challenge, held June 8-10 at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio. Team Smith & Wesson scored a tournament high of 580 out of 600 in the Industry Open class. Industry teams included shooters from Sturm, Ruger & Co., NSSF and the National Skeet Shooting Association and National Sporting Clays Association. NSSF is the title sponsor of the annual event.
HANCOCK TOPS OWN WORLD RECORD, TAKES GOLD . . . U.S. shotgun phenom Vincent Hancock topped his own world record and took gold in men's skeet at the International Shootings Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Italy. Hancock was perfect throughout the competition, never missing a target in 150 shots.
U.S.'S RICHMOND WINS GOLD, QUOTA SLOT IN DOUBLE TRAP . . . Josh Richmond of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit of Fort Benning, Ga., bagged a gold medal and an Olympic quota slot in double trap for the U.S. after his victory at the World Cup in Italy. The 21-year-old broke 191 of 200 targets. The U.S. now has all of its required quota slot positions needed for its athletes to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in the shotgun discipline.
USA SHOOTING NAMES MANAGER OF NEW MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS . . . Mary Beth Vorwerk has been hired as the manager of new media and public relations at USA Shooting, the national governing body for the Olympic shooting sports. She will oversee Web site content, "USA Shooting News," "Quick Shots" and media services on behalf of USA Shooting athletes and the organization.
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"Our purpose is to provide trusted leadership in addressing industry challenges and in delivering programs and services to meet the identified needs of our members."
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