NSSF Bullet Points Articles

Supreme Court Justices Ready For DC vs Heller

On Tuesday at 10 a.m. the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in District of Columbia vs Heller concerning whether the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms in addition to a state's right to form a militia. Dick Heller, who legally carries a gun as a security guard, is prevented by Washington, D.C., law from taking that gun to his home in the district. "They give me a gun to protect them," he says of the government, "but I'm a second-class citizen when I finish work." Read more in U.S. News and World Report's cover story. The case is of immense importance to all Americans, with gun owners and the firearms industry paying close attention to it. Look for updates at www.nssf.org, particularly since the Supreme Court is taking the unusual step of releasing audio tapes of the arguments on the same day; this is done only in high-profile cases drawing significant media interest. (The court does not allow videotaping of its proceedings.) NSSF has submitted a friend of the court brief in support of Heller that provides a fascinating look at the historical roots of the Second Amendment. Yesterday Gun Talk Radio's guest was Alan Gura, lead attorney in the case, and The Shooting Wire has been covering the issue closely.

Former SCTP Standout Makes Olympic Team

After maintaining a lead for three days of intense competition at the Olympic Shotgun Trials in Kerrville, Texas, trap shooter Corey Codgell of Eagle River, Alaska, claimed the sole women's trap spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Codgell, a former standout in NSSF's popular Scholastic Clay Target Program, will represent the United States this summer at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. In addition, Vincent Hancock, also a former SCTP participant, from Eatonton, Ga., Kim Rhode, of El Monte, Calif., who has won two Olympic gold medals in the now-discontinued Women’s Double Trap and has co-hosted NSSF’s STEP OUTSIDE TV program on Outdoor Channel, and Sean McLelland of Mission, Texas, will all be competing in skeet in Beijing. Get full results at www.usashooting.com.

Shooting Sports Summit - An Event Not To Miss

Having an opportunity to listen to top leaders from the industry discuss strategies, solutions and their vision for the future of hunting and the shooting sports doesn't come around very often. The 2008 Shooting Sports Summit is shaping up to be one of those rare opportunities not to be missed. The event takes place June 23-25 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Colorado Springs and boasts an impressive list of presentation topics and speakers, including a keynote address from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. For information, visit the 2008 Shooting Sports Summit Web site at www.nssf.org/08Summit. Register now for the event and take advantage of the early-bird discounts!

Industry Calls Press Conference, Testifies Against Bills

Senior executives from Connecticut-based Colt Firearms, Marlin Firearms, O.F. Mossberg and Sons and Sturm, Ruger and Co., Massachusetts-based Smith & Wesson, Remington Arms Co., ATK/Federal Cartridge Co., Winchester Ammunition, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Connecticut Association of Firearms Retailers made a strong case against legislation that would mandate firearms microstamping (SB 607) and bullet serialization (SB 603) in the state. After meeting the press, executives testified against the bills before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, underscoring that passage of either bill would have a severe impact on the firearms industry and its customers, dramatically driving up the price of firearms and ammunition. Read the NSSF press release. Learn more about firearms microstamping and bullet serialization. See news coverage of the press conference on WFSB-TV.

Industry Support Fuels First Shots' Success

NEWTOWN, Conn.—This year nearly 100 shooting ranges across the country will provide local residents with the opportunity to take their first shots with a handgun, rifle or shotgun through the National Shooting Sports Foundation's First Shots program.

Firearms and Ammunition Industry Announce Opposition to Microstamping and Bullet Serialization Legislation

HARTFORD, Conn. – This morning America’s leading firearms and ammunition manufacturers, many of whom are based in Connecticut, held a press conference at the State Capitol to announce a unified industry stand against legislation that would force them to adopt patented, sole-sourced technology to microstamp firearms and to put a unique serial number on every bullet manufactured.

National Academy of Sciences Study Advocates Against Creation of a National Ballistic Imaging Database

Today the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released an extensive study on the feasibility and reliability of establishing a national ballistic imaging, sometimes misleadingly referred to as ballistic “fingerprinting,” database. The study concludes, “A national database containing images of ballistic markings from all new and imported guns sold in the U.S. should not be created at this time”.

Threat in Connecticut Microstamping to be Heard in Committee as Early as Monday

Anti-gun legislators in the Connecticut General Assembly have called for legislation to mandate the microstamping of firearms (SB 607). This bill is slated to be heard in the Joint Committee on the Judiciary as early as next Monday (March 10).

Elk Callers Win World Titles

New world champion elk callers were crowned over the weekend in Reno. Competition was held in six divisions as part of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's 24th Annual Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo. In the event, callers have 30-45 seconds to mimic cow elk sounds, followed by bull sounds. Professional-level competitors are required to make specific calls such as barks, whistles and screaming bugles. Full story and results.

Conservationist's Prize to Benefit Elkhorn Ranch

Boone and Crockett Club President Lowell E. Baier, the 2008 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year, will apply his $50,000 prize toward habitat restoration and interpretive projects at Theodore Roosevelt's historic 23,550-acre Elkhorn Ranch in North Dakota. Baier, of Potomac, Md., spearheaded a collaborative effort to acquire, preserve and protect the ranch, a project that came to fruition in 2007. The ranch is now held by the U.S. Forest Service. Baier was selected for the award over three other nominees in an open-ballot vote on Budweiser's Web site. He was honored at the SHOT Show.