Category: Firearm Industry News

Coverage of events for Fear and Loading by Guy J. Sagi and breaking news of interest to firearm owners.

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Safariland Withdrawal from SHOT Show

Safariland pulls out of SHOT Show

Citing health concerns for staff, families and friends, a letter was issued Thursday that announced the Safariland withdrawal from SHOT Show 2022. The company is one of world’s foremost manufacturers of protective equipment for law enforcement and shooting gear for civilian enthusiasts. The letter, below in its entirety, was dated Jan. 6.

“To Our Valued Customers,”

“Throughout the pandemic, employee health and safety has been a priority for The Safariland Group. It was our plan to attend the 2022 SHOT Show as we have for the past 40+ years, however, we have made the difficult decision not to attend.

“We feel there could be a significant health risk for our associates, their families and to our customer base due to the COVID Omicron variant. We have also stayed abreast of various exhibitor and attendee decisions, which was a contributing factor to this outcome.

“We plan to attend the SHOT Show in 2023 and have communicated that with the NSSF staff to ensure our seniority space location is preserved.

“In the meantime, should you have any questions, or would like product information, please be sure to reach out to your Safariland Account Manager.

“Happy New Year and thank you for your continued support.

“Sincerely,

“Brad Williams

“President, Cadre Holdings, Inc.”

The list of companies not attending, or reducing exposure with limited floor staff, continues to grow. SIG Sauer withdrew in October, but Ruger also made a similar decision this month, along with 5.11 Tactical.

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CES 2022 Attendance Down by 75 Percent

Final figures are in and reflect a CES 2022 attendance down by 75 percent with the SHOT Show opening only 10 days later in the same city—Las Vegas. The number of writers, bloggers, vloggers and other media attending CES to get a glimpse of new products plummeted from 6,517 in 2020 to 1,800 in 2022.

Barron’s reported late yesterday, “Diminished by widespread concern about the Covid-19 pandemic, attendance at the latest edition of the CES tech trade show was down more than 75% from the last live version of the show in 2020.” Total number of companies exhibiting was 2,300, while two years before that figure stood at 4,419, despite mandatory masks and proof of vaccination to attend.

CNET.com confirms the figures. “The number is a far cry from 2019, in which upwards of 180,000 attendees filled the Las Vegas Convention Center,” it reported. “The show’s Friday conclusion is a day earlier than originally scheduled, implemented as a safety measure after several larger companies such as Microsoft, Google, AMD and Intel canceled or modified their in-person plans.”

U.S. News & World Report wrote, “Attendance at this week’s CES gadget show in Las Vegas fell more than 75% compared to its previous in-person event two years ago, its organizer said Friday.”

Citing health-related concerns for employees, contractors and their families, Ruger, SIG Sauer, Beretta, Benelli, 5.11, Burris and Steiner have already announced they will have limited or no presence at the SHOT Show. The decisions became public prior to the release of CES’ final attendance.

SHOT Show is scheduled to open Jan. 18, during what some experts claim will be a period of record-setting COVID cases in the United States. In a Jan. 6 New York Times guest essay Dr. Jeffrey Shaman wrote, “Our projections depict a rapid surge of cases nationally that peaks at record high numbers during the first one to three weeks of January. Just how many? Our middle-of-the-cone projection produces five million cases during the worst week but ranges from three million to more than eight million cases.”

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NRA Show Returns to Pennsylvania

NRA Show Returns to Pennsylvania

The Great American Outdoor NRA Show returns to Pennsylvania Feb. 5 to 13, 2022. It will take place at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA.

“After a brief hiatus due to pandemic restrictions, we are thrilled to once again gather in Dauphin County for the world’s largest outdoor show,” said Joe DeBergalis, NRA Executive Director of General Operations. “The National Rifle Association membership is made up of millions of hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, and no group does more to support, defend, and promote our cherished outdoor traditions than the NRA. Next month, the nation’s best outfitters, outdoor experts, and retailers will gather in Harrisburg for a show you will not want to miss.”

The Great American Outdoor Show celebrates the outdoor traditions treasured by millions of Americans and their families in a 650,000-square-foot exhibit space that will feature nearly 1,100 exhibitors in nine halls, including shooting sports manufacturers, boat and RV dealers, hunting and fishing retailers, more than 400 outfitters and boat captains from across the globe and much more, all part of the world’s biggest consumer outdoor show.

When the NRA Show returns to Pennsylvania visitors can expect to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor gear and family activities, including testing their archery skills for prizes in the 3D Bowhunter Challenge, experiencing world-class fishing lessons from pro anglers at the 5,000-gallon Hawg Tank, participating in almost 200 hunting and fishing seminars, and meeting their favorite celebrities and outdoor personalities. There will be smiles and laughter at the return of the high-flying, big-splashing Dock Dogs. Families can also have fun learning important safety lessons at the Eddie Eagle Kids Zone.

—NRA press release

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Beretta Withdraws from SHOT Show Floor

Beretta Withdraws from SHOT Show Floor

Beretta Holding Group, owner of Beretta, Benelli, Steiner and Burris, will not man booths on the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show floor, which opens Jan. 18 in Las Vegas, NV. The announcement is part of the firm’s new health safety policy in which it will not participate in large-scale indoor events during the unchecked spread of COVID-19 and its variants.

SIG Sauer withdrew from SHOT in October, citing health concerns for its team and families. The number of major firearm makers publicly announcing they will not be attending—or at least reducing footprint —remains low. Losing the companies that have provided the official sidearm for the United States miliary for the past 37 years, however, is significant. Both firms, however, emphasized their continuing support of the organizing group, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), during their respective statements.

This year SHOT exhibitors and their staff were required to sign a “hold harmless” document that releases the National Shooting Sports Foundation—which has conducted the event since 1979—and its contractors for the show from any liability incurred from COVID-19 contracted during the event. Several manufacturers that requested anonymity said the weight of that added financial exposure may force them to cancel. A variety of the outdoor media’s major players have already stated they and their teams will not be attending this year.

CES, the world’s largest computer and electronics trade show, opened today in Las Vegas. It suffered a number of last-minute withdrawals from some of that industry’s major players due to COVID-19 health concerns. Peloton joined the no-show ranks earlier this week. Goliaths that had already pulled their on-floor and special event presence already included Intel, Google, Meta (formerly Facebook), Lenovo, T-Mobile and many others.

Masks are mandatory at both SHOT and CES, but the latter also required proof of vaccination to secure credentials. Organizers there also provided a COVID-19 antigen self-test to each attendee, with a recommendation to use one of the two included units prior to entering the show floor and the other at least 24, but not more than 48, hours later. Despite the added precautions, CES took the unprecedented step of canceling the last day of the show.

Air travel is also a growing logistical problem. Thousands of flights were canceled during the holiday season due to weather and air crews suffering with, or recovering from, COVID-19. The trend continues to this day, with the Washington Post reporting nearly 1,400 flights have been canceled today alone.

More than 800,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and its mutations since the first reported stateside mortality on Feb. 29, 2020. The Omicron variant, although less lethal, continues to set records for daily cases in the United States.

When CES opened, the show floor was nearly vacant. Here’s a look at an image gallery from Mashable.

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Remembering Chip McCormick

Remembering Chip McCormick

From Kimber

Kimber Mfg. has learned of the passing of Chip McCormick, the man renowned for creating industry-leading 1911 magazines and triggers through his company, Chip McCormick Custom. Mr. McCormick, in partnership with Kimber Mfg. owner and CEO Leslie Edelman, also contributed greatly to Kimber’s success in the 1911 market.

Mr. McCormick provided instrumental consulting to Mr. Edelman in creating the firearm industry’s first mass-produced, high-quality 1911 pistols that included custom features. Mr. McCormick’s contributions included a beavertail grip safety, an extended slide stop, and an ambidextrous manual safety. These efforts not only changed the handgun market by adding upgraded features to commercialized top-notch 1911s, but simultaneously revolutionized how firearm-manufacturing companies crafted and assembled the legendary 1911 platform.

“The Kimber family is deeply saddened by the loss of Chip McCormick. He was a great friend and a great business collaborator,” said Kimber owner and CEO, Leslie Edelman. “His impact on this company, as well as the entire firearms industry, is immeasurable. Our condolences go out to Chip’s family and friends. He will be missed greatly.”

Kimber Mfg., Inc. is an American company that designs and manufactures premium firearms for individual, sporting, law enforcement and military markets. Complete information on Kimber firearms, accessories and Less-Lethal products is available at www.kimberamerica.com or by phone from Kimber in-house staff at +1 (888) 243-4522. A detailed product catalog is available upon request. Kimber can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

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SIG SAUER Commemorates U.S. Army’s Birthday

SIG SAUER Commemorates U.S. Army’s Birthday

From SIG SAUER

SIG SAUER, Inc. is proud to present a new four-part video series to commemorate the upcoming birthday of the U.S. Army on Monday, June 14th, and honor the prestigious U.S. Army Rangers with an inside look at the 2021 Best Ranger Competition.

“This year SIG SAUER was afforded the incredible opportunity to present custom M17 pistols as the official trophy pistols of the prestigious Best Ranger Competition,” said Jason St. John, Director, Government Products, SIG SAUER, Inc., and Sergeant First Class (Retired), U.S. Army Ranger. “Through this video series we recognize the U.S. Army and the incredible service and sacrifice of the entire U.S. Army Ranger regiment to our country.”

The SIG SAUER Best Ranger Video Series includes the following episodes:

  • Episode 1: Rangers Lead the Way: the already released video review of the history and foundation of the U.S. Army Rangers.
  • Episode 2: Honor: the newly released video reviews the inception of the famed Best Ranger Competition.
  • Episode 3: 2021 Best Ranger Competition: an inside look at the grueling 3-day Best Ranger Competition to be released on the birthday of the U.S. Army, June 14th.
  • Episode 4: Prestige: an interview with the 2021 Best Ranger Competition winners to be released on Friday, June 18th.

The U.S. Army Best Ranger Competition is a grueling competition that identifies the best, two-man U.S. Army Ranger team on a course that is designed to place extreme demand on each team’s physical, mental, technical and tactical skills and was held in Fort Benning, Georgia, April 16-18, 2021.

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Hornady Shooter Robert Brantley Hits 2.40-mile Shot

Hornady Shooter Robert Brantley Hits 2.40-mile Shot

From Hornady

Hornady® congratulates Robert Brantley on his record 2.40 mile shot at the Clark’s Knob ELR Match, May 1, 2021 in Tipton, KS.

Brantley used Hornady .416 Cal. 500 gr. A-TIP® Match bullets loaded in his 416 MCS wildcat in a GA Precision rifle to make the longest impact ever shot and recorded in competition.

“A-TIP bullets have many advantages,” said Brantley. “You see splash so much better than solids and the accuracy is simply unreal! The bullet-to-bullet consistency of the A-TIP make shots like this possible.” Brantley added.

A-TIP® Match bullets feature an aluminum tip that’s precision machined and longer than polymer tips, that moves the center of gravity and enhances inflight stability, resulting in tighter groups and reduced drag variability. In addition, A-TIP bullets are sequentially packaged for the ultimate in consistent performance.

Founded in 1949, Hornady® Manufacturing Company is a family-owned business headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly manufacturing products that are made in the USA, Hornady® Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, ammunition, reloading tool, accessory and security product design and manufacturing.

For further information regarding Hornady® products, visit the company web site at http://hornady.com.

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Henry Arms Offering Military Free Admission to Henry 180

Henry Arms Offering Military Free Admission to Henry 180

From Henry Arms

A day before the fireworks shows of July 4th, the Henry 180 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Road America will treat fans to an equally impressive performance on the track. Wisconsin-based firearm manufacturer and title sponsor of the race, Henry Repeating Arms, is celebrating by inviting 180 active-duty members or veterans of the United States military to attend the race with free general admission. Henry Repeating Arms has a long history of supporting the military and its veterans with recent donations to The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) totaling over $100,000, a $200,000 donation to The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project, and tribute edition rifle presentations to veterans around the country including World War II hero, Louis Zamperini, and several Congressional Medal of Honor recipients.

“It’s a weekend to celebrate America, and there’s no better place to do that than our home track in the good company of our employees, friends, and guests while enjoying a packed schedule of racing,” said Anthony Imperato, President and Owner of Henry Repeating Arms. “That mix of guns, gears, and July 4th gets my patriotic juices flowing, and I’m looking forward to shaking hands with those who served to keep weekends like this possible.”. For its 4th straight year of being the primary sponsor of an Xfinity Series racecar at Road America, Henry Repeating Arms is continuing its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing. Henry expects to announce the driver and paint scheme in June.

The Henry 180 Xfinity Series race at Road America begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 3rd, with live coverage on NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Active-duty members or veterans of the United States military who wish to attend the race in person can apply online for free admission from Henry Repeating Arms here: henryusa.com/thankyou Henry firearms are purchased only through a licensed firearms dealer. For more information about Henry Repeating Arms and its products, visit henryusa.com or call 866-200-2354.

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Ruger Reports Q1 2021 Earnings

From Ruger

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) announced that for the first quarter of 2021 the Company reported net sales of $184.4 million and diluted earnings of $2.16 per share, compared with net sales of $123.6 million and diluted earnings of 87¢ per share in the first quarter of 2020.

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of 86¢ per share for the first quarter for stockholders of record as of May 17, 2021, payable on May 28, 2021. This dividend varies every quarter because the Company pays a percentage of earnings rather than a fixed amount per share. This dividend is approximately 40% of net income.

Chief Executive Officer Christopher J. Killoy commented on the financial results for the first quarter of 2021, “Strengthening our workforce and realizing operational efficiencies resulted in an outstanding quarter. I could not be more proud of how well our folks rose to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and capitalized on the opportunities presented by the historic surge in demand during the past year. But we did not allow the frenetic pace of our business to distract us from our long-term goal of driving shareholder value. Our focus on our new product development initiatives remained steadfast. Consequently, in March we introduced the Ruger Max-9, a versatile 9mm pistol that has been met with tremendous excitement. We look forward to additional exciting product launches in 2021, including the return of Marlin lever action rifles, which we plan to begin shipping in the fourth quarter.”

Mr. Killoy made the following observations related to the Company’s first quarter 2021 performance:

  • The estimated unit sell-through of the Company’s products from the independent distributors to retailers increased 9% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the prior year period. For the same period, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) background checks (as adjusted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation) increased 13%. This growth is attributable to increased consumer demand for firearms in the first quarter of 2021 and has likely been constrained due to limited available inventory in the distribution channel.
  • Sales of new products, including the Wrangler, the Ruger-57, the LCP II in .22 LR, the PC Charger, and the Max-9 pistol, represented $34.8 million or 21% of firearm sales in the first quarter of 2021. New product sales include only major new products that were introduced in the past two years.
  • During the first quarter of 2021, the Company’s finished goods inventory and distributor inventories of the Company’s products increased slightly. However, in the aggregate, total Company and distributor inventories decreased 153,000 units from the end of the first quarter of 2020.
  • Cash provided by operations during the first quarter of 2021 was $27.8 million. At April 3, 2021, our cash and short-term investments totaled $146.1 million. Our current ratio is 3.5 to 1 and we have no debt.
  • In the first quarter of 2021, capital expenditures totaled $5.5 million. We expect our 2021 capital expenditures to total approximately $20 million, most of which relate to new product introductions.
  • In the first quarter of 2021, the Company returned $12.5 million to its shareholders through the payment of dividends.
  • At April 3, 2021, stockholders’ equity was $288.5 million, which equates to a book value of $16.41 per share, of which $8.31 per share was cash and short-term investments.
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MidwayUSA Foundation Grants Over $112,000 In Coach Training Grants

MidwayUSA Foundation Grants Over $112,000 In Coach Training Grants

From MidwayUSA Foundation

MidwayUSA Foundation continues to make an impact in the outdoor industry by expanding their programs to allow more of today’s youth the chance to participate in shooting sports. To create newly certified youth shooting sports coaches, MidwayUSA Foundation has paid $112,290 to 25 partnering organizations. These cash funds will directly assist these like-minded organizations to certify over 1,000 new shooting sports coaches, collectively. This is the first year and first grant payout for the Coach Training program.

MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director, G. Scott Reynolds said, “Certified coaches are integral to youth shooting sports. Our youth cannot join a team, improve their skills, or compete without a qualified coach. This is exactly why the Foundation established this new annual grant program. After a tough 2020, I am happy we were able to roll-out our Coach Training Grant Program in time to make an impact in 2021.”

In addition to nearly 2,800 youth shooting team endowments, MidwayUSA Foundation funds over 65 state and national youth shooting sports organizations through Agency and Donor Designated endowments. These organizations, including SCTP, SASP, ATA, ACUI, and more are eligible for the Coach Training Grant Program. Youth shooting teams interested in certifying more coaches should reach out to their state or national organization. Coach Training grants will be paid annually through MidwayUSA Foundation.

The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow the shooting sports industry by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation made is tax-deductible and allows the Foundation to assist in expanding and enhancing the leadership skills, confidence, and discipline of today’s youth through shooting sports activities. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. For more information about how the MidwayUSA Foundation is changing the future of youth shooting sports, please visit midwayusafoundation.org or call 1-877-375-4570.