NSSF Blog

Sneak Preview of NSSF Ad

In conjunction with several First Shots seminars scheduled at shooting ranges in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, NSSF will be running this ad in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press to remind residents about what the firearms industry is doing to promote safe and responsible ownership and storage.

The ad says, "80 million firearms owners across America are committed to firearms safety--and so are we [the National Shooting Sports Foundation]."

The copy continues, "That's why we've been an advocate for firearms safety, education, lawful ownership and responsible enjoyment of hunting and the shooting sports for over 50 years."

NSSF has run similar notices in the Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles markets. In each case the purpose was to show gun owners, as well as those considering purchasing a firearm and even those who choose not to own, that the firearms industry has long been dedicated to promoting the safe and lawful use of its products.

This message and our First Shots seminars had a particularly strong meaning for residents of Washington, D.C., who, thanks to the Supreme Court's Heller decision, had their right to own a handgun restored. Chicago residents are hoping for the same result when the Supreme Court issues a decision in the McDonald v. City of Chicago case.  

First Shots is NSSF's program that provides an introduction to shooting. Last year 6,000 people were introduced to the enjoyment of handgun and long-gun shooting at 259 First Shots seminars across the country. Many seminars, as in Chicago and L.A., were filled to capacity. We hope Minnesotans will react just as enthusiastically.

Find out about First Shots seminars near you.

NSSF Hails Washington State Supreme Court Decision on 2d Amendment

The court's ruling holds that the Second Amendment is an incorporated right.

From the just released press release:

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms industry – hailed today’s ruling by the Washington State Supreme Court holding that the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans are applicable to the states through the 14th Amendment.

“This decision by the Washington State Supreme Court is a welcomed development and victory for the rights of law-abiding firearms owners,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel.  “America's firearms industry remains optimistic that the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in the upcoming McDonald v. City of Chicago case that the Second Amendment is a fundamental individual liberty that all states and local governments must respect." 

The NSSF filed an amicus brief in support of the petitioner in McDonald v. City of Chicago, set to be heard by the High Court next month. 

Learn About Handgun Ownership

When it comes to learning about handguns, shooting and firearms ownership, not knowing how or where to begin can be an intimidating hurdle for newcomers. The National Shooting Sports Foundation's First Shots® program provides opportunities to get started in a supervised, supportive environment at shooting ranges across the country. Participants also learn how to continue with handgun shooting if they enjoy their introduction, which, our surveys show, most do.

Having a supervised, safe and fun first experience is key to staying involved and wanting to learn more. At a First Shots seminar, newcomers will receive . . . 

• an educational introduction to the safe, recreational use of handguns
• a clear understanding of the local requirements for owning and purchasing a handgun
• individual and group training and shooting range access for continued participation
• shooting sports opportunities for all levels of interest

Most First Shots seminars provide an introduction to handgun ownership, but some shooting ranges also offer an introduction to rifle and shotgun shooting as well. See the seminar list below for a First Shots seminars across the United States, and check back here for updated seminar listings throughout the year. You can also watch this 30-second video about First Shots.

Unless noted, all seminars listed here are for handgun introduction. 

Schedule of First Shots Seminars

Saturday, February 20	Shooters World- AZ 3828 North 28th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85017 602-266-2600 9:00am
Saturday, February 20 (Handgun/Rifle/Shotgun)	P2K Range 2082 Willow Glen Drive El Cajon, CA 92019 619-442-9971 10:00am
Saturday, February 20	Montrose Rod & Gun Club 123 Akard Ave Montrose, CO 81401 970-249-2771 9:00am
Sunday, February 21	Top Gun Shooting Sports Inc. 16725 Racho Rd Taylor, MI 48180 734-282-8470 12:00pm
Monday, February 22	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, February 27	Duncan's Outdoor Shop 501 Salzburg Ave Bay City, MI 48706 989-894-6691 2:00pm
Saturday, February 27	A & S Indoor Pistol Range 617 Overhead Bridge Road Youngwood, PA 15697 724-925-1212 10:00am
Saturday, February 27	Texas Thunder Range 7128 Bandera Rd San Antonio, TX 78238 210-509-2273 10:00am
Sunday, February 28	Top Gun Shooting Sports Inc. 16725 Racho Rd Taylor, MI 48180 734-282-8470 12:00pm
Saturday, March 6	Sim Trainer Academy 2031 Dryden Rd Dayton, OH; 45439 937-293-3914 4:00pm
Monday, March 8	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, March 20 (Handgun/Rifle/Shotgun)	Brune Land & Cattle 1079 FM 1890 Columbus, TXÂ 78934 949-230-2965 9:00am
Sunday, March 21 (Handgun/Shotgun)	Deep River Sporting Clays 284 Cletus Hall Rd Sanford, NC 27330 919-774-7080 10:30am
Thursday, March 25	Shooters World- AZ 3828 North 28th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85017 602-266-2600 5:00pm
Monday, March 29	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, April 3	Sim Trainer Academy 2031 Dryden Rd Dayton, OH; 45439 937-293-3914 9:00am
Monday, April 12	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, April 24	Ammo Alley 11562 County Rd 395 Hartsburg, MO 65039 573-634-6196 8:00am
Monday, April 26	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, May 1	Sim Trainer Academy 2031 Dryden Rd Dayton, OH; 45439 937-293-3914 4:00pm
Saturday May 8	Gainesville Target Range 1610 NW 65th Place Gainesville, FL 32609 352-359-2864 8:00am
Saturday May 8 (Handgun/Shotgun)	Tri-Cities Shooting Association Rattle Snake Mountain Shooting Range Milepost 7.75 SR 225 Benton City, WA 99320 509-545-1169 8:30am
Sunday May 9 (Rifle)	Gainesville Target Range 1610 NW 65th Place Gainesville, FL 32609 352-359-2864 8:00am
Monday, May 10	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, May 22 (Handgun/Rifle/Shotgun)	P2K Range 2082 Willow Glen Drive El Cajon, CA 92019 619-442-9971 10:00am
Monday, May 31	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Saturday, June 5	Sim Trainer Academy 2031 Dryden Rd Dayton, OH; 45439 937-293-3914 9:00am
Monday, June 14	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm
Monday, June 28	Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center 299 Page Boulevard Springfield, MA 01104 800-331-0852 6:00pm

Defensive Gun Uses

A story in the Southern Medical Journal attempts to revitalize the widely discredited theory that a gun in the home increases the risk of firearms-related violence to the gun owner. As with all such stories on this topic, readers should bring a healthy dose of skepticism and understand that the statistics provided are drawn only from those studies researchers decide to consult.

SMJ's conclusion is "based on a review of the available scientific data" and barely mentions defensive gun uses (DGUs). Did researchers include the 1.5 to two million DGUs that occur annually in the United States by law-abiding gun owners? We doubt it. Those estimates are derived from several surveys conducted by Professor Gary Kleck, as well as a survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice. Most DGUs, such as brandishing a gun to ward off a home invader, are never reported. Realizing this, Dr. Kleck specifically developed his surveys to determine a more accurate estimate of DGUs.

Over the last two decades, accidents and intentional shootings involving firearms have decreased greatly while during the same period firearms ownership in America has increased. Accidental fatalities in the last 20 years have dropped by 42 percent overall, with a 77 percent decrease among youth 14 years old and under, according to the National Safety Council.

Three Accurate Stories About Modern Sporting Rifles

Writers Mark Taylor of the Roanoke Times in Virginia, John Weiss of the Post-Bulletin in Rochester, Minneosta, and Colin Moore of  ESPNOutdoors.com each filed stories recently that accurately discuss AR-style modern sporting rifles. NSSF, which has launched a campaign to correct confusion about these rifles, appreciates their professional reporting and invites you to read their pieces.

From Mark's article:

"[ARs are] one of the fastest growing segments in the market and if you've ever shot one you understand why," [John] Fink [of Remington] said. "They're just a lot of fun to shoot. They're light on recoil and they're surprisingly accurate."

Because the guns share the same basic AR-style platform -- the AR stands for ArmaLite, the company that launched the design 50 years ago -- there are many add-on parts and modification products available to shooters, many of whom are avid tinkerers.

From John's article:

Patrick Cellette, owner of Cellette's Guns Inc. of New Brighton, Minn. agreed that troops coming back from Vietnam set the stage for push to the modern rifle. "Everything just took off like a rocket from there,"he said. "These are not evil." About 90 percent of his business is AR-related. 

From Colin's article:

The growing popularity of these rifles follows a familiar pattern. The military adopts the latest, greatest fighting weapon, whether a Winchester lever-action or a Springfield '03 bolt-action, and soon those firearms enter the civilian market. That's also what happened with black rifles, whose fame began in the Vietnam War era. Vets, and second- and third-generation vets since then, notched out a place in their hearts for such firearms long after their terms of duty ended.

---

Read more about the modern sporting rifle and NSSF's educational campaign to correct the confusion surrounding these AR-style rifles. AR-style rifles look like military rifles, such as the M-16, but function like other semi-automatic civilian sporting firearms, firing only one round with each pull of the trigger.

Why do you love your gun?

That's the question Los Angeles Times reporter Sandy Banks asks on her blog. Although she unfortunately arrives at the question by considering  the actions of basketball's Gilbert Arenas (as if he's the typical firearms owner),  Banks, to her credit, admits to knowing little about firearms and says she's gone to LAPD's firing range to learn more (and while at it discovers she’s a pretty good shot). Now she's asking readers to help her understand why they own firearms.

To her question, posted yesterday afternoon, she's received more than 100 comments, mostly pro-gun. You may want to read some of them and add yours before she writes her Saturday column.

A Math Lesson

When it comes to gun-related crime, it's standard procedure for gun-control groups to toss around numbers without putting them into perspective. The Violence Policy Center tried it recently and got this math lesson from A. Barton Hinkle of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, who calls such tactics "misleading, if not malicious."

Writes Mr. Hinkle,

"Now consider this statistic: Concealed handgun permit holders have killed 107 people since 2007. That news, from the Violence Policy Center in Washington, D.C., sounds pretty bad--until you put it in context. How many Americans have been issued a permit to carry a concealed weapon?"

Using estimates for the number of concealed carry permit holders, Mr. Hinkle writes, "the percentage of concealed-carry permit holders who have killed someone with a firearm comes to two one-thousandths of 1 percent."

Read Mr. Hinkle's full article.

Washington, D.C. Homicides Down, Too; Calif. Microstamping Law Takes Effect in New Year

We'd like to draw your attention to two stories in the news today. 

In recent posts, we've talked about how baseless the "more guns equal more crime" argument has always been and particularly in light of FBI statistics showing that while firearms sales were surging in late 2008 and the first half of 2009, violent crime was going down nationally, in all categories, with murders down 10 percent. We noted yesterday that New York City homicides are at an all-time low, down 19 percent. The same is true in Washington, D.C., where, the Washington Times points out today, homicides fell by 25 percent in the district and have reached their lowest level since 1964. 

That's the good news. On the not-so-good-news side, mainly for Californians, is that a microstamping law goes into effect in 2010 that requires handguns sold in the Golden State to have a firing pin capable of imprinting identification numbers on bullet casings. The law was passed despite objections from NSSF and the findings of several independent peer-reviewed studies that showed the technology of microstamping is unreliable. Microstamping can be easily defeated in mere seconds using common household tools, or owners can simply replace the engraved firing pin for an unmarked one, thereby circumventing the technology. Even normal firing, cleaning, and wear and tear over the years can obliterate the microscopic numbers. As NSSF President Steve Sanetti has said, microstamping makes about as much sense as requiring the VIN number of a car to be marked on its tire treads.

As a result, handgun manufacturers may introduce fewer new models of handguns in the state rather than adopt the technology, which would add significant cost to new firearms and reduce manufacturing efficiencies. That means law-abiding Californians will have access to fewer new models, or as as NSSF's Larry Keane, senior vice president and general counsel, noted in the Sacramento Bee, "California will become like Cuba with cars. You will only be able to get very old models of guns."

Violent Crime Continues Decline (Even While Gun Ownership Increases)

Preliminary statistics released by the FBI for the first half of 2009 show that violent crime continues a downward trend that began in 2006. The figures show crime falling in all categories--robbery, aggravated assault, motor vehicle thefts, etc.--with murders down a remarkable 10 percent from the previous year.

The FBI statistics undermine a favorite argument of anti-gun groups and some mainstream media that "more guns equal more crime," especially when you consider that the decrease in violent crime from late 2008 through the first half of 2009 occurred at the same time that firearm sales were surging.

The most popular firearms selling at that time were handguns and modern sporting rifles (AR-style rifles)--two types of firearms that anti-gunners never miss an opportunity to demonize. Law-abiding handgun owners have been filling concealed carry classes across the country, and AR-style rifles--long a favorite of target shooters--are growing in popularity among hunters as new calibers are introduced for small and big game.  

People across the country continue to exercise their Second Amendment rights. Consider this story from yesterday's Boston Globe:

The number of gun permits issued in Massachusetts surged by more than 15 percent over the past two years, reversing nearly a decade of steady declines and marking a pronounced departure for a state known for its antigun sentiment.

The rise in gun permits (and, presumably, purchases) in the Bay State is reflected by National Instant Criminal Background Check statistics showing an increase of 25 million background checks from a total of 75 million to 100 million initiated by Type 01 federally licensed firearms retailers between April 5, 2007, and April 4, 2009 . (Background checks are required under federal law for all individuals purchasing either newly manufactured or used firearms from federally licensed retailers. The checks serve as a gauge of sales but do not reflect the actual number of firearms sold.)

Crime is down. Gun ownership--by law-abiding, responsible citizens who pass a mandatory FBI background check at retail--is up.

Don't let anyone get away with telling you that "more guns equal more crime."

Outdoor Media Gearing Up for SHOT Show

More than 1,100 outdoor media professionals have pre-registered so far for next month's Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, where the latest gear for hunters, shooters and outdoor enthusiasts begins its journey from manufacturer to marketplace. The annual show, which brings together the largest gathering of outdoor media in the world, will draw 60,000 industry professionals to do business over four days in Las Vegas.

If you are a working media professional who covers the shooting sports or writes about the equipment and accessories used by hunters and shooters, there is still time to register for a SHOT Show media badge. To receive a badge, you must provide proof that you cover the industry on a regular basis. Read the media registration guidelines at www.shotshow.org.

At the show, which is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and is open to  trade professionals only, media representatives join firearms retailers, shooting range operators, law enforcement and others to learn about the latest products. Media also has the opportunity to attend several "media days." These are invitation-only events, but most will allow bonafide media professionals to attend.

At least three events have been planned by exhibitors and their representatives that allow media to handle new products and, in some cases, test them at Las Vegas area shooting facilities.

Here is a profile of three such events, all of which take place on Monday, January 18, the day before the SHOT Show opens.

--Bass Pro presents Media Day at the Range, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Boulder City Pistol & Rifle Club. See www.media-day.com for more information. More than 40 companies are participating.

--2010 New Product Event, 9 a.m. to noon, Desert Sportsman's Rifle & Pistol Club. Kevin Howard, coordinator, khoward@howardcommunications.com. Participating are Browning, Winchester Repeating Arms, Bushnell, Winchester Ammunition, Mossy Oak, Browning Footwear, LaCrosse/Danner Boots, Taurus, Polaris, Birchwood Casey and Crimson Trace.

--2010 Smith & Wesson Shoot Out, 12:30 to 4:30, American Shooters. Tonya Giudice, coordinator, info@blueheroncomm.com. Participating are Smith & Wesson, Thompson Center, Walther, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Coleman, Dallas Safari Club and Trijicon. .

Note: All of the media days are independent of the SHOT Show and are not official SHOT Show events.