NSSF: Aiming for Accuracy

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.

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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.

Media and the SHOT Show

When it comes to firearms and accessories, there's no better place to soak up knowledge about them than at NSSF's Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show. Media that cover these outdoor activities know this and use the SHOT Show as a combination story generator and education hub, which can pay dividends throughout the year and even for an entire career.

Last week, 1,800 members of the media made a point of coming to the SHOT Show in Las Vegas so they could learn about and ogle (sometimes not in that order) the latest gear the industry produces and sells. Having a better grasp of what products are designed for and how they function helps media gain a better understanding for why industry holds certain positions on legislation and regulations. For example, when you see how popular AR-style modern sporting rifles and accessories are, and that there's an AR for nearly every sporting use requiring a rifle, you can see why millions of owners of these modular rifles are concerned about potential legislation that would prohibit ownership of them.

Factual errors that appear about modern sporting rifles and many other gun-related issues in media stories often occur because of reporters' lack of knowledge about guns and gun ownership. The SHOT Show not only affords media an opportunity to see equipment on the show floors but to attend "media day at the range," where reporters can see, handle and test equipment, and then pose their questions about design and specifications directly to manufacturer representatives. Most "outdoor media" who attend SHOT know the value of this media day prior to the show, and we were pleased to see that mainstream media writers made good use of the range day to learn more about firearms in a hands-on way.

With nearly 40 million Americans active participants in hunting and the shooting sports, it's important that all media, not just outdoor media, better understand our sports and the equipment gun owners enjoy owning and using--lawfully and responsibly. There are many new owners out there after a record year for firearms sales. This sales surge, as NSSF President Steve Sanetti put it in his State of the Industry address at SHOT Show, "is a testament to the popularity of firearms ownership in America and proof that hunting and target shooting remain popular activities among all ages." 

The show itself was a big success. In an economy that is still sputtering, the 58,444 trade professionals who attended nearly matched the all-time record set at the 2008 show in Las Vegas. And there were positive signs that the industry would continue to see robust sales in 2010, building on the extraordinary sales of the last 15 months.

See NSSF's Bullet Points, the SHOT Show blog and @NSSFSHOT Show on Twitter for highlights of the show. There's also lots of show-related Tweets at #shotshow. And here's the SHOT Show wrap-up press release.

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.

An Outdoor Columnist Loses His Forum

As newspapers close or cut back on staff, one unfortunate result is the loss of coverage of hunting, shooting and fishing by outdoor writers. With The Washington Times eliminating its sports section last week, longtime outdoor writer Gene Mueller said his farewell in a final column that celebrated nearly 25 years of outdoor pursuits along with the travel and friendship that go hand-in-hand with them.

Gene writes:

Since February 1985, I have been privileged to share with you news and views about fishing, hunting and boating, occasionally giving the devil to the opponents of our time-honored outdoors sports. There can be no doubt that a number of milquetoast "antis" now will rejoice because a spokesman for hunters and anglers has been silenced.

We hope that Gene is not "silenced," which sounds so final, but continues to comment on and promote outdoor activities through other outlets, benefiting what surely is a large, loyal readership.  

If SHOT Show media registrations are any indication (and they are, we're sure), outdoor media is moving to Web-based outlets at a fast pace. There are more Web sites, online magazines and video channels, blogs and forums covering outdoor sports and equipment than ever before.

Millions of hunters, target shooters and gun owners are eager for information from trusted sources like Gene and, with so many new electronic delivery methods available, it's never been easier for outdoor communicators to reach them. You can follow this blog, for instance, through an RSS feed or subscribe to the @NSSFComm Twitter account and receive a link to new posts immediately after they are made. Or find it via NSSF's homepage, www.nssf.org. Outdoor communicators need to keep on telling their stories because, for the most part, it’s the pastimes and products with stories that survive.

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.

NSSF Files Brief in McDonald v. City of Chicago

From today's Bullet Points . . .

NSSF FILES BRIEF IN U.S. SUPREME COURT CASE . . . NSSF today filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of McDonald v. City of Chicago, No. 08-1521. The court is currently reviewing the case, in which a central issue is whether the Second Amendment is a fundamental right that applies to the states and local governments. "As this Court recognized in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Second Amendment did not create a new right, but enshrined a right that had already existed. History makes clear that pre-existing right was indeed fundamental and deeply rooted in our history," NSSF states in its brief. Read NSSF's brief.

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Attorney General Backpedals on 'Assault Weapons'

From NSSF's weekly e-newsletter Bullet Points:

ATTORNEY GENERAL RETREATS ON COMMENTS ABOUT 'ASSAULT WEAPONS' BAN . . . Attorney General Eric Holder is retreating on the comments he made in February to reinstate the so-called ban on assault weapons, The Hill reports. Back in February, Holder said, "As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons."

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New NSSF Video Helps Public, Media Understand the Firearms Industry

From NSSF's weekly e-newsletter Bullet Points:

NEW VIDEO EDUCATES PUBLIC ABOUT INDUSTRY . . . "For more than 200 years a unique industry in America has made products that have been part of our country's great tradition of freedom, self-reliance and enjoyment of the outdoors." So begins a new video produced by the National Shooting Sports Foundation called "Lock, Stock and Barrel: Understanding the Firearms Industry" and that is now available as a DVD free of charge or to view online at www.nssf.org. Designed to educate anyone who wants to know more about the history, operation and regulation of the firearms industry, the video is particularly helpful to those who hold misconceptions about the industry. "It's important that an industry that produces a product -- firearms -- that is at times a contentious subject in modern society should be understood and appreciated for the many positive contributions it has made for centuries," said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. "I believe that people who watch this video, perhaps at the local Rotary Club meeting or library, whether they own firearms or not, will come away with a new-found appreciation of our great industry." Potential audiences for the video are the general public, elected officials, teachers and students, local service groups and the media. Members of NSSF are encouraged to show the video to their employees and in their communities to promote a better understanding of the firearms industry. "Lock, Stock and Barrel: Understanding the Firearms Industry" is approximately 15 minutes long. Individual or multiple copies of the DVD are available at www.nssf.org/industryvideo.  Watch the video.

More Women Learning About Concealed Carry

With his story "Women Aim for Protection in Female-only Concealed Pistol Classes," Howard Meyerson of the Grand Rapids Press illustrates the growing interest among women in taking classes designed to teach safe and responsible handgun ownership. It's a trend that also can be seen in NSSF's First Shots program, where a recent study of program participants revealed that 74 percent of women who enrolled in First Shots classes were motivated by an interest in personal protection.

Watch the video, too, that accompanies Mr. Meyerson's story. The seminar he writes about was sponsored by the Great Lakes Outdoors Foundation.