NEWSOlhasso Adds Four First Places Finishes to 2008 Victories in Fields of Steel ChampionshipTeam Smith & Wesson member Dave Olhasso, just back from his win at the IDPA Nationals the week before, added four first place finishes to his 2008 list of victories while competing at World Class Steel's fourth annual Fields of Steel Championship hosted by the Old Bridge Rifle and Pistol Club in Old Bridge, New Jersey on October 11 and 12.  BOG Gear Introduces Camo LinesBog Gear has rolled out a line of new products for 2008 including camouflage leg supports and a new shooting support capable of accommodating all sorts of gun stocks - and still swiveling three hundred sixty degrees. FEATURENervous Consumers & Industry FiguresOver the past few weeks, I have been fortunate enough to see many of the new firearms that we'll all be licking our collective chops over come 2009.
In the case of Remington, the now-ubiquitous AR-style rifle platform might best be described as "their hunting rifle platform of the future". Remington eschewed the AR platform for many years. Today, the company has the stated goal of turning their R-series hunting rifles into the new "go-to" guns for hunters. They're legitimizing that position by making their line of camo R-15 rifles available in the classic hunting calibers - and the new .30 Remington. All calibers, they say, designed to appeal to hunters. In the case of fellow corporate family members DPMS and Bushmaster, the development continues along the military and law enforcement lines. From a drop-in piston conversion kit that's supposedly purportedly the panacea to the normal "gunkiness" that accompanies the AR-platform, to a variety of multi-caliber offerings, it's safe to say the largest players in that world aren't about to stop their development work. With a variety of additional innovations disclosed, but not yet approved for field testing by the media, it's safe to say the military will have some interesting options for their now-venerable .50BMG sniper platform.
With the ability to use a single lower and choose from a variety of uppers in calibers from "plinkers" to major stoppers of virtually anything man, beast, or vehicle, it's very obvious that the AR platform is being viewed as the horse that will carry the firearms industry for the next few years. But is that horse a bad bet? That, unfortunately, is a political question. With only days before the next Presidential election, virtually everything is a political question. A political question has, by its very nature, a minimum of two answers. Given the nature of politicians, it's a safe bet that at least one of those answers will be, at best, an exaggeration of either sincerity or intent. In some cases, an exaggeration can turn out to be a bald-faced lie. For the past few weeks, we've been hearing it from readers who are outraged that we've not taken a clear political position, endorsing one candidate while decrying another. As the guy who has resisted that political pressure, I think it's necessary to give an answer to "why" if not "who". To ask a Second Amendment advocate which candidate they're endorsing in this political cycle should be unnecessary. One party's platform states clearly that they are pro-gun control. Their actions over the past two decades should have made it obvious they're serious about that position. Each year since we've begun our news services, I've written angrily about the millions of taxpayer dollars wasted defending frivolous lawsuits brought against the firearms industry. And every successive year, the politicians have continued to introduce "eyewash" legislation, knowing full-well their political posturing will eventually be struck down. But, hey, it's not their money - it's yours. One candidate's running mate has never met a piece of anti-gun legislation he didn't like - or support. The candidate himself comes from one of the most corrupt political systems in the United States. But there's one constant in Chicago politics: a persistent anti-gun position that makes it impossible to buy an air rifle. Zero tolerance is the policy - if you're a law-abiding citizen. Criminals seldom worry about small details. Today, like everyone else, the firearms industry is looking at a tough economic cycle. One of the first things to suffer in tough times is discretionary spending. Judging from the concerns of many manufacturers over the health of several large retailers, discretionary spending has been suffering for some time. Today, it's almost non-existent across many categories. It doesn't matter what part of the recreational industry you're in - you're feeling a pinch. Some categories, like recreational vehicles and boats, aren't feeling a pinch - they're in a squeeze that's threatening the survival of several companies. Layoffs, production suspensions and other short-term steps can't reverse the fact people aren't buying your products. We're all facing a tough economic cycle. Every piece of financial news seems to be more confirmation that our economy will get worse before it gets better. As a practicing cynic with years of watching economic problems mysteriously coincide with presidential elections, I'm concerned - more than ever before. But I'm not just concerned about the fiscal well being of the shooting industry. I'm concerned about the survival of the industry itself. As we get closer to the election, we all need to do some real research into the issues - and our candidates in all categories. The presidential election is important, but we'd better make darn certain the candidates we support for any elected office - from property assessor to state judge - has a record of supporting the Second Amendment. Base your decision at the ballot box on facts, not political promises. --Jim Shepherd |
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