Sturm, Ruger & Co. responded to Beretta Holding S.A.'s nomination of four board candidates, detailing Beretta's demands for discounted stock, disproportionate board representation, and governance rights that would violate antitrust laws. Ruger's board stated it engaged constructively with Beretta but rejected demands inconsistent with corporate governance best practices and U.S. law.
Beretta Holding, Ruger's largest shareholder with 9.95% ownership, clarified that it proposed a strategic minority investment on market terms to improve performance, not to seek control. The company criticized Ruger's board for maintaining longstanding leadership despite underperformance and nominated independent director candidates including William F. Detwiler, Mark DeYoung, Fredrick DiSanto, and Michael Christodolou.
The Project ChildSafe Foundation, a program of NSSF, launched a streamlined product donation process to support its Safety Sweepstakes and charity auctions. The new system allows manufacturers, retailers, and industry partners to easily submit products that help raise funds for firearm safety education and community outreach nationwide.
RetailBI, powered by Gearfire, released its February Firearm Sales Index reporting a 6.5% year-over-year decline compared to February 2025. The index uses point-of-sale data from over 2,000 U.S. firearms retailers with same-store methodology to provide accurate new firearm demand measurements, replacing reliance on NICS figures.
SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Bass Pro Shops in League City, Texas on March 14-15, 2026. The free, family-friendly event features instructor-led firearms training using FATS by InVeris simulators, archery instruction, and product demonstrations from partner companies including optics and concealed carry brands.
Guns.com and Smith & Wesson have launched a special auction benefitting the Second Amendment Foundation's legal initiatives. The exclusive collaboration features a limited-edition Smith & Wesson collector's set with a 1854 rifle and Model 29 revolver, custom-engraved by Baron Engraving with 22-karat gold inlay. The auction runs through March 23, 2026.
Federal Ammunition's sponsored trap shooters delivered strong performances at the 50th Annual 2026 Spring Grand American in Tucson, Arizona, with Westin Anderson and Ziggy Tkaczenko earning multiple championship titles across five events. The competition attracted nearly 1,500 participants, a significant increase from 2025.
Remington Ammunition celebrated strong performances by its sponsored trap shooters at the 50th Annual 2026 Spring Grand American in Tucson, Arizona. Team members Patrick Lamont, Zachari Nannini, Chase Doberinski, Michael Blazedale, and Sandra Jo Jack secured two top-three overall positions and multiple category championships across five championship events.
Attorneys for George Peterson, represented by David H. Thompson, Peter A. Patterson, Jack Tucker, Cody J. Wisniewski, and Richard J. Richthofen Jr., filed a petition for certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court in Peterson v. United States, a Firearms Policy Coalition-backed challenge to federal NFA tax and registration requirements for suppressors.
The National Friends of NRA fundraising celebration will be held April 17, 2026, in Houston during the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Premier Sponsor Henry Repeating Arms supports the event, which features auctions including a custom rifle package from ACME Machine, with proceeds benefiting firearm safety and youth shooting sports programs.
SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Bass Pro Shops in League City, Texas on March 14-15, 2026. The free event features firearms training with FATS simulators, archery instruction, and product demonstrations from partners including Beretta, GLOCK, Taurus, and Vortex Optics, welcoming women, families, and outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels.
The Virginia General Assembly passed SB749, banning semi-automatic firearms and magazines holding over 15 rounds, despite Second Amendment protections. Governor Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign the bill, which takes effect July 1, 2026. Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs announced plans to file a federal lawsuit challenging the ban.
Whitetails Unlimited Inc. is hiring part-time Field Directors for expansion areas including Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Candidates should have event planning experience, Microsoft 365 proficiency, and knowledge of hunting and white-tailed deer. Interested applicants should email fieldoperations@whitetailsunlimited.com.
ZeroTech Optics announces the launch of the Thrive HD Micro Prism 1x in FDE, a compact prism optic featuring a ZT Prism Dot Reticle, 6061 T6 aluminum construction, and 13 adjustable brightness settings including night-vision compatible levels for rapid target acquisition and precision shooting.
Azimuth Technology announced the promotion of Mauricio Giraldo to Vice President of Operations after more than 13 years with the precision manufacturing company. Giraldo will lead manufacturing strategy and operational performance across Azimuth's platform, focusing on production excellence and process optimization for the defense, aerospace, and military sectors.
Internet personality Trent Ellis joins Michael Waddell on The Michael Waddell Podcast to discuss his journey from insurance contractor to viral content creator with millions of followers. Ellis shares how he started posting Southern humor and outdoor-themed videos on TikTok, crediting his relatable approach and authenticity for his success across multiple social media platforms.
Bear & Son Cutlery released the Genuine India Stag Bone 3 ½" Barlow pocketknife, an Alabama-made two-blade knife featuring high carbon stainless steel blades and traditional Genuine India Stag Bone™ handles. The heritage-inspired design honors the iconic Barlow style with polished bolsters and an MSRP of $80.99.
Galco has released the Concealable 2.0, a modernized strongside belt holster for 4.25" railed 1911s. The updated design features red dot optic compatibility, improved ergonomics, and premium steerhide construction with enhanced retention and durability.
Conservation leader Rob Keck became the first person ever to complete the Canadian Wild Turkey Super Slam using a custom TriStar Viper G2 shotgun. Keck, former CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation, previously achieved the US Super Slam and hunted turkeys in all 49 U.S. states with huntable populations. TriStar Arms CEO Gus Bader personally built the 20-gauge Viper G2 for Keck's historic Canadian achievement.
Otis Technology announced a private label partnership with Bud's Gun Shop to offer specially branded firearm cleaning kits by Shooter's Choice. The collaboration brings caliber-specific cleaning kits designed for everyday firearm maintenance directly to Bud's customers through their online catalog.
Kinsey's, a leading outdoor and shooting sports distributor, announced a partnership with Hodgdon Powder Company to distribute smokeless powder, with shipments beginning in Q2 2026. The expansion strengthens Kinsey's reloading category and provides retailers access to Hodgdon's trusted, industry-leading propellant products.
Avian-X launched the Ridge Runner and Ridge Runner X turkey vests, designed for mobile hunters with lightweight backpack-style designs featuring smart storage, EVA-molded call pockets, and comfort padding. The Ridge Runner X adds fleece-lined handwarmer pockets and a full-access rear game pouch for enhanced warmth and carry capacity.
Target Sports USA announces its upcoming AMMO+ Day 2 event starting April 23, 2026, featuring exclusive ammo deals, free shipping, and automatic entry to win a Ford F-250 for AMMO+ members in Cheshire, CT.
Petersen's Hunting released its April/May 2026 Guns & Gear Issue, featuring in-depth testing and reviews of firearms, optics, ammunition, and hunting gear. The issue includes firearm reviews from Craig Boddington, Keith Wood, Joseph von Benedikt, and Brad Fitzpatrick, with coverage of rifles including the Nemo Electus and Winchester Xpert.
Gun Talk with Tom Gresham, the nation's longest-running firearms talk show, expands to KMAX AM 840 in Spokane, Washington. The program will air Sundays from 1:00–3:00 PM Pacific, bringing the show to over 315 affiliate stations nationwide and reaching millions of listeners weekly.
Dead Air Silencers will exhibit at the Louisiana Outdoor Expo, March 13–15, 2026, at Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Louisiana. The company will showcase hunting suppressors including the new Nomad Ti OTB, Sandman, Nomad LTi XC, Mojave 45, Wolfman series, and Sandman X at Booth #2300.
Winchester and White Flyer have renewed their sponsorship of the NSCA Championship Tour and Winchester Ladies Cup for 2026. Winchester added $40,000 in payouts and 120 cases of AA target shotshells for female sporting clays athletes, reinforcing its commitment to growing female participation in the shooting sports.
Gun Owners of America announced that Brownells will serve as Title Sponsor of the Gun Owners Advocacy and Leadership Summit (GOALS), GOA's premier national convention. Pete Brownell, Chairman of Brownells, and Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of GOA, expressed their commitment to defending Second Amendment rights through this partnership.
Montana's State Shooting Facilities and Improvements Development and Oversight Task Force will meet March 11 via Zoom. Created by House Bill 899, the task force must develop recommendations for state shooting facility development by June 30, 2027. The public is invited to attend and participate in the feedback session.
Pursuit Channel spotlights Bass Pro Shops Fisherman's Handbook, an 11-year-running weekly fishing series hosted by Wade Middleton featuring professional anglers and Bass Pro Shops experts. The show delivers practical bass-fishing techniques, seasonal patterns, and gear selection strategies available on Pursuit Channel and Pursuit UP's free streaming platform.
This week on Shooting USA features the National Trophy Team Matches at Camp Perry, showcasing two century-old national trophy events with different formats. The episode also highlights the Stealth Vision Long Range SVL precision rifle optics and a new Colt ProTip segment with Jalise and Justine Williams.
June in coastal South Carolina can be hot and humid, but the breeze off of the Atlantic Ocean generally provides some welcome relief. Such was the case in the summer of 1987 when I found myself lying in the grass of the rifle range on Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island.
My platoon, 1054, had a fantastic primary marksmanship instructor, a dark green Marine who held the rank of Sergeant. Thirty-nine years have caused his name to slip from my memory. However, the lessons that he taught us remain as strong as they did during those two weeks in June of ‘87.
Essential Marksmanship Lessons
The Marine Corps prides itself on making “The World’s Finest Marksmen” and that’s not hyperbole. Four decades ago I was taught all of the essential marksmanship lessons. Applying them, I scored “Expert” with the M-16A2 rifle.
In our modern world that’s swarming with shot timers and people overusing the word ‘tactical,’ there’s a tendency to put fundamental marksmanship principles on the back burner and focus on making noise faster than the other guy. However, let’s talk about a gun handling fundamental…stoppage clearing.
SPORTS: The Coolest Acronym Ever
All self-loading firearms can experience stoppages, an interruption in the cycle of operation, of which there are eight steps. For that reason, it behooves trainers to teach their students how to clear a stoppage when one eventually occurs.
One of the coolest acronyms that the military ever came up with was ‘SPORTS.’ I don’t know if it was the Army or Marine Corps that used it first, but I’m betting that the staff sergeant who created SPORTS got either an Army or Navy Achievement Medal.
The way our PMI explained SPORTS was as follows:
If your rifle has a stoppage, you will perform SPORTS to fix it. S, slap the magazine. P, pull back on the charging handle, O, observe the ejection port. R, release the charging handle. T, tap the forward assist. S, attempt to shoot your rifle.
Naturally, we young privates were in awe of how smart that was. We memorized it quickly and could recite it back to our PMI chapter and verse. We know that SPORTS was created for the M-16A1 rifle as it was the first service rifle to include the forward assist, something Gene Stoner did not include on the original AR-15 prototypes.
SPORTS: Wrong for Every Occasion
During live-fire rifle qualification on the island, I never encountered a stoppage and so I never needed to use SPORTS. I moved to the infantry and other special assignments, to include becoming a USMC rifle and pistol marksmanship coach. Once more, we were taught SPORTS. Like good troops, none of us questioned it.
It wasn’t until I had left the Marine Corps — the first time — and took more training that I came to the realization that SPORTS was either more steps that necessary…or not nearly enough steps.
Allow me to elucidate. Not including the bolt-override stoppage, there are three primary stoppages that you’ll encounter with an AR-15/M4 rifle: Type 1, click, no boom. Type 2, stovepipe/feedway obstruction (piece of brass stuck in ejection port), or Type 3, double-feed (two objects attempting to occupy the chamber at the same time).
When considering the AR/M4 rifle as a fighting instrument, if you’re engaging the enemy and your gun stops making noise unexpectedly or goes ‘click’ instead of ‘boom’ you may have the rest of your life to fix that problem. Kind of like deploying your secondary parachute.
The enemy isn’t going to call timeout and let you fix your rifle. You either need to skin out a pistol or fix your rifle as fast as possible. For the Type 1 and Type 2 stoppages, we clear them by dropping our elbows to our ribs (ejection port toward the ground), tap the magazine (once), rack the charging handle vigorously (let it go, allowing a full compression of the recoil spring to drive the bolt home) and attempt to fire if the situation warrants.
Elbows down
That’s it. Two steps, not six. We don’t need to hold the bolt open and look at the chamber. We don’t need to tap that button on the side of the upper receiver. Tap/rack and shoot, if need be. You can do that in the daytime or in the dark, rain or shine.
For a Type 3 — the dreaded double-feed — you have the recoil spring putting pressure on the bolt and the bolt pushing two objects into the chamber. You can SPORTS your AR until you die and that method won’t clear a double-feed.
The double-feed stoppage is most often realized during the immediate action drill of tap/rack. Your AR stops making noise unexpectedly, you instantly perform tap/rack and that’s when you come to the realization that something more sinister is going on. From a tactical standpoint, you can either skin out a handgun and keep fighting or tell your buddies you need cover firem or go find some as you clear out the double-feed.
The standard AR double-feed clearing mantra is, Lock, Rip, Rack, Reload. Lock the bolt open to get the recoil spring tension off of the bolt and chamber. Rip out the magazine. Nine times out of ten, it’s the magazine that caused the double-feed. With the mag out, rack the bolt once, twice, three times for good measure. Ninety-nine times out of 100 that will clear the brass traffic jam. Grab a fresh mag and reload like you should — insert it fully and rack the bolt vigorously to the rear. Then, if you still need to keep shooting, do so.
Parting Shots
The fact that SPORTS is either far more steps than necessary for a Type 1 or 2 while at the same time nowhere near enough steps to clear a Type 3 can’t be debated with any level of intellectual honesty. Regardless, we have folks who still cling to it as though it’s the fifth gospel in their religion.
Why? Because it’s just such a cool acronym and people feel cool saying it. Also, for many people, it was a part of their foundational training.
What we know about our first experiences in any subject is that they tend to stick with us like glue. Nonetheless, if we’re being honest, we need to evolve and improve. SPORTS was always wrong, from the moment it was created, and we need to tip our hats to the coolest acronym ever and move on.
