FRI | FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Redding Reloading offers the Competition Model 10x Powder measure, well-suited for the small capacity FN 5.7x28mm cartridge. The 10x is a dedicated small case measure with an operating range from approximately 1 grain to 25 grains of powder, putting the needed loads for the 5.7 x 28mm in the middle.
Federal Premium Black Cloud continues to add new options with its 2020 release of 20-gauge Black Cloud TSS.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to announce the SIG SAUER M400 TREAD has been recognized with a 2019 Ballistic Best Reader’s Choice Award for “Best Semi-Auto Rifle.”

Federal has received the 2020 Gold Award in the category of Shotshells by the readers of Predator Xtreme. The award was recently given to company representatives at the 2020 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.
Hoppe’s is pleased to announce that the readers of Predator Xtreme magazine recently selected Hoppe’s as the Gold Award winner for the best gun cleaning product as part of the publication’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Henry Repeating Arms President and Owner, Anthony Imperato, designed and donated 60 rifles for 4-year-old Beckett Burge of Princeton, Texas, and 66 rifles for 3-year-old Sadie Kreinbrink of Ostrander, Ohio to assist with the medical expenses associated with their leukemia treatments.

Safari Club International has announced that the 49th International Hunters’ Convention will return to Las Vegas, Nevada, February 3-6, 2021.
Dealers are invited to visit Apex Tactical Specialties to take advantage of show specials and the 'Hot Buy' during the Sports Inc. 2020 Outdoor Sporting Goods Show taking place February 12-15 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Springfield Armory announces expansion of the SAINT family with three new SAINT pistol variants set for a Spring 2020 release. These include the SAINT Edge PDW pistol (5.5” barrel 5.56mm), the SAINT Victor 308 pistol and the EVAC Pistol, a 5.56mm pistol with a storage bag.

Bear OPS, a tactical knife brand specializing in military and law enforcement knives, introduces the AC-800-CF-S, an American-made pocket knife featuring a sleek, lightweight design, backed by a lifetime warranty.
ALPS OutdoorZ has been awarded by NRA Publications staff the 2020 American Hunter Golden Bullseye "Gear of the Year" Award for its Hybrid X pack.
GunMag Warehouse is pleased to announce the relocation of its headquarters to Coppell, TX. The new facility will house all operations and significantly increase their capabilities.

The Springfield Armory Hellcat has received the “gold” ranking in the "Member Tested and Recommended" program of the National Tactical Officers Association.
The FACT Duty Weapon-Mounted Camera from Viridian Weapon Technologies recorded an officer-involved shooting in Texas. This is the first OIS in the world captured by a gun camera.
TETRA has been recognized by Guns & Ammo with the 2019 Technology of the Year Award for their AlphaShield hearing device.

 

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) will announce its financial results for the fourth quarter and year-end 2019 and file its Annual Report on Form 10-K on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, after the close of the stock market.
Otis announced the launch of a Reality Based Training Kit for the law enforcement and military markets. The line includes a 9MM and a .223 Cal/5.56MM Reality Based Cleaning Kit. A portion of the sales proceeds will be donated to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Galco introduced the Stow-N-Go inside the waistband holster for the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ 9mm. The holster's vertical orientation gives the option of strong side carry, crossdraw, or appendix carry to meet the needs of a broad range of gun carriers.

 

Redding engineers have developed a new concentricity gauge, which measures case and projectile concentricity -- a widely accepted measure for potential accuracy.
DeSantis Gunhide introduces 9 new holsters for the Taurus G3 pistol. These include the Thumb Break Scabbard, the M24 Tuck-This II, the Speed Scabbard and more.

Buck Knives announced the release of the Ground Combat collection, featuring tanto style blades and spear point blades. The use of 5160 spring steel increases the blade toughness, level of ductility, and offers excellent fatigue resistance.

For the 4th straight year, GetZone.com brings exclusive coverage of the hottest new products at SHOT Show, the largest annual event in the world for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry.
GSM Outdoors, a multi-brand manufacturer and technology innovator of premium, specialized hunting gear, is pleased to announce its expanded corporate partnership with Buckventures Outdoors.
It's a digital platform to connect second amendment activists on a national scale. Plus, legislative updates from Utah, a pro-gun candidate in Florida gathering signatures to get on the ballot, and more, this week on Tom Gresham's Gun Talk Radio.
Bergara Rifles is proud to announce they have begun national sponsorship of Tecomate TV which includes the series, “The Bucks of Tecomate” and “Tecomate Whitetail Nation.”
 

Yesterday, the State of New York’s Department of Financial Services commenced hearings over whether the National Rifle Association broke state insurance law via its various insurance offerings to members.

According to allegations made in the state’s filing, the NRA broke New York’s insurance regulations by its endorsing and marketing a variety of insurance programs to its members. In particular, the filing takes exception with the NRA’s claim that it offered coverages “at the lowest possible cost” to its members when, in fact, the Association was receiving a “substantial portion of the premiums paid by NRA members - sometimes exceeding 20%- in the form of royalties.” Further, the filing alleges the Association also failed to disclose that the NRA was, in fact, receiving royalties based on the amounts paid by its members.

A bit of insurance knowledge is required to begin to comprehend the scope of the twenty-six page filing. Insurance policies are governed by regulations that are very similar to financial securities. Since many policies are, in essence, financial instruments, anyone who’s in the business of offering them is required to have more than a basic understanding of the laws governing them.

If you’re an insurance “producer” - you’re expected to have a license in order to “sell, solicit or negotiate insurance.” The State of New York says the NRA did, in fact, behave as a “solicitor” by offering insurance to their members. In fact, the regulations define solicitation as “attempting to sell insurance or asking or urging a person to apply for a particular kind of insurance from a particular licensed insurer, fraternal benefit society or health maintenance organization.” Non-licensees, it continues, “may not be compensated for making a referral to a licensed broker.”

The New York filing is large, detailed and seems to be a first blush attempt to paint the NRA as nothing more than a huckster front peddling dubious value products to gullible members. Point of fact, however, that is not the case.

The NRA’s various programs have provided affordable insurance to an assortment of gun enthusiasts, businessmen, collectors, ranges and instructors. In fact, one FFL from Texas told me that without the NRA’s insurance, their range -and accompanying instructional programs- would be shut down almost simultaneously with the notice their insurance was cancelled.

“My instructor and range insurance is affordable,” I was told, “but it’s good coverage. It would likely cost a lot more with a carrier other than Lockton -if I can find one.”

That’s the same thing other instructors and range owners from across the country told me yesterday. While they might have issue with the NRA’s current management, they are in total agreement that the NRA’s insurance has made their businesses far more affordable.

Additionally, they remind me that the NRA is also the go-to for firearms training and their standard is what underwriters use as a minimum certification. “Where,” one range owner asked me, “would we get those certifications as ‘licensed programs” if the NRA HQ went down in flames?”

Good questions, all. And those questions beg another question: if the New York Department of Financial Services is looking to protect stat residents, why would it not work to assist the NRA with coming into compliance, rather than seeking millions of dollars in damages?

According to the NRA’s out of house counsel, William A Brewer, “The NRA believes it has been singled out to weaken gun-rights advocacy in New York.”

In fact, Brewer contends, “The NRA acted appropriately at all times.”

“The NRA did not underwrite, sell, or administer any insurance programs, period,” Brewer insists, “Instead, like countless other affinity groups, the NRA relied on insurance-industry experts to oversee and market products tailored for its members. The New York Bar Association and Habitat for Humanity have similar programs. None of those other groups have been targeted by DFS – because this announcement is about politics, not protecting consumers.”

We’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, the attempts to limit spread of the coronavirus has begun to impact the outdoor industry. Already, the Beijing-based China Fish and Bihai (China) Spring Fishing Expo have both been cancelled due to the government’s ban on exhibitions in the region.

But the fears over the coronavirus have had a deeper impact that has yet to reach the U.S. markets. Across China, businesses closed to observe the Chinese New Year. Many of them, including those in Shandong province, home to the majority of China’s fishing tackle industry (the supplier of much of the tackle sold worldwide), have yet to reopen due to coronavirus fears.

As containment efforts range from quarantining entire cruise ships to the two-week quarantines of airliners full of returning Americans, it’s safe to say there’s really not much officials can say at this point to assuage concerns.

With manufacturing and the flow of products now being impacted, officials worldwide are certain the full impact has not yet been felt.

Again, we’ll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd

 
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