CCRKBA: Rising Crime During Pandemic = Increased Gun Sales

BELLEVUE, WA – Reports of increased crime as the coronavirus pandemic continues underscore the renewed public interest in gun ownership, and the necessity of gun shops and shooting ranges where genuine gun safety is practiced and taught, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

“Fortunately,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “most of the crime now being reported involves commercial burglary of unoccupied businesses, but how long before the people responsible ramp things up? People, many of whom have never before owned a gun, now want that means of personal safety, for themselves, their families and their homes.

“That’s why it makes no sense to close down gun shops and shooting ranges as ‘non-essential’ while the coronavirus emergency continues,” he explained. “Gun sales are in record territory, and ordering gun stores to shut down is simply wrong.

Published reports say burglaries are up in cities such as San Jose and Seattle, both in states where governors have arbitrarily decided gun stores are “non-essential,” Gottlieb noted. Reports from New Jersey and New York have revealed police are not immune to COVID-19 infection, and some experts are saying the country could be entering the worst phase of the pandemic in the next two weeks.

“Combine all of these circumstances,” Gottlieb observed, “and it is understandable why more people want to become gun owners. They are concerned about becoming crime victims, and about police agencies lacking the manpower to respond quickly, or even at all.

“Using the current emergency as an excuse to close gun shops amounts to giving the gun control agenda a higher priority than public safety,” he asserted. “Where else but a gun shop and local range can new gun owners learn about firearms safety, including safe storage? Where else can they purchase gun locks and gun safes, and receive competent instruction about responsible gun ownership?

“Saying gun stores are not essential in times of emergency isn’t common sense, it’s nonsense,” Gottlieb stated. “Such mandates don’t keep people safe, they keep people vulnerable. The irony is that state officials pushing this foolishness have their own armed security. Can you say hypocrite?”

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (www.ccrkba.org) is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States.

Firearms, Gun Control

Marlin Celebrates 150 Years of the American Hunter

Ilion, NY – In 1870, John M. Marlin set out to build firearms that matched America’s fierce independent spirit. Although rifles, pistols and shotguns of nearly every type would bear the Marlin brand, his singular accomplishment would be a lever action of exceptional strength, smoothness and accuracy – hallmarks of the legendary lever guns that outperform all others to this day.

Marlin proudly marks its 150th anniversary with the modern descendants of that same lever action – now built with the tightest manufacturing tolerances in our history and custom-grade performance enhancements rarely seen in a lever-gun platform. Long live the adventurous spirit of the woods and the right to pursue wild game. Long live American innovation and pride in craft.

LONG LIVE THE LEVER GUN

150 YEAR ANNIVERSARY RIFLE – 444 MARLIN

  • 24” half octagon, half round barrel
  • Engraved receiver with gold inlay
  • C- grade American black walnut stock and fore end
  • Hand-fitted stock and fore end
  • Historical checkering pattern
  • Skinner ladder sights
  • Special serial number
  • Commemorative box
  • Chambered in 444 Marlin150 YEAR ANNIVERSARY MODEL 60 – 22 LR

 

  • 19” stainless steel barrel
  • American black walnut stock
  • Adjustable sights
  • 150 Year Anniversary medallion in stock
  • Special serial number
  • 14 round tubular magazine
  • Chambered in 22 LR
SKU UPC Description Chamber 2020 MSRP
70550 0 26495 70550 3 150 Year Anniversary Rifle 444 Marlin $1899
70646 0 26495 70646 3 Model 60 150 Year Anniversary 22LR $399
Firearms

CZ Redhead Premier Target Over-and-Under 20GA

Kansas City, KS – Versatile, affordable and designed with clay shooters in mind, the CZ Redhead Premier Target line now features a 20-Gauge option, too!

With a stock design and weight intended for sport and competition rather than field use, the CZ Redhead Premier Target Over-and-Under 20GA features 30-inch barrels, auto ejectors, a mechanical selectable trigger and five extended choke tubes. Specifically designed to crush clay targets, the Redhead Premier Target 20GA comes fitted with a unique Monte Carlo stock that quickly and easily aligns the gun on your shoulder while keeping your head up to see the targets.

Add to that a healthy right-hand palm swell and a stepped rib designed for rising trap targets, the Redhead Premier Target 20 GA is the perfect choice for those who want to own a true target gun at an affordable price. Read more

Firearms

SIG SAUER Subsonic 300BLK Tipped Hunting Ammunition

NEWINGTON, N.H. – SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to add a 205gr subsonic 300BLK load to its Tipped Hunting line of ammunition.

The new subsonic 300BLK ammunition features a yellow-tipped, 205gr lead-core bullet designed for explosive expansion and exceptional accuracy. This load uses the same high-quality, single-base extruded powders as SIG Match Grade rounds, ensuring consistent muzzle velocity and insensitivity to temperature change.

Optimized for the AR-15 platform, the new subsonic 300BLK Tipped Hunting ammunition is engineered to allow hunters to load 30 rounds in a 30-round magazine and have the cartridges feed properly. This was achieved by SIG SAUER engineers after extensive research and development resulting in a stepped-down bullet design with a shouldered ogive that keeps the bullet from hitting the ridges of the magazine which would cause the rounds to shift and eventually fail to feed. Read more

Ammunition

Interior Secretary Proposes Historic Expansion of Hunting and Fishing Opportunities

New hunting and fishing opportunities across 2.3 million acres at 97 national wildlife refuges and 9 national fish hatcheries

WASHINGTON – Continuing the Trump Administration’s significant efforts to increase recreational access on public lands, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced today a historic proposal for new and expanded hunting and fishing opportunities across more than 2.3 million acres at 97 national wildlife refuges and 9 national fish hatcheries. This proposed rule is the single largest expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in history.

“America’s hunters and anglers now have something significant to look forward to in the fall as we plan to open and expand hunting and fishing opportunities across more acreage nationwide than the entire state of Delaware,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hunt Fish Chiefs have been instrumental in our effort over the past two years to streamline our regulations and identify new opportunities for sportsmen and women like no other previous administration.”

This proposed rule would create nearly 900 distinct new hunting and fishing opportunities (an opportunity is defined as one species on one field station in one state). On top of last year’s expansion of 1.4 million acres for new or expanded hunting and fishing opportunities, this proposal would bring the Trump Administration’s total expansion to 4 million acres nationwide.

“Once the Trump Administration’s effort to eliminate the threat of COVID-19 has been successful, there will be no better way to celebrate than to get out and enjoy increased access for hunting and fishing on our public lands,” said Service Director Aurelia Skipwith. “I deeply appreciate everything sportswomen and men do for conservation and our economy, so I am delighted when we can do something to expand opportunities for them. I hope it will help encourage the next generation of hunters and anglers to continue on this rich American tradition.” Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

Primary Arms April Rifle Giveaway

Custom-Built 7.62x39mm AK for Monthly Free Rifle Giveaway

Includes Full Loadout of Optics, Ammunition, and More!

Total Package Valued at Over $1,800

Giveaway Starts April 6th and Ends April 30th at 11:59PM CST

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Primary Arms has announced its April Rifle Giveaway, which centers around a custom-built modernized AK-47. This rifle includes an array of top products from US Palm, Troy Industries, Precision Armament, CMC Triggers, Krebs Customs, UltiMAK, RS Regulate, Century Arms, and Primary Arms Optics. This giveaway is free to all interested entrants, requiring only a quick sign-up through Primary Arms’ Giveaway page. Read more

Firearms

Crop and Livestock Prices Plunge Under Weight of COVID-19 Uncertainty

WASHINGTON – Updated analysis by the American Farm Bureau Federation shows crop and livestock prices falling to levels that threaten the livelihoods of many U.S. farmers and ranchers. Shuttered schools, universities, restaurants, bars and cafeterias are no longer buying milk, meat, fruits, vegetables and other food, causing a downward spiral in crop and livestock prices.

Nearby futures prices for nearly all the major crops have dropped by double-digit percentages. Pushed down by a 40% plunge in ethanol prices, corn prices have fallen 15%. Soybean prices are down 10%, while the price for cotton, which is heavily dependent on foreign manufacturing capacity, sank nearly 30%. Buoyed by demand in the U.S. and China, wheat prices have declined only 3%.

On the livestock front, since the beginning of the year, both beef and pork futures prices have declined more than 30%. Milk futures prices have also fallen sharply, with the price for milk used to make cheese down 28% and the price for milk used to make nonfat dry milk falling by 34%. Read more

General

FN 509 Midsize MRD FDE

(McLean, VA) FN America, LLC is pleased to announce the availability of the FN 509® Midsize MRD in flat dark earth (FDE), now the latest in the optics-ready FN 509 line-up to be offered in FN’s signature color.

The FN 509 Midsize MRD FDE, equipped with the company’s low-profile optics-mounting system, is FN’s solution for those who want the performance, controllability and capacity of a Standard model but want a smaller frame that is more easily concealed.

The FN 509 family of pistols are all striker-fired and chambered in 9mm. Each pistol features FN’s signature cold hammer-forged barrel with recessed target crown, enhanced slide serrations for easier slide manipulation, aggressive grip texturing to ensure secure grip while shooting and much more.

The FN 509 Midsize MRD FDE ships in a soft-sided case with 15- or 10-round magazines and all optics mounting hardware. The pistol is available to retailers today and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $799.00. Read more

Firearms

Firearm Sales Propelled Upward

Today’s Industry Insight is published with the permission of Southwick Associates.

By now, you probably heard that March 2020 background checks for firearms purchases, as represented by FBI NICS data, increased 80% compared to March 2019 – resulting in the highest month of NICS firearm checks in the history of the program. This dramatic increase, based on retailer accounts, can be attributed to social and economic uncertainty associated with COVID-19. Though we all wish COVID-19 never appeared, it must be stressed that firearm sales were already on a growth curve before the events of February and March ever began.

Needless to say, COVID-19 concerns rapidly spiked firearm sales in March. According to industry feedback, many of the sales were to first-time firearm buyers coming from the ranks of the estimated 24 million Americans known to be interested in buying their first-ever firearm, but have been hesitating to take that final step (see NSSF-Southwick Associates research for details). But the increase in firearm sales actually began in mid-2019.

We’ve all heard about the “Trump slump,” the nickname assigned to firearms industry’s declining sales trend that began right after the last Presidential election. Confident of few to no new Federal restrictions on firearm sales or ownership, consumers slowed their purchases and the hyper-sales seen from 2008 to 2016 eased. Firearm manufacturers, like most Americans, expected the Democrats to win and bet on continued high sales levels, expecting more second amendment challenges. With the surprise election results, the entire supply chain was caught with excess inventory which resulted in cuts to prices and margins.

But something changed before COVID-19 appeared. By June 2019, instead of seeing regular drops in NICS checks, sales began to increase. This is about the time the televised presidential debates began, being one possible sales driver. Other driver could include concern over the presidential impeachment proceedings, additional discounting resulting from excess inventory after several wholesalers closed shop but also possible continued increasing interest in recreational and self-protection use of firearms and more. Southwick Associates is researching these causes, and until then, actual reasons are speculative.

Regardless of the reasons behind the upward trend, we have experienced three consecutive quarters of firearm sales increases, as seen in NSSF-adjusted NICS checks. Usually, a recession is defined as a decline in national GDP for two consecutive quarters, so seeing growth in three consecutive quarters can be hailed as the end to recent declines and the beginning of a new phase. This increase is welcome by manufacturers and the remaining wholesalers, allowing them a chance to dig out from excess inventory and prepare the way for additional new products and better margins. Whether they are ‘in the black’ depends on the individual company.

Will the increase continue? Who knows.

We are confident that times have changed since mid-2019, even if COVID-19 never appeared. Though COVID-19 has rapidly accelerated this growth, we certainly don’t celebrate growth coming at the expense of people’s health and lives. The trend we were seeing prior to COVID-19’s appearance would have been preferred.

Regardless of the COVID-19 spike, we expect sales to continue at least until the upcoming Presidential election when all bets are off.

Stay tuned, Southwick Associates will continue to share as we learn more.

Southwick Associates is a market research and economics firm, specializing in the hunting, shooting, sportfishing, and outdoor recreation markets. For more than 30 years, Southwick Associates has established a proven reputation for delivering comprehensive insights and statistics assisting business and strategic decisions across the entire outdoor industry; from government agencies, industry associations and non-profit organizations, to affiliated businesses and manufacturers. Aside from custom primary market research, Southwick Associates also provides syndicated participation, media consumption, and equipment purchase tracking studies utilizing their proprietary sportsmen panels.

Firearms

Styrka’s S3 Models for the 350 Legend and 450 Bushmaster

Eagan, MN Rifles chambered in 350 Legend and 450 Bushmaster are increasingly popular for hunting, and Styrka Optics now offers two affordable, cutting-edge rifle scopes to its S3 line made for these calibers:

–The S3 3-9×40 Plex with a 350 Legend Ballistic Turret (SKU: ST-00340),

–The S3 3-9×40 Plex with a 450 Bushmaster Turret (SKU: ST-00341).

The 350 Legend cartridge from Winchester and the 450 Bushmaster are both approved in those states which require straight-walled cartridges for deer hunting with a centerfire rifle. Plus, the calibers are being embraced by hunters in general for their power and accuracy.

So, Styrka took its popular S3 3-9×40 Plex riflescope and upgraded it with a Kenton custom ballistic turret in the two above-mentioned caliber variations.

Open the S3 3-9×40 Plex Ballistic Turret box, and a customer finds the S3 3-9×40 riflescope with the factory elevation dial already attached. Inside the box, there is also the additional custom elevation turret and an instruction sheet.

The new scope owner will use the factory turret to zero in their rifle. Once the S3 is zeroed, he or she will switch out the factory turret for the custom Kenton ballistic turret. With the Kenton elevation turret installed, the hunter can then dial to the correct yardage distance, which corresponds to their target and shoot. No need to hold over and hope!

The S3 3-9×40 Plex with a 350 Legend Ballistic Turret and S3 3-9×40 Plex with a 450 Bushmaster also feature:

–A fully multi-coated optics group for maximum brightness, optimal color, and superior sharpness and image contrast

–1-Inch 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum tubes for strength and durability

–100-Percent Waterproof to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes

–Nitrogen purging to prevent internal fogging

–Ultra-precise ¼ MOA windage and elevation adjustments

–A fast-focus eyepiece.

All these features and Styrka offers both S3 scopes at an MSRP of $309.95. Read more

Optics
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