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CHICAGO Published March 19, 2024 9:20pm EDT City of Chicago sues Glock Inc. over 'facilitating' illegal gun conversions

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:22:48 GMT

The firearms can be turned into machine guns for as little as $20, the lawsuit claims

Chicago suing gunmaker Glock Inc. over convertible machine guns

The City of Chicago filed a lawsuit against Glock Inc. on Tuesday, blaming the gun manufacturer for facilitating the proliferation of illegal machine guns. (FOX 32)

The city of Chicago has filed a lawsuit against Glock, Inc., blaming the gun-maker for facilitating the manufacturing of illegal machine guns being used on the crime-ridden streets of the Windy City.

"Criminals armed with Modified Glocks are emboldened because of their military-grade firepower, and they kill and injure more people, increasing the terror felt by ordinary Chicagoans," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit alleges that Georgia-based Glock, Inc., endangers Chicago residents by manufacturing and distributing machine guns that can "easily" be modified into guns that can fire as many as 1,200 rounds per minute on the streets of the city.

"Glock knows that it takes little effort to convert its pistols into illegal machine guns and that criminals frequently do so," the lawsuit alleges. "Glock also knows it could fix the problem, but has chosen not to, putting profits over public safety and violating the law."

The guns can be converted with an auto sears , a cheap, small device commonly known as a "Glock switch."

According to the lawsuit, the Glock switches are the size of a quarter and are easily purchased illegally online for around $20 or manufactured at home using a 3D printer.

The lawsuit said that the Chicago Police Department has recovered over 1,100 modified Glocks, from the beginning of 2021 through Dec. 31, 2023.

"These terrifying weapons have caused death and destruction throughout Chicago: they have been recovered in connection with homicides, aggravated assaults, batteries, kidnappings, burglaries, home invasions, carjackings, and attempted robberies," the lawsuit said.

The city claimed Glock was "aiding and abetting" the violation of federal and state law prohibiting the possession of machine guns, calling the manufacturer negligent.

The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the company to stop selling guns to people in Chicago along with unspecified damages.

In a press release, Mayor Brandon Johnson blamed guns for "plaguing our communities" with gun violence.

"The City of Chicago is encountering a deadly new frontier in the gun violence plaguing our communities because of the increase of fully automatic Glocks on our streets," Mayor Johnson said in a press release.

"Selling firearms that can so easily be converted into automatic weapons makes heinous acts even more deadly, so we are doing everything we can in collaboration with others committed to ending gun violence to hold Glock accountable for putting profits over public safety."

FOX Business has reached out to Glock, Inc., for comment.

NY village 'losing its soul' as nation's oldest gun manufacturer flees blue state for Georgia

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:10:33 GMT

Remington is the nation’s oldest gun manufacturer

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The Remington gun factory nestled in New York’s Mohawk Valley is ready to shutter its doors and move to Georgia after more than 200 years in the Empire State.

"Two hundred and eight years of history. Gone, gone," Ilion, New York, Mayor John P. Stephens told the New York Times. "Ilion is Remington. Remington is Ilion."

Remington is the nation’s oldest gun manufacturer and told union officials late last year that company chiefs at RemArms, the current version of Remington Arms, made the decision to end its New York manufacturing come March. The remaining operations located in Ilion will move to Georgia, where company leaders say the firearms industry is supported and welcomed.

Residents of the New York village, which is located roughly 230 miles northwest of New York City, are bracing for the manufacturer to officially move, which some say will take part of the town’s identity with it.

REMINGTON FIREARMS, NATION’S OLDEST GUNMAKER, MOVES GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS TO GEORGIA IN $100M, 856-JOB DEAL

"When Remington leaves, it’s not going to be like a facility leaving, it’s going to be like part of your family has moved off," Jim Conover, a retired Remington employee who began his career there in 1964, told The Associated Press.

A furnace operator and technician at the factory, Frank "Rusty" Brown, told the outlet that he and generations of his family worked at the facility and noted he and his wife will be out of jobs.

"My mom worked there. My dad worked there. My wife works there with me now. My daughter works there with me now. My second daughter works there with me now. And my son-in-law works there," Brown said. "So it’s a double-hit for me and my wife: two of us out of a job."

SANDY HOOK LAWSUIT: GUN MANUFACTURER REMINGTON REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH VICTIMS' FAMILIES

The closure of the New York location will result in about 300 people losing their jobs in a town of roughly 7,600. The mayor of Ilion told the Daily Mail that the village is expected to lose $1 million in revenue due to the move, in addition to other local businesses taking a financial hit.

''It's like the town is losing its soul. It's almost like losing a family member. Th at's the thing that people are struggling with, the nostalgia, the history. It feels like we are losing the identity of the town," Stephens told the outlet.

"I've spoken to a few businesses, that's the part financially that's going to hurt. Even if it's only 300 people, they still buy gas, they still buy shoes. That's going to be a hit to the local businesses," he added.

The company, which was sold in 1993, again in 2007 and again in 2020, was rocked by financial woes in recent years, including filing for bankruptcy in 2018 and 2020. In 2022, the company paid $73 million as part of a lawsuit stemming from the Sandy Hook mass shooting in 2012.

REMINGTON ARMS DECLARES BANKRUPTCY DESPITE SURGING GUN DEMAND

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik and state Sen. Mark Walczyk both previously blamed New York’s restrictive gun laws for the move.

"Hochul must stop her unconstitutional assault on the Second Amendment now, " Stefanik said in December, according to the Times Union.

Walczyk pinned blame on New York’s Gun Industry Liability Law for pushing the company out of the state. The law, which was signed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2021, allows gun makers to be sued if they "knowingly or recklessly create, maintain or contribute" to violence.

GUN ID LEGISLATION MAY TRIGGER EXODUS OF GUNMAKERS REMINGTON, COLT

The company's CEO said in a statement late last year that they are "excited" about the move to a state that embraces the Second Amendment.

SMITH & WESSON OFFICIALLY MOVES HEADQUARTERS OUT OF BLUE STATE TO TENNESSEE

"We are very excited to come to Georgia , a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry," RemArms CEO Ken D'Arcy said in a statement . "Everyone involved in this process has shown how important business is to the state and how welcoming they are to all business, including the firearms industry."

Remington is not the first gun manufacturer to shutter its doors in the northeast for states down south. Smith & Wesson moved from Springfield, Massachusetts, last year, where the company had been located since 1852, to Tennessee.

Ammo prices set to rise "substantially"

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 14:01:09 GMT

By Anders Anglesey | ON 12/7/23 AT 12:44 PM EST

Vista Outdoor, a parent company to many firearms businesses, told Newsweek that it will substantially increase its ammunition prices due to "an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder."

The Minnesota-based company confirmed the authenticity of a December 1 letter sent to customers that it would go ahead with an across-the-board increase of its ammunition and gunpowder prices on January 1.

"Due to world events our suppliers have notified us of unprecedented demand for and an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder, and thus has increased our prices substantially," Vice President of Sales, Sporting Products Brett Nelson said in the letter. "We must therefore raise our pricing to help offset those increases."

Companies that will increase their prices include Remington, Alliant Powder, CCI, Federal, SEVI-Shot and Speer. The following increases include:

Shotshell: 1-7 percent
Rifle: 1-7 percent
Handgun: 1-5 percent
22LR/Shorts: 1-5 percent
WMR/HMR: 1-7 percent
Primers: 5 percent
Alliant Powder: 10 percent (limited availability).

Vista Outdoor also told customers that unless they cancel an order, it will reprice "existing and future orders shipped on or after January 1, 2024, to the new prices." New price lists will follow in the coming weeks, Nelson said in the letter.

Ammunition prices have steadily increased over the decades, including a notable hikeduring the COVID-19 pandemic as supply soared while supply chains were heavily disrupted.

While Vista Outdoor did not specifically say which world events contributed to the increase, the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza have resulted in substantial demand for ammunition .

Following a call for support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , Vista Outdoor pledged in March 2024 to support the country through a 1-million-round ammunition donation.

"Supporting the relief effort is a crucial element of the global response and we are proud to do our part," Vista Outdoor said in the release.

"It underscores how critical the Second Amendment is in America and highlights the importance of the ability of American Manufacturers to supply our allies with ammunition. We have long supported Ukrainian armed forces and we will continue to do so in this global cause to unite for democracy."

In September, NATO allies and partners met in Paris and agreed to $2.58 billion worth of contracts and orders for "hundreds of thousands of pieces of key ammunition." The first deliveries were scheduled to start toward the end of this year.

Illinois company recalls 61,000 biometric gun safes over potentially deadly malfunction

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 16:21:50 GMT

Biometric fingerprint feature could appear to be setup properly but remain in default mode, giving anyone access to the safe

Fortress Safe and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of 61,000 biometric gun safes that could malfunction and give anyone access to the firearms, including children. (CPSC / Fox News)

Naperville, Illinois -based Fortress Safe announced the recall of nearly 61,000 biometric gun safes because of a serious safety hazard, and potentially deadly malfunction that could give anyone access to the firearms inside.

The company announced the recall with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which warns owners of the safes that despite believing they may have properly programmed a fingerprint feature that gives the owner access to their firearms, the safe is in fact left in the default open mode.

Under default, unauthorized users, including children, can gain access to the safe and remove any hazardous items inside, including guns.

A recent lawsuit alleges that a 12-year-old boy was able to access a firearm inside one of the safes in question, and died, according to CPSC.

There have also been 39 consumer-reported incidents in which the safes were accessed with unpaired fingerprints .

The nine models included in the recall are the Fortress Portable Safe with Biometric Lock (11B20); Fortress Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock (44B10); Legend Range & Field Personal Safe with Pop up door and Biometric Lock (44B10L); Fortress Medium Personal Safe with Biometric Lock (44B20); Fortress Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock (55B20); Fortress Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock (55B30); Gettysburg Large Quick Access Safe with Biometric Lock (55B30G); Cabela’s 4 Gun Safe with Biometric Lock (4BGGBP); and Cabela’s Biometric Personal Safe (55B30BP).

The safes were sold at places like Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Scheel’s, Sportsman’s Guide, Optics Planet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gander, Rural King, Lowe’s and several other stores across the country, along with Amazon and eBay, between January 2019 and October 2023, for $44-$290.

Anyone in possession of one of the recalled safes are advised to stop using the biometric feature immediately, the CPSC said, remove the batteries and just use the key if firearms are stored inside.

Consumers can also contact Fortress Safes to get instructions on how to disable the biometric feature and receive a free replacement safe.

Fortress Safe did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital about the recall.

All the recalled safes were manufactured in China and imported and distributed by Xpedition LLC, dba Fortress Safe.

Liberty Safe Let FBI Seize Customer’s Gun Safe Contents Without A Court Order

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:02:51 GMT

BY: JORDAN BOYD | SEPTEMBER 06, 2023

IMAGE CREDIT

LIBERTY SAFES/YOUTUBE

Liberty Safe willfully granted the FBI backdoor access to one of its customers’ gun safes because the federal law enforcement agency demanded it.

“The feds called the manufacturer of his Liberty Gun Safe and got the passcode to get into it too. All for protesting at the Capitol over 2 1/2 years ago,” conservative YouTubers the Hodge Twins alleged in a post on X on Monday.

Nathan Hughes, the 34-year-old owner of the compromised Liberty gun safe, was arrested at gunpoint and charged last week with one felony and three misdemeanors related to his presence in the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021 . During the raid on his home, the FBI ransacked his house and attempted to confiscate the firearms from his safe.

Liberty confirmed on Tuesday that it gave the disgraced federal law enforcement agency a combination to break into Hughes’ gun safe simply because the FBI produced a warrant to search Hughes’ home.

Safe companies like Liberty are not necessarily required to comply with law enforcement requests for combos to break into one of their purchased products unless a court orders them to do so. Liberty, however, claimed it is their “company protocol” to give law enforcement entry and access to its products as long as those agencies possess a warrant.

The manufacturer’s confession that its products’ security is compromised due to the existence of a master code and its willingness to work with law enforcement even without a court order did not go over well with several loyal Liberty customers who threatened on social media to cancel their orders and switch safe companies .

Others criticized Liberty for its double standard on safe security. If a customer loses his safe keys or forgets his safe combination, Liberty requires him to “ hire a certified locksmith ” to regain entry. If the FBI wants to get into a Liberty customer’s safe, all agents have to do is dial up the company and show them a warrant with the customer’s name on it.

Liberty tried to reassure customers that it is still “devoted to protecting the personal property and 2nd Amendment rights of our customers” and “has repeatedly denied requests for access codes without a warrant in the past.”

“We regularly update our policies to ensure both compliance with federal and state law and reasonable customer privacy protections within the law,” the social media statement reads. “First and foremost, Liberty Safe is committed to preserving our customers’ rights, and we will remain unwavering in those values.”

The company did not, however, immediately reply to the Federalist’s questions about whether it plans to beef up its code-sharing policy in an effort to follow through on its pledge to “preserve[] customers’ rights.”

Not all gun-safe companies readily hand over access to their customers’ products, even if law enforcement demands it.

A spokesman at Ft. Knox, a national gun safe and vault company, told The Federalist his company would only divulge safe combinations to law enforcement if a court specifically ordered it or a search warrant specifically named his company. He reiterated flatly that his company would never do what Liberty did without a court order.

Browning Safes, Champion Safe Co., and American Security (AMSEC) did not immediately respond to The Federalist’s request for comment. Their websites also did not explicitly state their policy on granting federal officials entry into their customers’ safes.

Federal court rules New Jersey can sue gun industry, for now

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:05:45 GMT

The National Shooting Sports Foundation says it stands ready to sue New Jersey again after the 3rd Circuit dismissed its lawsuit

By Chris Pandolfo Fox News

Published August 18, 2023 7:53am EDT

Obama lectures Americans on gun control, wishes US could have strict guns laws like Australia

Former President Barack Obama suggested in a recent interview that the U.S. should respond to mass shootings by implementing gun laws like Australia, where there is no legal right to own a firearm.

The firearms industry took a blow Thursday when a federal court ruled that New Jersey can sue gun manufacturers under the state's "public nuisance" law.

A three-judge panel on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that a legal challenge brought against the law by the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF) was premature. Though the court acknowledged the law is somewhat vague about what conduct can trigger a lawsuit from the state, it nevertheless said the firearms industry "jumped the gun" by filing a legal challenge before demonstrating injury.

"The National Shooting Sports Foundation challenges a new state gun law as violating its members’ constitutional rights. But we see little evidence that enforcement is looming," wrote Judge Stephanos Bibas, a former President Trump appointee.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed the "public nuisance" law in July 2022, clearing a path for the state’s attorney general to file lawsuits against local gun businesses based on an exception to the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which broadly protects the industry from liability.

ILLINOIS GOV. JB PRITZKER SIGNS LAW BANNING FIREARM ADVERTISEMENTS THAT APPEAL TO CHILDREN

A convention attendee looks at rifles at the Sig Sauer booth at the 2018 National Shooting Sports Foundation's Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on Jan. 23, 2018 in Las Vegas. New Jersey's "public nuisance" law permits the state to sue gun manufacturers after mass shootings. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Four months after it took effect, NSSF sued to block it, claiming the law runs afoul of the federal statute. In January, a district court granted the NSSF's bid for a preliminary injunction, saying the law was in "direct conflict" with the PLCAA.

However, since NSSF sued before New Jersey had a chance to enforce its law, the 3rd Circuit panel held that NSSF's complaint was hypothetical.

"With so much still vague and uncertain, a court should not weigh in," Bibas wrote.

In a statement, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said he was "thrilled" with the court's decision.

ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS STATE'S BAN ON SALE OR POSSESSION OF SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPONS

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks during the 2023 State of the State Address at the New Jersey State House in Trenton, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. Murphy signed the "public nuisance" law in 2022 in response to several mass shootings and the landmark Supreme Court decision that broadly expanded gun rights. (Aristide Economopoulos/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Our law never should have been enjoined, and now it will be back in effect in its entirety," Platkin said. "This law is an important public safety tool, which is why I created the Nation’s first statewide office dedicated to holding accountable those whose unlawful conduct causes bloodshed, and fuels the gun violence epidemic, for the sake of their bottom line."

NSSF General Counsel Lawrence Keane said in a statement the group will file another complaint against New Jersey should the "public nuisance" law be enforced against the gun industry.

5TH CIRCUIT DEALS BLOW TO FEDERAL GUN STATUTE USED IN HUNTER BIDEN CASE

Matthew Platkin, attorney general of New Jersey, speaks during the National Safer Communities Summit at Hartford University in West Hartford, Connecticut, Friday, June 16, 2023. Platkin said he was "thrilled" with the 3rd Circuit's unanimous decision upholding New Jersey's gun law. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"While we respectfully disagree with the court’s decision on our pre-enforcement challenge, it is important to note the court did not say New Jersey's law does not violate the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; it clearly does," Keane said.

New Jersey was among the first states to pass a law opening the gun industry up to litigation in response to several mass shootings and the Supreme Court's landmark 2022 decision broadly expanding gun rights. Blue state governors in Colorado, Hawaii, Washington and Illinois have signed similar laws in recent months.

The 3rd Circuit's ruling is the first time a federal appellate court has weighed in on one of these laws.

House Republicans notch win in effort to overturn Biden admin's 'unconstitutional' pistol brace rule

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:26:18 GMT

NRA-supported resolution aimed at overturning Biden admin's rule on pistol braces advances to Senate

By Emma Colton | Fox News

House leader discusses ATF pistol brace resolution

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., denied that Republican leadership held an ATF resolution hostage for votes to raise the debt ceiling. The resolution would overturn ATF's controversial pistol brace rule.

House Republicans delivered a blow to the Biden administration's federal regulation on pistols with stabilizing braces, voting in favor of a National Rifle Association (NRA)-supported resolution that aims to overturn the rule.

The measure, H.J.Res.44, would nullify the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule that regulates stabilizing braces for pistols and prevent the ATF from reintroducing the same rule in the future.

Pistol braces are accessories that can be attached to the rear of a gun to make it easier to fire with one hand — the accessories are often used by disabled veterans and other Americans. The ATF rule categorizes pistols with braces as short-barreled rifles, which require a federal license to own.

The resolution passed nearly along party lines Tuesday evening at 219-210, with two Democrats voting in support and two Republicans voting against the measure. The NRA, which has been fighting the pistol brace rule since it was first floated in 2021, celebrated the measure’s passage "to block this unlawful rule."

SECOND AMENDMENT GROUP TO URGE CONGRESS TO OVERTURN ATF PISTOL BRACE RULE

"The ATF’s pistol brace rule is a clear abuse of power and could turn millions of good Americans who lawfully own these devices into criminals overnight," Randy Kozuch, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The NRA applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing Reps. [Andrew] Clyde and [Richard] Hudson’s resolution to block this unlawful rule and prevent ATF from issuing a similar rule in the future. The NRA is putting its full weight behind fighting the action by supporting H.J.Res.44 and challenging it in federal court."

FEDERAL JUDGE IN TEXAS BLOCKS BIDEN ATF PISTOL BRACE RULE ON DAY OF DEADLINE TO REGISTER WEAPONS

"This arbitrary act is yet another example of the contempt the Biden Administration has against gun owners and proof they’ll stop at nothing to strip away every Americans’ right until gun ownership is a privilege for only the elite," Kozuch wrote.

NRA RESPONDS TO NEWSOM'S CALLS FOR 28TH AMENDMENT: 'CALIFORNIA IS A BEACON FOR VIOLENCE'

House Democrats who voted against the measure argued that the rule could save lives, citing the use of pistol braces by mass shooters.

Republican Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde, who introduced the measure, said in comments provided to Fox News Digital that pistol braces are commonly used by law-abiding gun owners, especially disabled veterans, and described the passage of the measure as sending a "resounding message" to the judicial system that the ATF rule is "unconstitutional."

"Every day, millions of Americans — including many service-disabled veterans — rely on stabilizing braces to exercise their Second Amendment freedoms. Yet through the ATF’s rule, the Biden Administration is attempting to circumvent Congress’ sole legislative authority by using executive fiat to turn these law-abiding gun owners into criminals for simply attaching this beneficial brace to their firearm," Clyde said.

BIDEN WOULD VETO GOP BILL PROTECTING ACCESS TO PISTOL BRACES

"By passing H.J.Res. 44, the House has sent a resounding message to both the judicial system and the nation that it firmly rejects the ATF’s unconstitutional rule and executive overreach, unapologetically defends service-disabled veterans’ unalienable right to keep and bear arms, and refuses to back down in the fight to protect all Americans’ Second Amendment liberties."

The pistol brace rule was finalized in January, with Americans given until May 31 to register their firearm with the ATF or remove the accessories from their weapons. Those who do not comply with the regulation could face up to 10 years' imprisonment or $10,000 in fines or both, according to the ATF.

The NRA, state lawmakers and other Second Amendment groups have battered the Biden administration with criticisms for subjecting legal gun owners to potential felony charges, including via an NRA-backed lawsuit challenging the rule in February and the NRA filing an injunction to halt the ATF from enforcing the rule this month.

SCALISE DENIES GOP LEADERS HELD ANTI-ATF PISTOL BRACE BILL HOSTAGE TO SECURE VOTES FOR DEBT CEILING INCREASE

Republican North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, who helped spearhead the measure with Clyde, slammed the Biden administration’s rule as "blatant bureaucratic overreach" that circumvented Congress.

"The pistol brace ban by President Joe Biden’s ATF is just another example of blatant bureaucratic overreach from this administration, and it illustrates the dangers of an unchecked federal agency that is willing to go around Congress and the millions of constituents we represent," Hudson said in a comment provided to Fox News Digital. "Americans are tired of unelected bureaucrats making up new laws that infringe on their constitutional rights, and I want to thank Rep. Clyde for partnering with me to lead this legislation — with bipartisan support — through the House."

Earlier this week, the White House said Biden would veto the measure if it reaches his desk.

FEDERAL COURT DEALS BLOW TO ATF PISTOL BRACE RULE AHEAD OF GUN ACCESSORY REGISTRATION DEADLINE

"The rationale is clear: short-barreled rifles are more concealable than long guns, yet more dangerous and accurate at a distance than traditional pistols," the White House said in a Monday statement. "As a result of this industry innovation, in the past few years we have witnessed mass shooters — including those in Dayton, Ohio, and Boulder, Colorado — use these ‘brace’ devices on heavy pistols in order to inflict mass carnage."

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., who backed the GOP measure aimed to overturn the rule, blasted the Biden administration as unleashing "unelected bureaucrats in the ATF to criminalize firearm ownership for millions of Americans."

"Americans are already seeing this administration attempt to wrap red tape around every aspect of their daily lives, from the cars they drive to the stoves they use. This attempt to penalize firearm ownership is just another example of radical executive overreach. What unalienable rights will the federal government target next?" Scalise said in comment in support of the measure this month.

GUN RIGHTS GROUPS VOW TO FIGHT BACK AS ATF PISTOL BRACE RULE TAKES EFFECT

"House Republicans will always fight to protect the constitutional rights of American families," Scalise added.

The resolution is now headed to the Senate. If passed by the Senate and subsequently vetoed by Biden, the House and Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote to override the presidential veto.

"I thank Rep. Richard Hudson for co-leading this vital effort with me, and I applaud our colleagues for joining us in taking a stand against the ATF’s brazen overreach and unlawful pistol brace rule," Clyde added in his comment to Fox News. "It’s now time for the Senate to follow suit by swiftly passing H.J.Res. 44 — sending this essential legislation to the White House and forcing the President to choose between defending one of our greatest natural rights or intentionally attempting to disarm our nation and dismantle our Second Amendment freedoms."

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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' Patrick Hauf contributed to this report.

Biden to sign executive order to require background checks on more gun sales

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:20:05 GMT

The executive order will increase background checks and prevent firearms dealers without licenses from selling guns

By Brooke Singman | Fox News

Biden signs gun control bill in wake of deadly mass shootings

President Biden signed gun legislation and said the Supreme Court makes "terrible decisions" Saturday.

President Biden is expected to announce an executive order on Tuesday that would expand background checks to more firearm sales by expanding the statutory definition of a firearms dealer, the White House said.

Biden is set to sign the order during a trip to Monterey Park, California, where he will meet with families and the community impacted by the mass shooting that killed 11 and injured nine others in January. The White House said the executive order will bring the U.S. "as close to universal background checks as possible" without additional legislation.

Under the executive order, Biden is also directing Attorney General Merrick Garland to develop and implement a plan to prevent former federally licensed firearms dealers, whose licenses have been revoked or surrendered, from continuing to engage in the business of dealing in firearms.

President Biden speaks during the annual House Democrats Issues Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel March 1, 2023, in Baltimore. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The order will also improve public awareness and increase the use of extreme protection, like "red flag" laws and safe storage of firearms.

Biden is directing his cabinet to encourage the "effective use" of those orders, by partnering with law enforcement, health care providers, educators and other community leaders. Biden is also directing members of his cabinet to expand existing federal campaigns and efforts to promote safe storage of firearms.

The order will also direct the secretary of transportation, in consultation with the Department of Justice, to work to "reduce the loss or theft of firearms during shipment," and to improve the reporting of such losses or thefts by engaging with carrels and shippers.

The White House said the order will also hold the gun industry "accountable," by providing the public and policymakers with "more information regarding federally licensed firearms dealers who are violating the law."

Attorney General Merrick Garland attends a news conference to announce recent law enforcement action in transnational security threats case, at the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters on Jan. 27, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The order directs the attorney general to publicly release ATF records from the inspection of firearms dealers cited for violation of federal firearm laws.

The order also requires the Department of Defense to develop and implement principles to further firearm and public safety practices through DOD acquisition of firearms.

Biden’s order would also help "catch shooters by accelerating federal law enforcement’s reporting of ballistics data."

The National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) currently allows federal, state and local law enforcement to match fired cartridge casings to the guns from which they were fired, making it easier for law enforcement to connect multiple crime scenes and catch shooters.

The executive order will direct all federal law enforcement agencies to issue "rigorous requirements regarding NIBIN data submission and use of this tool."

'YOU DON'T NEED AN AR-15': A LOOK AT SOME OF BIDEN'S MOST INACCURATE REMARKS ABOUT FIREARMS AND 2A SUPPORTERS

President Biden, under the order, will also accelerate and intensify implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act; improve federal support for gun violence survivors, victims and survivors’ families, first responders to gun violence, and communities affected by gun violence; and advance congressional efforts to prevent the proliferation of firearms undetectable by metal detectors.

Guns are displayed in a store during the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival on Oct. 9, 2022, in Greeley, Pennsylvania. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The White House said the president will also encourage the Federal Trade Commission to issue a public report analyzing how gun manufacturers market firearms to minors.

A senior administration official touted Biden’s executive actions throughout his presidency related to reducing gun violence. That official said Biden will also continue to call on Congress to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

Biden, earlier this month, said he is going to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines "come hell or high water."

Last June, after it was passed by both the Democrat-controlled House and Senate, Biden signed into law the most significant gun control bill in nearly 30 years.

Spearheaded by Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, the measure came in the wake of recent mass shootings at the time and provides funding for states to create programs, often called red flag laws, that could keep weapons away from people who are a danger to themselves or others.

In addition, the measure enhances background checks for gun buyers under 21, adds penalties for some gun criminals and provides funding for a variety of health and mental health-related programs. It also addresses closing the so-called "boyfriend loophole," which is a gap in federal law that means spousal domestic abusers can have gun rights taken away but not unmarried ones.

With regard to working with Congress on gun control legislation, a senior administration official said, "I think when you do gun violence policy, you always have to have hope. And I think there always is hope."

"The president is going to continue to fight for common sense gun safety legislation, and there are all sorts of pieces of legislation we need," the official said. "But in the meantime, [the president] wants the federal government to be doing all we can with existing authority to reduce gun violence. And that is what this executive order does."

Brooke Singman is a Fox News Digital politics reporter. You can reach her at Brooke.Singman@Fox.com or @BrookeSingman on Twitter.

Internal ATF docs show ‘zero tolerance’ guidelines for shutting down gun stores

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:44:52 GMT

The guidance says the ATF can 'use inspection reports to establish willfulness even if the inspection found no violations'

By Houston Keene | Fox News

Biden ATF nominee called for assault weapons ban but struggled to define the term

President Biden's pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Steven Dettelbach, acknowledged Wednesday that he does not have a definition for the term "assault weapon."

FIRST ON FOX: Internal documents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) show the "zero tolerance" guidelines the agency is using to shut down gun stores.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the ATF’s federal firearms licensee (FFL) inspection guidance from January 2022 that makes it easier to revoke gun stores’ federal licenses.

The guidance says the agency "has zero tolerance for willful violations that greatly affect public safety and ATF’s ability to trace firearms recovered in violent crimes" and that "revocation" of the FFL’s license "is the assumed action" with violations.

GUN RIGHTS GROUP’S ATF REPORT ACCUSES AGENCY OF MAKING ‘ILLEGAL GUN REGISTRY’ AS CRUZ TAKES AIM IN SENATE

"Therefore, revocation is the assumed action, unless extraordinary circumstances exist, when violations are cited that include" transferring a firearm "to a prohibited person knowing or having reasonable cause to believe the transferee is a prohibited person," failing to perform a background check, and "making a false or fictitious written statement in the FFL’s required records or in applying for a firearms license," the guidance reads.

The guidance defines administrative action "as a warning letter, warning conference, revocation, imposition of civil fine, and/or suspension of a federal firearms license, including a recommendation of denial of an original or renewal application, and alternate action to revocation."

According to the documents, the "ATF must establish willfulness to proceed with revocation" under federal law, but the agency "does not have to establish a history of prior violations to determine willfulness."

"Accordingly, ATF will revoke a federal firearms license, absent extraordinary circumstances on initial violations, if those violations inherently demonstrate willfulness, such as transferring a firearm to a prohibited person; failing to run a background check prior to transferring a firearm to a non-licensee; falsifying records, or making false statements; failing to respond to an ATF tracing request; refusing to permit ATF to conduct an inspection; or allowing a straw sale of a firearm to occur."

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2022 ATF O.5370.1E Federal ... by Houston Keene

"ATF may also revoke for any other willful first-time violation as it deems appropriate," the guidance reads.

The guidance says that the agency "can establish the knowledge element of willfulness in several ways" including establishing "the FFL has a history of similar, repeat violations, and documentation that an [Industry Operations Investigator (IOI)] discussed them with the FFL."

"The FFL’s compliance history can include other efforts by ATF (including qualification inspections) to inform the FFL about its legal responsibilities," the ATF guidance reads, also saying the agency can "use inspection reports to establish willfulness even if the inspection found no violations."

"Revocation is also an appropriate licensing action in response to the discovery of the below willful violations," the guidance also says, which includes any "other [Gun Control Act] violation not specifically addressed in this order where revocation may be appropriate."

Additionally, when an FFL loses its license, it will likely close shop and be required to send its gun purchase records — which are now required to be kept indefinitely — straight to the ATF .

The ATF announced in July 2021 that they would be updating the guidelines established under the Trump administration.

Gun rights group Gun Owners of America (GOA) first obtained and shared the documents with Fox News Digital on Thursday.

Aiden Johnston, GOA’s director of federal affairs, told Fox News Digital that "Joe Biden has weaponized the ATF against gun owners and the firearms industry in an attempt to violate the Second Amendment and expand his illegal gun registry."

"Rather than targeting those who display clear negligence and disregard for the law, ATF now revokes licenses without warning at the discovery of a first mistake by honest gun dealers," Johnston said.

"When Federal Firearms Licensees are forced out of business, ATF adds their records to its digital gun registry that has nearly a billion gun and gun owner records," he continued. "GOA is already working with Second Amendment champions like Rep. Michael Cloud on Capitol Hill to address this alarming issue and eliminate this unconstitutional gun registry."

ATF spokesperson Erik Longnecker told Fox News Digital the "ATF can revoke a federal firearms license for willful violations of the Gun Control Act, especially those willful violations that are a threat to public safety."

"Such willful violations can include transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, not conducting background checks, falsifying records, not responding to trace requests, and refusing to permit inspections," Longnecker said in response to Fox News Digital's question as to why the agency is moving immediately to revocation of FFL licenses for potentially minor violations instead of issuing a warning letter or conference.

"These willful violations are anything but ‘minor,’" Longnecker said.

GOA previously blasted the ATF for their "illegal gun registry" in their new report on the finalized rule requiring FFLs to maintain purchase records indefinitely.

The group’s report on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requested documents revealed the ATF "is maintaining a digital, searchable, centralized registry of guns and gun owners in violation of various federal prohibitions."

GOA wrote in their report that the "ATF has reached a point where it has converted nearly one billion records (required to be kept by FFLs) into a single, centralized, and searchable national gun registry, that is routinely searched by multiple data fields (except, reportedly, by gun owner name)."

Federal law before the rule required federally-licensed gun stores to hold onto purchase records for a minimum of 20 years. The new rule prevents FFLs from destroying the purchase records should they so choose.

Second Amendment sentinels in Congress have taken aim at the newly finalized rule, with Cruz introducing the Senate companion bill to Rep. Michael Cloud’s, R-Texas, legislation, the No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your (REGISTRY) Rights Act, last Congress.

Updates to ATF Final Rule on Stabilizing Braces

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:59:13 GMT

On Monday, January 30, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) published the final Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing Braces” rule for public inspection in the federal register.

As we reported earlier this month , the rule would subject essentially all firearms with attached stabilizing braces to the registration and taxation requirements of the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Since 2012, when Biden was serving as then-President Barack Obama’s vice president, ATF has recognized that stabilizing braces serve a legitimate function, and the inclusion of a stabilizing brace on a pistol or other firearm does not automatically subject that firearm to the provisions of the National Firearms Act. That’s because stabilizing braces were first designed and intended to help disabled veterans fire large format pistols .

With the finalization of this rule, the Biden Administration is reversing over a decade of agency guidance and rulings that the firearms industry and law-abiding American gun owners have relied on when designing or acquiring firearms.

NRA has repeatedly pushed back on administration attempts to classify firearms with attached braces under the NFA. When the most recent rule was proposed, NRA submitted comments, which you can find here .

Since the rule was first posted on ATF’s website on January 13, ATF has already been required to “clarify” several issues with the rule.

First, at the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show, ATF confirmed that braces that are removed from firearms do not necessarily have to be destroyed or altered in a way that prevents them from being reattached to a firearm. While the rule claims that destruction or alteration is required for owners who choose the option of simply removing the brace from their firearm, that requirement would be contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Thompson/Center Arms Co.

Under Thompson/Center, possession of a firearm and parts that can only be assembled into an NFA “firearm” constitutes possession of an NFA firearm. But, if the parts can be assembled into multiple lawful configurations, then the parts are not considered an NFA firearm (unless an unlawful configuration is actually assembled).

This should mean that a person who possesses an AR-15 pistol with a stabilizing brace and also possesses a 16-inch barreled upper receiver and/or a registered NFA lower should be able to keep the brace without destroying it or altering it. But, a person who only possesses a pistol with a stabilizing brace may have to dispose of or alter the brace to avoid creating an NFA firearm (in ATF’s view).

Second, in the final rule posted to ATF’s website, the agency appeared to claim that imported pistols with stabilizing braces would need to be destroyed or surrendered because they were unlawfully assembled in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(r), which generally prohibits the assembly of “non-sporting” rifles or shotguns without sufficient domestically manufactured parts.

Last week, ATF updated the final rule’ Frequently Asked Questions page to include the following answer to the question of whether section 922(r) applies to firearm impacted by the rule.

No. Section 922(r), in relevant part, makes it unlawful to assemble from imported parts a semiautomatic rifle that is otherwise not importable. The implementing regulations of the GCA at 27 CFR 478.39 provides that a person may not assemble a semiautomatic rifle using more than 10 of the imported parts listed in the relevant paragraphs of the regulation. As discussed in section IV.B.8.e of the final rule, the criminal violation under section 922(r) is for the “assembly” of the semiautomatic rifle; therefore, no modification of such firearm would cure the 922(r) violation because the “assembly” has already occurred. Accordingly, a person with an imported pistol that was subsequently equipped with a “stabilizing brace” will have the same options as anyone else under the final rule. Should that person choose to register the firearm, no further modification of the firearm with domestic parts is required.

While this answer seems to directly contradict the agency’s response to comments in the final rule, it is certainly positive news for owners of imported pistols with attached stabilizing braces.

The fact that ATF already needs to “clarify” aspects of the rule before it has been officially published in the federal register further underscores the arbitrary and confusing nature of the rule.

Fortunately for law-abiding gun owners, federal courts have recently proven more willing to invalidate agency actions that go beyond congressionally enacted statutes. Earlier this month, one of ATF’s most recent major rules was struck down by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The agency’s stabilizing brace rule should meet the same end for the same reasons.

NRA-ILA is already working on litigation to challenge this arbitrary and capricious attack on law-abiding gun owners by the Biden Administration. Please check back to www.nraila.org for more updates.

Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing Braces”

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 17:37:34 GMT

Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing Braces”

On January 13, 2023, the Attorney General signed ATF final rule 2021R-08F, “Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached ‘Stabilizing Braces,’” amending ATF’s regulations to clarify when a rifle is designed, made, and intended to be fired from the shoulder.

The rule outlines the factors ATF would consider when evaluating firearms equipped with a purported “stabilizing brace” (or other rearward attachment) to determine whether these weapons would be considered a “rifle” or “short-barreled rifle” under the Gun Control Act of 1968, or a “rifle” or “firearm” subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act. The rule’s amended definition of “rifle” clarifies that the term “designed, redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder” includes a weapon that is equipped with an accessory, component, or other rearward attachment (e.g., a “stabilizing brace”) that provides surface area that allows the weapon to be fired from the shoulder, provided other factors, as listed in the definition, indicate the weapon is designed and intended to be fired from the shoulder.

This rule does not affect “stabilizing braces” that are objectively designed and intended as a “stabilizing brace” for use by individuals with disabilities, and not for shouldering the weapon as a rifle. Such stabilizing braces are designed to conform to the arm and not as a buttstock. However, if the firearm with the “stabilizing brace” is a short-barreled rifle, it needs to be registered within 120-days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

This rule is effective the date it is published in the Federal Register. Any weapons with “stabilizing braces” or similar attachments that constitute rifles under the NFA must be registered no later than 120 days after date of publication in the Federal Register; or the short barrel removed and a 16-inch or longer rifle barrel attached to the firearm; or permanently remove and dispose of, or alter, the “stabilizing brace” such that it cannot be reattached; or the firearm is turned in to your local ATF office. Or the firearm is destroyed.

Please note that this is the text of the final rule as signed by the Attorney General, but the official version of the final rule will be as it is published in the Federal Register. The rule will go into effect once it is published in the Federal Register.

Who is Affected by this Rule?

Unlicensed Possessors
Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) not under the NFA as a Class One Importer or Class Two Manufacturer SOT
FFL Importers or Manufacturers under the GCA that ARE Qualified under the NFA Class One Importer or Class Two Manufacturer SOT
Certain Governmental Entities

What Do You Need to Know?

Affected parties are provided a range of options to remain in compliance with rule 2021R-08F. ATF has provided this quick reference sheet to provide these options. For questions not answered by the reference sheet, we have provided a comprehensive list of FAQs.

Related Resources

Related Research and Background Information

Contact Information

For questions regarding the application of the final rule, contact the Firearms Industry Programs Branch at Firearms Industry Programs Branch: FIPB@atf.gov(link sends e-mail) .
For technical questions regarding firearms, contact the Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division at: Fire_Tech@atf.gov(link sends e-mail) .
For questions regarding the rulemaking process, contact the Office of Regulatory Affairs at ORA@atf.gov(link sends e-mail) .
To register for an eForms account and/or submit an eForm 1 pursuant to ATF Final Rule 2021R-08F, please visit https://eforms.atf.gov/login

Last Reviewed January 15, 2023

Ammo maker Norma Precision to expand in Georgia

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 13:05:30 GMT

By J. Scott Trubey , The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An ammunition maker that recently announced the relocation of its U.S. headquarters to Savannah now plans to expand its operations near the Georgia coast, including a factory and distribution center.

Norma Precision plans to build a new manufacturing and logistics complex along I-16 in Bryan County near the future Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicle plant , Gov. Brian Kemp’s office said Thursday. The company makes high-end ammunition for the hunting, sporting goods, military and law enforcement sectors.

The $60 million expansion is the latest move by the firearms industry in Georgia, which has become a top state for gunmakers.

“Norma Precision is already hiring hardworking Georgians on our coast, and this new facility will support healthy communities across the Savannah area,” Kemp said in the release.

The company announced plans in April to relocate its headquarters from Tampa, Florida, to Savannah. Those operations will be consolidated into the new 300,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center. The expansion will increase the company’s employment in the Savannah area to 600, with about 470 of those jobs being new, a company spokeswoman said.

Beretta Holdings S.A. acquired the company earlier this year through its purchase of Swiss ammunition maker Ruag Ammotec.

“With this expansion and focus on the Norma ammunition brand, we will continue to grow while better serving our customers and industry partners in the United States and abroad,” Beretta President and CEO Pietro Gussalli Beretta said in the release.

Georgia is currently home to operations from several big-name firearms manufacturers, including Glock, Remington and Daniel Defense.

During a hearing Thursday before a state Senate committee, Anna Chafin, chief executive officer of the Bryan County Development Authority, said an incentive package was offered to Norma Precision that included property tax breaks. But she did not disclose an estimated value. Chafin said the state competed with South Carolina for the project.

Ammunition company moving its U.S. headquarters to Georgia, bringing jobs

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:29:26 GMT

April 13, 2022 at 1:18 a.m. UTC

By WSBTV.com News Staff

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. — An ammunition manufacturer is relocating its U.S. headquarters to Chatham County.

Norma Precision Ammunition is a subsidiary of the leading European ammunition manufacturer RUAG Ammotec.

The Swiss-based company says it develops and produces high-end ammunition for sports shooters, special operations forces, and peace officers worldwide.

“With their facilities in close proximity to the Port of Savannah – the top port for U.S. exports – and our highly-skilled pool of talent, I’m confident that RUAG Ammotec will be very pleased with their decision to invest in the Peach State,” said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

RUAG Ammotec has operations in 12 different countries. The company says in 2021, Norma Precision Ammunition imported over 400 containers of ammunition from factories in Europe, while also delivering over 30 million cartridges of ammunition made in the U.S.

Norma Precision Ammunition is located along Prosperity Drive in Garden City. The company says it is currently hiring for advanced manufacturing, distribution, management, and sales opportunities. You can visit www.NormaShooting.com for additional information.

Ukraine Shows The World Why Gun Rights Are Human Rights

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:47:37 GMT

BY: CODY WISNIEWSKI

MARCH 04, 2022

The people of Ukraine have a chance because they are armed. Imagine if they had been training with these weapons their whole lives.

The world is captivated by Ukraine’s resistance to Russian invasion, especially since much of Ukraine’s resistance comes from ordinary citizens taking up arms in defense of their homeland.

Ukraine has a fighting chance in part because it has taken dramatic steps to provide its people firearms. More than 25,000 automatic rifles and 10 million rounds of ammunition have been distributed to volunteers in Kyiv.

In the United States, even supporters of draconian gun control are announcing they “stand with the brave Ukrainian people” in their armed resistance. The glaring contradiction between these positions — supporting gun confiscation one day and gun distribution the next — seemingly hasn’t dawned on many of these ideologues.

Their contradiction is apparent in actions, as well as in words. President Joe Biden’s rush to arm Ukrainians stands in contrast with his desire to disarm ordinary Americans .

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is another prime example: engaging in tyrannical gun control at home while supplying the Ukrainian resistance with machine guns, pistols, carbines, and 1.5 million rounds of ammunition. The European Union shows a similar hostility to the self-defense rights of its people, even as it gives Ukraine about half a billion dollars’ worth of “lethal aid.”

Ukraine Late to Expand Gun Rights

Arming average citizens hasn’t always been the Ukrainian way, either. A 2014 report noted that the country had “inherited the Soviet civilian gun control system, which provides for restrictive gun owner licensing and the registration of all firearms.” According to that report, Ukraine initially considered imposing comprehensive gun laws during the 1990s. But politicians gridlocked over “whether or not private [gun] ownership would increase crime or improve security.”

Hopefully the events of 2022 have settled that question once and for all. An individual’s natural right of self-defense applies equally to the defense of his life as to the defense of his nation — and neither individual nor nation is secure without the ability to exercise it. This should never have been a question.

As it happened, Ukraine was tragically late to expand legal protection of gun rights. Its parliament acted on an emergency basis just before Russia invaded.

Better late than never, certainly. But imagine if the people of Kyiv had been training with these weapons their whole lives. Imagine if they knew them like the back of their hands, instead of quickly learning to handle them during an invasion. Their resistance, as well as their example to the world, would be all the more powerful.

Natural Right to Bear Arms

It’s also unfortunate that Ukraine’s government has left some significant restrictions on the self-defense rights of the Ukrainian people, and has only codified these rights in a statute rather than giving them full constitutional protection. In reality, the right to bear arms — in public and private — is a natural right that the Ukrainian people need no government permission to exercise. They just need the government to stay out of the way of their natural rights.

But in a time even many U.S. jurisdictions violate that natural right, it’s not surprising if other countries are confused about it.

Ukraine is certainly moving in the right direction on gun rights, something that can’t be said of the entire United States. The chairman of Ukraine’s parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, says the new law is meant “to ensure that every citizen receives the sacred right to self-defense.”

The people of Ukraine have a chance because they are armed. It’s a lesson the world should never forget.

Ukraine's parliament passed a law allowing citizens to carry firearms, and a local NGO official said 'there's a feeling that Ukrainians will fight'

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:41:37 GMT

Azmi Haroun Feb 23, 2022, 8:52 PM

The Ukrainian parliament passed a law on Wednesday, which allows citizens to carry firearms in public, alongside the enactment of a state of emergency, after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to eastern Ukraine on Monday.

Previously, Ukrainian citizens were barred from carrying guns outside of their homes.

"Now it's the intention of the parliament is to liberalize ownership of armaments by citizens," Dmytro Shulga, the European Programme Director at the International Renaissance Foundation, an NGO in Kyiv, told Insider. "And I think that this is very popular news now."

The passage of the law followed the approval of a state of emergency in Ukraine.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent people's republics as opposed to belonging to Ukraine.

In the weeks prior, the Kremlin has mobilized more than 150,000 Russian troops along Ukraine's borders.

Prior to parliament voting in favor of the state of emergency measures on Wednesday, Ukrainian officials were told Tuesday morning local Kyiv time by US intelligence officials that Russia will likely begin an invasion into eastern Ukraine within the next 48 hours.

According to the Guardian, gun stores in Kyiv are selling a much higher volume of guns than usual, including AR-10s and AR-15s. The report added that close to 400,000 Ukrainians have combat experience.

Shulga added that he believed that with its own training and US and EU military backing, the Ukrainian army itself is better trained than in 2014.

"There's a feeling that Ukrainians will fight. I see it. I observe it," Shulga, who as of Wednesday afternoon has been carrying on with his daily life, told Insider. "If the Russians want to come to our home, we will meet them."

What You Need to Know about ATF’s New eForms System

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 14:04:30 GMT

What You Need to Know about ATF’s New eForms System

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On December 23, ATF launched a new system for applicants to complete various forms that ATF is responsible for administrating. For most gun owners, this change will primarily impact how applications for firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act (“NFA”) are processed.

Anyone who has submitted an NFA application in recent years is familiar with the long wait associated with acquiring any firearm regulated under the NFA. This wait is in large part due to the antiquated process used to process NFA applications combined with the recent growth in acquisition of NFA firearms.

ATF’s existing paper process for NFA applications dates back to the implementation of the NFA in 1934, but, in recent years, it has proven incapable of dealing with larger numbers of applications. According to ATF’s Annual Statistical Update , in 1990, ATF processed only 173,340 total NFA forms (Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9). In 2020, that number reached 2,409,585. With more than an order of magnitude of change in the last 30 years, it was easy to see that ATF needed to change the application process.

While it would be better for gun owners if there simply were no taxation and registration scheme required to acquire NFA firearms, simplifying the current process and reducing wait times is certainly a step in the right direction.

Here is the information ATF has provided on the new system:

Important Notices for eForms Users

Welcome to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives's Modernized eForms Application

The goal of the “modernized eForms” is to provide ATF with an infusion of technology to provide better services to the regulated industries and the public. This much needed modernization will reduce the effort and time required to review and process ATF applications, specifically the ATF Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 9, 10 and 5300.11. If you have used our previous version of eForms your User Id will remain the same, however you will have to use the “Forgot password” functions to create a new password. The new eForms will give you access to many valuable services of the new and improved eForms application. All eForms users will have to create a PIN for authentication of their submissions. When the PIN is created, it establishes a trusted relationship with the identity provider and creates an asymmetric key pair that is used for authentication of the user.

If you are an existing eForms user, all your previous submissions will transfer to the new system. However, the pdf of your forms may not be migrated over on the first day. If your pdf is not available, please check your email as you would have received a copy from the eforms system at the time of submission and final approval.

Are you a returning registered eForms user? You will need to click on the ‘Forgot Password” button on the eForms landing page. Then you will be asked to provide your eForms ID and your email address. If your email is unique to you, i.e., not shared with others within your organization, you will be asked to change your password and create a PIN that will be used for the submission of your eForms. If you are using a shared email address you will be asked to contact our Help Desk for assistance with your first time log in. If you need additional instructions click on the following link: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/eforms-existing-legacy-users-first-time-login/download .

New to eforms? For instructions on how to register the following link: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/eforms-new-users-first-time-login/download

Introducing: eForms User Services : “eForms User Services” is different from the ATF Help Desk, whose primary responsibility will be to unlock user accounts and assisting users in resetting their password and/or PINs. It consists of EPS Admins responding to business process specific questions as it relates to the submission of eForms applications. This service is temporary service that is only available for the first 60 days of the implementation of the modernized eForms initiative. Our goal is to have a response back to the user within 24-72 hours.

eForms User Services is the primary point of contact for technology questions, problems, and issues. Users can contact eForms User Services directly with all technology questions, using the following email addresses below:

For eForms registrations questions: Registration.eforms.item@atf.gov

For eForms National Firearms Act questions: NFA.eforms.item@atf.gov

For eForms NFA Special Occupational Tax questions: NSOT.eforms.item@atf.gov

For eForms imports questions: Imports.eforms.item@atf.gov

For eForms Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report Questions: AFMER.eforms.item@atf.gov

Below are some of the information technology services and resources that are available to you as a user of eForms:

Use of Smarter Technology - to improve customer service and to build a foundation for future enhancements such as Application Programming Interface (API) and Captcha.
The ATF eForm 4 is back - you are now able to submit the ATF Form 4 electronically through eForms.
Electronic Submission of ATF Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 9, 10, and 5300 - you are now able to submit any of these applications with the required electronic documents
Electronic Submission of Fingerprint Cards for the Form 4 - you are now able to attach your “digital fingerprint cards” to your submission.
Enhanced Validations - we have built in validations to ensure that the upfront validations of your data occur prior to submission.
PIN - submission of all forms will be validated by a user PIN as part of the submission process.
Rules of Behavior - establishment of defined ‘Rules of Behavior” that have to be accepted in order to proceed with the use of eForms.
"Ask the Expert" - online submission of questions to Subject Matter Experts (SME’s).
Self-service Support – for forgotten passwords and PINs.
Increase in the size of Electronic Documents - the size of the electronic documents has changed from 3MB to 30MB.

Biden to award three Medals of Honor for combat actions in Iraq, Afghanistan

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 00:12:33 GMT

Biden to award three Medals of Honor for combat actions in Iraq, Afghanistan

Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee, Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe and Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz are expected to receive the Medal of Honor soon, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. Cashe and Celiz will receive the award posthumously for valor in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively, while Plumlee will receive it in person for actions in Afghanistan. (U.S. Army)

By Dan Lamothe

The Biden administration is planning to award Medals of Honor to three U.S. soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to people familiar with the matter, a group that includes the first Black service member to be recognized with the nation’s top combat distinction for either conflict.

The soldiers are Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who suffered mortal injuries in Iraq while rescuing fellow soldiers from a burning vehicle in 2005; Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee, a Special Forces soldier who fought off Taliban suicide bombers in Afghanistan in 2013; and Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz, an Army Ranger who died after stepping between Taliban fighters targeting a U.S. helicopter evacuating his fellow soldiers in 2018.

Recognition for each — the nation’s highest for battlefield valor — could happen as soon as Dec. 16, four current and former U.S. officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of an expected White House announcement.

Spokespeople for the White House and the Pentagon declined to comment.

The awards come as the administration pivots away from 20 years of counterinsurgency wars, and four months after a chaotic and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan in which some Americans and Afghan partners were left behind. Advocates have long pressed for awards for Cashe and Plumlee after earlier nominations were denied, while Celiz’s case surfaced more recently.

Each case entails extraordinary circumstances.

Cashe, 35, was a platoon sergeant on Oct. 17, 2005, when his hulking Bradley Fighting Vehicle rolled over a bomb near Samarra, Iraq. The blast ruptured a fuel tank inside the vehicle, setting the vehicle and soldiers inside on fire. Cashe, despite suffering initial injuries in the explosion, stepped into the fiery vehicle’s back door numerous times to pull soldiers to safety. He died about three weeks later.

Cashe, of Oviedo, Fla., was quickly nominated for the Silver Star, the U.S. military’s third-highest award for valor in combat. But as the details of his actions became clear, his case entered a bureaucratic purgatory in which his commanding officers nominated him for the Medal of Honor, and the Army declined to approve it.

Cashe will become the first Black U.S. service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Cashe’s sister, Kasinal Cashe White, said in a phone interview on Wednesday that she could not be any happier.

“After 16 years of just emotional torture for us, he’ll get what he deserves,” she said, her voice catching. “It means that all this time, I’ve been right: My baby brother will go down in history. It means a poor boy from Oviedo did it right.”

White said she was waiting to hear more details from U.S. officials so that she can book plane tickets for the White House ceremony.

“If they would make the official announcement so that the family can make plans, that would be great,” she said.

Plumlee was a staff sergeant with 1st Special Forces Group on Aug. 28, 2013, when Taliban fighters detonated a 400-pound truck bomb, breaching the outside wall of his base in Ghazni, Afghanistan. He found himself in a firefight in which suicide bombers blew themselves up no more than a few feet away from him, and he engaged them at point-blank range.

Plumlee, in a 2016 interview with The Washington Post , recalled taking fire from numerous directions, with some rounds missing his head by mere inches. At one point, he shot an insurgent, and the man’s suicide vest detonated in a ball of fire.

“I thought a tank had hit him with its main gun, or something,” Plumlee recalled. “I actually looked around to see if the Polish tanks had showed up.”

Plumlee was recommended for the Medal of Honor by his commanding officers, and received backing from several top generals, including Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., who went on to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

But the Army decided in 2015 to award Plumlee the Silver Star instead, prompting then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter to request an inspector general investigation of the case. Army officials involved in the process gave investigators varying reasons why they did not support the case, triggering outcry from combat veterans who have long thought the Medal of Honor review process is too arbitrary.

Plumlee, who previously served as a Marine, said he did not “lie awake every night burning up with anger” about how his award had been downgraded. But he did have friends who were angry about it, he said.

“I kind of have mixed emotions about it,” Plumlee said in 2016. “I kind of have a lot of trust in the system, but if somebody says it’s broken, maybe it is.”

Celiz, 32, was a combat engineer with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment on July 12, 2018, when he stepped out from behind cover and put himself between a U.S. helicopter carrying out a medical evacuation and enemy fighters who peppered the aircraft with gunfire, according to an Army account of the battle.

A pilot in the helicopter, Capt. Ben Krzeczowski, credited Celiz, of Summerville, S.C., with protecting them.

“My aircraft would have been critically damaged if it weren’t for Chris, and we owed him our lives,” said Krzeczowski, who received a Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in the same battle.

Celiz was on his fifth deployment with his Ranger battalion, and had previously deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan before joining the elite unit.

Other cases are still under review, U.S. officials said.

By law, Medals of Honor must be awarded within five years of the combat action recognized, but in legislation passed early this year, Congress cleared a path for additional consideration for Cashe, Plumlee and two other soldiers. One of them, retired Col. Ralph Puckett, 95, received the Medal of Honor in May for valor in the Korean War in 1950. No resolution has emerged in the case of the other veteran, Dwight Birdwell, who received two Silver Stars for valor in Vietnam in 1968.

Republicans warn ATF taking 'giant leap toward a federal firearm registry'

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:54:49 GMT

Biden admin 'using political leverage to encroach on the constitutional rights,' GOP congressman says

By Houston Keene | Fox News

A group of House Republicans is warning that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) could be laying the groundwork for a backdoor federal gun registry .

Republican Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas led 51 of his colleagues in a letter to acting ATF Director Marvin Richardson on Monday, expressing their concern over a proposed rule by the agency that Republicans fear could eventually lead to a backdoor gun registry around Congress’ prohibition.

The recently-proposed rule essentially removes the 20-year burn date that the federal firearms licensees must abide by, requiring them to preserve firearm purchase records older than two decades.

While the preservation of records may not seem like a big deal, the federal licensees are required to submit their records to the ATF upon closing up shop – meaning every American gun owner’s record would eventually end up in the ATF’s hands.

"The Biden administration is yet again ignoring the real threats against America and instead using political leverage to encroach on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens," Cloud told Fox News in a statement.

"This proposed rule would be a giant leap toward a federal firearm registry, which is explicitly banned by law," the Texas Republican continued. "Requiring federal firearm licensees to preserve records older than 20 years will enable the Biden administration to collect more information on law-abiding gun owners, all with the purpose of eventually having a registry of every gun owner in the United States."

Aidan Johnston, the director of federal affairs for the gun rights advocacy group Gun Owners of America, warned in a statement to Fox News that the ATF would have every gun record going back to 2001 should the rule be enacted.

"If the Biden administration continues with its planned changes, ATF's registry eventually will include 100% of firearm transactions – sucking up every record since 2001," Johnston said.

"These plans for a national registry violate federal law, infringe on the Second Amendment, and put law-abiding gun owners on the path to total gun confiscation," he continued.

The lawmakers wrote that they "are concerned" the Biden administration "is leveraging its power in a way to establish a federal gun registry" and that they are "opposed" to the proposed rule in question.

"According to recently published documents, the ATF has collected 54.7 million records in FY 2021 alone," the letter reads. "It is an outrage that the federal government would maintain such extensive records of law-abiding citizens’ law-abiding firearm transfers."

The letter also points out that Congress "made it clear in the Firearms Owners’ Protection Act that the federal government shall not create a federal gun registry and has prohibited ATF from creating any centralized databases with its funding."

"This gives us serious cause for concern that the Biden administration is intent on creating a federal gun registry by circumventing the legislative process," the House Republicans continued. "In fact, a GAO report from 2016 was titled, ‘ATF Did Not Always Comply with the Appropriations Act Restriction and Should Better Adhere to Its Policies.’"

The lawmakers ended their letter by asking the ATF a series of questions, including the number of records currently held and the amount of records already digitized.

"It is critical that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives does not use its power to encroach on the privacy of gun owners and restrict their Second Amendment rights," the lawmakers wrote, demanding a response by the end of the year.

Joining Cloud on the letter are a number of big-name Republicans, including House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, and Jim Jordan of Ohio.

The ATF did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

Knock & Talk Show

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 14:21:57 GMT

1st Responders and Military Veterans tell their funny stories from their time on duty.

Jackson County deputy shot in line of duty dies

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:49:49 GMT

November 09, 2021 at 6:12 am EST

By WSBTV.com News Staff

HOSCHTON, Ga. — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy who was shot several times responding to a domestic call has died.

Lena Marshall, 49, was responding to a home in Hoschton around 9:20 p.m. when a woman fired at Marshall, critically wounding her.

Marshall died Monday at around 4 p.m. Funeral arrangements have not been made yet.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the people who owned the home had asked Worsham to leave.

Channel 2′s Tom Regan learned that Marshall was shot several times.

Regan talked to Randy Sutton Lt. (retired) who founded the Wounded Blue, an organization that has helped thousands of wounded and disabled officers and is now working to help Marshall’s family.

Sutton said. “She needs all of our thoughts and prayers right now. All of the law enforcement community join us in praying for her.”

Sutton said Marshall had gotten out of law enforcement for a while, but missed protecting and serving the community.

“She missed being a part what the law enforcement community does. She wanted to get back into it, so she joined the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department,” Sutton said.

This is the 84th officer-involved shooting the GBI has investigated so far this year.

A GoFundMe account set up to help her daughter has raised more than $35,000 .

A Benefit Fund has also been set up at Northeast Georgia Bank in Jefferson, Georgia.

U.S. Supreme Court conservatives take aim at New York gun limits

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 16:07:40 GMT

Summary

Plaintiffs say law violates gun rights in Constitution
Biggest U.S. gun rights expansion since 2010 likely
Liberal justices alarmed over "gun-related chaos"

WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday appeared ready to shoot down New York state's limits on carrying concealed handguns in public in a major gun rights case that could imperil various firearms restrictions nationally.

While appearing united in their skepticism about the constitutionality of the state's law, some of the conservative justices expressed concern about how a ruling invalidating it might affect prohibitions on guns in sensitive places such as schools, sports stadiums and crowded public gatherings.

The court heard about two hours of arguments in an appeal by two gun owners and the New York affiliate of the National Rifle Association, an influential gun rights group closely aligned with Republicans, of a lower court ruling throwing out their challenge to the state's law, enacted in 1913.

New York requires people to show a "proper cause" for carrying concealed handguns - including an actual, rather than speculative, self-defense need - to receive permission from a state firearms licensing officer.

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"Why isn't it good enough to say 'I live in a violent area and I want to defend myself?'" Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked.

Lower courts rejected the plaintiffs' argument that the law violates the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The challengers seek an unrestricted right to carry concealed handguns in public. The state currently approves the majority of applications for unrestricted licenses.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority is considered sympathetic to an expansive view of Second Amendment rights in a country with high levels of gun violence that President Joe Biden has called a " national embarrassment ."

Unrestricted concealed-carry licenses are granted more freely in the state's rural areas than densely populated New York City. Conservative justices viewed that as impermissible.

"How many muggings take place in the forest?" Chief Justice John Roberts asked New York Solicitor General Barbara Underwood, who was defending the law.

Justice Samuel Alito wondered why only "celebrities, state judges and retired police officers" should be able to carry concealed guns, and not ordinary citizens.

Underwood emphasized the need to regulate concealed guns to promote public safety, saying allowing a proliferation of firearms in New York City's subway system "terrifies a great many people."

Alito said there already are people illegally carrying guns on subways and streets. "But the ordinary hard-working, law-abiding people ... they can't be armed?" Alito asked.

A ruling invalidating New York's law would prompt legal questions surrounding how and when local governments can regulate firearms in sensitive places.

A view shows the pediment of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., U.S. June 25, 2021. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo

Liberal and conservative justices challenged Paul Clement, representing the challengers, on where guns might be off limits in that scenario, including government buildings, public transit, sports stadiums, schools, university campuses, sites of protests and drinking establishments.

Clement said prohibitions at government buildings and schools probably would pass muster but others would need a case-by-case examination.

Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett said states throughout history have outlawed guns in sensitive places.

"Can't we just say Times Square on New Year's Eve is a sensitive place because ... people are on top of each other - we've had experience with violence, so we're making a judgment, it's a sensitive place?" Barrett asked Clement, referring to the packed annual celebration.

'GUN-RELATED CHAOS'

The case could yield the most important gun rights ruling in more than a decade. The court in 2008 recognized for the first time an individual's right to keep guns at home for self-defense, and in 2010 applied that right to the states.

The court's three liberals signaled concern about expanding gun rights.

Noting that guns are dangerous, liberal Justice Stephen Breyer envisioned situations in which even people of "good moral character," including inebriated fans at sports stadium, could "end up dead." Breyer challenged Clement on what the court should to avoid "a kind of gun-related chaos."

After being denied unrestricted licenses, gun owners Robert Nash and Brandon Koch, along with the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, sued in federal court.

New York has cited analogous weapons restrictions running from medieval England through the 18th century founding of the United States and ever since. The challengers said the history and tradition of gun rights should make it easier for them to carry handguns.

Advocates for gun restrictions fear that the case could threaten measures around the country such as "red flag" laws targeting the firearms of people deemed dangerous by the courts, expanded criminal background checks for gun buyers or restrictions on selling untraceable "ghost" guns.

Seven other states have requirements similar to New York's.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said after the arguments she hopes the justices will uphold her state's "commonsense" law, adding: "Having more armed people in public places doesn't make us any safer."

The Supreme Court's ruling is due by the end of June.

Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham

August 2021 Gun Sales Second-Best on Record

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 18:58:19 GMT

Americans bought more than 1.3 million guns in August.

That’s according to an industry analysis of FBI background check data released on Wednesday. It makes last month the second-best August on record for gun sales in the United States, with 2020 being the only year to see higher sales. 2021 has now seen four straight months with gun sales at second-best levels.

The numbers indicate gun sales have begun to settle down into a new post-surge normal . While purchases are no longer at the all-time-record levels seen throughout much of 2020 and culminating in a new yearly record, they haven’t regressed below levels seen in the years before the coronavirus pandemic drove Americans to the gun store in an unprecedented surge. The stabilization of gun sales at a far higher rate than before the latest surge began indicates more Americans are buying more guns than they used to, which will likely impact both American culture and politics in the long term as well as gun-company profits in the short term.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the industry trade group that conducted the analysis, said sustained demand for guns even as the initial shock of the pandemic has worn off and tensions over police relations with minority communities have cooled since last summer is driven mainly by concern over the gun-control measures being pursued by President Joe Biden (D.).

“President Joe Biden nominated a gun control lobbyist to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, is calling for the repeal of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) to allow activist lawyers to sue firearm manufacturers into oblivion, and is pursuing end-runs around Congress through proposed rules that are outside the Executive Branch’s Constitutional authority,” Mark Oliva, an NSSF spokesman, said. “Americans are choosing a different path. Americans acted upon their God-given right to keep and bear arms over 1.3 million times in August. That sends a clear signal that Americans are choosing their gun rights over the Biden administration’s gun control.”

NSSF found total 2021 sales were down about ten percent from the same period during the previous year but have already nearly exceeded 2019’s full-year total.

“The August 2021 figures were the second strongest for the month on record, surpassed only by August 2020, when 1,684,083 background checks for a firearm sale were conducted,” the group said in its analysis. “The total NSSF-adjusted NICS January – August 2021 reflects a decrease of 10.3% compared to the same time period in 2020.”

Though sales have begun to recede, major gun company profits have not . In August, Ruger reported a 51 percent sales increase in the first six months of 2021 and a 98 percent increase in profits. Winchester saw similar gains with a 108 percent increase in sales. Its parent company, Olin Corporation, went from a $220 million loss in the first six months of 2020 to a $599 million profit in the same period of 2021.

Oliva said the industry expects 2021 will soon pass total sales for 2019 as the market moves into the Fall sales period, where demand has traditionally been strongest.

“So far in 2021, there have been over 12.4 million background checks for the sale of a firearm,” he said. “That is within striking distance of 2019’s full year totals, when 13.2 million background checks were conducted for a gun sale. Four months remain, during which firearm sales historically rise.” .

Checks processed by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) are considered the best barometer for gun sales in the United States because they are required on nearly all transactions made by licensed dealers who are the only ones allowed to sell new guns to customers. However, they do not represent a one-to-one representation of gun sales for a variety of reasons. For instance, 25 states currently allow residents to bypass NICS checks if they have a qualifying license such as a concealed carry permit. Additionally, most states do not require NICS checks on the private sale of used guns.

NSSF analyzed FBI codes for NICS checks to identify all checks conducted on gun sales in August. The group’s sales estimate is closer to the true number of gun sales because it removes checks related to concealed carry permits or other non-sales events.

by: Stephen Gutowski, September 1, 2021

1 Million Rounds A Day: Could Remington’s Comeback End The Great Ammo Shortage?

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 18:46:19 GMT

Founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington, Remington Arms Company was one of the oldest gun makers in the United States, and it even claimed to have one of the longest run factories in the country that still made its original product. Throughout much of its history, the American manufacturer of firearms and ammunition was a success story, and in 2015 it was the largest rifle producer in North America.

The company also developed and adopted more cartridges than any other gun maker or ammo maker worldwide.

But things went south for the company after it accumulated more than $950 million in debt, after a lawsuit was brought by nine families of the victims of the Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012. The gunman had used a Bushmaster rifle in the mass shooting, and at the time Bushmaster was owned by Remington – and through the lawsuit, plaintiffs targeted the company’s marketing of the rifle as a “combat weapon.”

While Remington was able to continue to operate, the debt load caught up with the company, which was also plagued by mismanagement when it was run by Cerberus Capital Management. In addition to high-risk loans that didn’t pay off, the quality of its firearms suffered.

Even as last year saw a massive spike in gun sales, Remington wasn’t able to recover – at least not enough to fend off the creditors. Forced into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection , Remington Outdoor was broken up and sold following a multiday bankruptcy auction in July 2020.

The Great Ammo Shortage

The shuttering of its ammunition factories contributed in part to this year’s ammunition shortage . Production had been halted at the start of the pandemic, and then remained idle during the bankruptcy.

However, the Remington brand name was bought by Vista Outdoors, which now produces several types of ammunition. It took several months, but the old Remington facility in Lonoke, Arkansas is now up and running, almost at full capacity, Outdoor Life reported . It hired back hundreds of former and new employees and is now producing upwards of a million rounds every day.

During a recent media tour, Outdoor Life noted that the new managers were adamant that the facility isn’t a storage facility, and efforts are made to get the ammunition produced and out the door as quickly as possible.

According to Nick Sachse, director of product management at the Lonoke factory, who spoke with Outdoor Life, the plant is running around the clock, and is currently at nearly ninety percent production capacity. Sachse who is a 29-year veteran of the company, said the lines are humming like in the good old days.

While fast food and retail has suffered to find employees, Remington had no problem finding workers to man the lines.

“Most of the people who work for Remington do it because they are users of the product,” said Sachse. “So, when you go through hard times like we have—and I’ve been here for the worst—it’s important to say that was not a reflection of the employees. And our new owners recognize that.

“When I came to interview here 29 years ago, those machines were running just like they are today,” he added. “If you look at our new product lineup and the timing for when we’re going to bring new products out, it kind of aligns to those days. Remington ammunition has been through several heydays. We’re in another heyday. The difference is that this time we’re owned by a company that specializes in making ammunition.”

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military small arms, and is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress , which is available on Amazon.com.

By Peter Suciu Published August 5, 2021

Smith & Wesson to move headquarters to Tennessee over Massachusetts' proposed gun legislation

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 18:12:43 GMT

Legislation would impact 60% of gun maker's revenue

Gun maker Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. will relocate its headquarters to Tennessee next year due to proposed firearms legislation in its home state of Massachusetts.

The legislation, if enacted, would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing products that accounted for more than 60% of its revenue last year.

"These bills would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing firearms that are legal in almost every state in America and that are safely used by tens of millions of law-abiding citizens every day exercising their Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights," Smith & Wesson CEO Mark Smith said in a statement.

Smith & Wesson has been located in Springfield, Massachusetts, since being incorporated in 1852. That facility will remain operational, but others in Connecticut and Missouri will close as part of the consolidation.

Upward of 750 jobs will move from those facilities to the new headquarters in Maryville, Tennessee. Employees who cannot make the move will be offered enhanced severance and job placement services.

"This has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision for us, but after an exhaustive and thorough analysis, for the continued health and strength of our iconic company, we feel that we have been left with no other alternative," Smith said.

credit: By Jonathan Garber FOXBusiness

A-Zone News

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Biden to award three Medals of Honor for combat actions in Iraq, Afghanistan ﻿

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Knock & Talk Show

Jackson County deputy shot in line of duty dies

U.S. Supreme Court conservatives take aim at New York gun limits

August 2021 Gun Sales Second-Best on Record

1 Million Rounds A Day: Could Remington’s Comeback End The Great Ammo Shortage?

Smith & Wesson to move headquarters to Tennessee over Massachusetts' proposed gun legislation

Legislation would impact 60% of gun maker's revenue

Biden to award three Medals of Honor for combat actions in Iraq, Afghanistan