As the shooting sports industry hits our normal summer slowdown, it’s a great time to reflect on the interesting year we are experiencing. As our recent monthly report from NASGW’s SCOPE™ program shows, it’s not all doom and gloom. Yes, firearm sales are slower than previous years but as we dig a little deeper, we continue to see strong handgun sales as well as ammunition. In year three of the Trump administration, the politically fueled gun grab is in the rearview but there is another election year on the horizon. Will our industry see a similar scenario that we saw in 2016? We shall see.

July is upon us, and it has left me wondering, where has this year gone? In a blink of an eye, we are halfway through 2019. I am looking forward to the 4th of July holiday and celebrating the freedoms that we are so gratefully granted through the promise of democracy.

There is nothing like celebrating a holiday just as you “expect” to.  At Thanksgiving, you eat a big meal with turkey and all the fixings, then you watch a football game or go to the movies.  On the 4^th of July, you enjoy the festivities while wearing red, white, and blue, take in a parade or listen to patriotic music, light the BBQ grill for hamburgers and hot dogs, swim in the neighbor’s pool, watch the fireworks, and be grateful that you are an American and live in the greatest country on the planet.  That’s what you expect to do.

Our industry partners at the National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors continues to work on our behalf on a variety of issues impacting the greater wholesale industry. Below are a few updates on current issues they are involved with.

Every month Orchid Advisors provides NASGW members with a summary of legislation across the 50 States.  Instead of listing hundreds of bills every month that have little to no impact on your firearms business, we endeavor to limit our summary to those bills that are moving forward (or important bills defeated) in the legislative process.

There’s a lot happening in the shooting sports industry today. Some good, some not so good.

If you’ve been watching the headlines, you’ve noticed that one of our industry’s largest distributors, United Sporting  Companies, has fallen on hard times and the path forward is still uncertain. You’ve likely seen that one of our largest manufacturers, Remington, has, unfortunately, had to lay off hundreds of employees, at least for the next couple months. And I know you’re all keeping up on the many challenges facing the National Rifle Association.

On June 5, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service submitted a proposed rule to open or expand more than 1.4 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) lands and waters to hunting and fishing.

My oldest daughter just graduated from Tulane University and we took a family vacation to Italy to celebrate before she moves on to the next important phase of her life — the real world. 

As I sat down to write this column halfway between Florence and Siena, I was reflecting on this past Memorial Day weekend and how so many of us have celebrated with family gatherings, vacations, and special events.

Although more and more state legislatures are concluding their legislative sessions as the months progress there are still hundreds of bills pending – and more still being introduced – that directly affect FFLs.  Orchid Advisors continually monitors state legislation and sifts through the thousands of firearm and ammunition bills that may have little to no impact to firearms businesses in our efforts to keep the industry informed about new restrictions or obligations imposed upon them.   Here is a snapshot of state activity in May:

On May 10, President Trump signed the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act into law.

H.R. 1222, which was sponsored by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Congressmen Ron Kind (WI), Rob Bishop (UT), and Duncan Hunter (CA), is a long-time priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and the sporting community. CSF has worked closely with CSC leaders over the past several years to ensure the passage of this important bill.

Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) – the largest bipartisan Caucus on Capitol Hill – joined the sportsmen’s community and allied industry representatives for the annual Congressional Clays Competition.