Engaging in international commerce in firearms, ammunition, components, and accessories may seem like a daunting task.  Between all the domestic laws, international laws, embargoes and other trade restrictions, it may appear to many to not be worth the hassle.  However, with the proper planning and attention to detail sourcing goods or parts from overseas can be a very simple way to increase the variety of goods your company offers.

On November 20, the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council (HSSCC) held a meeting to discuss pressing issues facing the hunting and shooting sports community, and were joined by the Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and other senior officials from the Departments of the Interior (DOI) and Agriculture (USDA).

The Government Relations Team of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, dedicates its time and resources to supporting legislation beneficial to our industry and fighting those bills that infringe on our rights to legally conduct business and compromise everyone’s 2nd Amendment rights. Team members attend legislative hearings on the federal, state and local levels year-round across the nation, keeping their finger on the pulse of those issues affecting us. They are pleased to provide a monthly summary of legislation that directly affects and impacts the business of NASGW members.

I was a music student as a kid. Took piano lessons, played saxophone in the band, was a singer in the choir. In each of these musical endeavors, the metronome was involved. If you’re not familiar, or not a musician, a metronome is a device that makes a clicking sound at a regular beat, to make sure that everyone stays on time and the music progresses at the proper speed. 

 Every once in a while, some wisecracker would crank up the metronome to get the band playing at a ridiculously fast pace, prompting the music teacher to sprout a few bulging blood vessels in frustration. Of course, we all got a good chuckle.

The 2019 NASGW Expo is in the books, and the foundation is laid for 2020. What an exciting week on so many levels. We hope you all had a great Expo. I want to thank everyone who joined us in Orlando. And wow! What did you think of Alison Levine? The comments we’ve heard have all been outstanding. The message that stood out the most was, “Just because you take a step back, doesn’t’ mean you’re going in the wrong direction.” How true!

It was a stressful day at work.  ATF showed up unannounced for a compliance inspection.  Depending upon the size of your retail store, warehouse, or manufacturing facility, you may have had one to thirty IOIs (Industry Operations Investigator – the personnel tasked to perform inspections designed to carry out the federal government’s regulatory responsibilities pertaining to the firearms and explosives industries) show up at your front door.  Under ideal circumstances, your company has an established and reliable compliance program in effect which includes regular self-audits and you only have slightly elevated stress levels.  If you are like the majority of FFLs, your company’s compliance program is less effective than it can be (or nonexistent) and you are dealing with highly elevated levels of stress.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW), the association representing shooting sports wholesalers, manufacturers, and their trade partners, announced the winners of their annual Appreciation and Caliber Awards last night at the NASGW Expo Appreciation Dinner.

The Government Relations Team of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, dedicates its time and resources to supporting legislation beneficial to our industry and fighting those bills that infringe on our rights to legally conduct business and compromise everyone’s 2nd Amendment rights. Team members attend legislative hearings on the federal, state and local levels year-round across the nation, keeping their finger on the pulse of those issues affecting us. They are pleased to provide a monthly summary of legislation that directly affects and impacts the business of NASGW members.

“In order to take things to the next level, you need to become really uncomfortable where you are.”

I wrote that down recently in a journal I keep. Unfortunately, I didn’t write down where I saw or heard it. But that’s something I often do, jot down short notes that strike me as meaningful to my life and work.

I thought this statement was exceptionally relevant right now, because If this is true, then the shooting sports business should be in for a very nice “level up” in the near future.

As I’m sure you can imagine, in my role leading the NASGW, I have the privilege of speaking to people from across the industry on a regular basis. And every year as the Expo draws near, the frequency of those conversations is much more active.

The 2019 Caliber Awards Finalists have been selected for the 3rd annual NASGW-POMA Caliber Awards.

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) in partnership with the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), have chosen the top products in six categories including: Best New Rifle, Best New Handgun, Best New Shotgun, Best New Ammunition, Best New Optic, and Best New Accessory. An independent panel of 18 industry judges will select the winners in each category as well as a Best Overall New Product. In order to qualify, manufacturers needed to be a NASGW member in good standing, the product must have been publicly released between the end of last year’s NASGW Expo and the beginning of this year’s Expo, and submission of the products was required through the NASGW Expo New Product Showcase, found on the NASGW Expo website and NASGW Connect mobile app.