EPA Denies Petition Calling
for Lead Ammunition Ban

CAMPAIGN GOES VIRAL; 'FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER' . . . Following a strong grassroots campaign led by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a petition calling for a ban on the production and distribution of traditional ammunition. Steve Owens, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, issued the following statement on Friday, "EPA today denied a petition submitted by several outside groups for the agency to implement a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. EPA reached this decision because the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) -- nor is the agency seeking such authority." Soon after NSSF's call to action was posted Wednesday at nssf.org, it went viral. Hundreds of blogs and websites linked to it. More than 5,000 people shared it with friends on Facebook, and the message also spread across Twitter, forums and other sites. As a result, hunters and shooters across the country made their voices heard, submitting comments to the EPA and contacting their lawmakers. "This is a tremendous victory for all sportsmen, hunters and gun owners,” said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. “As the trade association for America's firearms and ammunition industry, NSSF is thankful to the tens of thousands who answered our call to action and made their voices heard. This victory belongs to them." Though this was a major victory, NSSF cautions all sportsmen that the fight to preserve and protect traditional ammunition from legislative, regulatory and judicial attack remains. “This fight is far from over," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel. "In order to ensure that our right to choose the ammunition we hunt and shoot with continues, it is imperative that we stay vigilant."

News of Note

·         H&H GUN RANGE MOVES UP INC. 5000 . . . H&H Gun Range & Shooting Sports Outlet, in Oklahoma City, Okla., has been selected as one of the nation's fastest growing private companies by Inc. magazine. H&H is the only gun range and store on the list of the top 5,000 privately held companies. H&H was placed on this list for the fourth straight year. It was ranked at 1,123, a jump of 1,207 positions. The operation, owned by Miles and Jayne Hall, employs more than 70 staff team members.

·         INDUSTRY WOMEN TAKE PART IN UNIQUE CONCEALED-CARRY CLASS . . . XS Sights Systems and Surefire recently hosted women from the industry and writers for a unique concealed-carry class focusing on pocket pistols and purse guns. Women from Colt, Ruger, NSSF, Surefire, Kimber and Gunsite were in attendance at Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Ariz., to learn techniques for shooting with flashlights and drawing from purses with handguns from Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Kahr Arms, North American Arms and SIG SAUER, all outfitted with XS Sights. Instructor Il Ling New provided lessons on safe draw techniques for various types of carry, including from the holster purses provided generously by Galco. Ladies had the chance to try various handguns. Surefire provided flashlights and instruction on proper handgun techniques and Ed Head, Gunsite operations manager, was on hand to ensure a successful event. Many of the attendees are strong supporters of NSSF's First Shots program.

·         SMITH & WESSON NAMES BROWN VP SPORTING GOODS SALES . . . Smith & Wesson Corp. announced it has named Michael J. Brown to the newly created position of vice president of sporting goods sales in the firearms division. Brown will report to Leland Nichols, senior vice president of sales, firearms division. Brown most recently served as president and CEO of Camfour Inc.

·         SECOND QUARTER U.S. QUARTERLY IMPORTS DOWN 7.1 PERCENT . . . The NSSF research department reports that overall U.S. quarterly imports of sporting arms and ammunition declined 7.1 percent from $362,760,792 to $337,089,801 for the quarter of April to June 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. Individually, the muzzleloader category showed a 52.4 percent increase, followed by ammunition (excluding shotshell) imports up 31.9 percent. Rifle imports were down 44.3 percent, shotshell imports declined 41.7 percent, shotgun imports were 27.6 percent lower and handgun imports declined 18.4 percent for the quarter. For additional research information and materials, visit nssf.org/research.

·         TOP GUN SHOOTING SPORTS EARNS FIVE STAR RATING . . . The Five Star rating, awarded to ranges that meet the NSSF's Association of Shooting Ranges' highest standards, has been awarded to another shooting range. Receiving the honor is Top Gun Shooting Sports in Taylor, Mich. "Top Gun Shooting Sports is an indoor facility that opened in December 2003," said Zach Snow, NSSF senior shooting promotions coordinator. "It has demonstrated clearly that it merits the Five Star rating."

·         SAN FRANCISCO'S LONE GUN STORE DRAWS NEIGHBORS' FIRE . . . San Francisco's lone firearms retailer is set to reopen, but not without some neighborhood flak, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Bronstein reports. "The Northwest Bernal Alliance and three other local groups are urging authorities to deny a permit to High Bridge Arms gun store on Mission Street after a brief closure because its members don't want such a place 'near our homes and/or schools,'" Bronstein writes. "Officially, the organizations are not opposed to people owning guns, Alliance member Jaime Ross told me. They'd just 'rather have something the neighborhood could enjoy -- a laundry or wine and cheese shop.'" Read his column.

·         FIREARMS ARE FASHIONABLE IN POLITICAL ADS . . . National Public Radio makes it clear in a report last week that some candidates running for office this fall are eager to be seen with a firearm. So far, 2010 "has been a big year for guns in political ads," says Darrell West, director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, in the NPR report. Read more about and view some of these ads.

·         CONGRESSWOMAN MAKES CAMPAIGN STOP AT FEDERAL CARTRIDGE, SHOOTS M4 CARBINE . . . Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) made the final public campaign stop of her two-day bus tour last week at ATK's Federal Cartridge Co. in Anoka, Minn. There, she reportedly fired a few rounds from an M4 carbine. Read more from CNN.

·         AMERICANS EARN MEDALS AT WORLD MUZZLE-LOADING CHAMPIONSHIPS . . . American women led the United States International Muzzle-Loading Team to victory at the 24th World Muzzle-Loading Championships, in Fervenca, Portugal. The gold medal went to Betty Poloquin of Inverness, Fla. Silver was captured by Shannon Boyce of Norfolk, N.Y. Tim Thorne of Bealsville, Md., earned bronze, and a five-man American squad took a third place. Learn more about the team and the organization it represents.

SHOT Show

·         ATTENDEE REGISTRATION TO OPEN FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER . . . Online attendee registration for the 2011 SHOT Show will be available at www.shotshow.org starting the first week of September. All attendees are encouraged to register in advance of the show.

·         OCTOBER 1 DEADLINE FOR SHOT SHOW BOOTH PRIORITY POINTS . . . NSSF reminds all members that Thursday, Oct. 1, is the deadline for SHOT Show exhibitors to receive five extra booth-priority points. To receive these points, it is required that your NSSF membership is in good standing by Oct. 1, when a list of all current members will be sent to Reed Exhibitions for processing. Members that are in good standing will automatically receive priority points. If you are interested in becoming a member, or want to check your membership status, please contact Bettyjane Swann at bswann@nssf.org or Cindy Brutting at cbrutting@nssf.org or call either at 203-426-1320.

Hunting and Conservation

·         EDUCATING PUBLIC ABOUT HUNTING, CONSERVATION . . . For 38 years, National Hunting and Fishing Day has been celebrated from the smallest hometowns to the highest offices in our nation's capital. Always the fourth Saturday in September, NHF Day 2010 is slated for Sept. 25. Learn how to get involved and find resources for educating the public about the important role hunters, shooters and anglers play in conservation at nhfday.org.

·         USA SHOOTING TEAM AVAILABLE FOR NHF DAY INTERVIEWS . . . With National Hunting and Fishing Day drawing near, this year's honorary chair -- the entire USA Shooting Team -- is available for media interviews. A complete roster of these prospective 2012 Olympians, including hometowns, is available online at nhfday.org.

·         VIRGINIA TO RESTORE ELK . . . The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has decided to restore a wild elk herd in Buchanan County in southwest Virginia, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has pledged support for the effort. The plan calls for relocating 75 elk, with releases possibly beginning as early as 2012. Biologists are hoping for a sustainable elk population and a limited elk-hunting season within four years. Buchanan County officials are expecting significant economic and tourism benefits similar to those in neighboring Kentucky, which launched its own restoration program more than a decade ago and now boasts the largest elk herd east of the Rockies.

·         CANADIANS TOLD TO VIEW HUNTING AS A MODEL INDUSTRY . . . An Outdoor Canada magazine article states that hunting is sustainable, environmentally friendly and good for the economy. "The reality is," states Ryan Stuart in his article, "Hunting Contributes to Economy," "hunting contributes far more to the Canadian economy each year than the $823.8 million last reported by Environment Canada." He adds, "Canadians, as it turns out, can't afford not to have hunting."

·         MONTANA TO APPEAL RULING TO RELIST WOLVES; COALITION FORMED . . . Joe Maurier, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, confirmed that his agency will appeal the recent district court ruling that returned the region's recovered wolves to the federal endangered species list, reports ESPN.com. He addressed representatives of livestock producers, outfitters, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts, who have pledged to present a united front to regain tools needed to control growing gray wolf populations.

COPYRIGHT © 2010 by National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. Permission is granted for broadcast, publication, retransmission to e-mail lists, Web sites or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, if 1) the text is forwarded in its entirety, including this paragraph, and 2) no fee is charged. "Bullet Points®," "National Shooting Sports Foundation®," "NSSF®," and all other trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and images of the National Shooting Sports Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole property of the Foundation and may not be used without the Foundation's prior express written permission. All other trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and images appearing in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.