Guns Holsters and Gear

FNH USA is sponsoring the NRA Women’s Wilderness Escape scheduled for July 16-24, 2008 at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico. The event is described as a nine-day “get away” opportunity to experience the softer side of firearm education with an exposure to a wide variety of shooting sports activities and an array of enticing hunting and outdoor related activities.

FNH USA will provide many of the firearms used in the program – including semi-automatic pistols, carbines and long-range rifles – as well as providing an FN tactical light and cleaning kit for each participant to use during the event. Ben Voss, of FNH USA, will serve as lead rifle instructor and Jack McMillan will serve on the pistol range and as lead instructor for the long range rifle event.

Participants will learn to shoot rifle silhouette, scoped/tactical carbine, long-range high power rifle, conventional and tactical pistol, historic firearms, shotgun, and archery. Other activities include game calling, orienteering, survival training, Refuse To Be A Victim® Seminar, NRA Wild Turkey Hunter Clinic, Laser Shot (shooting simulator) and a unique day of cowboy action shooting in Coal Canyon. Participants may even spend a night under the Rocky Mountain stars if the weather is favorable. Women attending the Wilderness Escape will be guided by some of the most skilled firearms instructors and outdoor specialists in the country.

For more information, visit http://www.nrahq.org/women/wilderness_escape.asp.

ATK has announced its acquisition of Weaver® Optics from Meade Instruments effective April 24, 2008. This acquisition further heralds ATK’s return to the optics category and integrates yet another trusted and respected name into the well-known family of ATK brands.

This strategic move, coupled with the 2007 launch of Nitrex Optics™ establishes ATK as a significant and growing force within this product category. Mark DeYoung, President of ATK Armament Systems and ATK Commercial Products stated that “The opportunity to add Weaver optics into our growing portfolio of quality brands supports our strategy for growth. As we continue to expand our capability and product offering in the accessories category, optics will be a solid contributor to our success. Our company has a solid history with the Weaver brand and we are pleased to add Weaver optics back into our winning lineup.”

The legendary Weaver brand of optics, when combined with ATK’s existing Weaver rings, mounts and bases, positions the company for continued growth and operational synergies within their optics line-up.

Beretta proudly announces that the Maryland State Police have chosen the Beretta Px4 Storm to replace their Beretta 96D pistols. The Beretta Px4 Storm is the next generation in law enforcement pistols. The Maryland State Police will issue 1,065 Px4 Storm D Model pistols in .40 S&W to their officers.“

“The Maryland State Police are pleased to continue our long partnership with Beretta by upgrading the pistols our troopers carry to the new Beretta Px4 Storm,”” said Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. ““After rigorous testing by Maryland State Police experts, the Storm has proven that its simplistic design, safety features, ability to individualize fit, ease of maintenance, and overall dependability make it the firearm ideally suited for use by Maryland State Troopers as they continue to serve and protect the people of our state.””

The Beretta Px4 Storm pistol provides a single solution to pistol fit in a diverse agency setting. The Storm allows each officer to customize their pistol based upon hand size and left/right preference with interchangeable back straps and grips, reversible and interchangeable magazine releases and slide catches. Officers also have the ability to shift from an open-carry platform to a concealed carry without any change in the control configuration. Another important element in making the decision to remain with Beretta was the fact that the Px4 Storm’s modularity also provides for quick and safe disassembly without requiring the user or armorer to pull the trigger during disassembly, increasing the overall safety of the handgun.

The Px4 Storm Model D .40 S&W is a Double Action Only pistol featuring a spurless hammer and an automatic firing pin block safety with a 3-dot sight system coated in Superluminova®, a special photo sensitive material that provides luminescence for up to 30 minutes with just a short exposure to any -more- Press Release Page 2 kind of light. An integrated Picatinny rail allows for mission specific use of laser devices and illumination tools. The rotating barrel locking system reduces friction within the barrel, slide, and central block providing for a smoother operation and greater reliability. The lower barrel axis also reduces felt recoil and minimizes muzzle rise allowing officers to get back on target more quickly.

“The Px4 Storm has been subject to extensive testing by law enforcement and defense agencies in Europe and North America and found to exceed even the most demanding field requirements, including testing that confirmed the Px4 Storm’s ability to fire 10,000 rounds with no defects or malfunctions” said Elio Oliva, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Law Enforcement and Defense Division, Beretta USA, commented. “We are extremely confident of the durability and reliability of the Px4 Storm under extreme conditions. Law enforcement agencies, including the Maryland State Police, Providence Rhode Island Police Department, Canadian Border Services Agency and over 100 other law enforcement agencies that are now carrying Px4 Storm pistols, look for this level of reliability and performance when selecting a pistol to protect their officers and citizens.”

“”Law enforcement agencies are becoming increasingly diverse and the demand for a single pistol solution is more prevalent than ever,” “added Christopher Merritt, General Manager for Beretta USA, “”which is why the Px4 Storm is the perfect modular solution for any agency.””

Jeff Reh, Vice General Manager and General Counsel for Beretta USA also pointed out the safety features that make the Px4 Storm the choice of many law enforcement agencies. ““The Px4 Storm was designed from the ground up to become the new standard bearer in law enforcement pistols; in design, fit, function, and, most important, safety.””

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is very anti-gun and has formed groups like Mayors Against Illegal Guns in an attempt to further his agenda of disarming the citizens of the United States. Bloomberg’s latest venture is called County Executives Against Illegal Guns.

County Executives Against Illegal Guns is a newly formed coalition of anti-gun county executives who would like to see all Americans sacrifice their freedom for a fleeting concept of “safety” as provided by Bloomberg’s all knowing government.

Here are the founding members of County Executives Against Illegal Guns:

• Founding Co-Chair: County Executive Andy Spano - Westchester County, New York
• Founding Co-Chair: County Mayor Iliff McMahan, Jr., Cocke County, Tennessee
• Founding Co-Chair: County Executive Kathleen Falk, Dane County, Wisconsin
• Founding Co-Chair: County Executive Jack Johnson, Prince George’s County, Maryland
• County Executive Robert Bondi - Putnam County, New York
• County Executive Chris Collins - Erie County, New York
• County Executive Chris Coons - New Castle County, Delaware
• County Executive Barbara Fiala - Broome County, New York
• County Judge Carlos Garcia - Frio, Texas
• Parish President Bill Hubbard - St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
• County Executive Peter Kremen - Whatcom County, Washington
• Borough President Marty Markowitz - Brooklyn, New York
• County Executive Anthony Picente - Oneida County, New York
• County Mayor Willie Spencer - Hardemon County, Tennessee
• County Executive Herd Sullivan - White Co, Tennessee
• County Mayor J. Allen Watson - Monroe Co, Tennessee

Like SLAIG: State Legislators Against Illegal Guns, this is Bloomberg’s latest attempt to spread his agenda. Bloomberg’s thirst for power is obvious as he tries to disarm the populace of all of these United States.

If your county executive is listed above, I urge you to call him or her today and let them know what you think.

Bloomberg’s full press release:

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE SPANO ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF NEW NATIONAL COALITION: COUNTY EXECUTIVES AGAINST ILLEGAL GUNS

New Group Pledges to Work at the County Level to Keep Guns Out of the Hands of Criminals

Group is Announced One Week Before Members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns Gather in Washington for 2008 National Summit

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Westchester County, New York County Executive Andy Spano today announced the formation of a new coalition of County Executives Against Illegal Guns. The new group, which at its formation has 15 chief elected county officials as members, will work closely with the bi-partisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns and the bi-partisan coalition of State Legislators Against Illegal Guns on shared goals. The county executives have pledged to enlist their colleagues in county seats across the country in an effort to identify common sense policies that will help to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. County Executive Spano, a founding co-chair of the group, is joined by three co-chairs, County Mayor Iliff McMahan, Jr., Cocke County, Tennessee; County Executive Kathleen Falk, Dane County, Wisconsin; and County Executive Jack Johnson, Prince George’s County, Maryland.

“There is nothing more important for us than keeping our residents and communities safe. Something has to be done - and done now - to get illegal guns out of the hands of criminals,” said County Executive Spano. “This coalition has pledged to work together to explore all options for common sense legislation at the state and federal levels to target illegal guns. We will also explore common sense initiatives and share strategies that can be implemented at the county level to protect our families and neighborhoods. I welcome Mayor Bloomberg’s leadership on this, and look forward to working with him and my fellow county executives to creatively and effectively address this problem at all levels.”

“I am glad that County Executives are now enlisting in the fight against illegal guns,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, now almost 300 strong, was formed with only 15 members in April 2006. Now, two years later, 15 county executives have formed their own group, and I look forward to working with them on common sense gun policies. Next Monday, when Mayors Against Illegal Guns convenes its National Summit in Washington, DC, I will make a point that the county executives have reinforced: the illegal gun issue has nothing to do with the Second Amendment and everything to do with keeping our communities safe.”

Like the two-year old group of Mayors Against Illegal Guns and State Legislators Against Illegal Guns - formed last month to wage the fight against illegal guns in statehouses - the new coalition of county executives recognizes that, while there are no one-size-fits-all solutions for our nation’s counties, there are opportunities to share information, resources and best-practices. The coalition, organized around a shared Statement of Principles, will work at the county level to develop legislation and enforcement efforts to prevent guns from falling into the hands of criminals. The County Executives Against Illegal Guns Statement of Principles is at the bottom of this release.

“Illegal guns have caused so much devastation in communities throughout America. The time has come for all of us across the country to redouble our efforts in getting illegal guns off of our streets and out of the hands of violent criminals,” said County Executive Jack Johnson of Prince George’s County, Maryland. “We must act together to ensure our neighborhoods are safer for our children, our families and our friends so they may worship, work, play and learn in a safer environment.”

“Here in the Great Smoky Mountains of Southern Appalachia, we are so very proud of our heritage and our natural resources,” said County Mayor Iliff McMahan, Jr. of Cocke County, Tennessee. “Even though our traditions are unique to our area of the country, I believe the common thread that weaves through the fabric of our nation is one of raising our families in a safe and vibrant society. Supporting the County Executives Against Illegal Guns coalition will foster peace of mind to law abiding Americans, and hold those legally responsible who chose to perpetuate violence in our society by dealing in illegal firearms. This coalition of county leaders creates a common bond that makes it essential that all counties work together, in partnership, to help secure the peace and justice we all desire. Our common bond is grounded in our citizens, community and nation, and our families deserve nothing less.”

“Over the past two years Mayor Bloomberg and I have welcomed mayors from across the nation to join our coalition to get illegal guns off of our streets,” said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “This new coalition of county executives emboldens our efforts to make our communities safer. I welcome the county executives and encourage them to recruit more of their colleagues to get on board as we keep this issue in the forefront of the dialogue on public safety.”

In addition to the four founding co-chairs, the following County Executives have joined County Executives Against Illegal Guns:

• County Executive Robert Bondi - Putnam County, New York
• County Executive Chris Collins - Erie County, New York
• County Executive Chris Coons - New Castle County, Delaware
• County Executive Barbara Fiala - Broome County, New York
• County Judge Carlos Garcia - Frio, Texas
• Parish President Bill Hubbard - St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
• County Executive Peter Kremen - Whatcom County, Washington
• Borough President Marty Markowitz - Brooklyn, New York
• County Executive Anthony Picente - Oneida County, New York
• County Mayor Willie Spencer - Hardemon County, Tennessee
• County Executive Herd Sullivan - White Co, Tennessee
• County Mayor J. Allen Watson - Monroe Co, Tennessee

Contact:	Donna Greene (CE Spano)	(914) 995-2935
	Mayor Bloomberg’s Press Office	(212) 788-2958
	Mayor Menino’s Press Office	(617) 635-4461

COUNTY EXECUTIVES AGAINST ILLEGAL HANDGUNSSTATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

Whereas: 30,000 Americans across the country are killed every year as a result of gun violence, destroying families and communities in large and small counties; and

Whereas: As county executives, we are duty-bound to do everything in our power to protect our residents, especially our children, from harm and illegal guns represent a serious threat to public safety;

Now, therefore, we resolve to work together to find innovative new ways to advance the following principles:

• Punish - to the maximum extent of the law - criminals who possess, use, and traffic in illegal guns.
• Target and hold accountable irresponsible gun dealers who break state and federal laws, including those who sell guns to straw purchasers. Promote measures that responsible gun retailers can adopt to minimize the risk of guns ending up in the hands of criminals.
• Oppose all federal efforts to restrict cities’, counties’, and states’ right to access, use, and share trace data that is so essential to effective enforcement, or to interfere with the ability of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to combat illegal gun trafficking.
• Support common-sense legislation that keeps guns out of the hands of criminals, including terrorists. Ensure that all gun sales involve background checks that access all the available information about persons prohibited under state and federal law from buying guns, such as those with mental illness.
• Work to develop and use technologies that aid in the detection and apprehension of illegal gun criminals and traffickers, including efforts to share regional information.
• Pursue local, state, and federal legislation that targets illegal guns; coordinate criminal, administrative, and civil enforcement, and share information and best practices.
• Invite other county executives to join us in this new national effort.

New York Mayor brought twelve more Massachusetts mayors into his anti-gun group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, just days before their 2008 general meeting in Washington D.C.

The new mayors are from the Massachusetts cities of Amesbury, Cambridge, Easthampton, Fall River, Gardner, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, Newburyport, Revere, Salem, and Weymouth.

If you are a resident of one of these cities, I would urge you to contact your mayor and let them know how you feel about Mayor Bloomberg’s agenda to deprive U.S. citizens of their right to keep and bear arms as protected by the Second Amendment.

In a previous post, I talked about Jay Wallace and Adventure Outdoors of Smyrna, GA. Wallace owns Adventure Outdoors and he has been targeted by the anti-freedom gun-banner, Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

As most of you will recall, Bloomberg set up an elaborate (and criminal) operation in which he paid non-law enforcement people to travel around and make ’straw’ purchases of firearms. Not only is the individual straw purchase illegal, the act of conspiring with others to make these illegal purchases throughout the nation would certainly seem to warrant (excuse the pun) criminal charges being brought against the Constitution hating New York City mayor.

And don’t forget, Bloomberg’s activities disrupted actual law enforcement investigations being conducted by the BATFE.

Bloomberg’s goal in all of this? He wanted to generate grounds for a lawsuit against each of the firearm dealers. His thinking is this: I can’t legislate them out of business, so I will litigate them out of business. Unfortunately, his tactics have been working.

Friday afternoon, Bloomberg’s office announced that five more gun stores have agreed to Bloomberg’s terms. This brings the total to 20 of 27 gun dealers that have settled with Bloomberg allowing non-law enforcement people to come in, review their records regularly, video tape transactions, and to (illegally!!) send people in to try to make ’straw’ purchases.

This is chilling. A city mayor, probably one of the lowest executive positions in any elected government in the US, is interfering with the lawful commerce in other states. Commerce that is already regulated by a Federal agency and by each of the several states’ laws…AND protected by the U.S. Constitution.

Jay Wallace and Adventure Outdoors are not caving in. They are taking Bloomberg to court. If you can spare any financial assistance, please donate to his defense fund here. This court case is extremely important. Wallace has taken a stand for all gun owners and for freedom. Please support him if you can.

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Two Georgia gun dealers have agreed to monitoring in settling the federal lawsuit brought against them in 2006 by New York City. That leaves only Smyrna-based Adventure Outdoors in an unusual case set for trial next month.

The attorney for Adventure Outdoors said the shop will not settle with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who took the novel approach of suing 27 gun shops - eight in Georgia - because he said they were the sources of illegal guns recovered at crimes in that city.

“[Adventure Outdoors co-owner] Jay Wallace will go as far as to hock his car and his shop and all the guns in to see this case through,” attorney John Renzulli in an interview Friday night. “This guy has complete moral conviction that he did not do anything wrong. … He feels he has been wronged and he’s going to show the jury [New York] City is wrong. They sued the wrong guy.”

Bloomberg’s office announced late Friday it had resolved the lawsuit against five more gun dealers described as “rogue” businesses when the two federal lawsuits were brought in 2006. Twenty of the 27 shops sued have settled.

Adventure Outdoors is the lone defendant remaining in the first suit. A shop in Virginia and one in South Carolina will be federal court in September when the second case is scheduled for trial.

Of the remaining shops originally named in the two suits, one in South Carolina defaulted after its owner was indicted on charges of making illegal gun sales, Gwinnett Pawn Shop in Norcross went out of business and the complaints against the two dealers in Virginia were dismissed.

“There is already evidence that our innovative litigation is helping make New Yorkers safer,” John Feinblatt, Bloomberg’s criminal justice coordinator, said in a news release. “The federal government recently released trace data showing that last year the number of crime guns recovered in New York City from the five states where the city sued gun dealers dropped by 16 percent. In some of these states, the improvement is even more dramatic.”

The shops that settled agreed to monitoring for three years. New York will pay a court-appointed monitor to review records and inventory, to videotape sales activities and to send in undercover customers to attempt “straw purchases” - buying a gun for someone not legally allowed to have one. Store employees will be given enhanced training on making legal firearm sales and identifying straw purchasers.

Renzulli, who represents five shops in Georgia, said the cost of litigation forced his clients to settle, and one went out of business.

Toccoa Pawn & Variety, one of Renzulli’s clients, and The Gun Store Inc. in Doraville were the two shops that most recently agreed to New York’s terms.

“It’s unfortunate that there isn’t enough money for some of these dealers to defend themselves,” Renzulli said. “They don’t have the finances to fight the city of New York.”

New York initiated an undercover operation after finding guns at crime scenes that came from other states. The agents for New York, working in pairs, would go to certain gun shops. One person would complete the required paperwork even though the other was obviously buying the weapons.

According to federal data, Georgia is the nation’s No. 1 source of guns recovered in crimes that occur in states with tougher restrictions, such as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

In Georgia, gun dealers submit information to the FBI for an instant check for a criminal history or an involuntary commitment to a mental hospital, before a handgun is sold; no check is required for long guns. Unlike Georgia, several states have requirements beyond what the minimum federal law demands.

Most gun sale information kept by the federal government is not public, but the limited data shows Georgia is a top “source” state - and critics say its gun laws are the reason.

Two months after the city of New York filed the first lawsuit, Adventure Outdoors filed a $400 million libel suit in federal court in Atlanta against the city and Bloomberg. The case is pending.

Since the two suits were filed in 2006, Bloomberg’s office said, police had recovered 21 percent fewer guns that originated in Georgia at New York City crime scenes. That number could not be independently verified Saturday.

“These results prove that our strategy is working,” Feinblatt said.

A product recall notice on the Ruger SR9 Pistol from Sturm, Ruger & Company:

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., announces that it has determined that Ruger SR9 pistols manufactured between October 2007 and April 2008 can, under certain conditions, fire if dropped with their manual safeties in the “off” or “fire” position and a round in the chamber. The pistols will not fire if the manual safety is in the “on” or “safe” position.

As a responsible manufacturer, we want to make our customers aware of this safety concern as soon as possible. Ruger is finalizing the design of a new trigger group which prevents firing when dropped and will retrofit at no charge all Ruger SR9 pistols with serial number prefix “330″ (330-xxxxx).

SR9 owners can obtain information or register for the recall by:

• Visiting the Ruger website at: www.ruger.com/SR9Recall/
• E-mail: SR9recall@ruger.com
• Fax: 928-541-8873
• Calling the Ruger SR9 Recall Hotline at 800-784-3701 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. EDT.

When Ruger is ready to retrofit a consumer’s pistol, Ruger will send a shipping box, label and instructions for the FREE return of the SR9 pistol to our factory in Prescott, Arizona. Work will be completed promptly at no charge to the consumer and the pistol will be returned at Ruger expense. All owners will receive a FREE SR9 magazine as a “thank you” for their patience and cooperation.

All owners of Ruger SR9 pistols are urged not to use their pistol until it has been retrofitted with these new factory parts. If owners must use their SR9 pistol, the manual safety should be kept in the “on” or “safe” position except when actually firing.

The pro-gun former congressman from Georgia, Bob Barr, may be making a third-party run for the White House.

I don’t know if a third party candidate is a viable option, but I do know a few things. First, a lot of people are fed up with both the Republicans and Democrats.

Second, neither party is offering us a pro-gun candidate for president.

And last, and perhaps most important, Bob Barr is a good man. I lived in Georgia while Barr was in Congress. I saw first-hand that what he said is what he did. Barr is a man that will tell you what he is going to do, and then he will follow through on it. Barr is a solid supporter of the individual citizen’s right to keep and bear arms.

Is Bob Barr a viable presidential candidate? Time will tell. He’ll get my vote if he runs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr eased into presidential politics Saturday with an announcement that he has formed an exploratory committee to gauge voter interest in his candidacy as Libertarian.

If there are “sufficient numbers” of people behind a Bob Barr presidential race, he’s running, the former Republican said.

His announcement brought whoops and applause from the audience of 130 Libertarians, mostly from Midwestern states.

“We are at a tipping point,” Barr said, “in terms of the willingness of voters, in significant numbers, to consider alternatives to the major [political] parties.”

Barr conceded it was unlikely he could win, but he said his potential candidacy would be an opportunity to preach the Libertarian philosophy.

“I don’t think any past performance by a Libertarian candidate is any benchmark,” he said. “Are my expectations that the Libertarian candidate will win [the White House]? No. But with a credible candidate, anything is possible.”

He added that the Libertarian Party “has been presenting itself as much more mainstream” as voter dissatisfaction increases with the decisions of Republican and Democrat officeholders.

In 2003, Barr left politics, where he had represented a Cobb County-centered district since 1995, to return to practicing law, offering media commentary, consulting and teaching. He is a regular columnist for The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

In recent months, he has been a frequent speaker at state Libertarian Party conventions and conferences like Saturday’s Heartland Libertarian Conference. Next week, he has scheduled time with radio talk shows and television personalities, to be followed by more Libertarian conventions.

Barr, once a federal prosecutor in Atlanta, came to a hotel in the middle of an office and industrial park on the outskirts of Kansas City to announce his intentions.

He is the second former member of Congress to flirt with a run for president as a Libertarian. Former Alaska senator and one-time Democratic presidential candidate Mike Gravel switched to the Libertarian Party last month.

“I’m excited to see what he [Barr] has to say,” said Doug Burlison, a Libertarian who serves on the Springfield, Mo., City Council. “And I’m excited to see what Mike Gravel has to say. It’s exciting to have to former office-holders running [as Libertarians].”

At the Kansas City conference, Barr, 59, repeated his message of less government and protection of civil liberties.

His themes, some say, will appeal to supporters of Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, a GOP presidential contender who remains in the race even though Arizona Sen. John McCain has accumulated the delegate commitments to win the Republican nomination this summer.

Eight men and two women, plus someone identified as “none of the candidates” and another as “future/unannounced candidate,” have raised money as Libertarian contenders for president. The nominee will be picked in late May at the Libertarians’ national convention in Denver.

Barr, who as a Republican congressman helped impeach President Bill Clinton, focused many of his complaints on the Republicans he once supported.

“The American people are much more sensitive to big government and the problems of big government,” Barr said. “Republicans in Washington have opened people’s eyes. Both major parties are big-government parties.”

“The two-party system is the problem. If we continue to rely on the two-party system, then shame on us.”

A Record $724,980 Earmarked for Hunter Recruitment and Retention

NEWTOWN, Conn. — For the sixth consecutive year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has announced grants to states for projects designed to enlist new hunters, and retain existing ones.

“These grants were awarded on the strengths of the concepts presented to preserve our hunting traditions, by adding to the ranks of hunters and encouraging current hunters to continue their participation,” said Doug Painter, president of NSSF.

The 2008 Hunting Heritage Partnership grants include an increase of $250,000 over last year, thanks to a new partnership with Safari Club International. To date, the program has contributed more than $2.8 million to state agencies.

This year’s grant recipients include:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission–$64,400
Project: To increase hunting activity in Florida by large numbers of state residents who have been hunting in states other than Florida. Research will identify residents who have been hunting out of state and why, and attempt to convince them to hunt in Florida through a directed marketing effort.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game–$153,000
Project: To obtain access to additional land for hunters by providing various types of compensation to landowners in the form of services, and to recruit new landowners into the Access Yes! program.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources–$62,000
Project: To reactivate a group of lapsed hunters that will be targeted with the implementation of a direct mail marketing and advertising campaign.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources–$16,500
Project: To offer two mentored youth hunts, providing a positive hunting experience and allowing the youngsters to interact with wildlife managers and conservation officers, who will communicate the importance of hunting both as recreation and as a game management tool.

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
The state received grants for two separate projects.
Project #1–$77,755
A direct mail program to encourage prior hunting license holders to re-enter the ranks of active hunters through license purchases. Also, it will encourage current license holders to investigate access to public hunting land and urge veteran hunters to act as mentors for new hunters.
Project #2–$45,000
Recruitment of new hunters and hunters who have left the sport by providing dove hunting opportunities on privately owned dove fields.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks–$61,700
Project: A program designed to identify lapsed Montana big-game hunters most likely to return to hunting and to induce their participation, as measured by license purchases in 2008. Also the program will identify current Montana hunters predisposed to lapsing out of hunting and reduce their rate of doing so in 2008.

Nevada Department of Wildlife–$56,125
Project: A campaign to persuade hunters who have unsuccessfully applied for a big-game tag to purchase a hunting license and participate in under-utilized hunts for both big and small game. This will be accomplished through a direct marketing program.

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department–$20,000
Project: To develop a landowner incentive program that will provide the ability to secure and maintain hunting access to 100,000 acres of private land by December 31, 2012.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation–$21,000
Project: To conduct a direct mail campaign aimed at encouraging former hunters to pick up the sport again and purchase a hunting license in 2008.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources–$92,500
Project: Attempt to reactivate lapsed hunters through an integrated mix of paid advertising, direct mail, electronic communication, media relations, events and other grass roots activities.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency–$30,000
Project: A program to increase small-game hunting participation on private land in Tennessee, through a small-game hunter-access cooperative effort with landowners.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department–$25,000
Project: To maintain and enhance the department’s Private Lands Public Access Program for hunting through enrolling private landowners into either a Walk-in Hunting or Hunter Management Area Program.

Twenty-five proposals from 21 states were submitted this year to the Hunting Heritage Partnership judging committee of NSSF. Mississippi was a grant recipient for the first time this year. All other states on this year’s list have been awarded previous grants.

Formed in 1961, NSSF’s mission is to provide trusted leadership in addressing industry challenges and in delivering programs and services to meet the identified needs of our members. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.

Get a better grip on your shooting action! Introducing the new 10/22 thumbhole stocks from Shooters Ridge®.

Custom built for a superior fit, these stocks use computer enhanced designs and a steel pillar to provide the ultimate in repeatability and a high cheek piece for improved shooting comfort. Get steady and improve your accuracy with our weather proof, synthetic thumbhole stocks.

Each stock features a soft recoil pad and come with swivel studs.

Features & Benefits

• Thumbhole design and high cheek piece for steadiness/accuracy/comfort
• Soft recoil pad and easy grip forearm inserts
• Available in four appealing finishes
• For both factory tapered barrels and .920 diameter barrels
• Comes with swivel studs
• Steel pillar insures secure fit and superior repeatability
• Lightweight / strong / weather proof synthetic