United States
Fearing Imagined Obama Agenda, US States Push to Loosen Gun Laws
New York Times
24 February 2010
When President Obama took office, gun rights advocates sounded the alarm, warning that he intended to strip them of their arms and ammunition. And yet the opposite is happening. Mr. Obama has been largely silent on the issue while states are engaged in a new and largely successful push for expanded gun rights, even passing measures that have been rejected in the past. In Virginia, the General Assembly approved a bill last... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Arizona Gun Maker, Dealer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling Firearms
Arizona Republic
22 February 2010
A Gilbert firearms manufacturer will cease its gun operations after the company's owner pleaded guilty to illegally selling rifles, shotguns and handguns. Cavalry Arms Corp. says on its Web site that it has been "engaged in an ongoing dispute" with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, for two years over "regulatory and compliance mistakes." But in federal court last week, owner Shawn Nealon admitted... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Obama, Clinton Join UN Treaty Push to Set Global Gun Trade Controls
Defense News (USA)
18 February 2010
The United States is working with other countries and the United Nations to impose uniform controls on international sales of conventional arms. But the U.S. State Department said it is likely to be years before an Arms Trade Treaty takes effect. The United States is committed to pursuing a "robust treaty" that sets "the highest possible legally binding standards" for international sales of conventional weapons, U.S. Ambassador... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Slew of Pro-firearm Bills as Legislators Move to Relax Virginia Gun Laws
Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia)
16 February 2010
The Republican-dominated House of Delegates advanced a slew of Second Amendment-related bills yesterday. They ranged from a bill that would repeal the one-gun-a-month limit on handgun purchases, to shielding applicants for concealed-weapon permits, to protecting some Virginia-made guns and ammunition from potential federal regulation. In all, about a dozen gun bills cleared a preliminary hurdle in the House yesterday and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Virginia House Moves to Lift One-gun-a-month Limit on Dealer Gun Sales
Hampton Roads Daily Press (Virginia)
16 February 2010
RICHMOND, Virginia - The House of Delegates advanced legislation Monday that would repeal the state's one-handgun-per-month condition and exempt guns made and used in Virginia from federal firearms laws. The Republican-dominated chamber also set up a final vote on a bill that would block public access to concealed-carry permit records filed in local circuit courts. Final votes on all three measures will occur today, the House's... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Bill Would End Federal Regulation of Utah Guns, Gut Background Checks
Associated Press
10 February 2010
SALT LAKE CITY - Guns made and kept in Utah would be exempt from federal regulations under a measure passed by the Utah Legislature Wednesday, despite concerns over an expensive legal fight at a time when the budget is already stretched thin. Senate Bill 11 was passed by the Utah House 56-17. The proposal mirrors one Montana signed into law last year that's intended to trigger a federal court battle. The measures would... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Utah Governor Wary of Spending Money on Secessionist Gun Lobby Bill
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
10 February 2010
A bill that would exempt Utah-made firearms from federal regulations is headed to Gov. Gary Herbert's desk, but a spokeswoman said the governor has concerns about the bill's constitutionality. "Governor Herbert conceptually supports legislative efforts to reaffirm states' rights, but is concerned about constitutional challenges to legislation at a time when the state can ill-afford to invest money in potentially costly legal battles,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Congressman Opposes Flood of US-purchased AK-47s for American Wars
Star-Gazette (New York)
9 February 2010
U.S. Rep. Eric Massa said Tuesday he has additional concerns about the use of taxpayer money to buy foreign-made weapons. During his weekly teleconference with media from Washington, D.C., Massa, D-Corning, said the United States over the past six years has become the largest purchaser of Russian and Chinese small-arms exports to equip Iraqi and Afghan forces. "To spend these amounts of monies on Kalashnikov rifles and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon,Israel,United States
22 Prominent Gun Dealers Arrested in Arms Trade Plagued by Corruption
United Press International
25 January 2010
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Four Israeli business executives were arrested in Las Vegas, along with 18 Americans, Britons and other nationals, on charges of trying to bribe someone they thought was an African defense minister to obtain a $15 million arms contract. The swoop on Jan. 19 was the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year undercover sting operation by the U.S. Justice Department. It was the largest single investigation under... ( gunpolicy.org )
Afghanistan,Iraq,United States
Michigan Firm to Remove 'Bible Code' from Weapon Sold to Kill Muslims
New York Times
21 January 2010
Bowing to Pentagon concerns and an international outcry, a Michigan arms company said Thursday that it would immediately stop embossing references to New Testament Scriptures on rifle sights it sells the military. The company, Trijicon Inc., has multimillion-dollar contracts with the Pentagon for advanced telescopic sights that are widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trijicon also said it would provide the Pentagon with 100 free... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Washington Moves to Strike Montana's Secessionist 'Firearms Freedom Act'
Associated Press
21 January 2010
HELENA, Montana - Montana doesn't have the authority to exempt itself from national gun control laws, the federal government argued in new court filings, hoping to beat back a movement from states adopting the Firearms Freedom Act. The Department of Justice, in a brief filed this week in U.S. District Court in Missoula, said that federal gun control is a "valid exercise of Congress' commerce power under the Constitution." The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Industry Lobbies to Popularise, Sell More 'Sporting' Assault Rifles
ESPN (USA)
20 January 2010
LAS VEGAS -- If Jim Zumbo had the National Shooting Sports Foundation in his corner a few years ago, he might still be the hunting editor of Outdoor Life magazine. Zumbo was literally driven from the temple after expressing discouraging words in his web site blog about the viability of so-called "black rifles" or AR-15-style guns as hunting firearms. Unfortunately, Zumbo expressed his opinions just at the time black rifles were... ( gunpolicy.org )
Israel,United Kingdom,United States
FBI Charges S&W Exec, 21 US-UK-Israeli Arms Dealers for Gun Sale Bribes
Reuters
19 January 2010
WASHINGTON -- An executive for Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (SWHC.O) and 21 others have been charged with violating federal bribery laws involving the sale of weapons and protective gear, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday. The indictments accused the individuals, including Smith & Wesson Vice President for Sales Amaro Goncalves, with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,United Kingdom,Israel
Smith & Wesson Exec, 21 Others Charged in FBI Gun Sale Bribery Sting
Boston Herald
19 January 2010
A Smith & Wesson executive was among 22 officials at suppliers to police and the military who were charged Monday in Las Vegas with violating anti-bribery laws, the Justice Department announced today. Amaro Goncalves, the Springfield-based gun maker's vice president of sales, was arrested with the others after a 2½-year undercover sting operation aimed at schemes to bribe a foreign official. Smith & Wesson released the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Israel,United Kingdom,United States
Smith & Wesson Executive Among 22 Charged in Gun Sale Bribery Case
Bloomberg (USA)
19 January 2010
A Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. sales executive and a former U.S. Secret Service officer were among 22 officials at companies that supply law enforcement and the military who were charged with violating U.S. anti-bribery laws. Amaro Goncalves, vice president of sales at Smith & Wesson, and R. Patrick Caldwell, chief executive officer of Protective Products Of America Inc. and a former deputy director of the Secret Service, were... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Political Patronage, PM Flood Pakistan with 400,000 Private Gun Permits
News International (Karachi), Editorial
16 January 2010
What is the point of having firearms legislation if the prime minister and the minister of state for the interior drive a coach and horses through it merely to gratify the wishes of their political cronies? Since the last week of March 2008 more than 38,800 people have been issued with licences for prohibited bore weapons -- Kalashnikovs and Uzis, for instance -- mostly on the direct order of these two office-holders. There... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Philippine Congress - No Time to Pass Stricter Gun Laws
Inquirer.net (Manila)
14 January 2010
MANILA, Philippines -- The government has to make do with existing laws in prosecuting groups that possess illegal firearms because Congress does not have time to pass a "stricter legislation," House of Representatives speaker Prospero Nograles said Tuesday. Nograles said the House of Representatives would not be able to tackle the amended firearms code during the remaining nine days of session. Congress will resume session... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Victoria Police Close to Finalising Rearmament with Semi-auto Pistols
Age (Melbourne)
14 January 2010
The prolonged wait to arm Victoria Police with semi-automatic guns will be over within months, with the force primed to sign a contract with suppliers. Police yesterday called for tenders for holsters for the semi-automatics, saying that while it was studying the bids, it expected to finalise details for the purchase of the guns. "It is Victoria Police's intention to select a supplier of suitable holsters for semi-automatic... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
NJ One-gun-a-month Law Passed, 'Falls Far Short' - NRA
Opposingviews.com, Opinion
10 January 2010
Last Thursday, the New Jersey Assembly voted unanimously (73-0-3) to approve S3104/A4361. These bills were drafted in response to recommendations put forth by the Firearms Task Force created after the midnight passage of New Jersey's gun rationing law. S3104/A4361 now head to the desk of Governor Jon Corzine (D) for his consideration. While NRA attempted to create a more robust exemption for gun owners, these requests fell upon... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Tennessee Gubernatorial Candidates Talk Guns
The Commical Appeal (Tennessee)
10 January 2010
1. A Nashville judge has struck down as "unconstitutionally vague" the law passed by the legislature in 2009 allowing people with handgun-carry permits to take guns into places serving alcohol. The bill's sponsors say they will ask the legislature to approve a new version. Do you support or oppose a bill to allow handgun-carry permit holders to take guns into places that serve alcohol? Democrats: Jim Kyle: I strongly... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Tiahrt Defends Own Amendment, Attacks Bloomberg
The Wichita Eagle (Kansas), Opinion
10 January 2010
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg knows a lot, and what he knows has helped bring him success on many levels. But when it comes to federal firearm laws and the Second Amendment, Bloomberg is either uninformed or intentionally deceptive. In recent weeks, Bloomberg and his organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, have used victims of the Fort Hood massacre as political tools to seek repeal of a law known as the Tiahrt amendment.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia
Serbia 'Largest' Military Arms Exporter in SE Europe
Balkans.com (Belgrade)
4 January 2010
Serbia has become the largest exporter of arms and military equipment in southeastern Europe, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said. "In 2009, the Serbian military industry exported arms and equipment worth 300 million euros. I hope at the end of 2010 we can say that we earned a billion euros just by exporting military equipment," Sutanovac told International Radio Serbia in a recent interview. "Besides the fact that we... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Microstamping Law Triggers Backlash from CA Gun Industry
Sacramento Bee (California)
30 December 2009
California regulators have approved far fewer semi-automatic pistols for sale in the wake of a state law that required new safety devices in 2006 and 2007. Now, with a new bullet-stamping law scheduled to take effect in 2010, the gun industry predicts it will introduce even fewer new models in California rather than install a device necessary to trace individual casings to a statewide database. "California will become like... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Assault Rifle Maker Applauds Bill, Utahns 'Entitled to Any Gun They Want'
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah)
19 December 2009
Alex Robinson wants his assault rifles on foreign battlefields and Utah gun racks alike, so a proposed Firearms Freedom Act exempting local-only sales from federal regulation isn't a game changer at his Salt Lake City machine shop. Then again, Utah is gun country. Armed self-defense true believers see life and death in every constitutional affront. Many applaud a message bill that would preclude federal regulation of any guns made,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Oxfam Chief Calls for Global Gun Trade Treaty to Protect Human Rights
Reuters AlertNet, Opinion
10 December 2009
Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland, is Honorary President of Oxfam International and heads the Ethical Globalisation Initiative. On the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she calls for the creation of a new treaty to control the global trade in small arms. On this 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, threats of new... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Both Sides of US Gun Debate Stifle Safety by Arguing Only the Extremes
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
8 December 2009
The "crazy" thing about the gun debate in America is how misguided and off-base both sides of the issue are. An example from one side is The Times' Dec. 1 editorial on the Washington state police officer shootings, "Crazy about guns"; from the other side, we have almost any fundraising appeal over the last year from the National Rifle Assn. Both sides offer little compromise on this issue, making the gun debate one of extremes. Our leaders... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Firearms Riding High on America's Holiday Gift Lists, Say Gun Dealers
St Petersburg Times (Florida) / Scripps Howard News Service
7 December 2009
On Kevin Wence's 10th Christmas, he opened a gift from his father and discovered what would become "A Christmas Story" legend: a Red Ryder BB air rifle. His first gun. Last week, Wence bought his 15th, a stainless-steel Smith & Wesson Model 686 revolver. Unlike the air rifle, this gun won't sit under the Christmas tree, he said. But it would be a family gift that he, his wife and his 24-year-old son, all trained in shooting, could... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Smith & Wesson Shares Slump as US Shooters' 'Obama Panic' Subsides
Associated Press
4 December 2009
HARTFORD, Connectticut - Shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. fell in Friday premarket trading a day after the gun maker offered a weak sales outlook for the coming quarter. Analyst Eric Wold of Merriman Curhan Ford downgraded the Springfield, Mass., company to "Neutral" from "Buy," saying its outlook has worsened due to a decline in unfilled orders and other factors, an analyst said Friday. However, Wold said in a client... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Heckler & Koch Leads Race for US Marines' New Automatic Rifle
Defense News (USA)
3 December 2009
The U.S. Marine Corps has selected the infantry automatic rifle made by Heckler & Koch as the weapon that will likely replace many M249 Squad Automatic Weapons in the rifle squad, and could begin fielding the IAR by next summer, a senior service official said. The H&K IAR beat out three other models in the competition, which was launched in 2006 and narrowed to four finalists made by three companies in December 2008, Chief Warrant... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Smith & Wesson Reports 49% Increase in Gun Sales for 3rd Quarter
Republican (Massachusetts)
3 December 2009
SPRINGFIELD -- Smith & Wesson announced strong sales Thursday to police and civilian consumers and it remains hopeful of landing $500 million in firearm orders from the Army, Air Force and Special Forces Command. Michael F. Golden, Smith & Wesson president and chief executive officer, said he expects the Pentagon to put those contracts out sometime in 2010. He spoke Thursday evening during a conference call with reporters and stock... ( gunpolicy.org )
New Zealand
Small New Zealand Ammo Maker Can Produce 60 Million Rounds a Year
Defense News (USA), Web page
30 November 2009
WELLINGTON -- There is an antique aspect to New Zealand's tiny Ordnance Developments Ltd. (ODL), including machinery far older than those who operate it. However, ODL's status in the world of small-arms ammunition makers belies its small size. "We're probably in the top five in the world in terms of our capability, which is rather extensive," said John Quigley, ODL's marketing manager. The company manufactures... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
As US Gun Ownership Falls, Arms Industry, Gun Lobby Recruit Children
Guardian (UK)
28 November 2009
In the distance, there is snow on the ridges of the Rocky Mountains, but down here in the plains of Colorado there is only dust and sweat. In a layby just south of Denver, Texas Marshal is standing in the sweltering heat preparing for the showdown. He tips back his black felt bronco hat, pulls out his .45 Colt revolver and gives the barrel a slow, deliberate spin. Five brass bullets sink into the chambers and the gun goes back in its holster,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
South Carolina Puts Sick Twist on Black Friday, Offers Tax Break on Guns
New York Daily News
24 November 2009
The great state of South Carolina is putting its own sick twist on Black Friday with a tax holiday on firearm purchases. Not cars. Not clothes. Certainly not books. Just guns. For the 48 hours following Thanksgiving, gun buyers will enjoy a break of up to 9% in state and local taxes. Firearms traffickers are not expected to pass the savings on to New York criminals, but what is called... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun, Ammo Sales Peak on America's Rising Fear of Crime, Terrorism
Times (UK)
16 November 2009
Smith & Wesson, the famed American gunmaker once owned by Tomkins, the British conglomerate, expects to nearly double its annual sales in the next three to five years as demand for its firearms soars in the recession. It is not alone. All over America demand for firearms and ammunition is rising amid concerns that rising unemployment, which passed 10 per cent this month, will lead inexorably to higher rates of crime. Fears of terrorism... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Gizmo Counts Shots Fired, Detects Stoppages, Reports on Shooter
CNet News, Web page
16 November 2009
Firearms manufacturer FN Herstal has designed and built a Black Box that, when attached to a weapon, counts rounds fired, measures burst rate, and detects stoppages -- information it then stores to facilitate more effective maintenance. The device is housed in a module that can be molded to fit any weapon, according to FN. It comes with a non-replaceable 10-year battery, allowing the unit to record up to 100,000 rounds. "The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia,China,Pakistan
Russia Confronts Pakistan, China Over 'Illegally' Copied AK Assault Rifles
United Press International
16 November 2009
HONG KONG, China -- At a press conference held during an international exhibition of defense equipment in Turkey last summer, a Russian military delegation harshly criticized the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Company for copying Russian weapons systems. The Russians claimed that the POF's RPG-7P anti-tank rockets, 122-mm D-30 howitzer ammunition and PK-10 assault guns were 100-percent imitations of Russian systems. The PK-10 assault... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Sturm, Ruger Post-Obama Sales Up 60%, Profit Up 83%, Crash to Follow
Motley Fool (USA) / MagicDiligence
10 November 2009
Sturm, Ruger & Company (RGR) is a firearms manufacturer that makes and markets four different kinds of firearms: rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers. The company also produces investment castings for third-party sale when there is excess capacity not needed for its own products. Products are sold mainly to independent wholesale distributors, who then resell to retailers primarily in hunting and sporting markets. Ruger is basically a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia,Venezuela,United Nations
Ten Countries Apply to Build Kalashnikov Assault Rifle Producing Plants
RIA Novosti (Russia)
10 November 2009
MOSCOW -- Ten countries have applied for licenses to construct plants to produce Kalashnikov assault rifles, a deputy CEO of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Tuesday. Rosoboronexport is currently fulfilling a 2005 contract to build a Kalashnikov plant in Venezuela. "In the past few years, ten foreign states have applied to Russia for the creation of facilities on their territories to build licensed Kalashnikov... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom,Northern Ireland,United States
Smith & Wesson Gun Maker Sees Sales Almost Doubling in 3-5 Years
Reuters
9 November 2009
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (SWHC.O), known for its 157-year-old handguns business, expects to nearly double its annual sales in the next three to five years, the company said in a filing. The Springfield, Massachusetts-based company which forecast $650 million in yearly sales also expects gross margins of 35 to 36 percent by that time, boosted by its acquisition of privately held Universal Safety Response Inc (USR). It... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Target Marketing: US Ammunition Makers Peddle Bullets Like Deodorant
New York Times
8 November 2009
On some level, all stories of successful brands resemble one another: the competitors in some category of good or service seem interchangeable until one of them, often a newcomer, dreams up some way of standing out from the crowd. O.K., maybe it's not always that simple, but differentiating one choice partly by way of advertising, packaging and other image-enhancing strategies has long been a way of persuading shoppers to reconsider what... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Tax Take 42% Up, Ammo 49% Up as 'Obama Gun Fear Year' Fades
Washington Post
3 November 2009
In a year of job losses, foreclosures and bag lunches, Americans have spent record-breaking amounts of money on guns and ammunition. The most obvious sign of their demand: empty ammunition shelves. At points during the past year, bullets have been selling faster than factories could make them. Gun owners have bought about 12 billion rounds of ammunition in the past year, industry officials estimate. That's up from 7 billion... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Kalashnikov, 90, Decries "Criminal" Use of Rifle, Russia's Loss of Profits
Reuters
26 October 2009
KLIMOVSK, Russia -- Approaching 90, the inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle has one big regret: The almost unstoppable Kalashnikov, designed in 1947, has become the weapon of choice for militants and rebels from Liberia to Afghanistan as well as gangsters and drug traffickers. "It is painful for me to see when criminal elements of all kinds fire from my weapon," Mikhail Kalashnikov said in a videotaped address to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Homemade Gun Sales Flourish As Ghanaian Blacksmiths Meet Demand
IRIN (UN News)
23 October 2009
ACCRA -- Blacksmith Sarpong, 35, operates a small shop in Ghana's second largest city, Kumasi. He is trained to produce cooking utensils, but prefers to make guns as he can earn more money that way. When sales are good his shop brings in US$1,000 a week, he said. Foreigners paying better than Ghanaians. "Most of my buyers are from Nigeria or Sierra Leone." "I can make an AK for you if you have the money," he told IRIN.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia,China
Russia, China Near Copyright Deal to Licence Kalashnikov Production
RIA Novosti (Russia)
22 October 2009
KLIMOVSK -- Russia is working to reach an agreement with China on copyright protection of Kalashnikov assault rifles, the head of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Thursday. "We have received China's national patent for Kalashnikov products. The documents have been handed to the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation to prepare and conclude an intergovernmental agreement in the field," Anatoly Isaikin... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Gun Sales Soared 2-3 Fold Post-Obama, But Bubble May Be Bursting
New York Times
22 October 2009
Cerberus plans to float the gun maker Freedom Group soon. It better hurry. President Obama's election victory sent weapon sales -- and the valuations of firearms producers -- higher. Falling backlogs hint that sales could plunge. This gun bubble may backfire. Two sparks set off this speculative burst. First, fears of economic calamity inspired sales of weapons. The assault-rifle-style autoload SR-556 is useful for shooting varmints... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Ammunition Shortage Affects Saskatchewan Gun Retailers, Hunters
CBC News (Canada)
19 October 2009
Sporting goods stores in Saskatchewan are feeling the pinch of a North American ammunition shortage. Although it's hunting season, a time when many hunters are stocking up on ammo, some store owners say they're having trouble getting enough stock. Hoarding in the U.S. is one explanation, according to U.S. media reports. According to the National Rifle Association in the U.S., Americans buy about seven billion rounds... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Well-connected Global Gun Banners Blamed for New Philippine Gun Bill
Business Mirror (Philippines)
15 October 2009
Voting 140-3, the House of Representatives, in plenary session, approved on third and final reading on Thursday a bill that imposes stricter gun policies that licensed gun holders and enthusiasts described as the alleged revival of a Marcos-era decree to address the worsening problem on loose firearms. House Bill 6776, authored by Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, seeks to restore the stiff penalties for the illegal... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
United Nations Meeting Strengthens Push for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Associated Press
11 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- Seven countries have launched a campaign for the U.N. to start negotiations on a new treaty regulating the global arms trade to help prevent the illegal transfer of guns that kill and maim thousands every day. John Duncan, Britain's ambassador for multilateral arms control and disarmament, said the four-week meeting of the General Assembly's disarmament committee, which started Monday, will be "pivotal" in deciding... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Montana Firearm Lobby Sues to Exempt State from Federal Gun Control
Associated Press
1 October 2009
HELENA, Montana -- If Montana has its way in a lawsuit filed Thursday, there will be far less federal gun control in the state. The state's libertarian streak -- which has spawned efforts to buck the federal Real ID Act and sparked widespread contempt for the Patriot Act -- is now triggering a fight over whether Montana should have sovereignty over made-in-Montana guns and equipment. If gun advocates win, the state could... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Blacksmiths Urge Ghana to Legalise Gun Making, Control Bush Industry
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation / Daily Graphic
26 September 2009
A call has been made to the government to legalise the manufacture of small arms in the country and bring them under state control as a way of averting their illicit acquisition by criminals. Reacting to the current resolve of the police to take the war against armed robbery to blacksmiths who manufacture arms locally, a leader of the blacksmiths association in the Ashanti Region and a researcher into small arms suggested as an... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Massachusetts Campaign Targets Interstate Gun Runners, Dealers
South Coast Today (Massachusetts)
25 September 2009
NEW BEDFORD -- When a crime involving a firearm is committed, people focus their attention on the shooter. Rarely is thought given to how the criminal got the illegal gun in the first place. A workshop Thursday evening at Our Lady of the Assumption Church tried to change that. The "Traffick Jam," as the event was called, was organized by Citizens for Safety, an organization that strives to "keep guns out of the hands of criminals... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Buys 9 Billion Bullets as 'Obama Effect' Drives Fearful Gun Owners
Associated Press
23 September 2009
NEW ORLEANS -- Bullet-makers are working around the clock, seven days a week, and still can't keep up with the nation's demand for ammunition. Shooting ranges, gun dealers and bullet manufacturers say they have never seen such shortages. Bullets, especially for handguns, have been scarce for months because gun enthusiasts are stocking up on ammo, in part because they fear President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US Feds Rubbish Tennessee Attempt to Exempt Guns from Federal Law
Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
23 September 2009
NASHVILLE -- The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has told Tennessee gun dealers to disregard a state statute that exempts firearms made and sold inside Tennessee from federal gun laws and registration. The ATF says the federal laws still apply regardless of the state's move. The Tennessee legislature considered and approved several bills this year to reduce restrictions on firearms, including... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
America's Year-long Gun and Bullet-buying 'Obama Surge' Tapers Off
Wall Street Journal
21 September 2009
While a remarkable surge that began late last year is starting to ease, Americans' demand for firearms and ammunition -- driven largely by economic concerns and the fear of new regulations -- remains brisk as double-digit sales increases continue to fill the financial coffers of gun and ammo makers alike. In August, the number of background checks performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Instant Criminal Background Check... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, United States
Kalashnikov Faces Bankruptcy as Knock-offs Outsell AK-47s Ten to One
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
21 September 2009
For years, the AK-47 assault rifle has been the world's most popular weapon, the gun of choice for dictators, gang members and Third World revolutionaries. But the global recession and a proliferation of copycats has left the Russian maker of the Kalashnikov, OAO Izhmash, in financial turmoil. Monday, a court in Russia said it will consider a bankruptcy application filed against Izhmash by a supplier owed more than $13-million... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Smith & Wesson Donates Hundreds of Handguns for 'Bragging Rights'
WFMY-TV CBS News (North Carolina)
18 September 2009
GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Local deputies are getting hundreds of free weapons from a gun company. Smith and Wesson will provide the Guilford County Sheriff's office with the guns at no cost. All Guilford County deputies will carry new guns by the end of the year. Smith and Wesson is giving new guns and holsters, replacing ones made by Glock. "We're trading one for one," said Lt. Randy Shepherd, with... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Surprise Winner of Obama Stimulus Spending: America's Gun Industry
Christian Science Monitor
11 September 2009
ATLANTA -- Many gun-loving Americans are convinced that President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress are bent on ripping rifles from their "cold, dead hands," as actor Charlton Heston once declared at a National Rifle Association meeting. But from the perspective of police departments -- not to mention gunmakers -- the Obama administration may go down as one of the most gun-friendly in history. Across America, police departments... ( gunpolicy.org )
Austria, United States, Luxembourg
Gaston Glock May Have Made Misleading Statements Under Oath in US
Business Week (USA)
10 September 2009
Apparent discrepancies in how Gaston Glock has described ownership of his gun company and its affiliates suggest that the Austrian industrialist may have made misleading statements under oath in U.S. legal proceedings. The seeming inconsistencies appeared when BusinessWeek compared documents submitted on behalf of Gaston Glock to a court in Luxembourg with statements he made during depositions in product liability suits against... ( gunpolicy.org )
Austria, United States
Glock Documents Reveal US Police Gun Maker Knew of Safety Problems
Business Week (USA)
10 September 2009
Glock markets its weapons as "safe action pistols." But internal company documents reviewed by BusinessWeek -- and reported here for the first time -- reveal that in the late 1990s, company employees in the U.S. expressed concern about the safe performance of the Glock 22, a model commonly used by American police officers. If these documents had surfaced in injury lawsuits filed over the years against Glock, they could have created... ( gunpolicy.org )
Austria, United States
Glock's Secret Path to Profits: Handgun Maker's Troubling Tale of Intrigue
Business Week (USA) Cover Story
10 September 2009
Gaston Glock, an Austrian manufacturer of shovels and knives, had an improbable dream: He would make a fortune selling handguns in America. In the early 1980s, Glock, a self-taught firearm designer, produced an innovative pistol for the Austrian military. He then devised a plan for promoting his invention in the U.S., the world's richest gun market. First, he'd persuade American police they needed a lightweight weapon with more ammunition... ( gunpolicy.org )
Austria, United States
Timeline: A Gunmaker's Progress. Major Events in the History of Glock
Business Week (USA)
10 September 2009
1963 Glock organized in Austria to make metal and plastic products 1970 Manufacturer adds military and police items, such as knives and grenades 1982 Glock receives a contract to make a new service pistol for the Austrian army 1986 U.S. approves Glock for pistol imports; an American unit opens in Smyrna, Ga. 1987 Charles Ewert begins work with Gaston Glock on international corporate... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
Police Admit Failure as Philippine Gun Amnesty Falters in Cebu
Cebu Daily News
9 September 2009
SENIOR Supt. Jesus Gaquing, Cebu provincial police director, yesterday admitted that the police were faring poorly in the campaign against loose firearms. He said the police were only able to seize 51 unlicensed firearms in August, way below the target of 300. Gaquing held a command conference yesterday with the chiefs of police of municipalities and component cities. Police have two programs for loose firearms:... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Louisiana Holds '2nd Amendment Weekend' Sales Tax Holiday for Guns
Los Angeles Times
5 September 2009
ATLANTA -- Happy 2nd Amendment Weekend Sales Tax Holiday, everyone! An observance of that name is underway this weekend in Louisiana, thanks to a law signed by Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal in July. It decrees that each year, on the first Friday through Sunday in September, shoppers in the Bayou State shall be exempt from paying state or local taxes on firearms, ammunition or hunting supplies. The law was sponsored by state... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Anti-tax Lobby Slams Louisiana Gun, Ammo Sales Tax Holiday 'Gimmick'
Times-Picayune (Louisiana)
4 September 2009
On the eve of Louisiana's inaugural sales-tax holiday for guns and ammunition, which starts today and runs through Sunday, some unlikely critics emerged to assail the program. During a phone conference on Thursday, officials with the Tax Foundation, a Washington group that advocates lower taxes, called the holiday a "political gimmick" meant to promote gun ownership. "This is an inappropriate use of the tax code," said... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Louisiana Debuts Tax-free Shopping to Boost Gun, Ammunition Sales
Associated Press
4 September 2009
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Paul McCrory won't go deer hunting until November, but Louisiana's new "sales tax holiday" on hunting equipment makes this weekend his best opportunity to shop for bullets and a new rifle. Gun shop owners report customers like McCrory are enthusiastically planning to stock up on bullets, shells, shotguns, rifles and handguns -- all of which will be sold without the 6 percent state sales tax or local sales... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine, United Kingdom, Africa
UK Investigates Murky AK-47 Deal Linking Ukraine, Mystery African Nation
Kyiv Post (Ukraine)
3 September 2009
Once again, nation's reputation takes a hit after arms allegedly end up in an outlaw African nation facing an international arms embargo. The United Kingdom government is investigating a British arms broker in a sale of light arms originating from Ukraine to an undisclosed country under international embargo. Although no claims have been filed against Ukraine so far, the country is implicated in improper licensing procedures of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Indonesia, Philippines, Mali
Indonesia Govt Gun Maker Probed Over Mystery Guns to Philippines, Mali
Antara News (Indonesia)
1 September 2009
JAKARTA -- The Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN) will investigate state-owned weapon factory PT Pindad in the wake of its arms sales now being confiscated in the Philippines. "The investigation will be carried out to assure whether or not there is irregularity in the sales of arms produced by Pindad," BUMN Minister Sofyan Djalil said on Monday. Last Thursday, Philippine customs officers detained Panama-registered cargo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Indonesia, Philippines, Mali
Indonesian Govt-made Assault Rifles 'Disappear' Transiting Philippines
Antara News
1 September 2009
JAKARTA -- The Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN) will investigate state-owned weapon factory PT Pindad in the wake of its arms sales now being confiscated in the Philippines. "The investigation will be carried out to assure whether or not there is irregularity in the sales of arms produced by Pindad," BUMN Minister Sofyan Djalil said on Monday. Last Thursday, Philippine customs officers detained Panama-registered cargo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines, Indonesia, Mali
Philippines Intercepts Shipment of Assault Rifles 'From Indonesia to Mali'
Jakarta Globe
30 August 2009
The recent seizure by Philippine customs officers of a cargo vessel carrying firearms manufactured in Indonesia is raising more questions than answers in both countries, with Indonesia questioning the motives for the bust and a lawmaker calling for answers from the central government. Military Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said over the weekend that PT Pindad, the state-owned military equipment manufacturer, had been authorized to export... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
To Meet 'Skyrocketing' Demand, US Will Sell 9.5 Billion Bullets This Year
Los Angeles Times
30 August 2009
There's a bull market for bullets. Stacks of ammo, once piled high at gun shops across America, have dwindled. Prices paid by consumers for much-sought-after Winchester .380-caliber handgun bullets have doubled. At weekend gun shows, trailers loaded with boxes of ammunition are drained within hours. Budget-pressed police departments, which can't be caught short, have increased their orders just to be safe, and the U.S.... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Illegal Gun Manufacturing, Arms Trafficking Prompts Debate in Bangalore
Deccan Herald
27 August 2009
BANGALORE -- The State administration has identified five districts where arms are not only manufactured illegally but constitute nodal points in a thriving and expanding inter-state trade in illicit weapons and ammunition -- issues that have larger internal security implications. The five districts are Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum, Mangalore, Bellary and Kodagu. Top police sources said that the decision to identify the districts followed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
US 'Tractor Country,' 'Mormon Outposts' Create 'Obama Sale Gun Bubble'
Christian Science Monitor / Patchwork Nation, Blog
26 August 2009
Even in down economic times, there are winners. Amid the rubble of failed companies, there are bright spots. In 2009, some of the highest wattage has come from weapons manufacturers. Earlier this month, Alliant Techsystems Inc., a major ammunition manufacturer, predicted higher profits for 2009 than previously expected. A rise in gun sales, and in applications for concealed-weapon permits, has been detailed in numerous stories --... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Group Pushes Court to Exempt Montana Firearms from Federal Law
Helena Independent Record (Montana)
25 August 2009
A prominent Montana gun-rights group has partnered with a national organization to test federal authority over a new class of firearms: guns manufactured and used solely in the state of Montana. The Montana Shooting Sports Association, headquartered in Missoula, and the Second Amendment Foundation, of Bellevue, Wash., announced Friday they intend to file a federal lawsuit Oct. 1 to prevent federal gun control laws from being enforced... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Minister Pleads with Ghana Blacksmiths to Make Nuts & Bolts, Not Guns
Ghana News Agency
22 August 2009
KUMASI -- Dr. Kwasi Apea-Kubi, Deputy Minister of the Interior, has expressed concern about the production of illegal firearms by some blacksmiths and said this was fuelling armed robberies, communal conflicts, and chieftaincy disputes. He has, therefore, warned offenders to stop the activity and rather concentrate on making positive contributions towards the socio-economic development of Ghana. Dr Apea-Kubi was addressing members... ( gunpolicy.org )
Central America, South America
Small Arms in Latin America in the Aftermath of the NACLA Study
Council on Hemispheric Affairs (Washington, DC), Web page
18 August 2009
According to the World Health Organization, gun-related fatalities are the leading cause of death among Latin Americans between ages 15 and 44. Overall, gunshot wounds kill between 73,000 and 90,000 people annually in Latin America, demonstrating that the region is inundated with fire-arms. In fact, the North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) claims in its major groundbreaking study that there are at least 45 million to 80 million... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Support US Veterans' Families, Educate a Marine: 'Buy an AK-47*' Promo
New York Times / At War, Blog
18 August 2009
You read that right. This week Arsenal Inc., an American manufacturer of Kalashnikov-style rifles, is beginning a promotion that will use proceeds from gun sales to try raising $250,000 to help families of American service members killed or wounded overseas. For at least several weeks, for every Kalashnikov that Arsenal sells, the company pledges to donate $50 to New England Warrior, a small nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fear of Obama, Crime Spurred 12-mth US Gun Sale Boom, Now Slowing
Associated Press
14 August 2009
NEW YORK -- U.S. sales of handguns, which surged after Barack Obama won the presidential election, appear to be cooling off, a Wall Street analyst said Friday. The number of FBI background checks of potential buyers last month climbed 8 percent over the year-earlier level, marking a continued slowdown from April when the FBI recorded a 30 percent year-over-year increase in the number of checks, CL King analyst Jim Barrett said.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Heckler & Koch Shut Out of Victoria Police Tender for 10,000 Handguns
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
13 August 2009
Victoria Police has been warned its $18 million tender process to re-arm officers with semi-automatic guns is flawed and may endanger members. German gun giant Heckler & Koch alleges the process is rigged by police officials to give Smith & Wesson's cheaper alternative an advantage in the battle to provide more than 10,000 guns. It comes just weeks after the Office of Police Integrity accused Victoria Police of neglecting... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Handgun Ammunition Microstamping Law Hits Snags, Delays in California
San Diego Union-Tribune (California)
10 August 2009
SACRAMENTO -- Two years after California passed a novel law requiring the next generation of semiautomatic handguns to leave a microscopic identifying code on shell casings, the controversial technology appears no closer to being introduced here or anywhere else. California Attorney General Jerry Brown has not certified the law, which is required before it can take effect as scheduled on Jan. 1, and his aides could not say when... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Insecurity Generates High Demand for Guns in Pakistan's Arms Bazaar
Islam Online (Qatar)
26 July 2009
PESHAWAR -- Darra Adamkhel, a small, dusty town that consists of one main street with some alleys all lined with shops and workshops, is one of the most famous and unique bazaars in Pakistan and its restive tribal belt. It is the place where anyone can buy weapons made by the local population who are able to manufacture exact replicas of any kind of gun in the world. "We can copy any kind of arms, even a rocket launcher,"... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Boston Herald Ditches Classifieds Which Aid Interstate Gun Traffickers
Boston Globe
24 July 2009
In Maine, Uncle Henry's Swap or Sell it Guide is best known as a folksy compendium of thrift: a cheap way to buy puppies and snowmobiles directly from their owners. But in Boston's inner-city neighborhoods, the classified ad catalog's firearm section -- a black-and-white list of AK-47s, Rugers, and Glocks -- serves as another link in the illegal gun trafficking chain, according to community activists. Next week, the pastel-colored... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
New York Law Would Microstamp Handgun Ammunition, Catch Criminals
Capital 9 TV News (New York)
21 July 2009
ALBANY, New York -- "You have to make a small step to protect," said Glynn Jones, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. "You got 20,000 to 30,000 laws on the books now! Incrementalism is eroding our Constitution," said gun owner Harry Feineis. Inside the Legislative Office Building in Albany, debate continues over gun control. "How much more do you want to go?" asked Feineis. Only moments after, state legislators... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Congo (DRC)
Zimbabwe, Congo Fuelling Gun, Ammo Trafficking in East, Central Africa
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
21 July 2009
Arms and ammunition manufactured in Zimbabwe could be finding its way to Western markets, despite sanctions on President Robert Mugabe's government, according to a new international report. Zimbabwe -- Arms and Corruption: Fuelling Human Rights Abuses, prepared by conflict researchers International Peace Information Service (IPIS), states that Mugabe is still able to profit from an arms trade that includes agents from Europe and... ( gunpolicy.org )
China
China Seizes 19,000 Guns, 39,000 Imitation Guns in 'Stability Drive'
Xinhua
20 July 2009
BEIJING -- Chinese police have confiscated 19,000 guns and close to 500 tonnes of explosives in a crackdown on explosive and gun-related crimes in the last four months, the Ministry of Public Security announced here Monday. More than 5,200 people in connection with illegal production and sales of explosives and gun-related crimes were arrested during the campaign, which started in March and ends on Oct. 31, the ministry said on... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Brazil
'Aggressive Incentives' Lure Brazilian Gun Maker from Florida to Georgia
Atlanta Business Chronicle
17 July 2009
A Miami-based small-arms manufacturer has Georgia in its sights for a corporate relocation that would create up to 300 jobs. Taurus USA is also eyeing locations in Alabama, South Carolina and Brevard County, Fla., for the up to $20 million investment. If Taurus relocated to Georgia from its Hialeah, Fla., location, it would locate manufacturing, distribution and corporate jobs in an up to 125,000-square-foot facility. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Firearm Owners, Dealers, Advocates Attribute US Gun Sale Boom to Fear
Sacramento Bee (California)
13 July 2009
Gun sales in Sacramento County have grown more than in any other populous county in California since November, according to the state attorney general's office. From November 2008 to May 2009, gun dealers in Sacramento County sold nearly 5,000 more guns than they did in the same period last year, an increase of 40 percent, statistics from the state Bureau of Firearms show. The state increase in gun sales averaged 32 percent.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Gun Sales Soar in America Amid Fear of Obama, Assault Weapon Ban
Telegraph (UK)
11 July 2009
MEMPHIS -- President Barack Obama may never have fired a gun but he is turning out to be one of the best firearms salesmen in American history. "I've sold probably four times as much in the last six months as I have in 20 years combined," said Cliff Hunter, owner of Tommy Bronson Sporting Goods in Memphis. "Hand guns and the tactical weapons, they're absolutely off the charts." Most of his gun sales used to be for hunting,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
Permissive US Gun Laws Support 28 Percent Rise in Global Gun Sales
Bloomberg (USA)
9 July 2009
Permissive U.S. gun controls rewarded pistol, shotgun and sniper-rifle manufacturers worldwide after Americans spent more on buying and selling weapons than anyone else on earth, the Small Arms Survey said. The U.S. exported around 22 percent and imported around 27 percent of the world's small arms, light weapons and ammunition between 2000 and 2006, the Geneva-based group said today in its 344-page "Small Arms Survey 2009." The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
UN Report Cites Ghana as Major Illegal Gun Maker, Weapon Exporter
Joy Online (Ghana)
8 July 2009
A security analyst at the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Aning says the proliferation of small arms in the country have been necessitated by a mix of poverty, youth unemployment and political manipulations. He also believes the police and other security agencies have been ineffective in clamping down on the illegal acquisition of weapons. Dr Aning was responding to a United Nations report on drugs and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Austria, Croatia, United Nations
US Demand for Handguns Drives 28 Percent Jump in World Gun Trade
Associated Press
8 July 2009
GENEVA -- American demand for handguns has fueled a 28 percent jump this decade in world exports of pistols, rifles, shotguns and other small arms, a global report said Thursday. The 2009 Small Arms Survey reported that the Untied States alone was responsible for about half of the worldwide increase in legal international gun sales between 2000 and 2006. The U.S. now accounts for over half of the world's imports of pistols and revolvers... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Fear Over Obama's Gun Laws Sparks Massive Rush to Pack a Pistol
Sunday Herald (Scotland)
7 July 2009
NEW YORK -- Last summer, the National Rifle Association ran adverts claiming that Barack Obama would "ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns" if elected. The campaign didn't do much for John McCain, but in every other respect it has been wildly successful: NRA membership is up 30% and gun control has disappeared from the administration's list of priorities. Americans have gone on an extraordinary gun-buying spree.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana, United Nations
Ghana Backs Global Gun Trade Treaty to Curb African Arms Trafficking
Ghana News Agency
7 July 2009
Mr Cletus Avoka, Minister for the Interior, on Tuesday said Ghana had a moral obligation to support other states on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that would ensure responsibility and fairness in the import, export, trans-shipment and transit of conventional weapons. He said that support would also ensure the guarantee of human rights including the economic, political and social rights of persons around the world. In a speech... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Colt Loses Monopoly on M4 Assault Rifle, US Army Takes Design Rights
Army Times (USA)
6 July 2009
As of July 1, the Army has taken control of the design rights to the M4 carbine from its sole maker, Colt Defense LLC. Translation: With an uncertain budget looming, the service is free to give other gun companies a crack at a carbine contract. The transition of ownership of the M4 technical data package marks the end of an era and Colt's exclusive status as the only manufacturer of the M4 for the U.S. military for the past 15 years.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Scotland
Newspaper Claims to Ensnare 'Scotland's Top Gangland Gun Dealer'
Sunday Mail (Scotland)
5 July 2009
An ex-squaddie is Scotland's number one arms dealer fuelling a rising tide of gun violence on the street. The former soldier yesterday admitted acting as an armourer to crime families across the country. The 46-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made his admission after being caught on video offering to sell guns to an undercover Sunday Mail reporter following a six-month investigation. He also said... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Gun Industry 'No Longer Capable of Making Rifles to Arm Own Troops'
Sunday Express (UK)
5 July 2009
Three proud centuries of tradition have come to an end with the revelation that Britain is no longer capable of making rifles to arm its own troops. Instead, experts believe, all European armies will one day be using the same type of weapons. The news, branded a national disgrace by one critic, comes after a warning that Britain is in danger of overspending on defence. The nation has been at the forefront of the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Saudi Arabia
Canadians Caught Off Guard by Mystery $1.2m Gun Sale to Saudi Arabia
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
4 July 2009
Local politicians and peace advocates are chagrined that Manitoba is selling guns to Saudi Arabia, one of the most authoritarian countries in the world. "I think a Canadian company exporting small arms to the Middle East is a disgrace," said Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Pat Martin. "Arms dealers fuel conflicts, plain and simple, and God knows what violence the Saudis are sponsoring this month." Federal trade and export data shows... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Saudi Arabia
Manitoba's Mystery Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia 'A Disgrace': Critics
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
4 July 2009
WINNIPEG -- Politicians and peace advocates say they're ashamed that Manitoba is selling guns to Saudi Arabia, one of the most authoritarian countries in the world. "I think a Canadian company exporting small arms to the Middle East is a disgrace," said Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Pat Martin. "Arms dealers fuel conflicts, plain and simple, and God knows what violence the Saudis are sponsoring this month." Federal trade and export... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Saudi Arabia
Canada Sends $1.2m in Guns to Saudi Arabia in Mysterious, Secret Sale
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
2 July 2009
WINNIPEG -- Manitoba exported a cache of guns worth $1.2 million to Saudi Arabia last year, but the federal government won't say who sold them, who bought them, or what they were used for. According to international-trade data available on the Industry Canada website, Manitoba exported a total of $3.1 million in "arms and ammunition" to foreign countries last year. That could include anything from flame-throwers to shotgun cartridges... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine
Ukraine Sold Arms Worth About $800 Million in 2008, Says State Agency
Interfax-AVN Military News Agency (Russia) / Segodnya
2 July 2009
KYIV -- Ukraine gained about $800 million in arms trade in 2008, UkrSpetsStroy Director General Serhiy Bondarchuk said in an interview posted by the Thursday issue of the Segodnya newspaper. "Arms exports were worth of $700 million in 2007 and about $800 million in 2008, as compared to $400 million in 2004," he said. Ukraine has made a breakthrough in arms trade geography, Bondarchuk said. He referred to the recently signed... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Firearm Sales Slow as US 'Paranoia' Over Obama, Gun Control Subside
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
29 June 2009
A gun-buying boom in the United States, prompted by worries that the new administration might move to restrict firearms purchases, could be coming to an end. There has been a surge in firearm sales since Barack Obama was elected last fall, apparently buoyed by fears that the new President's administration would launch restrictive gun laws -- unthinkable to millions of citizens in a country whose Constitution preserves the right... ( gunpolicy.org )
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