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American gun maker, firearms in mass media
Gun Makers Rush to Loophole, Subvert California Assault Rifle Ban
1 May 2012
CBS News (USA)
SAN FRANCISCO — California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. But one wouldn't know that going to the firing range these days. AR-15s and AK-47s are the must-have guns of choice. How can that be?
Every time California tightens up the assault weapons ban, the gun industry finds a way around it. The latest example involves a tiny device.
John Largaespada loves his AR-15 and goes to the range every week to fire it. And he's got plenty of company.... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owner Smuggled Assault Weapon Parts from US to Australia - Cops
14 April 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Gun parts which could be assembled to make a military assault rifle similar to that used in the Port Arthur massacre have been removed from the streets of Sydney in the latest police raid and crackdown on illegal weapons.
The illegally imported parts, which slipped into the country through Australia Post, were uncovered on Thursday when detectives raided a property near Port Macquarie and another owned by the same man in Sydney's south.
Among the large cache of... (GunPolicy.org)
11,000 Licensed Guns 'Missing' in South Australia
7 April 2012
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Almost 11,000 licensed firearms have reportedly gone "missing" in South Australia over the past decade.
Among the 10,879 weapons are semi-automatic rifles, pump-action shotguns, pistols and antique guns, SA Police figures reveal.
Firearms classified as missing include those that are lost, unaccounted for from deceased estates, where the licence holder can't be located, firearms destroyed by the owner, or destroyed by other means such as flood and fire.
The figures -... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Makers' Share Values Rise on Strong Demand, Fear of Obama
22 March 2012
Reuters
Gun maker Sturm Ruger & Co Inc's (RGR.N) shares rose to a life-high on Thursday, after the company said demand was rising so fast that it was suspending new orders until May.
Sturm Ruger said on Wednesday that it has received orders for more than one million guns for the first quarter and it could not keep up with demand despite increased production.
The spike in demand comes in an election year when fears of gun control regulations resurface.
In 2009, gun sales had... (GunPolicy.org)
Why More Americans Carry Hidden Handguns in Public Places - Feature
11 March 2012
Christian Science Monitor
Leaning against a scrub pine as preschoolers scurry about at his feet, Shane Gazda, father of 3-year-old twins, recalls a conundrum he faced earlier that morning: whether to take his Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun to a Groundhog Day celebration in this town's White Deer Park.
After all, what was once against the law in North Carolina – carrying a concealed gun in a town park, square, or greenway – is now, as of Dec. 1, 2011, very much allowed. To Mr. Gazda, who... (GunPolicy.org)
Glock: The Rise of America's Favourite Handgun
27 January 2012
New York Times, Book review
You rarely pull a gun to start a conversation, but when I recently told an in-law that I was writing about Glock pistols, he improvised a research project. Reaching beneath his jacket, he quickly unholstered, unloaded and handed me his Glock 9 millimeter — this was in Kentucky, land of permissive concealed-carry laws. "I always carry this, and I always will," he said before giving me a primer that could have been used in a promotional video for both the pistol and... (GunPolicy.org)
Thailand's Lethal Fascination with Firearms [Espanol]
18 January 2012
ABC News (Spain) / EFE
[Translated summary: According to data from the United Nations, firearms are used in 80% of homicides committed in Thailand, a percentage that is almost hand in hand with nations such as South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, or the United States.]
BANGKOK - La fascinación de los tailandeses por las armas de fuego, de las que hay 15 por cada 100 habitantes, hace que Tailandia sea uno de los países con un mayor promedio de homicidios cometidos por gente propensa... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Europe,United States,Thailand
Firearms Only for the Rich: Bangkok Guns 'Like a Louis Vuitton for Guys'
2 January 2012
CNN
If you have an itchy trigger finger while visiting Thailand it may be difficult to purchase a gun, but wealthy foreigners and Thais who live here can now enjoy their weapon of choice thanks to the recent lifting of a ban imposed in Bangkok last year.
Tourists can, however, buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where the vast majority of Bangkok's... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Group Raises $200 Million a Year, Aims to Unseat Obama
29 December 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
A toaster that burns the National Rifle Association's logo onto bread fetched $650 at an auction last month, just one reflection of the money-making power in the gun group's brand.
The NRA, which began as a grassroots organization dedicated to teaching marksmanship, enters the 2012 election season as a lobbying, merchandising and marketing machine that brings in more than $200 million a year and intends to help unseat the incumbent president. From 2004 to 2010, the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Handgun Production, Imports Double in 4 Years: Women Lead Trend?
11 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald, Bloomberg (USA)
NEW YORK -- Robin Natanel picks up a compact black pistol, barrel pointed down range. Gripping the gun with both hands, left foot forward, she raises the semi-automatic and methodically squeezes off five shots. The first one creases the left edge of a red bull's-eye on a target 7.5 metres away. The four others paint a 7.5-centimetre pattern around the first. If the target were a person's head or heart, he would probably be dead.
Natanel is a Buddhist, a self-avowed... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Afghanistan,United States
Conspiracists Chatter as Secretive US Company Buys Up Gun, Ammo Makers
26 November 2011
New York Times
SCARBOROUGH, Me. - Lined up in a gun rack beneath mounted deer heads is a Bushmaster Carbon 15, a matte-black semiautomatic rifle that looks as if it belongs to a SWAT team. On another rack rests a Teflon-coated Prairie Panther from DPMS Firearms, a supplier to the United States Border Patrol and security agencies in Iraq. On a third is a Remington 750 Woodsmaster, a popular hunting rifle.
The variety of rifles and shotguns on sale here at Cabela's, the national... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Destroyed in Australian Gun Buybacks Now Replaced with Imports
13 November 2011
ABC Radio National - Background Briefing, Transcript
Gun clubs report lots of new members, hunting is cool, and handguns are gangland chic. The hundreds of thousands of guns destroyed in buybacks since Port Arthur have been more than replaced by new ones. But guns are highly political and the national system for monitoring gun ownership is a mess. Reporter, Ian Townsend.
Ian Townsend: There may be more guns in Australia today than there have ever been. In the past 16 months in Queensland alone, nearly 50,000 guns —... (GunPolicy.org)
Major Seizures of Guns Mainly Firearm Dealer Imports - Australia Customs
14 September 2011
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
December 23, 2008
Sydney
Huge haul of weapons including:
Assault rifles: Steyr F88, Norinco SKS, Marlin 60 and ADI SLR L1A1
Handguns: Beretta 92FS and Remington 870 Wingmaster
Shot guns: Mossberg 500A
Teargas
16cm rifle silencer
Pistol scope
Megatron Transformer
December 8, 2009
Sydney
980 rounds of FMJ green tip M855 Penetrator armour piercing bullets
July 25, 2006
Brisbane
Steyer tactical scout elite .308 calibre rifle, with telescopic sight
May 30,... (GunPolicy.org)
Trinidad: 'For Such a Small Country, a Large Number of Illegal Guns'
12 September 2011
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Nine more guns including a high-powered AK 47 assault rifle, have been recovered by the police within the past three days in various exercises in North, Central and West Trinidad from Friday to yesterday. This brings to 88 the number of guns seized since the start of the State of Emergency (SOE) on August 22.
A nitrogen cannister believed to be used in the manufacturing of silencers for firearms was also recovered and seized. A silencer is a component of a firearm used... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Teens and 2 Men Arrested in Toronto on Firearm and Drug Charges
19 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
TORONTO - Three teens and two adult men were rounded up as Toronto Police used tips from the public to track down four illegal handguns and ammunition at two homes.
Among the accused are a 17-year-old boy who was banned for 10 years by a court from possessing weapons, and a teen who has two separate court-imposed firearm bans, including a life-time ban, police said Monday.
Det. Rick Proctor of 31 Division said a team of detectives and the Gun and Gang Task Force... (GunPolicy.org)
Dutch Mall Shooter Should Not Have Had Gun Permit
11 July 2011
Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A gunman who shot and killed six people in a shopping mall before committing suicide should not have been granted a permit for the three weapons he used, police and prosecutors said Monday.
The April 9 shooting shocked this nation where gun ownership is tightly regulated and mass shootings are a rarity, and sparked a review of weapon permit regulations.
Investigations into the shooting spree concluded that the shooter, 24-year-old Tristan... (GunPolicy.org)
Badly Flawed US Background Check System Fails to Contain Gun Sales
23 June 2011
Center for Public Integrity / iWatch News (USA)
Like many states, Maine depends on the FBI to conduct background checks of people who want to acquire firearms from the state's federally licensed gun dealers.
And like many states, Maine is a slacker in supplying the records that the FBI depends on to run those checks.
That's how Raymond Geisel got his guns, including a Glock Model 17 pistol and a semi-automatic version of the AK-47 assault rifle. Geisel had previously been committed to a psychiatric hospital in... (GunPolicy.org)
Military, Firearm Expert Arrested for Illegal Gun Dealing in Trinidad & Tobago
18 June 2011
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
A highly-trained military operative and gun expert was up to late yesterday being questioned by local police on suspicion of terrorism and illegal arms dealing, after a raid at his Arima house revealed thousands of rounds of ammunition, highly classified documents and several guns. Police say after surveillance for some time by detectives of the Northern Division, the man's house in Santa Rosa was raided at around 4 pm on Thursday. The 68-year-old man, who was born in... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Tough Gun Laws Don't Prevent Criminals from Getting Guns
6 June 2011
Courier-Mail (Brisbane), Opinion
IT WAS in Austin, Texas, that I once visited a gun fair displaying sufficient weaponry to stage a medium-sized war and all for sale to those citizens claiming their constitutional right to bear arms.
The fair epitomised the US gun culture and laws, laws frequently lampooned by commentators for their laxity, the all-too-frequent random, multiple shootings hailed as proof that liberal gun ownership endangers the lives it is designed to protect.
Perhaps, but in... (GunPolicy.org)
Influence Game: Gun Manufacturers Battling over US Military Rifle Market
25 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
WASHINGTON - For nearly a decade, Colt Defense went without a lobbyist. The legendary gun maker based in West Hartford, Conn., had an exclusive deal to provide combat rifles to the U.S. military and didn't need a hired gun looking out for the company's interests in Washington.
Times have changed. After buying more than 700,000 Colt M4 carbines, the Defense Department has started a search for the rifle's successor, giving Colt's competitors the long-awaited chance to... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Police Officer Charged with Stealing Amnesty Guns in Chicago
13 May 2011
Chicago Sun-Times
A former Clarendon Hills police officer has been charged with stealing guns obtained through a police department weapons turn-in program in 2007.
Daniel M. Ryan, 48, of Westmont, turned himself in Friday morning to the DuPage County Sheriff's office. He posted 10 percent of a $30,000 bond set by Judge Robert Kleeman, according to a release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's office.
He will appear in court next on June 14 before Judge Daniel Guerin to face two... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Dealer Boasts He can't Keep Up with Demand in Lebanon
22 April 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The Beiruti arms dealer Abu Jihad is more than an hour late to our pre-arranged meeting.
"I'm very sorry for the delay," says the balding father of four when he finally appears. "On the way here I made an unexpected sale. Two M16s."
Wearing green camouflage pants and a black parka, Abu Jihad sits down and reaches for the Smith & Wesson revolver strapped to his ankle. "I normally carry three weapons," he says, emptying the revolver of its bullets and spinning the... (GunPolicy.org)
Victims' Groups Slam South Australia Police Handgun Exports to America
16 April 2011
Advertiser (Adelaide)
An SA Police deal to sell its second-hand guns to the American public has outraged victims' groups.
It flies in the face of Australia's laws aimed at preventing gun-related violence, victims' groups say.
The deal, struck in April 2008, means 2405 Smith & Wesson .357 revolvers were traded in after police changed to the new Smith & Wesson M&P40 semi-automatic pistols, retailing for $US569 ($540).
The guns were traded-in to maker Smith & Wesson, which then on-sells the... (GunPolicy.org)
Should Australian Police be Contributing to the Gun Death Toll in the USA?
14 April 2011
Croakey / Crikey (Australia), Blog
Should Australia be contributing to the gun toll in the USA?
It's a timely question for the Defence Export Control Office in the Department of Defence in Canberra, says Adjunct Associate Professor Philip Alpers, of GunPolicy.org at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney.
Philip Alpers writes:
If Canberra follows precedent, around 10,000 surplus Australian police firearms will soon be for sale in pawn shops and gun shops across the United States.
To... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Used Australian Police Guns Headed for US Streets – Again
14 April 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Almost 10,000 Australian police-issue handguns will flood the American secondary arms market after two state police departments opted to trade in their old weapons rather than have them destroyed.
The Australian has learned that Victoria and South Australia struck deals with weapons manufacturer Smith & Wesson to export their surplus weapons to the US to reduce the cost of upgrading to semi-automatic pistols.
While NSW and the Australian Federal Police destroyed their... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Gun Owners, Dealers, Gun Shows Fuel Minneapolis Gun Violence
22 March 2011
Minnesota Public Radio, Transcript
MINNEAPOLIS — In January 2010, three men were gunned down during an apparent robbery attempt at the Seward Market in south Minneapolis. One of the victims worked at the store. The second victim was the clerk's cousin who stopped by to chat. The third was a man who just happened to walk in at the wrong time.
The report from the police homicide investigation shows that five shell casings found at the crime scene likely match a test casing provided by the maker of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Thieves Lift 3 Guns from 3 Stalls in Same Day at North Carolina Gun Show
22 March 2011
Hickory Daily Record (North Carolina)
HICKORY - Thieves walked away with three stolen guns from last weekend's C&E Gun Show at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.
Two handguns were reported stolen Saturday at about 11:30 a.m.
One was a Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special model .38 special worth an estimated $575. A 72-year-old Hickory man was selling the gun from his private collection, according to the police report.
It was on display on his table. When he finished helping a customer, the revolver was... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Endless Romance Firearms: Guns are Seductive and Addictive
20 February 2011
Guardian (UK)
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.
– John Wayne in The Shootist
Although very rusty, I'm range-qualified on the M-1 rifle, .30-calibre carbine, recoil-less rocket-propelled anti-tank weapon (bazooka), .30- and .50-calibre machine guns, M-2 flamethrower, Thompson "Tommy" submachinegun (beloved of Dillinger-era movies), and the Browning M1911 automatic –... (GunPolicy.org)
The Rich, the Famous, the Armed - Famous New York Gun Owners Named
20 February 2011
New York Times
Men and women. Democrats and Republicans. Doctors, lawyers, merchants and moguls. A remarkable, if relatively small, cross-section of New Yorkers legally own handguns, according to public records obtained by The New York Times.
Among the more than 37,000 people licensed to have a handgun in the city are dozens of boldface names and public figures: prominent business leaders, elected officials, celebrities, journalists, judges and lawyers.
Some expressed pride in... (GunPolicy.org)
Tucson Shooting Not Cooling Western Arms Ardor as Utah Plans State Gun
18 February 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
Lawmakers from Arizona to Wyoming, the mountain region of Western movies and home to four of the five fastest-growing states, are moving forward with gun laws that would be among the nation's most permissive, undeterred by the shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
Arizona, where the shooting took place last month, is considering a proposal to allow firearms on college campuses. Wyoming's Senate passed a bill to authorize residents to carry concealed... (GunPolicy.org)
Undercover Agents Once Again Expose Gun Show Loophole in US Law
31 January 2011
Guardian (UK)
Undercover investigators have exposed the ease with which high-powered guns can be bought in the US, purchasing the same type of pistol used in the Tucson massacre just two weeks later in a neighbouring city – with no questions asked.
New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, sent a team of undercover agents to the Crossroads of the West gun show in Phoenix, Arizona, just 120 miles away from the scene of the Tucson shooting. There, on 23 January, they bought a Glock 9mm... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Gun Dealers Still Sell Semi-automatics Without Background Checks
30 January 2011
New York Daily News
The Tucson massacre that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others did not stop Arizona gun dealers from selling high-powered semiautomatics last week to buyers who said they couldn't pass background checks.
The sales were captured on undercover video by private detectives working for Mayor Bloomberg's crusade against illegal guns. The detectives went to the Crossroads of the West gun show in Phoenix on Jan.23 to expose the deadly loopholes in America's gun... (GunPolicy.org)
In an Ocean of Firearms at World's Largest Gun Show, Tucson Is Far Away
20 January 2011
New York Times
LAS VEGAS — In a sea of rifles, handguns, knives and ammunition, thousands of gun enthusiasts gathered here Wednesday for the annual Shot Show, the nation's largest gun trade show, where the convention's sponsors decried gun laws and said there was something else to blame for the Jan. 8 deadly shooting rampage in Tucson: the mental health system.
The Shot Show sponsors as well as several exhibitors and others attending the sprawling event rejected suggestions of a... (GunPolicy.org)
World's Largest Firearm Expo Opens in Vegas Amid National Gun Debate
19 January 2011
Canadian Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Beneath the gold-flecked chandeliers and classical murals in the gilded meeting rooms of the Venetian hotel and casino, the mighty $28 billion-a-year firearms industry opened one of it's most opulent annual shows Tuesday.
Industry members networked while catching up on the newest weapons and gun gear from 16,000 vendors spread across more than 630,000 square feet (58,530 square meters). That there are renewed calls for tougher gun restrictions... (GunPolicy.org)
Vegas Gun Show Patrons Say Firearm Limits Wrong Response to Tucson
19 January 2011
Washington Post
LAS VEGAS - Since the Jan. 8 shooting rampage in Tucson, gun-control advocates have called for greater restrictions on firearms. But here at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, where the world's largest annual gun trade show opened this week, firearms industry representatives say that would be a misguided response to the crime that killed six people and wounded 13 others.
The more than 55,000 attendees from the United States and 100 other countries are focused on... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Shootings Add to Notoriety, Desirability of Glock Semi-auto Pistol
15 January 2011
New York Times
New York City police officers carry Glock pistols, and rappers wax eloquent about them. Movie stars brandish Glocks, too.
"Get yourself a Glock and lose that nickel-plated sissy pistol," Tommy Lee Jones said in the 1998 movie "U.S. Marshals."
When Saddam Hussein was captured in a hole in the ground in Iraq, soldiers found his Glock pistol inside. It was later presented to President George W. Bush, who displayed it in the Oval Office as a treasured souvenir.... (GunPolicy.org)
How Glock Became Weapon of Choice for Cops, Gun Hobbyists and Killers
13 January 2011
Business Week / Bloomberg (USA)
For all the anguish and outcry in the days after a community college dropout named Jared Loughner allegedly sprayed a Tucson crowd with 33 bullets from a semiautomatic pistol, one response was notably absent: any sense that America's latest shooting spree, which killed six people and wounded 14, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, would bring new restrictions on the right to own or carry large-capacity, rapid-fire weapons.
The gun control debate has vanished... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Rampage Handgun's Reputation Built on Style, Ease of Use
12 January 2011
Wall Street Journal
Police and gun dealers say Glock semiautomatic pistols, including the lightweight model allegedly used in the Tucson rampage last weekend, are among the most popular firearms in the U.S. because they are easy to use, reliable and accurate.
"The Glock is a very popular weapon, generally not only with the law enforcement but with civilians," said James Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents about 330,000 street-level officers. "It's... (GunPolicy.org)
How a 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' Became the US Handgun of Choice
10 January 2011
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
WASHINGTON - Is there a good reason to have 33 bullets loaded in a handgun?
This is the question being asked in the wake of the shooting of Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Ariz. over the weekend. The suspect, Jared Loughner, allegedly used a high-capacity 33-round magazine in his Glock-19 pistol. Without the need to reload as quickly, the shooter was able to effectively hold bystanders at bay, keeping them from intervening until 20 people had already been... (GunPolicy.org)
In Mexico, Only One Gun Store But No Dearth of Firearms, Armed Violence
29 December 2010
Washington Post
MEXICO CITY - In all of Mexico, there is only one gun store. The shop, known officially as the Directorate of Arms and Munitions Sales, is operated by the Mexican military. The clerks wear pressed green camouflage. They are soldiers.
The only gun store in Mexico is not very busy.
To go shopping for a gun in Mexico, customers must come to Mexico City - even if they live 1,300 miles away in Ciudad Juarez. To gain entry to the store, which is on a secure military base,... (GunPolicy.org)
16 Guns Stolen from Michigan Gun Owner 10yrs Ago Still Surface in Crime
15 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
KENT COUNTY — Nearly 10 years ago, burglars smashed a window at Johnnie Jones' Rockford-area business. As burglaries go, they hit the jackpot.
Sixteen guns were taken, including a couple of .357-caliber Rugers, a .44-caliber Magnum Smith & Wesson, and a 12-shot .380-caliber Grendel semi-automatic.
One turned up in 2005, when a Mason County man who bought the firearm at a gun show near Saginaw tried to register the weapon. Two years ago, another of the guns was found... (GunPolicy.org)
Violence Runs Rampant as More Texas Guns Traced to Mexico Drug Crime
15 December 2010
Washington Post
No other state has produced more guns seized by police in the brutal Mexican drug wars than Texas. In the Lone Star State, no other city has more guns linked to Mexican crime scenes than Houston. And in the Texas oil town, no single independent dealer stands out more for selling guns traced from south of the border than Bill Carter.
Carter, 76, has operated four Carter's Country stores in the Houston metropolitan area over the past half-century. In the past two years,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Cops Target 'Worst of Worst' Gun Offenders, Federal Charges Rise 73%
14 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
GRAND RAPIDS — His hand on his firearm, Grand Rapids Police Officer Chad McKersie talks to the young driver he has just pulled over for speeding. Nearby, a federal agent scans the car's passengers, his hand near his own gun.
McKersie just tells the driver to slow down.
In this Southeast Side neighborhood troubled by drugs and violence, McKersie keeps watch — and some keep watch on him.
He drives past gang graffiti on buildings and slips through alleys looking for... (GunPolicy.org)
Record 'Time to Crime' as Gun Moves from Michigan Theft to Felon's Death
12 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
LOWELL TOWNSHIP — Until he moved his bedroom furniture, David McClain had no idea his family's three guns were gone.
There were no signs of forced entry. Nothing else was missing.
He called police the next morning, as required by Michigan law.
Less than a month after the Feb. 11 report, his Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic pistol was in the hands of a parolee — pointed at a Grand Rapids police officer.
It is unclear how Gabriel Hood, with a record of armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Gone Bad: How Legal Firearms End Up with Michigan Criminals
12 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
The Grand Rapids Press did a six-month investigation into how legal guns end up in the hands of criminals. It also marks the beginning of a partnership with Silent Observer to get illegal guns off the street. Here's the kick-off to the series:
Propped up on the ground by his elbows, dying of three bullets to his chest, Gabriel Hood looked at the gun he had just dropped.
The black 9mm Smith & Wesson lay in the dirt a few feet away.
Hood shifted his gaze to the police... (GunPolicy.org)
Pennsylvania Gun Dealers, NRA Predict Defeat for 'Idiot, Puppet' Obama
26 October 2010
ABC News (Australia)
The final week of campaigning has begun in the US mid-term elections and Republicans appear confident of victory.
The fallout from the United States recession appears to be tipping the race against the Democrats.
At a gun show in Allentown, there are dozens of dealers, and hundreds of weapons for sale. A Glock 9mm costs $US499, and a Smith and Wesson 9mm is $US340, but dealer Dave Zeller says business has been slow.
"This past year, I think the bad economy finally... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah Parent Lends Handgun for School Play, Boy Dies in Prank Shooting
25 October 2010
Courthouse News Service (USA)
ST GEORGE, Utah -- A father says his son died from a shot in the head from a .38 Smith & Wesson pistol loaded with blanks, used for sound effects for a high school production of "Oklahoma!" The dad says the gun had been "altered from its factory specifications to give it a 'hair trigger,'" and his son died from a "blowback" wound that drove fragments of his skull into his brain.
Ron Thayer says his son, Tucker, died after the gun "was discharged near Tucker's head" in... (GunPolicy.org)
One DC-Area Firearm Dealer Supplied 2,500 Crime Guns to DC, Maryland
24 October 2010
Washington Post, Series
Outside a baby shower in Landover three years ago, Erik Kenneth Dixon snapped. As he argued with his sister and her boyfriend in a parking lot, the 25-year-old man whipped out a .45-caliber Glock and shot her in the leg. Then he chased down her boyfriend, firing between cars and at the running man's feet until he slipped on wet grass. As the prone man held his hands up in futile defense, Dixon executed him, firing seven times.
By law, Dixon was prohibited from owning... (GunPolicy.org)
In Kennesaw, Georgia it is Compulsory - Everyone MUST Own a Firearm
16 October 2010
Mirror (UK)
The manicured lawns and pristine sidewalks offer a gentle hint of small-town America.
But behind the net curtains in this city there's an arsenal of weapons big enough to take on an army.
Every householder - from the old lady who runs the sweet store to the teacher down the road - is armed to the teeth.
Welcome to Kennesaw, Georgia - otherwise known as Gun Town USA - where if you cross a threshold to commit a crime you could be filled full of lead.
Here a unique law... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Receive, Re-arm with 8,000 Semi-auto S&W .40 Pistols
15 October 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
Police have begin beefing up security at "secret" locations across Victoria where the force's long-awaited semi-automatic pistols are being stored.
The first batch of the rapid-fire weapons arrived this week. But it will be some time before the pistols replace ageing revolvers on the beat.
Acting Superintendent Terry Jackson said the guns, costing $7 million, needed custom holsters, rendering the existing Smith & Wesson holsters useless.
The .40 calibre Smith &... (GunPolicy.org)
Tennessee Police Chief Stole Cash, Guns Including Senator Murder Pistol
30 September 2010
Cookeville Times (Tennessee)
An investigation by the Comptroller's Division of Municipal Audit found almost $30,000 worth of cash and property missing from the Monterey Police Department.
The investigative report, which was released today, details how the police department's books failed to account for $23,613 in cash.
For example, the report shows that former police chief Tim Murphy obtained $14,920 in cash from confidential narcotic investigation transactions even though there was no evidence... (GunPolicy.org)
Suicidal Gun Owner Bought Pistol Legally, Shot Workmates in Nebraska
25 September 2010
Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska)
The man who carried a 9 mm handgun into the Americold Logistics plant Wednesday night purchased the firearm in Lincoln 18 days before opening fire on his coworkers and then shooting himself.
Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said Acher Arms, as per city statute, reported the sale of two 9 mm handguns to Akouch Kashoual on Sept. 3 and 4.
Saline County Attorney Tad Eickman said Saturday that investigators had informed him Kashoual purchased one handgun, returned it and... (GunPolicy.org)
Kennesaw, Georgia, the Town Where Everyone Must Own a Gun, by Law
24 September 2010
Financial Times (UK)
Kennesaw, Georgia, is Everytown, USA: a mixture of old wooden bungalows and cookie-cutter subdivisions, of seventh-generation locals and Mexican immigrants. Its quaint, cobbled historic centre is lush, with low-hanging trees and chirping cicadas. The civil war museum tells the history of the local Confederate fight against the Yankees. At the suburban malls on a humid Saturday afternoon locals vie to park their SUVs as close as possible to the Target and Best Buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Murder Weapon's Trip from Mississippi: US Laws Create Highway for Guns
18 September 2010
Chicago Tribune
The .45-caliber handgun found feet from the body of Officer Thomas Wortham IV passed through three states and many hands before a chance encounter at a convenience store set it on its tragic course for Chicago.
The weapon was among several brought to Chicago's streets as part of a gun-trafficking scheme orchestrated by an Englewood man who had risen from a tough upbringing but couldn't shake his criminal ties back home when he arrived at a Mississippi college.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Firearm, Ammo Prices Fall as 'Obama Gun Grab Scare' Recedes
16 August 2010
CBS-7 TV News (Texas)
MIDLAND, Texas - Some popular firearms like the AR-15 are now selling for up to $600 less than they did at the start of 2009.
The price drop can be attributed to a variety of factors including some that could send the prices back up.
Like most other things, gun prices are largely based on supply and demand.
But it's what causes that demand and influences supply that can be surprising.
At the start of 2009, the demand caused by gun enthusiasts scrambling to purchase... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Wait for US to Ship 10,500 S&W Pistols at Cost of $7 million
12 August 2010
Age (Melbourne)
US authorities will decide when rapid-fire semi-automatic pistols can land in Victorian police holsters.
Police plan to distribute the guns to every officer on the beat by 2012, replacing antiquated revolvers.
Acting Superintendent Terence Jackson confirmed yesterday that the first pistol order had been placed and was ready to be shipped. He said US authorities would dictate when the weapons arrived.
"We are at present awaiting US congressional approval for export... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Couple Fined at Border Due to 'Ignorance of Canadian Gun Laws'
11 August 2010
Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick)
ST. STEPHEN - Plans by a retired Texas couple to tour the Maritime provinces this month have run afoul of Canada's gun laws. Terry Howze Carter, 61, of Corpus Christi was fined $1,500 Tuesday for not declaring a prohibited Smith & Wesson revolver when he and his wife crossed the border into Canada at St. Stephen Aug. 3.
Carter and his wife both answered 'no' when a Canadian customs officer asked if they brought firearms with them, Crown prosecutor Peter Thorn told St.... (GunPolicy.org)
Calgary Gun Dealer Loses 54 Handguns, Firearm Registry Fingers His Clerk
4 August 2010
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
A man who collaborated with his common-law wife to steal four restricted handguns from a Calgary sporting goods store where she worked as a clerk has been sent to prison.
Steve Claudio Todd, 25, was given three years jail on Tuesday, while Cara Patricia Gavin, 27, got a conditional sentence of two years less a day to be served in the community -- the first year under house arrest at their Airdrie residence.
Both had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of theft... (GunPolicy.org)
6-yr Old's Accidental Shooting of Brother Leads to Father's Arrest in Florida
4 August 2010
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
CLEARWATER - A 6-year-old boy's accidental shooting of his 3-year-old brother in February led to their father's arrest Tuesday, Clearwater police said.
Rockny G. Carpio, 35, was charged with culpable negligence in Tarpon Springs, where he now lives.
On Feb. 20, at 1781 N. Fort Harrison Ave., 6-year-old Goivanni Carpio found an unsecured semi-automatic firearm in his father's bedroom, underneath a pillow, according to court documents.
The boy racked a round into the... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk, Paranoid US Hidden Handgun Permit Holder Shot Random Victims
26 July 2010
Ledger (Florida)
BARTOW, Florida - An Auburndale man accused of randomly shooting motorists along U.S. 92 had an additional 95 rounds of ammunition and a large knife in the backseat of his car, Polk County Sheriff's Office investigative reports show.
Deputies say Robin Parks, 51, went on a shooting spree shortly after midnight June 5, firing at three cars and striking a teenager in the buttocks and a woman in the face.
Katrina Hines, 30, continues to recover from her injuries.
She... (GunPolicy.org)
Policeman Shoots Himself Training to Train Victoria Police on New Pistol
22 July 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
An elite police officer learning to teach colleagues how to handle the force's new semi-automatic pistol shot himself while reholstering it.
The 30-year-old water police officer fired a shot into his thigh at the Glen Waverley training academy yesterday, and had to be admitted to hospital.
Victoria Police confirmed the leading senior constable, who has not been named, was on the third day of a 10-day course in training other members in how to use the semi-automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Tipped to Shoot Up In Wake of New US Supreme Court Ruling
16 July 2010
ABC News (USA)
After a Supreme Court decision affirming the right to bear arms was handed down in June, the owners of Midwest Sporting Goods, just outside of Chicago, started noticed something any retailer would find encouraging an increasing number of customers.
With Chicago's 28-year ban on handgun ownership rendered unconstitutional, more people were coming into Midwest, in Lyons, Illinois, to exercise their Second Amendment rights, according to Noel, the store's owner. He asked... (GunPolicy.org)
In Wake of Supreme Court Chicago Decision, US Gun Maker Shares Rose
9 July 2010
Patriot Ledger (Massachusetts), Editorial
Anyone who thinks the Supreme Court's decision on gun rights last week was an exercise for constitutional scholars – and nothing more – didn't catch what happened with the stock of gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger. Like a trigger had been squeezed, their stock went up on a day other stocks went down.
The justices' 5-4 decision was a landmark one, establishing clearly that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is not a lesser right among... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Protests as Florida Police Seek Help Tracing Serial Killer's Gun
8 July 2010
News 13 (Florida)
DAYTONA BEACH - Police in one Volusia County city want to find you if you purchased a certain type of gun in a specific year.
Most area gun shops said they continuously cooperate with the State Attorneys Office and police, especially in the hunt for a serial killer.
But when they received a letter from Police Chief Mike Chitwood, they said wait a minute.
Chitwood recently sent a letter to gun shops all over Central Florida.
It's about his latest lead into a... (GunPolicy.org)
Call for Semi-auto Pistols as Victoria Police Officer Runs Out of Bullets
27 June 2010
Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne)
A policeman who shot a knife-wielding man six times was forced to pistol-whip him after running out of bullets.
The terrifying incident at Meadow Heights in northern Melbourne has reignited calls for an early roll-out of semi-automatic weapons.
Several police sources confirmed a sergeant fired all six shots from his Smith and Wesson .38 revolver at a man, 27, who had allegedly attacked his sister, mother and a good Samaritan who came to their aid.
The man is believed... (GunPolicy.org)
Open Carry Gun 'Fad' Could Prompt Tougher Firearm Laws in Michigan
16 June 2010
Times Herald (Michigan), Editorial
Is it legal for two men wearing nothing more than thong swimsuits to parade through a city park crowded with families attending a festival?
Sure, it's probably legal. Not smart, but legal.
And is it legal for two men to walk through the same festival with handguns strapped to their hips?
Sure, it's probably legal. Not smart, but legal.
What are we to make of Rob Harris, 36, of Eastpointe, and Scott Webb, 31, of Roseville, who chose to parade through Marysville Days... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Shooter Challenges Court's Refusal to Grant Certificates for Six Pistols
11 June 2010
Irish Times (Dublin)
A competitive pistol shooter has challenged a District Court judge's refusal to grant him firearms certificates for six pistols on the grounds of their lethal nature.
Patrick Herlihy, with an address in Co Cork, has brought High Court proceedings aimed at quashing District Judge David Riordan's refusal to grant certificates for six guns – two Sig Sauer 9mm pistols and four Smith Wesson revolvers.
Judge Riordan refused to grant licensing certificates on November... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria the Last Australian State to Swap Police Revolvers for S&W Pistols
30 April 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Victoria Police's decision to upgrade to a semi-automatic pistol makes it the last police force in the nation to ditch the old-fashioned revolver.
From late this year, police on the beat will be issued a Smith & Wesson M&P (military and police) .40 semi-automatic pistol in a $7 million rollout announced yesterday.
The decision to upgrade the weapons was made in April 2008 and came after close to 35 years of using revolvers.
All other Australian state police forces... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police to Re-arm 10,500 Officers with S&W Semi-auto Pistol
30 April 2010
Advertiser (Adelaide)
More than 10,500 Victorian police officers are expected to be armed with semi-automatic guns in early 2012.
The police force announced yesterday that a Smith & Wesson .40 calibre semi-automatic pistol had been selected as its new gun.
The guns will be imported from the US and are expected to be in the hands of operational police in the "first quarter" of 2012, police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said yesterday.
The selection followed an independent and extensive... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Swap Old Revolvers for S&W M&P Semi-automatic Pistol
30 April 2010
Age (Melbourne) / AAP
Victoria Police will swap its antiquated revolvers for semi-automatic pistols, bringing it into line with every other police force in the nation.
More than 10 years after New South Wales and Queensland switched to semi-automatic pistols, Victoria will follow with the new rapid-fire guns, to be in police holsters by 2012.
It was a pledge former police chief commissioner Christine Nixon made in 2008, saying most of the force would have the pistols by the end of that... (GunPolicy.org)
Texan College Students Say Ban on Hidden Handguns Puts Them at Risk
27 April 2010
East Texan (Texas)
There are laws at A&M-Commerce regarding the possession of concealed weapons on campus. While these laws may be in place to ensure student safety, there are some people who object to those restrictions.
As stated in Section 46.03, Chapter 46, Title 10 of the Texas Penal Code, a person is allowed to carry a concealed weapon on campus, but is prohibited from taking it into university-owned buildings.
"A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly or... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Gun Owner Left Pistols, Revolvers in Truck, Lost 15 Handguns
9 April 2010
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
The RCMP is concerned that 15 hand guns stolen from a truck over the weekend could end up in the hands of criminals.
The owner of the weapons bought the firearms at a gun show in Calgary and was transporting the hand guns back to Melfort. The firearms, with trigger guards, were stored in lock boxes inside the locked compartment of a 2008 Chevy three-quarter-ton.
On Saturday, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the truck broke down just west of Drumheller and was left... (GunPolicy.org)
Teenage Girl Jailed in Manchester for 'Minding' Loaded Handgun
30 March 2010
Press Association (UK)
A teenage girl from Greater Manchester who "celebrated" guns and gangs has been jailed for three years after "minding" a Smith and Wesson handgun loaded with Magnum bullets for a gangster.
Chloe Goodman, 18, from Stephen Street, Urmston, told friends she was "looking after some heat" for a local criminal, a jury heard.
The criminal, Daniel Brown, had told her not to touch the weapon as it could "blow her head off," Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester was... (GunPolicy.org)
43 US States Now Allow Gun Owners to Carry Firearms Openly in Public
21 March 2010
Vancouver Sun
FALLS CHURCH, Virginia - About 60 gun rights activists gather in a pizzeria in the Virginia suburb of Falls Church, just outside of Washington DC, their firearms openly displayed in waist holsters.
They are celebrating what they expect will be the successful enactment in Virginia of legislation expanding gun rights for residents. Republican Governor Bob McDonnell has pledged to sign the measure.
With gun control legislation stalled at the federal level in Congress, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Handgun Tender 'Rigged' for S&W, Grumble Gun Makers
9 March 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Victoria Police has denied the winner of its tender for new semi-automatic pistols is settled.
There have been murmurings in the firearms industry that the criteria for tenders made US giant Smith & Wesson the only winning chance to replace the existing .38 revolver.
At least one manufacturer has approached force command to complain that stipulations played into the hands of Smith & Wesson, to the exclusion of other bidders.
Smith & Wesson's rivals say those... (GunPolicy.org)
US Hunting, Gun Industries Predict Dire Times, Too Few Kids With Guns
10 February 2010
Wall Street Journal
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show is a sportsman's paradise, but one where trouble is brewing.
There were lots of kids here with their families, walking the nearly 300,000 square feet of the State Farm Show Complex. They were checking out the newest fishing lures, gun blinds and camouflage clothing. But many of the outfitters who set up booths at the show and sell mountain-lion stalks in New Mexico, bear hunts in Maine and African safaris are... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Gun Dealer Faces Federal Bribery Charges in $15m FBI Sting
8 February 2010
Bradenton Herald (Florida)
MANATEE, Washington — A local weapons dealer facing federal charges for allegedly bribing foreign officials for a $15 million contract last week pleaded not guilty in federal court in Washington, D.C.
“He’s a fine-standing business man. He’s a great family man. He’s prepared to go forward,” said Connie Mederos-Jacobs, an attorney representing Andrew Bigelow, 40, who appeared in court Wednesday.
Bigelow, who is listed as a managing partner and director of... (GunPolicy.org)
Lobby Groups Mobilise as Indian Gun Owners Imagine 'Right to Bear Arms'
1 February 2010
Washington Post
In the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian gun owners are coming out of the shadows for the first time to mobilize, U.S.-style, against proposed new curbs on bearing arms.
When gunmen attacked 10 sites in Mumbai in November 2008, including two five-star hotels and a train station, Mumbai resident Kumar Verma sat at home glued to the television, feeling outraged and unsafe.
Before the end of December, Verma and his friends had applied for gun licenses. He read up on India's... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Battle Erupts, Revolver Found in Netherlands Antilles School Bus
30 January 2010
Daily Herald (St Maarten)
CUL DE SAC -- Police held nine teens and seized a revolver after a gang clash in Cul de Sac that led to a shooting from a school bus Friday afternoon.
A gang from the district allegedly attacked the school bus near Cake House bakery and supermarket. A passenger retaliated, firing at least one gunshot from the bus window, police said. Witnesses remember hearing two gunshots. One didn’t come from the bus.
A stray bullet struck a car’s windshield and lodged in its... (GunPolicy.org)
Drug Dealers Tool Up with Handguns, Threaten Police in Massachusetts
29 January 2010
Eagle-Tribune (Massachusetts)
HAVERHILL, Massachusetts — They used to be relatively routine arrests.
Police would get a tip from a neighbor that a man was dealing drugs out of his apartment — not big sales, just enough to be a nuisance in the neighborhood. Officers would raid the apartment, seize the drugs, and arrest the man without a struggle. Case closed.
Not anymore.
Police said those cases have become more dangerous and complex for the officers and the public because low-level dealers... (GunPolicy.org)
22 Prominent Gun Dealers Arrested in Arms Trade Plagued by Corruption
25 January 2010
United Press International
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 the 1977 U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act,... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,United Kingdom,Israel
Smith & Wesson Exec, 21 Others Charged in FBI Gun Sale Bribery Sting
19 January 2010
Boston Herald
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 following statement late today:
"Through media... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Israel,United Kingdom
Smith & Wesson Executive Among 22 Charged in Gun Sale Bribery Case
19 January 2010
Bloomberg (USA)
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 among those accused of engaging in schemes... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Israel,United Kingdom
FBI Charges S&W Exec, 21 US-UK-Israeli Arms Dealers for Gun Sale Bribes
19 January 2010
Reuters
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 involving the sale of items... (GunPolicy.org)
Order for Pistol Holsters Shows Victoria Police Have Chosen New Handgun
14 January 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Police are a step closer to carrying semi-automatic pistols after the State Government launched a tender process for holsters.
The move has fuelled speculation that a make and model of pistol has been selected because holsters are usually fitted to precise models.
In November, the Herald Sun revealed that Chief Commissioner Simon Overland's right-hand man had his weapon upgraded from a Smith & Wesson to a semi-automatic pistol because of security fears for the state's... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Close to Finalising Rearmament with Semi-auto Pistols
14 January 2010
Age (Melbourne)
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 pistols as soon as possible," the tender... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Traffickers Ship AK-47s, Submachine Guns, Pistols to Jamaica
14 January 2010
Gleaner (Jamaica)
With 14 days into the new year, the island's security forces have seized more than 1,000 assorted rounds of ammunition and at least 27 illegal firearms, including four high-powered weapons and a number of semi-automatic pistols.
The cracks in the existing security system at Port Bustamante were tested on Monday, when a Jamaican connection in New York sent a shipment containing 12 illegal guns and more than 700 rounds of ammunition.
Up to late Tuesday, two women and a... (GunPolicy.org)
'Brazen' Celebratory Shootings Targeted by Baltimore Police
13 January 2010
Baltimore Sun
Here's the tally from the Baltimore police commissioner's war on bad guys with guns during the opening minute of 2010:
•A blue .38-caliber Smith & Wesson with four rounds in the chamber.
•A 9 mm PA-63 semiautomatic handgun.
•A .38-caliber Rossi revolver.
•A Mossburg 12-gauge shotgun.
•A chrome two-shot, .38-caliber Derringer pistol.
Five guns, four suspects, two houses.
These guns and arrests were made at rowhouses in East and Northwest Baltimore by... (GunPolicy.org)
US Basketball Hero Gets Little Sympathy Following Illegal Handgun Prank
8 January 2010
Washington Post
In Washington, the story of Gilbert Arenas and his guns is yet another in a long line of sports embarrassments for a town that has a tough time finding winners. But in the rest of the country, the news that the Washington Wizards' star guard displayed his guns in the team locker room -- and the utter lack of seriousness with which Arenas and his teammates handled the incident in the ensuing days -- is being perceived as a morality play about thuggish behavior in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Riding High on America's Holiday Gift Lists, Say Gun Dealers
7 December 2009
St Petersburg Times (Florida) / Scripps Howard News Service
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 use to protect their St. Petersburg... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: St Petersburg Times (Florida) / Scripps Howard News Service
Smith & Wesson Shares Slump as US Shooters' 'Obama Panic' Subsides
4 December 2009
Associated Press
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 note that revenue and earnings pressure in... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson Reports 49% Increase in Gun Sales for 3rd Quarter
3 December 2009
Republican (Massachusetts)
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 analysts.
Golden said he also... (GunPolicy.org)
As US Gun Ownership Falls, Arms Industry, Gun Lobby Recruit Children
28 November 2009
Guardian (UK)
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, ready to draw, his hand... (GunPolicy.org)
Personal Aide, Hidden Handgun Guards Australian State Police Chief
20 November 2009
Age (Melbourne)
The personal aide to Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland carried a semi-automatic pistol, police confirmed last night.
A spokesman said Mr Overland, who has headed inquiries including the anti-underworld Purana Taskforce, was a public figure and had a high profile as a result of his position.
He said the aide had undertaken appropriate training courses to use the firearm, believed to be a Glock 9mm pistol.
Mr Overland has spearheaded anti-violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 8 Handguns, Drugs, Arrest 2 Queensland Gun Owners
19 November 2009
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
Two men have been charged and eight handguns seized following raids at two addresses near Warwick.
Organised crime detectives found six handguns and a quantity of cannabis at an address in Gladfield, near Warwick, yesterday afternoon. A search of a second address in Rosenthal Heights uncovered a further two handguns.
Weapons seized include a 357 Magnum handgun, a Glock 17 handgun, two Smith and Wesson revolvers and four Browning 9mm revolvers.
A 52-year-old man... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun, Ammo Sales Peak on America's Rising Fear of Crime, Terrorism
16 November 2009
Times (UK)
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 have also helped to lift demand,... (GunPolicy.org)
Sturm, Ruger Post-Obama Sales Up 60%, Profit Up 83%, Crash to Follow
10 November 2009
Motley Fool (USA) / MagicDiligence
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 U.S.-only company, with less... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Northern Ireland,United States
Smith & Wesson Gun Maker Sees Sales Almost Doubling in 3-5 Years
9 November 2009
Reuters
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 posted gross margins of 29.2 percent on sales of... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Pennsylvania Gun Store Loses 16 Handguns to Thieves
24 October 2009
Chambersburg Public Opinion (Pennsylvania)
FORT LOUDON — The ATF is offering a $5,000 reward for information on guns stolen from Keystone Country Store in Fort Loudon.
Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg, said someone broke into the store at 186 Path Valley Rd. around 4 a.m. Friday morning.
In all, 16 handguns were stolen. A list provided by police included:
- Smith & Wesson SW9VE 9 mm; 22A 22LR; and two 637 .38SP revolvers;
- Ruger 05501 44 mag; 01701 .357 mag; and two 03305 9mm-X19 pistols;
- Taurus... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Sales Soared 2-3 Fold Post-Obama, But Bubble May Be Bursting
22 October 2009
New York Times
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 and for "personal defense,"... (GunPolicy.org)
