Gun Policy News
Firearm makers and the international gun trade
Bolsonaro's Gun Laws Arm Brazil's Brazen Bank Thieves
22 September 2022
Reuters
In August last year, Brazilian farmer Reinaldo Huijsmans reported a break-in at his house in the town of Maracaju, where thieves stole six legally registered weapons, including a T4 Taurus assault rifle.
Huijsmans, 39, is one of hundreds of thousands of Brazilians now registered to own guns, a group whose ranks have surged six-fold since far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was elected in 2018 and began loosening gun laws.
Two months later, Huijsmans' T4 turned up 1,300... (GunPolicy.org)
Court Suspends Bolsonaro's Gun Law Over Risk of Political Violence
6 September 2022
Plataforma
"O início da campanha eleitoral exaspera o risco de violência política", o que "torna de extrema e excecional urgência a necessidade" de se restringir o acesso às armas e munições", escreveu Fachin.
O juiz disse ter tomado a decisão "à luz dos recentes e lamentáveis episódios de violência política", sem especificar se se referia a eventos nacionais como o assassinato a tiros de um tesoureiro do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) por um agente bolsonarista ou... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico's Bold Move Against Gun Companies
1 September 2022
Arms Control Association
Of 193 member states of the United Nations, Mexico has the fifth-largest number of unregistered firearms in civilian hands, behind the United States, India, China, and Pakistan.(1) This availability of firearms and the violence it enables have major destructive consequences. In Mexico, guns are the weapon of choice in 70 percent of total homicides and 60 percent of homicides committed against women. Guns are also the main tool in homicides of young people.
Gun violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Dozens of 3D-printed Firearms Sold at Buyback in Houston, Texas
2 August 2022
Fox 26 Houston (Texas)
Houston leaders say they will no longer accept 3D-printed firearms, also known as ghost guns, at future gun buyback events after one man allegedly exchanged dozens of them over the weekend.
"We're going to exclude those next time around," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "This is a program designed for people who want to voluntarily relinquish their guns."
On Saturday, city officials held their first gun buyback event in Houston. The mayor's office says more than 840... (GunPolicy.org)
Army Asks for More Than 600 Million Pesos for Weapons
3 May 2022
El Sol de México
The Ministry of National Defence (SEDENA) requested 671.4 million pesos from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) for the replacement of armaments in order to raise the morale of army troops and minimise the physical effort required to carry out their activities.
According to the project's justification document, a public version of which can be consulted on the Treasury's investment portfolio website, the military agency's objective is to supply the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss State-owned Small Arms Producer Sold to Italy
13 April 2022
SwissInfo
Switzerland's state-owned Ruag International company has sold its small-caliber ammunition division to the Italian firearm manufacturer, Beretta.
All the 2,700 employees of Ammotech in Switzerland and ten other countries, including Germany and Sweden, the United States and Britain, would be taken over by the new Italian owner, Ruag International said on Wednesday.
The main Swiss production site in the town of Thun would be maintained for at least five years, Ruag... (GunPolicy.org)
Lebanese Rush to Buy Weapons for Personal Security
30 December 2021
The National (Lebanon)
The business of firearms dealer Abdullah has been booming since Lebanon's economy collapsed.
He sells at least three rifles a day – Kalashnikovs are popular among households in fear for their safety as crime rates soar. He also sells boxes of ammunition and grenades.
An automatic rifle or machinegun costs between $400 and $1,400.
His sales have risen threefold since the financial crisis began in 2019, even though the dollar value of the minimum wage has dropped to... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,New Zealand,United Kingdom,Falkland Islands,Mexico
How US Gun Culture Stacks Up With the World
26 November 2021
CNN
Ubiquitous gun violence in the United States has left few places unscathed over the decades. Still, many Americans hold their right to bear arms, enshrined in the US Constitution, as sacrosanct. But critics of the Second Amendment say that right threatens another: The right to life.
America's relationship to gun ownership is unique, and its gun culture is a global outlier.
As the tally of gun-related deaths continue to grow daily, here's a look at how gun culture in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Spike in Gun Violence Continues
19 September 2021
CNN
So far, 2021 is on pace to be the worst year for gun violence in decades, surpassing even the high levels last year.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, from January 1 to September 15, a total of 14,516 people died from gun violence in the US. That's 1,300 more than during the same period in 2020, a 9% increase. Mass shootings are also on the rise. Through September 15, there have been 498 mass shootings across the US, or an average of about 1.92 per day. That's 15%... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria's Buhari Transmits Bills on Gun Control,
15 September 2021
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted to the senate two bills that seek to control the proliferation of arms and regulate the importation and exportation of explosives in the country.
They are: the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill 2021; and Explosives Bill 2021.
Buhari transmitted the bill in two separate letters dated the 26th and 27th August 2021 and read during the commencement of plenary by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday.
Buhari, in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Sues US Gunmakers to Stop Weapons Crossing Border
4 August 2021
Guardian
The Mexican government has launched legal action against US gunmakers in an unprecedented attempt to halt the flow of guns across the border, where US-made weapons are routinely used in cartel gun-battles, terror attacks on civilians – and increasingly to challenge the state itself.
The Mexican government is suing six gunmakers in a Massachusetts court, alleging negligence in their failure to control their distributors and that the illegal market in Mexico "has been... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Reps Move to Tighten Gun Control Laws
13 July 2021
Premium Times (Nigeria)
In a bid to address the proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country, the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Firearms Act.
The bill, which also seeks to provide strict penalties for illegal possession of firearms and to allow the production of arms and ammunition by private entities, was passed for second reading on Tuesday.
The sponsor of the bill, Adejoro Adeogun (APC, Ondo), said in his legislative... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Defines Illegal Firearms Use as a 'Public Nuisance'
7 July 2021
Conversation
Could calling the illegal use of firearms a "public nuisance" bring an end to the gun industry's immunity from civil lawsuits?
New York will soon test that notion. State lawmakers recently amended New York's public nuisance statute to specifically include marketing and sales practices that contribute to gun crimes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill on July 6, 2021, after declaring gun violence a "disaster emergency."
I've been researching lawsuits against the gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenyan President Sets Fire to More Than 5 000 Illegal Guns
10 June 2021
Independent Online (IOL)
Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday set alight more than 5 000 illegal firearms in a gesture to highlight the importance of peaceful resolutions to conflict.
Kenyatta set fire to 5144 illegal firearms, in addition to out-of-date state-owned guns, at the Regional Traffic Police Training Centre located in Ngong, west of the capital Nairobi, State House Kenya reported.
"A peaceful Kenya, a united Kenya is for the good of all of us. And that can only be achieved... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Burns Over 5,000 Illegal Firearms to Curb Crime
10 June 2021
AfricaNews
The Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday presided over the burning of 5,144 illegal firearms and obsolete state-owned small arms and light weapons at the Regional Traffic Police Training Centre in Ngong, Kajiado County.
He further called on those making homemade guns to join the newly built government facility that produces guns.
"This is to those making illegal guns, come we make legal money and jobs. Come forward and declare you can make a gun and you will... (GunPolicy.org)
The Legal Loophole of 'Ghost Guns'
8 April 2021
Al Jazeera
What you need to know about 'ghost guns' Biden wants to regulate
Biden aims to close loopholes in the production of untraceable firearms with kits and 3D printing after mass shootings.
US President Joe Biden has issued actions aimed at regulating "ghost guns" – weapons that can be produced without serial numbers and other identifiers making their tracking difficult – seen as a growing threat by US law enforcement and watchdog groups.
Ghost guns can be produced... (GunPolicy.org)
California Lawmakers Seek to Force Gunmakers to 'Microstamp' Bullet Casings
23 March 2021
Guardian
Gun control advocates are making a new attempt to force the gun industry to comply with a unique California law that requires bullet casings to be "microstamped", a measure that has been toothless since it was approved more than a decade ago.
California's 2007 law requires gun manufacturers to adopt microstamping technology on new types of handguns introduced in the state. The intent was to imprint a unique set of microscopic characters on all cartridge casings when... (GunPolicy.org)
The Do's and Don'ts of Gun-handling in Uganda
11 September 2020
Daily Monitor (Uganda)
On the morning of September 5, a video clip showed State minister for Labour Mwesigwa Rukutana grabbing a gun from a police officer before aiming it at people in a car.
What followed is a long story. I review this safety and security incident by questioning and trying to answer to the question. This article tries to show what should be followed when one has or uses a firearm.
Firearms have different sizes and they include pistols, AK47, machine guns, anti-aircraft... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Blacksmith Arrested for Illegal Firearms Fabrication
18 August 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
Shapraku Umade, a 19-year old blacksmith who specialises in fabricating firearms, has been arrested by police in Lagos, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, has said.
Mr Umade was arrested alongside two other suspects at the Ajah area of the state during a transaction of illegal firearms. The team transports the firearms from Benue to Lagos State where they sell at the rate of N30,000 each.
According to the Commissioner of Police, "information was... (GunPolicy.org)
Pandemic Fears Cause Spike in U.S. Gun Sales
1 April 2020
New York Times
Americans bought about two million guns in March, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. It was the second-busiest month ever for gun sales, trailing only January 2013, just after President Barack Obama's re-election and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
With some people fearful that the pandemic could lead to civil unrest, gun sales have been skyrocketing. In the past, fear of gun-buying restrictions has been the main driver of spikes... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ownership Soars In Brazil Under Bolsonaro
31 March 2020
New York Times
A year into his presidency, Jair Bolsonaro and his sons have helped fuel a gun rights movement that had little popular support, or political clout, in the country before he took office.
President Jair Bolsonaro has galvanized gun culture in Brazil.
His trademark campaign sign was a hand folded into the shape of a gun. One of his first moves in office was to ease gun ownership rules. His three oldest sons, politicians themselves, have been fierce proponents of... (GunPolicy.org)
Colt Will No Longer Sell Assault Rifles to Civilians
19 September 2019
Colt News
WEST HARTFORD, Connecticut – There have been numerous articles recently published about Colt's participation in the commercial rifle market. Some of these articles have incorrectly stated or implied that Colt is not committed to the consumer market. We want to assure you that Colt is committed to the Second Amendment, highly values its customers and continues to manufacture the world's finest quality firearms for the consumer market.
The fact of the matter is that... (GunPolicy.org)
Twice as Many Weapons in the Hands of Civilians as are Registered
22 June 2019
Perfil, Web page
After the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, declared at the end of last year that "whoever wants to be armed should be armed", it is estimated that in Argentina there are more than 3 million firearms in circulation in the hands of civilians and, of that total, half are not registered. The alarming figure arises from a report to which the Educational Profile Research Team had access, which was prepared by the Institute of Comparative Studies in Criminal and... (GunPolicy.org)
Azerbaijan Launches Production of Assault Machine Gun.
7 November 2018
Azer News (Azerbaijan)
Azerbaijan began the serial production of the HP-7.62 type assault machine gun with a caliber of 7.62 x 54 mm, created at the enterprise of the Ministry of Defense Industry. The assault machine gun, which was introduced in September 2018, during the third international defense exhibition ADEX-2018 in Azerbaijan, was developed by local experts and was successfully tested, the defense ministry told Trend. The HP-7.62 type assault machine gun is designed to destroy the... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe's Flourishing Gunmakers
23 February 2018
Economist
It was a blunder by Heckler & Koch, a giant German gunmaker. On February 15th the agency apologised for a "mistake" after its American subsidiary posted a Valentine's picture exhibiting a handgun surrounded by ammunition organized within the form of a coronary heart. The picture went out to social media shortly after a lethal college capturing in Florida.
The put up was additionally a reminder that though Europeans typically criticise lax firearm-ownership legal... (GunPolicy.org)
West Africa,Ghana,Côte d'Ivoire,Nigeria,Mali,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone
Homemade Firearms Fuel Conflict in West Africa
18 October 2017
ENACT Observer
The trafficking and illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) is often discussed in the context of fuelling instability and insecurity in West Africa. Rarely, however, do these conversations give appropriate attention to the issue of locally manufactured weapons.
The production of firearms by local artisans is not new to the region. It has existed in many countries (e.g. Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal,... (GunPolicy.org)
Abuja Police Uncover Illegal Firearm Factory
14 August 2017
Premium Times (Nigeria)
The Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Sadiq Bello, said the Command has arrested three suspects in connection with an illegal firearm fabricating factory in Shenagu village near Zuba, FCT.
The suspects are: Philip John, owner of the factory, Onyegabueze Okpara, supplier of ammunitions and Joseph Bulus, distributor of the arms.
Mr. Bello made the disclosure while briefing journalists on arrest by operatives of the command on Friday in Abuja.
He said that items... (GunPolicy.org)
Malaysia Shuts Down North Korean Arms Trafficking Firms
28 February 2017
Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's authorities were aware that two North Korea-linked companies operated an arms business in the country and both were being struck from the Company Registry, the police chief said on Tuesday.
Reuters reported on Monday that North Korean intelligence ran an arms operation out of Malaysia called Glocom, and two companies linked to the trade were International Global System and International Golden Services.
Confirming details of the story,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Donated $350,000 to Australian Politicians in a Year
15 February 2017
Guardian
Australian political parties accepted more than $300,000 in donations over 12 months from the firearms lobby, gun suppliers and manufacturers, sparking concern among gun control groups.
An analysis of the latest Australian Electoral Commission donation disclosures by Gun Control Australia has revealed that firearms groups donated $353,000 to various federal political bodies around the country. The donations were made in the 2015-16 financial year, during a period when... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Craft Production in Bangladesh's Moheshkhali Region
7 January 2017
Dhaka Tribune
The market price of these weapons are quite low, therefore the demand is high among local criminals in Moheshkhali. Apart from being used by local criminals, they are also transferred to other districts around the country evading law enforcers.
On January 4, RAB 7 members traced some weapons to a factory in Cox's Bazar. After raiding the factory, 22 firearms and 22 rounds of bullets were seized along with 33 other equipments used for manufacturing weapons. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Gun Background Checks on US Black Friday
28 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
Hillary Clinton lost her bid for the White House, and the National Rifle Association's 2016 champion Donald Trump is almost certain to leave firearm regulations alone. But America's appetite for guns is more voracious than ever.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Instant Criminal Background Check System processed more background checks for gun transactions on Black Friday — 185,713 in total — than on any single day since the system launched nearly two... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Soared, No Panic Buying on US 'Black Friday' [ES]
27 November 2016
CNN
[Translated summary: Buyers crowded gun shops during 'Black Friday' in the US. The law bans gun buying as a gift, so big discounts were the main factor boosting sales. Some gun dealers had stocked up before the elections in the hope of panic buying if Hillary Clinton won.]
Multitudes de compradores llegaron a las tiendas de armas durante el pasado viernes negro, el gran día del año para este negocio.
Ciertamente, las ventas de armas en el viernes negro no están... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Not Smart Guns in This High-Tech Era? - NY Times
26 November 2016
New York Times, Editorial
The Department of Justice has issued official guidelines for the manufacture of smart guns — weapons that, like smartphones, have technology to allow only the rightful owners to use them. The guidelines aim to "shape the future of gun safety technology," as called for under an executive order issued in January by President Obama, in the face of Congress's refusal to deal with the nation's horrendous toll of gun deaths.
Nearly 7,000 children committed suicide with... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Boom in America's 'Black Friday' Shopping Spree
25 November 2016
CNN
The Black Friday weapon sales are not driven by the Christmas spirit since gun laws in many states prohibit buying guns for someone else. The sales are driven by sharp discounts.
Not far from New York City, hundreds of shoppers packed into RTSP, a gun shop and firing range in Randolph, New Jersey, lured by Black Friday discounts of 5% to 10% for guns, ammunition and accessories.
Dr. Joseph Feldman, a surgeon from neighboring Montville, was buying a $500 Sig Sauer... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raid 'First of its Kind' Illegal Gun Factory in Australia
23 November 2016
Brisbane Times (Queensland)
Police say sophisticated gun factory found during raids at the Gold Coast on Friday is the first of its kind in Queensland.
Officers executed search warrants on four residential properties and two industrial sheds finding drug labs, a weapons factory, drugs, guns, ammunition and 3D printer.
The guns found included four "uzi-style" submachine guns, three silencers and two handguns while drugs seized included steroids, cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines.
Five people... (GunPolicy.org)
US National Institute of Justice Encourages 'Smart Guns' [ES]
22 November 2016
Actualidad Gadget (Spain)
[Translated summary: Although 'smart guns' are already on sale in the US, the National Institute of Justice has just created specific regulations for this kind of firearms. The specifications are not mandatory, they are designed to boost the growth of gun safety technology.]
Aunque parezca que el desarrollo de sistemas de inteligencia artificial básicamente se está llevando a cabo por empresas como Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM… lo cierto es que cada vez hay más... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Dealers Say Trump Election Will Likely Slow Gun Sales
22 November 2016
USA Today
On Nov. 9, the day after Donald Trump had been elected president, a customer walked into the Phoenix Tactical gun shop here not to make a purchase but to cancel one.
The customer had put a Glock pistol on layaway, but wanted to void the purchase because Hillary Clinton had lost the election and a pro-gun Donald Trump had emerged victorious, Phoenix Tactical owner Bryan Bryner said.
"He said: 'The threat is gone,' " Bryner said.
That change of heart reflects a new... (GunPolicy.org)
After Trump's Victory, Gun Sellers Rely On 'Black Friday' [FR]
21 November 2016
Les Echos (France)
[Translated summary: After the election of Donald Trump, one of the main American gun manufacturers, Smith & Wesson, saw its stock price fall by 15%. The reason is that gun enthusiasts were buying more firearms in case Hillary Clinton won. Now, sellers expect to recover during the 'Black Friday' but estimate that they have little chance of repeating the record numbers of last year.]
Il y a quelques semaines encore, nous étions dans une Amérique démocrate, ou le... (GunPolicy.org)
US Document Trove Shows Remington Gun Model Is Unsafe
15 November 2016
CNBC (US)
Owners of Remington's popular Model 700 rifle can now examine for themselves literally millions of pages of internal company documents that have led critics to conclude that the guns are unsafe.
The documents — more than 130,000 files in all — have been assembled in a searchable online database by the advocacy group Public Justice. The organization, which battles against secrecy in the courts, fought successfully last year to make the documents public.
"These... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,Iraq,Slovakia,European Union
Europe Split on Reforms and Regulations to Curb Gun Violence
14 November 2016
EUObserver (Belgium)
EU lawmakers are meeting on Tuesday (15 November) for another round of backroom talks to curb gun violence and prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons on the black market.
Debates around the European Commission's EU firearms directive reform, proposed in the aftermath the Paris November terrorist attacks, appears to be advancing as positions converge between the two co-legislatures at the European Parliament and the Council, representing member states.
"There is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Violence in Jharkhand, India, Fueled by Handmade Guns
10 November 2016
India Today
It was a Wednesday morning late in June and Sudhanshu Kumar was in class joshing with friends. The class was to leave for the school assembly in a few minutes when the student of Dayanand Public School, Jamshedpur, heard a loud cracking sound and then felt an excruciating pain in his back.
It took the Class XI student a few seconds to realise he had been shot before he slumped on the desk, bleeding. Kumar had been shot by a classmate sitting two rows behind him. The... (GunPolicy.org)
India Places US$1 Billion Order for Ammunition and Weapons
10 November 2016
Chinatopix (New York)
India continues the breathless pace of modernizing the Indian Armed Forces and after ordering new submarines, tanks, surface-to-air missile systems, artillery, assault rifles and fighter jets since the start of 2016 is now placing an order for over $1 billion in ammunition and weapons from international suppliers.
India recognizes it faces critical shortages of ammunition in all its armed services and is bypassing prescribed routine acquisition procedures by invoking... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Trump's Victory Just Wounded US Gunmakers
9 November 2016
Bloomberg (USA)
For all of President-Elect Donald Trump's warnings that Hillary Clinton was coming for America's guns, it turns out that it was his surprise victory that came with immediate pain for the firearm industry. Shares of gunmakers were tanking on Wednesday morning as investors prepare for a gun-friendly Trump presidency. The somewhat counterintuitive thesis goes like this: With the threat of stronger gun control laws fading under a Trump administration, fewer people will rush... (GunPolicy.org)
Donald Trump's Election is a Disaster for US Gunmakers. Really
9 November 2016
Vox (US)
Most Democrats want stricter gun laws, and most Republicans oppose them. So you might expect the election of Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress to be great news for the nation's gunmakers. But surprisingly, the opposite turned out to be the case.
Two of the nation's biggest gun manufacturers, Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger, saw their stock prices fall by double digits this morning in the wake of Trump's election victory.
Here's one theory for what's... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Measures Expected to Win in Four US States
8 November 2016
Reuters
Gun control-related ballot measures in four states are expected to pass on Tuesday, opinion polls showed, after gun safety advocates poured a massive amount of money into backing the initiatives.
In Maine and Nevada, residents are voting on whether to mandate universal background checks for firearm sales, including private handgun transactions.
If those two measures pass, half of all Americans would live in states that have such expanded checks. Eighteen states and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Makers, FBI Data Point to US Firearm Sales Increase [ES]
4 November 2016
HispanTV (Iran)
[Translated summary: Due to the tense political climate, American firearm manufacturers report a strong increase in sales. A report by the FBI shows that gun sale background checks grew 18% in October. One of the main firearm manufacturers in the US, Sturm, Ruger & Co, registered an increase of 34% in sales in the third trimester of 2016.]
Los fabricantes de armas de fuego estadounidenses reportan un fuerte crecimiento de sus ventas de armas en el país por el tenso... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Buyers Stockpiling Firearms Ahead of Election Day
3 November 2016
Salon (US)
With just days left before American voters decide who will replace President Barack Obama, many in the nation's gun-owning public seem to be preparing for a dystopian future of jackbooted liberal government thugs prying guns — as the popular slogan goes — from their cold dead hands.
On Wednesday executives at the country's top firearms manufacturer said they're adequately prepared to meet demand from a postelection gun-buying surge if Democrats make significant... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Maker Sees Firearm Sales Soar as US Election Looms
2 November 2016
CNN
Sturm, Ruger (RGR) reported that sales jumped by a third, to $161.4 million, in the quarter ended Oct. 1 compared with the same period last year. Earnings rose 66%. The company's stock rose 2% in early trading Wednesday.
The company said sales are up across the industry, based on FBI data on background checks, which tend to rise and fall along with sales.
Sales were "likely bolstered by the political campaign for next week's election," Chris Killoy, the Sturm, Ruger... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudden Spike in US Gun Sales Down to 'Fear of Clinton Victory'
2 November 2016
Independent (UK)
One of the biggest manufacturers of hand guns and assault rifles in the United States is reporting soaring sales in the run-up to the presidential election as enthusiasts fear that a Hillary Clinton victory over Donald Trump could lead to restrictive new gun-control measures.
Sturm, Ruger, maker of AR-type assault rifles as well as an array of other rifles and pistols, said in an earnings call that sales rose by one third, to $161.4 million, in the quarter that ended 1... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1.5 Million Legal, 4 Million Illicit Guns in Argentina [ES]
31 October 2016
Noticias y Protagonistas (Argentina)
[Translated summary: There are 1,541,497 registered firearms and 979,508 licensed gun owners in Argentina. The country has four gun factories that manufactured 74,983 firearms between January and August 2016. 13,940 firearms were imported and 45,836 exported in the same period. It is estimated that there are between 1.5 million and 4 million illicit firearms. Between 1997 and 2013 there were 38,002 gun homicides and 13,672 suicides. In 2013, 71.1% of homicides were... (GunPolicy.org)
India Tries Once Again to Buy 185,000 Army Assault Rifles
27 October 2016
Bloomberg (USA)
India's armed forces have embarked on a shopping spree for modern assault rifles, body armor and helmets, providing a potential boost to global arms suppliers.
The 1.3 million-strong military is abandoning its two decade-old Indian made rifles and seeking to outfit its infantry with more up-to-date equipment, scouting for a new model on the global market for 185,000 assault rifles. The Ministry of Defence also needs to buy hundreds of thousands of helmets and tens of... (GunPolicy.org)
German Gun Exports Explode: €4 Billion Arms Sold in 2016 [FR]
27 October 2016
Enjeux (France)
[Translated summary: Germany set a new record in firearm and ammunition exportation, mainly to Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Turkey. Total arms sales have gone from €3.5 billion in the first six months of 2015 to €4 billion in the same period of 2016, while total ammunition exports have risen from €27 million to €283.8 million. The government has been accused of hypocrisy for benefiting from armed conflicts.]
L'Allemagne vient d'établir un nouveau record dans... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,France,Algeria,Saudi Arabia,Yemen,Iraq
Germany's Arms Exports Rise to 4.03 Billion Euros [FR]
26 October 2016
Les Echos (France)
[Translated summary: Germany's arms exports rose to 4.03 billion euros in the first six months of 2016, an increase of 15% in relation to the same period last year. Germany sells to Algeria and Saudi Arabia, a country that is in a controversial war with Yemen, but the Ministry of Economy explains that they have particularly restrictive rules.]
Les crises internationales profitent aux industriels allemands de l'armement. Selon les chiffres publiés mercredi par le... (GunPolicy.org)
Corruption Scuttles India Army Deal with Israeli Rifle Maker
26 October 2016
IndiaToday (India)
Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has scrapped a controversial Army tender worth around '1,000 crore to procure 45,000 rifles amid allegations of corruption in the acquisition process.
The tender was under the scanner over the possibility of favours being given to Israeli firm, Israeli Weapons Industry, over its other rivals in the deal. The tender for the rifles was issued in 2010 in which 44,600 close quarter carbines (rifles) were to be provided to the infantry... (GunPolicy.org)
Panama Police Have Seized 1,387 Guns Since January [ES]
26 October 2016
Panamá America (Panama)
[Translated Summary: From January to October, Panama's National Police seized 1,387 firearms and 18,692 rounds of ammunition. In this cache were 15 sub-machine guns, 60 shotguns, 49 automatic rifles, 448 handguns, 347 revolvers, 37 rifles and 57 other firearms (pellet and home-made).]
De enero a octubre la Policía Nacional ha decomisado unas mil 387 armas de fuego y 18 mil 692 municiones de diversos calibres.
El informe de la Policía destaca que entre las armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Australia,New Zealand,Japan,Switzerland,France,Poland,Iraq
German Ammo Sales Up Tenfold, €4 Billion Arms Sales in 2016
25 October 2016
Mo4ch (US)
Germany's small arms ammunition sales have increased by 10 times in the first 6 months of 2016, while total arms sales have reached €4 billion over the same period and have set a new record, Deutsche-Presse Agentur (DPA) says, citing a government report.
The total value of the small arms ammo export contracts has risen from €27 million ($29.3 million) in the first half of 2015 to €283.8 million ($308 million) in the first six months of 2016, the reports says,... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil's Merchants of Death: Unchecked Gun Exports Kill - NYT
23 October 2016
New York Times, Opinion
RIO DE JANEIRO — As Brazil weathers the worst political and economic crises in living memory, Brazilians can hardly be blamed for being distracted. But there is a subject that the country's politicians — and citizens — are not discussing, even though it risks tarnishing Brazil's international reputation as an advocate of peacebuilding and diplomacy: an unchecked arms industry and its involvement in foreign conflicts around the globe.
The fingerprints of Brazil's... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Gun Laws: Which Way Will We Go? - Guardian OpEd
21 October 2016
Guardian, Opinion
On Friday, the state police ministers will meet to finalise the review of the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) including the fate of the Adler A110 lever-action shotgun.
The importance of this meeting should not be underestimated. In summary, the ministers are deciding the future direction of Australia's gun laws. A future that could see the demise of Australia's strong gun laws and the continual rise of the pro-gun lobby.
One issue which the states and commonwealth... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Maker to Release Second Smart Gun in US
20 October 2016
Computer World (Singapore)
German firearms manufacturer Armatix LLC is planning to release its second smart gun in the U.S. next year after sales of its first model -- the .22 caliber iP1 -- were quashed by pressure from some gun owners and gun rights advocates who saw it as a threat to Second Amendment freedoms.
Unlike the iP1, which used RFID technology, the new iP9 9mm semi-automatic pistol will have a fingerprint reader. The iP9 will be available in mid-2017, according to Wolfgang Tweraser,... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia Biggest Weapon Buyer in US Proxy War [ES]
18 October 2016
Hispan TV (España)
[Translated Summary: Since 2010, Saudi Arabia has acquired arms worth US$1 billion to be used in the US Middle East proxy war. In 2014, Saudi Arabia became the biggest arms importer by buying military equipment, mainly from the US, with a total value of US$6.4 billion.]
Un alto cargo militar iraní dice que la venta de armas a Arabia Saudí se produce en el marco de la guerra subsidiaria de EE.UU. en Oriente Medio.
"Desde 2010 hasta hoy, Arabia Saudí ha adquirido... (GunPolicy.org)
Eyes on Pakistan, India Preps Gun Makers for Production Surge
18 October 2016
Breitbart
According to the India Times, India at the moment may not be ready to fight a full-blown war with Pakistan beyond a few days due to a shortage of military supplies and near depleted war reserves.
"In particular, the defense ministry is looking at small arms and ammunition and spare parts and weapons for the Sukhoi and Mirage fighter fleets on a priority basis," notes ET.
The news outlet points out that the Indian military is vulnerable to facing critical shortages,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Wakes Up, Begins to Fear Trump Threats
17 October 2016
Guns (USA), Opinion
On the opening night of recent gun writers' conference in Orlando, Jason Wilson, founder and CEO of Wyoming-based Lucid Optics, made a statement that would be brought up in quiet, side discussions for the duration of the event.
"No matter who wins, it will cost the industry," said Wilson, whose once-small business now has distributors in 14 countries. He might be onto something.
Wilson isn't shy about saying that some components of his products are made overseas.... (GunPolicy.org)
Azerbaijan Looks to Greater Reliance on Domestic Weapons
14 October 2016
Euroasianet
With an array of new, domestically produced weapons, including sniper rifles, machine guns, armed drones, and armored vehicles, Azerbaijan is showcasing its arms industry amid growing tensions with neighboring Armenia.
Much of the attention on Azerbaijan's growing military has focused on the country's weapons purchases from abroad, notably from Russia and Israel. But the country also has been steadily building up its indigenous production capabilities. The new wares... (GunPolicy.org)
Eyes on Armenia, Azerbaijan Builds Its Own Gun Industry
14 October 2016
Eurasianet.org (EU/Asia)
With an array of new, domestically produced weapons, including sniper rifles, machine guns, armed drones, and armored vehicles, Azerbaijan is showcasing its arms industry amid growing tensions with neighboring Armenia.
Much of the attention on Azerbaijan's growing military has focused on the country's weapons purchases from abroad, notably from Russia and Israel. But the country also has been steadily building up its indigenous production capabilities. The new wares... (GunPolicy.org)
Landmark US Mass Shooting Gun Maker Law Suit Dismissed
14 October 2016
New York Times
A Connecticut judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack, delivering a blow to an ambitious effort to hold accountable the makers of the assault rifle used in the 2012 massacre before the case ever went to trial.
The judge, Barbara N. Bellis of State Superior Court, had surprised even some of the plaintiffs by allowing the case to move toward trial this year, despite a 2005 federal law that offers firearm... (GunPolicy.org)
DIY Submachine Guns Are Popping Up Across the West Bank
14 October 2016
Washington Post
AZZUN — In the predawn hours, 150 Israeli troops, including masked special forces operatives, arrived in this Palestinian town in armored personnel carriers and hardened jeeps to hunt for guns and gun makers. They found one of each. The operation was deemed a success.
The raid in Azzun is part of an aggressive campaign by Israel to rid the occupied West Bank of guns — specifically a crude kind of do-it-yourself, handmade submachine gun known on the Palestinian... (GunPolicy.org)
A British Journalist Grapples With US Gun Culture - The Atlantic
6 October 2016
Atlantic (USA)
In 2003, the British journalist Gary Younge moved from a country with roughly seven firearms per 100 people to a country with around 101 firearms per 100 people, from a country with an annual rate of .04 gun homicides per 100,000 people to a country with an annual rate of 3.43 gun homicides per 100,000 people, and from a country with strict gun laws and unarmed police to a country with neither. Younge, who writes for The Guardian, had relocated to the United States.... (GunPolicy.org)
How UN Arms Embargoes in African Countries Can Be Effective
4 October 2016
Institute for Security Studies (Africa)
Arms embargoes are the most common type of sanction currently applied by the United Nations (UN), and one of the five main types of targeted or smart sanctions (others are diplomatic sanctions, travel bans, asset freezes and commodity interdiction).
The key aim of smart sanctions is to raise the regime's costs of non-compliance (with the sanctions) without bringing about the wider suffering often associated with comprehensive sanctions, such as trade bans.
How... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gunsmiths Want Dept of State Out of Arms Export Controls
4 October 2016
Guns
A bipartisan group of lawmakers have debuted a proposal that would transfer export oversight for most gunsmiths from the State Department in an effort to curb a possible $2,250 annual fee to stay in operation.
The bicameral bill, introduced on Sept. 27 by lawmakers that include two Texas Democrats as House sponsors, would transfer regulatory responsibility on the export of non-military firearms to the U.S. Department of Commerce and comes in response to a change by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Bulgaria Weapon Production, Exports Rose 60% in 2 Years
4 October 2016
Novinite (Bulgaria)
Defense-related equipment production and exports have increased by over sixty percent over two years, Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski has said.
Key factors for this include "a more active and flexible marketing policy" as well as a widened target of potential buyers. Quality of the products and the appearance of new competitive ones, according to Standart.
In July, data on 2015 exports suggested Bulgaria sold 59% more arms abroad in that year compared to 2014,... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Reviews Exports After Gun Maker Skirts Arms Embargo
29 September 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Brazil is reviewing its procedures for controlling arms exports, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said on Thursday, when asked about an investigation into a sale of guns by Forjas Taurus SA that allegedly violated U.N. sanctions.
"We are updating the regulations in this area, seeking objectivity and transparency. They need updating," the minister said. Jungmann said the review was part of a "periodic" update of arms export regulations.
Taurus, the largest weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Army Renews Hunt for New-Generation Assault Rifle
28 September 2016
Economic Times (India)
India re-launched on Tuesday its global hunt for new-generation assault rifles after similar attempts over the last decade failed due to unrealistic technical requirements and whiff of corruption, interspersed by debates on whether the gun should "kill" or merely "wound" adversaries.
The project is going to be a mega one, with the Army looking to induct 65,000 rifles in the first go, with another 1,20,000 to be manufactured in India. This, of course, would be just the... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Doesn't Spur Gun Sales as Much as Obama Did
25 September 2016
Washington Post
Few people have sold more guns than Barack Obama. In March of last year, we looked at the effects of his presidency on the gun industry, estimating that the gun industry had seen about $9 billion more in sales during Obama's presidency than might otherwise have been expected. That's an estimate, but it's clear that the past eight years have been a boon for gun manufacturers. Half of the guns in the United States are owned by 3 percent of adults, suggesting that people... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain is the World's 7th Largest Arms Exporter [ES]
21 September 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: The arms trade market is rising and Spain is the 7th biggest world exporter. In the first semester of 2015, exports in the country reached 1,727.2 million EUR, 25.3% more than the same period in the previous year. Almost 450 million EUR were from sales to Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Kingdom, Malaysia, France, Egypt and Germany.]
MADRID -- El comercio de armas está en auge y España es uno de los países que más está aprovechando el... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Are Stolen in America As Often As Once Every Minute
21 September 2016
The Trace (USA)
ATLANTA — Landen Boyd parked his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at a construction site south of downtown Atlanta and went to work, leaving his black Smith & Wesson 9mm in a case underneath the center console.
It was the fall of 2006, and Boyd, a 37-year-old construction superintendent, was overseeing the development of an apartment complex across the train tracks from Mechanicsville, a high-crime neighborhood. When noon came, Boyd hitched a ride to eat lunch with... (GunPolicy.org)
Oman,Belgium,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates
Belgium Enjoys Record Year of Arms, Gun Sales to Saudi Arabia
20 September 2016
Brussells Times
Saudi Arabia bought 60% of Walloon weapons sold in 2015.
This is per the report of the "Weapons" sub-commission of the Wallonia parliament on export licences granted or refused during the last year. Le Soir is reporting this today (Tuesday).
Wallonia has never exported so many arms to Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia has only accounted for 34 export licences of the 1,369 delivered from 68 countries across the whole of the year.
However, these contracts represent a total of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Finally Faces its Huge Gun Suicide Problem
17 September 2016
Detroit News
In what some see as an unlikely move, the gun industry is preparing to get behind a suicide-prevention push. The unlikely part, just to be clear, is that the industry makes products that enable almost half of all suicides in America.
Steve Sanetti, the president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the industry's trade group, sees nothing at all surprising about gun and ammunition makers trying to make a dent in the grim count. "We've been looking at this issue... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Gun Maker Beretta Will Manufacture in Argentina [ES]
14 September 2016
La Nación (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Italian company Beretta will manufacture two types of guns in Argentina. Police already use these firearms, and the production is for them.]
La empresa italiana Pietro Beretta producirá armas en la Argentina. Así lo afirmó el ministro de Defensa, Julio Martínez , que hoy se reunió en Roma con autoridades de la compañía.
Según detallaron desde el Ministerio en un comunicado, la empresa producirá en el país dos armas bajo su licencia en... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Eastern Europe,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,Syria,Iraq
'Almost Direct' Supply Chain Sells Guns from Europe to ISIS
11 September 2016
Huffington Post (UK)
Islamic State fighters are illegally using guns and other weapons made in Eastern European factories, in a newly-discovered supply chain that is "almost direct", a weapons expert has claimed.
James Bevan, the director of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), told The Huffington Post UK that investigations this summer have seen a rapid, frightening change in the source of weapons used by the so-called Islamic State to fight other groups and carry out massacres.
These... (GunPolicy.org)
Illness, Sudden Death: Confessions of a Gun Range Worker
9 September 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
Editor's note: Americans today aren't just stockpiling guns in record numbers; they are also shooting them at upward of 2,100 gun ranges across the country. In February, the pseudonymous author of this piece—a former employee at a gun range in Orange County, California—contacted Mother Jones reporter Josh Harkinson, who interviewed the author and corroborated his account (as told to Harkinson below) through official documents, news reports, and interviews with two... (GunPolicy.org)
Tory Minister's Secret Directive Lifted Gun Bans in Canada
9 September 2016
CBC News (Canada)
Former public safety minister Steven Blaney issued a secret directive in the dying days of the Conservative government that opened the door for firearms to be classified according to a gun manufacturer's suggestion, CBC News has learned.
Responding to complaints from firearms advocates and the industry, Blaney's directive gave the RCMP 180 days to evaluate a gun, decide its classification and issue the Firearms Reference Table (FRT) number needed to import that model... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil's Big Gun Maker Charged with Sales to Yemeni Trafficker
6 September 2016
Reuters
Brazilian prosecutors said on Tuesday they had charged Forjas Taurus SA, Latin America's largest gun maker, in May for dealing with a known Yemeni arms trafficker in violation of international sanctions, prompting the company's shares to plunge.
Taurus confirmed on Monday a Reuters report that two former executives had been charged over a deal in 2013 that allegedly sent arms to Yemen's civil war, but the company said it was only a concerned party in the... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Becomes Second Largest Small Arms Exporter
6 September 2016
Daily Caller (USA)
The United Kingdom became the world's second largest small arms exporter this year, all while British citizens are still prohibited from owning or possessing defensive firearms.
A large portion of U.K. weapons exports went to war-torn countries, with two-thirds of sales going to the Middle East, a hotbed of terrorism and conflict. The U.K. also sold arms to 22 of the 30 countries on its own human rights watch list. While countries like Libya, Russia and China have... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Sale Background Checks Rise to Record Number
6 September 2016
CNN
Guns are selling at unprecedented levels this summer, which means 2016 is well on its way to breaking the all-time record for background checks.
Background checks conducted by the FBI totaled 1,853,815 in August 2016, a 6% increase from August 2015.
That's the most checks ever in the month of August since the FBI started conducting background checks in 1998. In fact, every monthly tally this year has hit an all-time high, meaning that 2016 is on track to be the record... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazilian Company Taurus Sold Guns to Yemeni Trafficker [ES]
5 September 2016
Radio Formula (Mexico), Reuters
[Translated summary: Federal prosecutors in Brazil accused two former Forja Taurus executives of sending 8,000 handguns to an active Yemeni arms trafficker in 2013. Forja Taurus is a major gun manufacturer which supplies the Brazilian police and the Army, and is one of the five main gun suppliers to the American market, where it sells three-quarters of its production.]
Fiscales federales en el sur de Brasil acusaron en mayo a dos ex ejecutivos de Forjas Taurus de... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Gun Manufacturer Sold Guns to Trafficker from Yemen
5 September 2016
Reuters
Brazil's Forjas Taurus SA, the largest weapons manufacturer in Latin America, sold guns to a known Yemeni arms trafficker who funneled them into his nation's civil war in violation of international sanctions, according to charges in court documents reviewed by Reuters.
Federal prosecutors in southern Brazil charged two former executives of Forjas Taurus (FJTA4.SA) in May with shipping 8,000 handguns in 2013 to Fares Mohammed Hassan Mana'a, an arms smuggler active... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Manufacturers' Profits Soar In Wake of Shootings [FR]
2 September 2016
La Tribune (France)
[Translated summary: In fear of violence, a growing number of Americans choose to purchase firearms for self-defence. This behaviour is particularly lucrative for the firearm industry. For example, Smith & Wesson has registered a surge of 226% in its profit in the last few months.]
L'américain Smith & Wesson a plus que doublé son profit net lors du dernier trimestre, tandis que les récentes fusillades ont fait grimper le cours de l'action des fabricants... (GunPolicy.org)
Main US Gun Tracing Centre Deliberately Buried in Bureaucracy
1 September 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
Two agents with suits and trim haircuts lean against a cubicle wall in the cavernous red-brick building that houses the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Tracing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. They're laughing about one of the gun lobby's favorite myths: the notion that the government has a database with the names of every gun owner in America, and that one day, maybe very soon, it will sweep across the country to confiscate... (GunPolicy.org)
Peruvian Military Company to Assemble #Czech Pistols [ES]
1 September 2016
Radio Praga
[Translated summary: A military company from the Peruvian defence sector has opened an assembly and repair centre for Czech handguns in its plant. The company sold a total of 250,000 weapons in 2015 and most of its production is exported to Europe and US.]
Las pistolas de Česká zbrojovka se van a montar en Perú. La empresa militar FAME, con sede en Lima, ha abierto en su planta una zona de montaje y reparaciones de los productos checos. Se trata de la primera... (GunPolicy.org)
US Rush for Guns Boosts Smith & Wesson's Sales, Profit
31 August 2016
CNBC (USA)
Amid talks of tighter gun control and a series of tragic shootings, a pickup in demand for firearms is expected to drive double-digit gains in both sales and profits for Smith & Wesson's fiscal first quarter.
After seeing slower demand in May, "The past two months have seen a dramatic surge in U.S. firearms sales, particularly in rifles," Wunderlich Securities analyst Rommel Dionisio said in a research note.
Adjusted gun background checks, frequently used as a proxy... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Trade Group Partners With Suicide Prevention Experts
30 August 2016
The Trace (USA)
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry's top trade group, is partnering for the first time with the country's leading suicide prevention organization. The ambitious goal of the collaboration: averting nearly 10,000 deaths over the next decade.
The program, initiated by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will strive to educate people on the risk factors and warning signs of suicide, and provide guidance on how best to talk to someone who... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Small-time Gun Makers Swells in Florida, and in US
27 August 2016
Washington Times, Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Florida -- At FrogBones Family Shooting in Melbourne, you'll find rows of handguns, rifles and shooting accessories.
You'll also hear the constant "thud" of guns being fired in the indoor range.
Many probably would be surprised to know that FrogBones also is considered a gun "manufacturer," meaning it has the same license as other gun makers like Kel-Tec in Cocoa, Knight's Armament in Titusville or I.O. Inc. in Palm Bay.
"It's 1/100th of a percent of our... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia: 'Massacre Tax' Suggested to Curb US Gun Exports
26 August 2016
Stuff (New Zealand)
Australia's former deputy prime minister, Tim Fischer, has proposed what is surely a world-first plan for shooting down the gun-loving US Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump: a "massacre tax" on US gun exports.
In doing so, Fischer has also come out all guns blazing against what he calls the "lethal poison" flowing to Australia from US weapons manufacturers with the assistance of the American gun lobby and what he calls dysfunctional and corrupted US... (GunPolicy.org)
Durable, 3D-Printed 'Glock' Fires 18 Shots, 1000s of Rounds
25 August 2016
Outdoor Hub (US)
One thing can be said about the firearms community as a whole: there is plenty of fascination with new possibilities. Whether it is the hot gun du jour, or another promising new trend, our curiosity is often piqued and many of us want a piece of the pie.
3D printed guns are no exception.
As the possibility of a 3D printed gun hit the internet a few years ago, it was met with immediate attention. It was almost as if an electrically charged hush fell over the pro-gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Seizure of 'Weapon of War' Guns Increased 20% in Spain [ES]
23 August 2016
El País (Colombia)
[Translated summary: Approximately 20% of the 2,250 seized firearms in Spain in the last five years are weapons of war. Also, in the current year, about 1,073 firearms have been seized, 152 people have been arrested, at least four sweatshops have been shut down; there, assault rifles and semiautomatic guns were reactivated and ended up in countries at war.]
Los investigadores calculan que, en los últimos dos años, un pequeño negocio ubicado en el sótano de un... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Saudi Arabia,France,United Kingdom,Yemen
France, UK, US Urged to Halt Gun Sales to Saudi Arabia
23 August 2016
France 24
As a UN conference on the arms trade kicked off in Geneva on Monday, France, Britain and the United States came under fire from NGOs for selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, which is waging a controversial campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Swiss city is hosting the second conference on the UN-backed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which came into force in 2014 to lay out new rules governing the international arms trade. Advocacy groups are urging signatories to keep... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,China,Germany,United Kingdom,France,Russia,Spain,Italy,Israel,India,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Pakistan,Australia,Turkey,Singapore,South Korea,South Sudan,Ukraine
Killer Facts: The Scale of the Global Arms Trade, Gun Totals
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
Transfers of heavy conventional weapons
The top 10 exporters of conventional arms (excluding small arms/ light weapons – SALW) 2010-15
USA: US$55.006 billion
Russia: US$42.404 billion
China: US$9.943 billion
Germany: US$ 9.467 billion
France: US$ 8.932 billion
UK: US$ 7.627 billion
Spain: US$ 5.310 billion
Italy: US$ 4.360 billion
Ukraine: US$ 4.156 billion
Israel: US$ 3.280 billion
The top 10 importers of conventional arms (excluding SALWs) 2010-15
India:... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi's Authorities in a Fix Due to Illegal Firearms Market
21 August 2016
New Indian Press (India)
As it grapples with rising gun crime, procuring a firearm in Delhi is as easy as ordering takeaway. AK-47s, Chinese Star pistols, Walther PPKs and more are available for the gangster or terrorist who shops with ease in the city's gun bazaar. Incidents of gun-related deaths have gone up in Delhi.
A Delhi Police constable was shot dead over the weekend by bag snatchers, a first of its kind. Earlier, Delhi Police's Anti-Terror Unit busted an international gang of gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Hundreds of Russian and Italian Guns Found in Cyprus Port
19 August 2016
Cyprus-Mail (Cyprus)
Turkish Cypriot police discovered 645 guns, of which 318 automatic and 327 rifles, in a container about to be loaded on 'Rizokarpaso' cargo vessel in the Famagusta port, Turkish Cypriot press reported on Friday.
Two hundred of the guns are Russian-made Baikals, and the rest Italian-made Benellis, Brownings, Berettas and Winchesters.
The guns, press reports said, had been transported to Famagusta aboard the 'Morphou' on July 21st, and remained in a storage facility... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Factory Dismantled, Weapons Seized in Spain
18 August 2016
Spanish News Today
The Guardia Civil has dismantled a major arms manufacturing and repair workshop in the town of Dos Hermanas, near to the city of Sevilla, in the Andalucía region, seizing a large quantity of weapons and munitions, as well as a quantity of marijuana in the same premises.
During the raid a 48 year old man was arrested and will face a number of charges including manufacturing arms and munitions, storing and owning firearms without a licence, selling illegal weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
In 'Making a Killing,' Guns Do Slay People, Children Included
18 August 2016
New York Times
Try watching a 4-year-old recount the night when his enraged father shot the little boy's mother and grandfather in front of him. If there's a stronger word than heartbreaking, it would be apt for that story and for the others told in "Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the N.R.A."
"The N.R.A. creates fear in order to sell more guns and make more money for gun manufacturers," says one victim of gun violence. That and other arguments in this documentary are backed up... (GunPolicy.org)
India Relaxes Regulations, Now Welcomes Global Gun Makers
15 August 2016
Asia Sentinel
Driven partly by its developing rivalry with China, India is welcoming global gun manufacturers to set up shop to produce small arms including handguns, rifles, carbines, sub-machine guns, light machine guns and grenade launchers.
New investment rules allow private players to establish manufacturing units, sell to Indian defense forces and even cater to export orders. Forty-nine per cent foreign ownership will be permitted automatically but up to 100 percent FDI can... (GunPolicy.org)
Gays Against Guns Campaign Targets US Funds, Gun Makers
15 August 2016
Guardian
Hundreds of gay activists will begin a campaign of civil disobedience and direct action against gun companies and their supporters on Monday, to demand an end to the epidemic of gun violence blighting the US.
Members of Gays Against Guns, a group formed in the wake of the massacre of 49 people at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando earlier this summer, said they would "no longer stand by and watch the gun industry profit from death".
Organizers of the collective, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Change to Regulations Excites Indian Gun Makers, Exporters
11 August 2016
India Times
NEW DELHI -- Top small arms manufacturers from across the globe are looking to set up shop in India with a critical tweak in rules by the government that has enabled the private sector to set up manufacturing units and even cater to export orders after due permissions.
The revised Arms Rules 2016, which have been notified by the government last month, have brought clarity to the sector, giving clear rules on how private players can set up shop, bring in foreign... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Makers See Rush in Demand, Production and Exports
10 August 2016
Guns (USA)
New data released this week by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shows FFL numbers rebounding, over 9 million firearms produced and healthy import and export activity.
The statistics are part of the agency's 2016 Annual Statistical Update of Firearm Commerce in the United States.
The report includes data drawn from ATF's Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report (AFMER), which runs a year behind due to protections accorded under the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Maker Gains Recognition for Indonesian Assault Rifle
8 August 2016
Jakarta Post
The Pindad SS1-V1 left not only a definite hole in the US Marine Corps' body armor, but also a big impression on participants of the recent Rim of Pacific joint military training in the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base, Hawaii.
Admiration for the Indonesian-made assault rifle was sparked during a zeroing test on July 10. A zeroing test, conducted at a range of 25 meters, measures the power of each participating corps before the joint training begins.
Major Indra Fauzi... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Brazil,Ecuador,Russia,Chile
Brazil, Chile, Ecuador Largest LatAmerican Gun Exporters [ES]
6 August 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: Brazil is the main firearms exporter in Latin America, with over 4 million guns sold between 2005 and 2010 and 85 million USD earned in the 2014-2015 period. 54% of these guns were purchased by the US. Chile is the second largest exporter, followed by Ecuador.]
El comercio de armamento a nivel internacional es un negocio multimillonario. Mueve unos 76.000 millones de dólares al año. El continente latinoamericano no es ajeno a este negocio.
"En... (GunPolicy.org)
How the AK-47, AR-15 Became Guns of Choice for Mass Killers
5 August 2016
New York Times
Part 1
Time and again it's the same. A lone gunman or a small group of killers with rifles commits spectacular crimes that seize the attention of the world.
The list reaches back decades: the killing of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972; the school takeover in Beslan, Russia, in 2004; the attacks in Mumbai, India, in 2008; the mall assault in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2013; the killing of more than 100 people in Paris in 2015.
Often the rifles are variants of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Fiream Tracing System Crippled by Gun Lobby Opposition
4 August 2016
Officer (USA)
WASHINGTON — When Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife shot 14 people to death in San Bernardino, Calif., in December, law enforcement agents raced to track down one of their best leads: the guns used in the attack.
Within hours, they had identified Enrique Marquez Jr., Farook's neighbor, who provided background on the couple and was later indicted on terrorism and firearms charges.
Yet despite the urgency of the gun trace — and hundreds of similar searches conducted... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson Gives $500,000 to Fight Assault Rifle Ban
4 August 2016
Guardian
Gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson has donated $500,000 to the US's largest gun industry trade body to help its fightback against the Massachusetts attorney general's ban on the sale of assault rifles to civilians.
Smith & Wesson, whose shares this week hit a record high on the back of increasing demand for its assault rifles and other guns, said it had donated the money to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) battle against "arbitrary government action that... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi Becomes Safe Haven for Illegal Gun Trafficking Industry
2 August 2016
India Times
When one thinks of Delhi, one thinks of our country's legislative capital, home to the Parliament, the Supreme Court and our nation's top leaders and policy makers. On the surface, it appears to be a relatively lawful city, far from the infamous gang violence of Mumbai. It may come as a surprise that the city has of late become a safe haven for a huge illegal gun trafficking industry. From .315 and 12 bore pistols to assault rifles and AK-47, all sophisticated firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Maker Stocks Surge After Record Background Checks
1 August 2016
Guardian
The gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson's share price reached an all-time high on Monday after it was reported that the background checks for new guns had set a new record for July.
Shortly after the FBI announced July's figures on Monday afternoon, shares in the second largest gun manufacturer hit $30.59 each. Smith & Wesson's shares closed the day at an all-time high of $30.36, up 3% for the day and beating a previous record high of $29.37 set in March.
Shares in Sturm... (GunPolicy.org)
Another US Startup Designs a Low-Tech 'Smart Gun' Pistol
28 July 2016
Forbes (USA)
On first glance, it looks familiar to anyone who has seen a version of the Glock 17 pistol, the sleek handgun popularized by law enforcement around the country. But behind the trigger is a multi-colored, six-digit keypad that looks more like something you'd find on a door alarm than a gun.
The keypad stands out on the otherwise black pistol, a visual cue that the SMART 2 is not your ordinary handgun. It's also the reason why, according to the weapon's makers, it isn't... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns, Airguns Subject to Stringent New Regulation in India
28 July 2016
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
In a country where gun ownership laws influenced by the British are considered extremely prohibitive and firearms legitimately owned by citizens and sportspersons are dangerously outnumbered by weapons in the hands of criminals and terrorists, the Centre has made gun laws all the more stringent.
On July 15, the Union home ministry brought into force Arms Rules 2016 through a gazette notification that not only make getting a firearm licence under the existing Indian... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Cheaper Than Smartphones in Pakistan's 'Lethal Town'
28 July 2016
India TV News
Infamous for harbouring terror organisations and promoting their 'jihadi' activities that plot and spell doom across the border, it should come as no surprise that the availability of arms and ammunition to aid banned organisations like LeT and Indian Mujahideen is no big deal.
What does come as a shock for many is that guns are not just easily available, they are available dirt cheap.
In Pakistan's tribal town of Darra Adamkhel, guns – used or refurbished... (GunPolicy.org)
The European Countries with Most Privately Owned Guns [ES]
26 July 2016
Irispress (España)
[Translated Summary: According to the UN, EU gun sales total around €300,000 million [sic.] a year. Switzerland, Finland, and Cyprus have the highest gun-per-civilian rate (40 firearms per 100 civilians); while in Germany there are an estimated 30 firearms per 100 civilians, three times more than in Spain. Over 500,000 of these legal firearms from the EU have been lost or stolen and ended up in the black market.]
Aunque sobre el papel parece difícil, lo cierto es... (GunPolicy.org)
US Government Releases Proposed Guidelines for Smart Guns
15 July 2016
Engadget (USA)
Federal authorities have just released a set of recommended guidelines to define the minimum technical requirements that law enforcement agencies expect from smart guns. The proposed baseline specs cover just pistols for now, and are open for public input from now till September 13.
The biggest difference that the proposed smart gun would have from regular firearms is the addition of a so-called "security device." This is designed to prevent unauthorized use by... (GunPolicy.org)
1,300 Guns Destroyed in Ghana, 1.1 Million Still in Wrong Hands
11 July 2016
Graphic Online (Ghana)
The National Small Arms Commission (NSAC) last Saturday destroyed 1,300 illegal guns in the country but warned that there were still more than 1.1 million of such firearms and light weapons that might be in wrong hands.
The guns, which were marked and broken before being set on fire, included locally made single- and double-barrelled shotguns, locally made and imported pistols, pump action guns and local mortars.
The number of illegal firearms in wrong hands means that... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 31,500 Firearms Delivered to Peruvian National Police [ES]
7 July 2016
Peru 21
[Translated summary: With a US$13 million investment, Peruvian government acquired 31,557 firearms manufactured in the United States. These were given to the National Police to fight crime and insecurity. The lot includes 28,707 9x19 mm pistols, 150 assault rifles, 50 sub-machine guns, 5 sniper rifles and 50 pistols for the Police special units.]
Con una inversión de 13 millones de dólares, el Gobierno adquirió 31,557 armas de fuego fabricadas en Estados Unidos y... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Trade at Historic High, But Home Gun Ownership Down
30 June 2016
Time (USA)
Despite a recent uptick in gun sales, the percentage of U.S. households that own guns is at its lowest level in almost four decades, a new poll has found.
A recent CBS News poll found that 36% of adults either personally own a firearm or live with someone who does–the lowest level since 1978. That's 10% lower than gun ownership rates in 2012 and 17 points lower than 1994's high of 53%.
Meanwhile, gun purchases are at historic highs, measured by FBI firearm... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gunworks Now Makes, Sells Pioneering Nazi Assault Rifle
29 June 2016
CNN
Working replicas of the Nazis' storm rifle, widely considered to be the world's first assault rifle, are now being produced in the U.S.
"It's been a surprise hit with us," said Mac Steil, co-owner of Hill & Mac Gunworks in Georgia, which has taken orders for 2,000 rifles since the product launch in January. "We sold more rifles the first day than we thought we'd sell all year."
Hill & Mac Gunworks, a startup in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, is reproducing the STG... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Arms Industry Reports Record Gun Sales [FR]
28 June 2016
Radio Prague
[Translated summary: The value of gun exports from the Czech arms industry passed 550 million Euros last year. The geographic distribution of arms exports has also changed: sales have increased significantly to EU members and the United States.]
Les exportations des entreprises tchèques de l'industrie de l'armement et de la défense ont atteint un niveau record l'an passé. C'est ce qu'a fièrement annoncé ce mardi Jiří Hynek, le président de l'Association de... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifles, Handguns Transform US Firearm Industry
21 June 2016
New York Times
At one time, military-style assault rifles like the ones used at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., and in other mass shootings represented a relatively small segment of sales for gun manufacturers.
But in recent decades, such guns serve as one of the two financial pillars of the firearms industry, along with smaller handguns that are designed to be concealed, which have been the biggest driver of sales.
Together, the popularity of the assault rifles and small handguns... (GunPolicy.org)
Lebanon,Iraq,Jordan,Oman,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Croatia,Israel,Kuwait,Germany,Spain,United Arab Emirates,Italy,Qatar,Switzerland,United States
World's Small Arms Trade Reached US$5.8 Billion in 2013
17 June 2016
Israel Homeland Security
The Small Arms Survey (SAS) released its annual Transfers and Transparency trade update for 2016, which reveals that the world's top and the largest of the smaller arms exporters conducted trade to the tune of $5.8bn in 2013. This represents an increase of 17 percent in small arms trade on 2012, which came in at $5bn flat.
The United States alone, the world's largest arms manufacturer and exporter, exported a record breaking $1.1bn worth of small arms in 2013. In a... (GunPolicy.org)
AR-15, the Most 'Domestic' Weapon of War in America [ES]
13 June 2016
El Mundo (Spain)
[Translated summary: After a mass shooting, fear causes Americans to acquire more and more firearms for "self-defense". Some seem even more deadly, like the AR-15, an assault rifle. It is estimated than in the last five years, civilians have bought more than 1.5 millions guns. Prices start at 500 dollars.]
Cualquier vendedor de armas en EEUU sabe que un tiroteo masivo es una buena noticia para el negocio. Y más si es la mayor matanza en la historia del país. Lejos de... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Calls Orlando Assault Weapon 'America's Rifle'
13 June 2016
New York Times
In recent years, the AR-15 has become, simultaneously, one of most beloved and most vilified rifles in the country.
It is no surprise why the gun is so reviled by gun control advocates. Omar Mateen, the gunman in the attack this weekend on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., used a spinoff of the rifle produced by SIG Sauer to kill nearly 50 people.
The military-style weapon has also been the gun of choice in several other mass shootings: at an elementary school in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Shares Soar After Orlando Nightclub Massacre
13 June 2016
Guardian
Gun company shares soared on Monday as traders predicted that Americans will react to the Orlando massacre by rushing out to arm themselves with more guns.
Shares in the two biggest listed US gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger & Co rose by 11% and 10% in early trading and ended the day up 6.8% and 8.5% respectively.
Gun companies shares have risen strongly after every recent mass shooting incident as investors speculate that the atrocities might lead to... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson, Ruger Gun Stocks Rise After Orlando Shooting
13 June 2016
CBC News (Canada)
Shares in companies that make guns were higher Monday, the first trading day after the shooting in Orlando that is the deadliest in American history.
Gun maker Smith & Wesson was up more than eight per cent to above $23 a share and rival Sturm, Ruger & Co. was up by more than 10 per cent on Monday, two days after Omar Mateen killed 49 people in an Orlando gay dance club using assault weaponry.
Gun companies often see their shares rise in the aftermath of deadly... (GunPolicy.org)
Another Rapid-Fire Shotgun Brings Gun Control Call in Australia
13 June 2016
Guardian, Australian Associated Press
A new rapid-fire shotgun has hit the Australian market, prompting fresh calls from gun control advocates for the nation's firearms laws to be tightened.
As federal and state law enforcement officials prepare to meet in Sydney this week to discuss firearm regulation, the Pardus LAX is being billed as "the new entrant" in the lever action market. More than 7,000 Adler rapid-fire shotguns have been sold in Australia in just six months.
A 12-month ban on a version of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Since 1934, US Gun Lobby Created Fear of the 'Slippery Slope'
8 June 2016
The Trace (USA)
For the first time in a decade, the firearms industry has become a primary target in the gun debate. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton regularly hammered Bernie Sanders during the primaries over his vote for a 2005 law that grants gun manufacturers and retailers broad immunity from liability lawsuits. And the families of Sandy Hook victims are now challenging that legislation in a lawsuit against Remington, the parent company for the... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Arms Industry Needs Tougher Regulation
8 June 2016
Liberal Democrat Voice (UK)
The UK's arms industry is one of the most prolific and lucrative in the world. From fighter jets to armoured vehicles to small arms, our arms dealers have a lot to offer the world by way of military equipment.
No one will deny the power this industry wields in Britain. Until as recently as 2002, UK citizens and companies could arrange the transfer of arms between any other countries in the world (apart from those under a binding UN arms embargo) with complete impunity... (GunPolicy.org)
North Korea One of the Most Secretive Gun Exporters - Study
8 June 2016
Korea Times
North Korea has been labeled one of the least-transparent exporters of small arms, along with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Small Arms Survey.
The Swedish research institute assessed 49 countries that exported small arms and light weapons worth more than $10 million from 2001 to 2013.
It gave each country scores between zero and 25 based on seven parameters, including number of legitimate export licenses, clarity of export reports... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Italy,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,United States,Iran,North Korea,United Arab Emirates
Global Gun Trade Leapt 17 Percent in Aftermath of Arab Spring
7 June 2016
Deutsche Welle
Global trade in small arms hit $6 billion (5.3 billion euros) in 2013, a jump of 17 percent over the previous year, according to a non-profit arms-tracking organization, which released its results at a UN conference in New York on Monday.
The report, which was produced by the Swiss-based Small Arms Survey, again found that the United States was, by far, both the largest exporter and importer of small arms and light weapons, exporting a record $1.1 billion worth of... (GunPolicy.org)
North Korea,Iran,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Germany,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy
Switzerland Loses Top Slot in Gun Trade Transparency Ranking
7 June 2016
SwissInfo
For the first time since 2007, Switzerland gave up the top spot in the Small Arms Survey's latest evaluation of the most transparent small arms exporters.
"Its lower score in comparison with previous years reflects less complete reporting to United Nations Comtrade [UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database] and a lack of information on licence denials," the authors said in the 2016 bulletin published on Monday.
Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Finds 4,827 Guns Manufactured Each Year in Mali [FR]
29 May 2016
Mali Jet
[Translated summary: A study from the National Commission of the Fight Against the Proliferation of Light Weapons of Mali revealed that 4,827 are manufactured each year.]
Les armes de petits calibres font une victime par minute à travers le monde. La présidente de la Commission nationale de lutte contre la prolifération des armes légères, a présidé le jeudi et vendredi un atelier sur la problématique de lutte contre la prolifération des armes légères.... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,South America,United States
Latin America's Fatal Gun Addiction Fuelled by US Arms Dealers
27 May 2016
Foreign Affairs (US)
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S.-issued military hardware in the Western Hemisphere. All manner of weaponry—including over 32,500 M-16s and 270,000 grenades—seeped into the country from 1980 to 1993. Most of it was destined for the military-led government so that it could wage a vicious war against the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, or FMNL. Although the armed conflict officially ended in 1992, the guns, grenades,... (GunPolicy.org)
America May Be Getting Ready For a Smarter Kind of Gun
17 May 2016
Huffington Post (USA)
Jonathan Mossberg has already made a smart gun — a shotgun that can only be discharged by someone wearing a ring that communicates with a chip inside the weapon, unlocking it.
The gunmaker's smart guns, there are about 25 of them, are nearly 20 years old. They have been tested repeatedly and kept in the homes of his friends and family for self-defense. But Mossberg's Florida-based company, iGun Technology Corp., has never scaled the high-tech components to a handgun.... (GunPolicy.org)
Sandy Hook Gun Lawsuit Can Learn From 'Big Tobacco' Fight
14 May 2016
CNN
Families of the victims in the 2012 massacre by shooter Adam Lanza in Newtown, Connecticut, are no longer united only in their grief. Some of them are also now part of a potentially precedent-setting lawsuit seeking accountability from the gunmaker, Remington.
At issue are what the families allege are the manufacturer's marketing strategies and other trade secrets on military-style weapons.
Although the trial is not set to begin until April 2018, the case is moving... (GunPolicy.org)
The Easiest US States In Which to Buy a Gun
13 May 2016
Huffington Post (USA)
The second amendment, which was passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, states, "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The private right to own a firearm — for protection, for hunting, or for enjoyment — has remained central to the national ethos of the United States. Americans living in most states today would not have much trouble buying a gun.
In 36... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Rising Sharply in Czech Republic
4 May 2016
Radio Prague
Gun sales in the Czech Republic have been rising fast in recent months, while the number of Czechs applying for licenses is also growing. Experts suggest this is a response to worries over terrorist attacks and the migrant crisis.
In the last five years over 100,000 guns have been sold in this country, bringing the total number owned by private citizens to more than 800,000, according to the newspaper Hospodářské noviny.
After a period of decline, applications for... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun, Pistol Manufacturer Sales Up 26% from Last Year
3 May 2016
Guardian
Sturm, Ruger & Co, one of the largest gun manufacturers in the US, reported sales of $173.1m for the first quarter of 2016, up 26% from last year and some of the highest earnings in the company's 67-year history.
At a shareholding meeting, executives said "we are good citizens" and predicted that demand for guns could continue to grow thanks to the increasingly heated political rhetoric of the 2016 election, and a long-term trend of Americans wanting guns for... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Seeks Demonstration of 'Smart-Gun' Technology
29 April 2016
Washington Times
The Justice Department put out a call Friday for demonstrations of "smart-gun" technology, part of President Obama's executive actions pushing for more gun regulation.
In a notice published in the Federal Register, the National Institute of Justice announced it is seeking "an objective demonstration of the reliability of firearms available today with advanced gun safety technology integrated into the firearm." Prize money of up to $150,000 will be awarded to the most... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Puts His Weight Behind Smart-Gun Technology
29 April 2016
New York Times
WASHINGTON — President Obama will use the power of his office to try to jump-start long-stalled "smart-gun" technology that could eventually allow only the owner of a firearm to use it, the White House announced Friday.
Over the opposition of gun rights groups, he also vowed to push ahead with a new federal policy giving the F.B.I. access to more mental health records of some Social Security recipients to better flag people who might be banned from buying a gun.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
White House Hopes to Launch US Smart Gun Technology
29 April 2016
NBC News (USA)
The White House hopes it can finally launch smart gun technology — childproof weaponry aimed at stopping accidental shootings and increasing gun safety.
The administration is, for the first time, trying to put in place the requirements needed so law enforcement could eventually use smart guns. It's using findings in a new report from the Defense, Homeland Security and Justice Departments — agencies that were directed in January to look into the matter as Obama... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia's Kalashnikov Concern to Increase Gun Sales in 2017
27 April 2016
Sputnik News (Russia)
IZHEVSK — Russia's famed small arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern plans to increase its firearms sales twofold in 2017 to reach 5.8 billion rubles (some $88.6 million), as well as to begin the mass production of 10 new types of weapons, Kalashnikov CEO Alexei Krivoruchko said Wednesday.
"In addition to the development of new products, by 2017 we plan to double [our] sales of small arms to 5.8 billion rubles [165,000 pieces] and to start the mass production of not... (GunPolicy.org)
3D Printed Guns and Corner Shot Rifles Boost Gun Market
26 April 2016
Industry Today
According to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), small arms are weapons intended for use by an individual and include rifles, pistols, assault rifles, submachine guns, and light machine guns. On the other hand, light weapons are used by two or more persons serving as a crew and include grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars, and anti-tank guns. All these light weapons are less than 100 mm in caliber. The rapidly changing nature of... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Company to Launch Local Semi-auto Pistol in #Malaysia
25 April 2016
Malaysia Chronicle
"Malaysia has the best gun control laws in the world", 80-year-old golf legend Gary Player said loudly at a press conference in Miami. That was after I identified myself as a Malaysian journalist before posing my questions.
The South African went on: "Malaysia has got it right on gun control. You don't simply issue gun licences to people. Don't tell me guns don't kill people and it is people who kill people…"
That was more than six year ago. We will soon manufacture... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania to Re-Mark All Imported and Registered Guns
23 April 2016
Tanzania Daily News
ARUSHA — Tanzania may soon start marking all sorts of firearms with special engraving to distinguish weapons registered in the country, against those owned in other states, it was revealed in Arusha.
Vice President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, said that with nearly 900,000 light weapons and small arms circulating around the globe, it is vital for Tanzania, as well as other African countries to start engraving special national labels to indicate where each firearm was... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal,Oceania,Africa,Asia,Americas,Europe
Global Arms Smuggling and Trafficking Increases Gun Crime
21 April 2016
Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion
No doubt, the country is being increasingly inflicted by smuggling and illegal trade of small arms. This fast festering malaise has intensified serious crimes like murder, extortion, death threats, abduction and robbery. Fears are palpable that the growing market of small arms in the country may wreck the social fabric of the country. This is also hampering the efforts towards overcoming the social and economic trauma left by the decade-long armed conflict. However, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Gun Factories Resume Construction in Venezuela [ES]
16 April 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: Construction of Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition plants in Venezuela restarted in April 2016. Construction was halted in 2014 after the discovery of a $15 million embezzlement in Russia. The plants are estimated to be 70% complete.]
MOSCÚ -- La construcción de plantas para fabricar fusiles y municiones Kalashnikov se reanudó este abril en Venezuela, comunicó Anatoli Punchuk, subdirector general del Servicio Federal de Cooperación Técnica... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,Eastern Europe,Croatia,Bulgaria,France,Albania,Saudi Arabia,Syria,Serbia,West Asia,Iraq,Yemen,Slovakia,Sudan
Balkan Gun Trade Fuels Crime, Terrorism in Europe, Asia
16 April 2016
Economist
The arsenal discovered in the apartment of Reda Kriket, a suspected terrorist arrested on March 24th near Paris, included explosives, Kalashnikov AK-47 rifles and a machine pistol from Croatia. The terrorists who staged the attacks last November in Paris employed AK-47s made by Zastava, a Serbian manufacturer. The Kouachi brothers, who attacked the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo the previous January, used Kalashnikov ammunition made in Bosnia. Whatever else these... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawsuit by Newtown Families Could End US Gun Sales
16 April 2016
Detroit News, Opinion
Perhaps the biggest threat ever to the Second Amendment is working its way through the state courts in Connecticut.
A judge there is allowing a wrongful death lawsuit to proceed against Remington Arms Co., which made one of the weapons used by Adam Lanza to kill 26 children and staffers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.
The lawsuit, filed by nine victim families, claims Remington is liable for making and selling to the public a rifle unfit for civilian... (GunPolicy.org)
Court Refuses Immunity for US Massacre Gun Maker
14 April 2016
Newsweek (USA)
In a major blow to gun companies, a judge in Connecticut on Thursday denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 10 families affected by the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School against the maker of the Bushmaster AR-15 rifle used in the shooting.
The three gun companies named in the case had argued for the lawsuit to be dismissed under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), or PLCAA for short. It's a 2005 federal law that provides... (GunPolicy.org)
Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Race to Develop More Smart Guns
12 April 2016
Newsweek (USA)
In the 2012 movie Skyfall, James Bond brandishes his trusty sidearm, but with a high-tech twist: There's a sensor in the grip that reads palm prints so only he can fire it. The souped-up firearm saves the secret agent's life, and in the real world, similar technology could do the same for thousands. Or so says Ron Conway, an avuncular Silicon Valley billionaire trying to disrupt the gun industry.
Speaking at the International Smart Gun Symposium in San Francisco in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Maker Criticised for Real Pistol Imitating a Toy
11 April 2016
San Francisco Chronicle
Old-school gamers once threw fits whenever the dog in the classic Nintendo game "Duck Hunt" laughed at them for missing the titular ducks.
Now, players can have their revenge.
Actually, not really.
But, someone at Odessa-based gun manufacturer Precision Syndicate seemingly gets that frustration, modifying a Glock to look like an old Nintendo gun controller.
"We were waiting for someone to let us do this," the company wrote in a Facebook post last week. "We weren't... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Military Industries Involved in Gun Trafficking [ES]
8 April 2016
La Nación (Argentina)
[Translated summary: In Argentina, for over twenty years, armament and ammunition coming from the State-owned enterprise Military Industries have been surfacing in different countries such as Ecuador, Croatia and Brazil. New findings show that Military Industries was also using public resources to illegally manufacture and sell armaments.]
El descubrimiento de un circuito ilegal en una planta de Fabricaciones Militares indica la urgente necesidad de poner fin a la... (GunPolicy.org)
Punjabi Buyers Queue for New Lightweight "Ladies' Revolver"
8 April 2016
Times of India
KANPUR -- Eager buyers from Punjab are queueing up to buy 'Nirbheek', the light-weight revolver made by Kanpur's Field Gun Factory exclusively for women. Sales figures reveal that of the total number of applications received for the gun, almost three-fourth were from Punjab.
"Nirbheek, meaning 'fearless' in Hindi, is fast becoming popular among Punjab folks. About 70-75% guns are being sold to arms dealers from Punjab. However, Delhi women top the chart in purchase of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry and the Making of American Gun Culture
7 April 2016
Washington Post, Book review
The Revolutionary War and its musket-loading militias. The frontiersmen and the dangers of the plains. The Wild West, with its righteous cowboys and soulless desperadoes. Patriotism and manhood. Personal protection and individual rights.
All of these elements form part of the mythology of firearms in America, a mythology historian Pamela Haag aims to shoot down in "The Gunning of America," a fascinating exploration of the major businesses and families that have... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Slams Sanders With Sandy Hook Gun Massacre
7 April 2016
Tampa Tribune (Florida), Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA -- Armed with a blistering tabloid cover, Hillary Clinton is pitting Bernie Sanders against the parents of children murdered in Sandy Hook, part of an effort to punch her way into the critical New York primary.
The inflammatory rhetoric underscores the importance of the April 19 New York contest to her campaign and the mounting frustration of Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, with the lingering primary battle.
That irritation spilled... (GunPolicy.org)
Smart Guns Will Not be Available Soon in France [FR]
5 April 2016
ObjetConnecte.net (France)
[Translated summary: There is a new market of smart guns developing. In France, these guns would belong to the A category, meaning that the only ones allowed to carry them would be police or customs officials. Therefore, smart guns are not going to be available for the general public any time soon.]
L'internet des objets fait partie intégrante de notre présent. Les objets connectés sont de plus en plus nombreux et suscitent par leur intérêt et leur efficacité, un... (GunPolicy.org)
Smartphone-shaped Guns Soon on Sale in America [FR]
29 March 2016
TVA Nouvelles (Québec), Agence France Presse
[Translated summary: A Minessota company developed a gun that looks like a smartphone and fits in a pocket. It can be charged with two bullets and it will be on sale in mid 2016.]
Les Américains vont bientôt pouvoir acheter un pistolet ayant la forme d'un téléphone intelligent et chargé de deux balles, qui pourra facilement se glisser dans la poche d'un pantalon.
«Ingénieusement conçu pour ressembler à un smartphone, il s'ouvre et est prêt à tirer dès... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Fires Back to Gun Control in Wisconsin
29 March 2016
Washington Examiner
Hillary Clinton touted her record on gun control while speaking in Milwaukee Tuesday, a key area of distinction between her and Bernie Sanders ahead of the Wisconsin primary.
"The availability of guns has gone way too far and the fact that gun makers and sellers have immunity," Clinton said, trailing off before contrasting her vote against immunity for gun manufacturers immunity with Sanders' vote for it.
Gun control was a major issue during the Democratic primaries... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Claims 3 US Gun Laws Could Cut Gun Deaths by 90%
19 March 2016
New Scientist
Most of the laws aimed at gun control in the US don't work. But three do. Implement them at a national level, and we could cut firearm deaths by 90 per cent.
That's the conclusion of a recent study, and it sounds like great news. But the findings have come under heavy fire from other researchers.
There are more than 33,000 firearm deaths each year in the US. Yet no one knows which, if any, laws are effective in reducing this number. This is partly due to lack of... (GunPolicy.org)
Purse Gun for Women Named for Famous India Rape Victim
19 March 2016
Times of India
KANPUR - The light-weight handgun made exclusively for women after the Delhi gang rape incident, Nirbheek, may soon be available in multiple colours.
"Market feedback has shown that women want Nirbheek in multiple colours. Though we are ready for the switch over, a final decision is yet to be taken," said Sanjeev Kumar, additional general manager of the Field Gun Factory, on the occasion of Ordnance Factory Day here on Friday. The Field Gun Factory is producing the... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania
13 March 2016
GunPolicy.org
With apologies for being absent so long, Gun Policy News bulletins are back. At least for now.
Beginning in 1997, our dozens of regional E-mail and RSS news feeds delivered daily bulletins of small arms-related mass media articles up to June, 2014. From today we'll try to do so again, at least until the end of 2016.... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Industry Wants Looser Rules on Gun Silencers
8 March 2016
Reuters
The U.S. gun industry is trying to shake off the Hollywood hitman image of the gun silencer and rebrand it as a hearing-protection device in a campaign to roll back regulations that date to the 1930s.
Industry lobbying has led to more than a dozen states legalizing silencers for hunting since 2011. Now gun advocates are pressing Congress to repeal a Depression-era law that requires a months-long screening process for silencer buyers - far more scrutiny than gun buyers... (GunPolicy.org)
The Right to Sue the US Gun Industry - NY Times
4 March 2016
New York Times, Editorial
The world recoiled in horror in 2012 when 20 Connecticut schoolchildren and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School by a deranged teenager using a military-style assault rifle to fire 154 rounds in less than five minutes. The weapon was a Bushmaster AR-15 semiautomatic rifle adapted from its original role as a battlefield weapon. The AR-15, which is designed to inflict maximum casualties with rapid bursts, should never have been available for purchase by... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Facts, Figures and Firearm Law in Burkina Faso [FR]
26 February 2016
Le Pays (Burkina Faso), Transcript
[Translated summary: Gun facts and figures in Burkina Faso: the 2009 Firearms Decree; Consequences of the August 1983 Revolution; Arms trafficking in the region; Importance of the illegal manufacture of home-made guns; In Ouagadougou alone: 1,246 permits to carry firearms were issued in 2015, 1,270 in 2014, and 1,190 in 2013]
INTERVIEW
Propos recueillis par Michel NANA en collaboration avec Afronline (Italie)
Le Colonel Christophe Raoul Tapsoba est le secrétaire... (GunPolicy.org)
Could Smart Guns Solve America's Gun Death Epidemic?
24 February 2016
Guardian
A federal agent lost his loaded gun in San Francisco last week after leaving the firearm on top of his car and driving off. In September, police say a man with a Glock 26 pistol stolen from a federal immigration officer's car shot and kill a beloved Oakland artist. And in July, a man allegedly used a federal ranger's semi-automatic pistol to shoot 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle in a random San Francisco killing.
The thefts and resulting gun violence have raised questions... (GunPolicy.org)
New Report on Firearms Trafficking from US to Mexico
11 January 2016
US House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs - Democrats, Media release
WASHINGTON -- Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today welcomed the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he commissioned on U.S. efforts to halt illegal firearms trafficking to Mexico. Representative Engel requested the report in May 2014.
"With at least 70 percent of firearms recovered at Mexican crime scenes coming from the United States, our Congress has a responsibility to do much more to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: US House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs - Democrats
Most Guns in US Mass Shootings Were Legally Obtained
5 December 2015
NBC News (USA)
The weapons used in this week's massacre in San Bernardino, California, were purchased legally, raising questions about how preventable gun violence is under current U.S. firearm laws.
Eighty-two percent of weapons involved in mass shootings over the last three decades have been bought legally, according to a database compiled by Mother Jones magazine that defines a mass shooting as taking the lives of at least four people in a public place. Using that criteria, Mother... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Seeks to Copy US Gun Culture
12 November 2015
Time (USA)
Rio de Janeiro - Congressmen in Brazil, one of the most violent countries in the world, are proposing to dramatically loosen restrictions on personal gun ownership, bringing the country much closer to the American right to bear arms.
The politicians say the measures are necessary to allow embattled citizens the right to defend themselves from criminals armed with illegal weapons. But opponents say the move will only increase the country's toll of nearly 60,000 murders... (GunPolicy.org)
Maryland (US) Handgun Ballistic Records Scrapped
10 November 2015
Hot Air (USA)
For gun control advocates, it sure sounded like a great idea. Why not force gun purchasers to fire a round at the police station so that the ballistic "fingerprint" of the firearm could be catalogued? That way, police could find the perpetrator every time a gun was used in a crime. What could go wrong?
Plenty, according to the Baltimore Sun's Erin Cox. Fifteen years, millions of dollars, and 340,000 shell casings later, Maryland decided last week to scrap the system... (GunPolicy.org)
The Cash, Donors Powering the NRA - CNNMoney Analysis
15 October 2015
CNN
From a small-town pharmacist to a commercial pilot, it's not just gunmakers that are funding the National Rifle Association's political battles.
The organization's overall revenue, which includes membership dues, program fees and other contributions, has boomed in recent years – rising to nearly $350 million in 2013. The majority of this money funds NRA initiatives like member newsletters, sporting events and gun safety education and training programs.
These help... (GunPolicy.org)
There are Now More Guns than People in the United States
5 October 2015
Washington Post
It's tough to know exactly how many guns we have in the United States. Most estimates of the number of guns in the U.S. use federal tallies of the firearms manufactured, imported and exported by U.S. gunmakers.
A 2012 Congressional Research Service report published exactly one month before the Sandy Hook school shooting put the number of civilian firearms at 242 million in 1996, 259 million in 2000, and 310 million as of 2009.
If that 310 million number is correct, it... (GunPolicy.org)
America Has More Guns in Fewer Hands Than Ever Before
5 October 2015
Washington Post
You've probably heard by now that the Obama administration has been a boon to the U.S. firearm industry. Gun manufacturers boosted production by 31 percent between 2011 and 2012. National tragedies from Newtown to Ferguson are accompanied by stories of surging gun sales.
But data released this week from the General Social Survey, widely regarded as the gold standard for social science survey research, shows that in 2014, the number of American households owning guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Buying Illicit Firearms in Vietnam
24 August 2015
Tuoi Tre News
Although civilians are banned from owning guns in Vietnam, anyone can buy the weapons via contacts with friends, as well as on social networks, and have them delivered at home.
It is not difficult to buy a gun in Vietnam, even though civilians are totally banned from owning them.
Prices range widely, from VND400,000 (US$18) to tens of millions of dong (VND10 million equals $455).
They are mainly air guns illegally imported through the land borders with China, Laos... (GunPolicy.org)
Declines in National Reporting Reveal Failure of UNPoA
28 May 2015
Heritage Foundation (USA)
In 2001, the United Nations created the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA). The PoA is not a treaty. Rather, it is a political mechanism for encouraging voluntary cooperation. On June 1–5, 2015, the Second Meeting of Governmental Experts (MGE2) under the PoA will be held in New York City.
The purpose of MGE2 is to allow nationally nominated experts to address technical... (GunPolicy.org)
Disagreement About Origins of Illegal Firearms in Australia
26 May 2015
ABC News (Australia)
Tracing the source of guns used in crime across Australia is difficult, and the origins of illegal firearms is the subject of significant disagreement among federal lawmakers.
A recent Australian Crime Commission report on organised crime said a new database being developed will track the full life of a gun, something law enforcement agencies have never been able to do. But for now, where illegal guns come from remains a hotly debated topic.
A Senate inquiry into... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Air Rifles in Vietnam
6 May 2015
Tuoi Tre News
In spite of being totally banned in Vietnam, air guns can be found and bought in Ho Chi Minh City at prices ranging from VND200,000 (US$9) to VND1 million ($46) each
Air guns have been offered for sale in Ho Chi Minh City and other localities despite the fact that purchasing and owning the items are banned in Vietnam.
The guns are manually made by individuals, mainly for hunting, and cost an average of VND200,000 (US$9) to VND1 million ($46) each, depending on the... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Slovakia,Denmark,Belgium,Spain,Czech Republic
Charlie Hebdo Killers Bought Their Guns Legally in Europe
18 February 2015
Euronews (France)
The automatic rifles used in the terrorist attacks in Paris last month may have been decommissioned weapons legally bought in Slovakia and reconverted to fire live ammunition, Euronews can reveal.
French police are exploring whether weapons used in the deadly assaults on the Charlie Hebdo offices and at a Kosher supermarket were purchased in a shop inside the European Union, according to a joint investigation with the Slovakian Nový čas newspaper.
The weapons are... (GunPolicy.org)
Nicaragua,Peru,Haiti,Dominican Republic,Cuba,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala,Turkey,El Salvador,United States,Russia,Austria,Belgium,Colombia,Brazil,Czech Republic,Germany,Israel,Venezuela,Italy,Spain
16 January 2015
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S. military hardware and weaponry in the Western Hemisphere. Although the Central American country's civil war ended in 1992, the guns, grenades and bullets linger, as do their murderous effects. In September, a U.S. official from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimated that half the weapons available on El Salvador's vibrant black market were made in the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Military-Style AR-15 Rifles: 'The Market is Saturated' in USA
3 December 2014
USA Today
ASHEVILLE — Two years ago, in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in which a mentally unstable man killed 20 students and six adults with a military-style rifle, such weapons seemed to be in deep trouble.
After the Dec. 14, 2012, tragedy, President Obama and Congress called for reform and restrictions on the guns and their high-capacity magazines. Fearing an outright ban, gun buyers stampeded stores, cleaning out shelves and driving prices up to nearly... (GunPolicy.org)
6,000 Illegal Gunmakers in the Philippines
14 November 2014
Bloomberg (USA)
Hidden beneath tarpaulins in the backyard of a house in the central Philippine city of Danao, Lito puts the finishing touches on a replica .45-caliber Colt Officer's Model pistol. It will join the more than 600,000 illegal guns in circulation in a country where the homicide rate outstrips the U.S.
The money he makes from guns supplements his income as a farmer and helped Lito, 52, send two children to college. Still, he thinks often of the suffering that may come from... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Caribbean,Cuba,United States,Russia,Nicaragua,Israel,El Salvador,Honduras,Europe,Belgium,Czech Republic,Germany,Italy,South Africa,Spain,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,Brazil,Argentina,Chile,Paraguay,Panama,Ecuador
Small Arms Trade a 'Dramatic Threat' to Latin America
13 October 2014
NACLA
Small arms and gun violence present the most dramatic threat to public safety in Latin America and the Caribbean. After decades of uncontrolled proliferation, at least 45 million to 80 million small arms and light weapons—that is, weapons operated by an individual or small group, including handguns, assault rifles, grenades, grenade launchers, and even man portable surface to air missiles—are circulating throughout the region.(1) Gunshots kill between 73,000 and... (GunPolicy.org)
No Biblical Excuse for Carrying a Gun
20 September 2014
AL.com (Alabama)
DECATUR, Georgia – Is there a Bible-based theology that justifies an emphasis of personal defense and deregulation of gun sales and ownership? Not really, says a panel of activists who fight for good gun regulation out of their personal religious motivations. The panel on "God and Guns" at the Religion Newswriters Association's annual conference, going on through Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, in Decatur, Ga., represents several faith-based groups who advocate for more... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Praises Australia's Gun Control, Brings Country into US Gun Debate
11 June 2014
Sydney Morning Herald
Even as police were still on the scene of yet another American school shooting – the 74th since the massacre of primary school children in Newtown – President Barack Obama praised Australia's gun laws in an online question and answer session.
"Couple of decades ago, Australia had a mass shooting, similar to Columbine or Newtown. And Australia just said, well, that's it, we're not doing, we're not seeing that again, and basically imposed very severe, tough gun laws,... (GunPolicy.org)
Google Glass Gun App Would Give Users Ability to Shoot Round Corners
4 June 2014
RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
A new Google Glass application would allow shooters to aim around corners while protecting them from return fire, the app developer claims.
Tracking Point, a Texas company that develops precision-tracking technology for firearms, announced via a YouTube video on Thursday that it has combined wearable technology, like Google Glass, with a Precision Guided Firearm (PGF) in a way that allows users to shoot around corners. The new combined system is called ShotView.
"When... (GunPolicy.org)
Smart Guns Deserve a Chance in the US Market - Bloomberg editorial
21 May 2014
Bloomberg (USA), Editorial
Poor Ernst Mauch. The managing director of Armatix GmbH, a German firearms maker, appears to believe in "a market-driven approach to firearms safety." Unfortunately, the forces that shape the roughly $4 billion U.S. civilian guns and ammunition industry are increasingly political.
Armatix makes the iP1 "smart gun," which communicates with a wristwatch to identify its authorized user and makes it impossible for anyone but the gun's owner to fire it. Given that there are... (GunPolicy.org)
Luxembourg,United States,Germany
Ten Things the Gun Industry Won't Tell You – Wall St Journal
20 May 2014
Wall Street Journal
1. "Owning our product may be hazardous to your health."
In the U.S., there are now somewhere between 270 million and 310 million guns, according to the Pew Research Center — that's almost one gun for every person in the nation. Judges and legislators across the political spectrum recognize the constitutional right to bear arms. And gun and ammunition sales to private citizens are a significant part of a nearly $15 billion industry that's seeing plenty of growth: On... (GunPolicy.org)
Smart Guns Are a Smart Choice for Consumers
19 May 2014
Washington Post, Opinion
I have spent my entire life designing and developing firearms. My designs and patents, which include the USP family of pistols, the HK416 assault rifle, G36 assault rifle and XM25 grenade machine gun, are currently in use by multiple branches of the U.S. armed forces and numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the militaries of Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain, among many others. I am the first non-U.S. citizen to win the Chinn Award... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Russia,Germany,Thailand,Kazakhstan,Italy,United States,Canada,Norway
Kalashnikov Small Arms Production in Russia More Than Doubles in 2014
28 April 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – The Kalashnikov Concern produced 230 percent more small arms weapons in the first quarter of this year than in the year-ago period, the company's press service told RIA Novosti Monday.
"In the first three months of the year we had a record-high volume production of small arms in the amount of 31,000 items, which makes 41 percent of the total output of similar products for 2013," the company said.
"The current results are 230 percent higher than those in the... (GunPolicy.org)
'Smart' Firearm Draws Wrath of US Gun Lobby
27 April 2014
New York Times
BEVERLY HILLS, California — Belinda Padilla does not pick up unknown calls anymore, not since someone posted her cellphone number on an online forum for gun enthusiasts. A few fuming-mad voice mail messages and heavy breathers were all it took.
Then someone snapped pictures of the address where she has a P.O. box and put those online, too. In a crude, cartoonish scrawl, this person drew an arrow to the blurred image of a woman passing through the photo frame.... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawsuit Against US Gun Dealer Settled After Straw Purchase Results in Death
22 April 2014
Republic (Indiana)
CHICAGO — The parents of a slain Chicago police officer and a Mississippi gun shop they sued for selling the gun used to kill their son to a straw buyer said Tuesday that they reached a settlement.
Carolyn and Thomas Wortham III and Ed's Pawn Shop & Salvage Yard in Byhalia, Mississippi, said in a joint statement that they resolved the dispute "to the satisfaction of all parties."
The pawn shop agreed to increased vigilance on gun sales.
"The agreed policies will... (GunPolicy.org)
China's No-Questions-Asked Gun-Surrender Drives Netted 150,000 Illegal Guns
14 April 2014
International Business Times (USA)
A raid in southern China resulted in the seizure of over 10,000 illegally owned guns, in addition to thousands of illegal knives. And besides being the largest haul of illegal firearms to date in China, the raid in the city of Guiyang, located in Guizhou province, has brought to the light once more China's evolving, underground gun culture.
China's weapons laws are among the world's strictest. The country bans all private gun ownership, with very few exceptions. This... (GunPolicy.org)
Call for Israel to Sign Arms Trade Treaty to Prevent Gun Violence Against Women
4 April 2014
+972 Magazine, Blog
The Knesset Committee for Advancement of the Status of Women is about to discuss a national action plan, initiated by a wide coalition of feminist NGOs, for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325. The resolution calls for the adoption of a gender perspective in peace and security issues, or simply put – for the consideration of women's special security needs, and of the unique nature of harm they suffer. For the first time, the national action plan... (GunPolicy.org)
Slovenia,Malta,El Salvador,Denmark,Croatia,Hungary,Finland,Estonia,France,Spain,Italy,Bulgaria,United Kingdom,Germany,Slovakia,Ireland,Latvia,Romania
Methodists Welcome 18 Countries Ratifying Arms Trade Treaty Including UK
3 April 2014
Christian Today
The Methodist Church has praised the government's ratification of the UN's Arms Trade Treaty.
The President of the Methodist Conference, the Reverend Ruth Gee, hailed it as a "legal milestone that should help to protect those who are abused and oppressed".
Countries that ratify the treaty will be required to establish national arms regulators to control the exporting of conventional weapons and weapons components, and to properly regulate arms brokers. Domestic weapon... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Industry Benefits from America's Epidemic of Gun Violence
10 March 2014
Baltimore Post Examiner
America is a violent place by any standard. The national firearm-related death rate has held steady at 10.5 per 100,000 people since 1999, well above the global average. Some of its cities exhibit epidemic rates of gun death on par with crime-affected urban centers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Hard as it might be to believe, levels of lethal violence are actually at historic lows.
Declines occurred after the passage of specific legislation designed to prevent... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Move to Curb Swiss Assault Rifle, Canada Grants Instant Amnesty
3 March 2014
CBC News (Canada)
The federal government has granted a five-year amnesty to owners of Swiss Arms Classic Green semi-automatic rifles, who will be able to continue to possess their guns "without threat of criminal charges," according to a statement from the public safety minister's office.
Although the guns have been sold in Canada for a dozen years, the RCMP had been investigating a small group of rifles similar to the Classic Greens that were brought into Canada from the small arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Colombia,United States,Libya,Georgia,Russia,Mexico
Banned German Firearms Being Sold in Colombia
1 March 2014
Deutsche Welle
German law prohibits the export of weapons to crisis or conflict regions. But guns sporting the label "Made in Germany" are being sold in war-torn Colombia. Manufacturers have denied any involvement in illegal exports.
A person who wants to buy a gun legally in Colombia must be at least 25 years old, provide proof of income and a gun license and possess no criminal record. The arms trade in the South American country is a state monopoly run by the weapons manufacturer... (GunPolicy.org)