NSSF, the firearm industry trade association, revealed that the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) completed 680,671 background checks related to firearms for the week leading up to, and including, “Black Friday,” one of the busiest shopping days of the year. That figure is down slightly from 2022’s total of 711,372 for the same time period. The 2023 total is a 4.3 percent decrease from the 2022 figure.

FBI NICS completed 214,913 background checks on Black Friday alone. That is the highest figure recorded for a Black Friday. The figure approximates firearm sales at retail on that day, although it also includes background checks for other purposes related to firearms such as approvals for concealed carry permits. NSSF will later this week release its Adjusted NICS figures for November reflecting only those background checks related to the sale of a firearm at retail.

NSSF has worked with firearm retailers to spread out special sales offers to customers throughout the week leading up to Black Friday so as not to overwhelm FBI NICS on a single day, which can result in longer than normal wait times.

“The background checks reported by the FBI are in keeping with the trends NSSF has seen throughout the year. Firearm sales remain consistently strong, with over a million per month for more than four years running,” explained Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “These figures tell us that there is a continued strong appetite for lawful firearm ownership by law-abiding Americans and that firearm manufacturers across the country continue to deliver the quality firearms our customers have come to expect.”

Annual background check data shows that firearm sales will typically rise during the final months of the year coinciding with hunting seasons and holiday sales.

Below are the breakout tables for each day of unadjusted FBI NICS background checks.

• Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023: 95,354
• Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023: 52,521
• Monday, Nov. 20, 2023: 79,970
• Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023: 101,199
• Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023: 110,703
• Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023: 26,011
• Friday, Nov. 24, 2023: 214,913

The “Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022” was signed into law on March 15, 2022. Section 1101 of the Act included the “NICS Denial Notification Act of 2022.” The Act requires the Attorney General to report background check denials to state authorities and will require the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Section to report all FBI NICS denied transactions to local law enforcement within 24 hours beginning October 1, 2022. The NICS Section plans to implement this change on September 26, 2022.

The denial notification will include the date and time of the denial, the reason for the denial, the location of the federal firearms licensee (FFL), and the identity of the person. The NICS denial notifications will be transmitted electronically to the appropriate receiving authorities within each state based on the city, state, county, and zip code combination of the FFL location and the city, state, county, and if different, the zip code combination of the attempted transferee’s home address. If at any time, the original denial is changed to a proceed, an updated notification to those agencies originally notified will be required.

The NICS Section is working diligently on developing the tools to make this notification as seamless as possible. To make the necessary notifications, all FFLs will be required to provide the buyer’s complete address as recorded on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473. For FFLs who initiate a check by contacting the NICS Contracted Call Center (NCCC), the address will be required if the customer receives a delay or a denied status. The information will be required before the status is provided by the NCCC. For FFLs that initiate the check through the NICS E-Check, the address will be required if the customer receives a delay or denied response. The response will not be retrievable until the information is provided. Once the system is updated to allow for the capturing of this information an additional notification will be provided. In addition, if the transfer occurs at a qualifying gun show, future programming may allow for the full address of the gun show location to be entered also.

This post was originally published by Orchid Advisors and republished with permission.

Data released by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reveal a very active year so far for background checks leading to the sale of firearms.

From January through June, NICS reported 5,221,633 background checks, a 19% increase from 4,384,156 in the same period in 2006. May and June showed the largest increase year-over-year, with 28% and 29% increases respectively. The increase coincides with an increase in excise tax collections paid by firearms and ammunition manufacturers, another key economic indicator for the firearms industry.

New TASER Unit Contains Unique ID Device

TASER International, Inc., the producer of electronic control devices, has made the first shipment of the TASER C2, an affordable, futuristic palm-sized device designed for consumer self protection and incorporating a revolutionary new public safety background check technology called CheckLok, that could have implications for firearms manufacturers.

“We designed the TASER C2 with the consumer in mind from the ground up by listening to our customers,” said Kathy Hanrahan, president and chief operating officer of TASER International. “Although we have sold over 136,000 TASER systems to consumers since 1994, our focus since 1998 has primarily been in the law enforcement arena. However, over the past year our engineers were able to make tremendous technological advances to reduce the size, modernize the look and provide our TASER cutting edge technology for consumer self-defense at an affordable price.”

“With CheckLok, TASER C2 units are shipped in an inactive state. They cannot be used until the purchaser successfully completes a background check from the privacy of their own home or office using a secure web site or a toll-free number. After passing the background check, the purchaser is issued an activation code unique to their serial number. The TASER C2 will work only after entering the activation code,” Hanrahan continued.

The TASER C2 unit features the following capabilities:

• Up to a 15-foot range from the device conducting energy that temporarily incapacitates an attacker by overriding sensory and motor functions.
• CheckLok public safety background check technology guaranteeing that the device cannot be used until the purchaser successfully completes a comprehensive background check.
• A unique anti-felon identification (AFID) technology, which disperses 20-30 serialized pieces of confetti whenever a TASER Cartridge is deployed to help prevent and track potential misuse.
• A light, sleek, hand-held design that can fit in a pocket or purse.
• Available in four designer colors that are evidently designed to appeal to women: Black Pearl, Titanium Silver, Electric Blue, and Metallic Pink.
• A safety cover and trigger design that users can easily operate with their thumb. In addition to the TASER C2 device, the package includes a disposable TASER cartridge, owner’s manual and training DVD video. More information is available at: www.TASER.com.

The TASER C2 retails for a base price of $299.99. It is available now at several retailers including Academy Sports + Outdoors (www.academy.com); Cabelas, Inc. (www.cabelas.com); and Gander Mountain (www.gandermountain.com).

Sturm, Ruger Reports Significant 2nd Qtr. Sales Increase

Second calendar quarter 2007 net firearms sales of $39,567,000, as compared to firearms sales of $29,222,000 in the same quarter last year, are reported by Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

For the six months ended June 30, 2007, net firearms sales totaled $83,237,000, versus $70,047,000 for the first half of 2006.

Castings sales did not fare as well as net castings sales for the three months ended June 30, 2007 were $2,540,000, compared to $6,054,000 in the corresponding quarter of 2006. For 2007’s first six months, castings sales were $7,327,000, as compared to $12,656,000 in the first half of last year.

Total net sales for 2007’s second quarter were $42,107,000 versus $35,276,000 in 2006. Total net sales for the first six months this year were $90,564,000 and $82,703,000 in the first six months of 2006.

Gross profit was $13,128,000 in 2007’s second quarter (after deducting cost of products sold) versus $8,385,000 in the second quarter of 2006. For the first six months this year, gross profit was $28,692,000 versus $18,528,000 last year.

After deducting selling, general and administrative expenses, operating profit was reported at $6,048,000 for 2007’s second quarter versus $1,779,000 in the corresponding quarter of 2006. For the first six months, operating profit made a significant gain to $13,963,000 compared to $4,075,000 for the first six months of 2006.

A gain on the sale of non-manufacturing assets during the first half of 2007 (not present in the 2006 results) and significantly higher other income, resulted in a net income (after income taxes) of $5,131,000 in the first quarter of 2007 compared to $1,448,000 in the same quarter in 2006.

Net income for 2007’s first six months was $13,192,000 versus $2,868,000 during the first six months of 2006.

The company’s effort to reduce inventories has been working. Net inventories stood at $11,570,000 at June 30, 2007 as compared to $24,406,000 on December 31, 2006.

Research Report on American Gun Ownership

Nearly 60 percent of adults in West Virginia have a gun at home, according to a new survey by the West Virginia Health Statistics Center.

West Virginia ranks sixth in the nation in the percentage of people who keep a firearm in their house. Meanwhile, a little more than 10% of state residents have a loaded gun at home – the 18th highest rate in the nation. And about 6% of West Virginia adults have loaded and unlocked guns in their homes. Nineteen other states had higher rates, according to the survey.

Wyoming had the highest percentage of adults – nearly 66% – with firearms in their homes, followed by Montana, South Dakota, Alaska, Arkansas and West Virginia.

Nationally, firearms can be found in nearly one-third of U.S. households.

Washington, D.C., had the lowest percentage of people with guns in their homes at 4.3%. The lowest ranked state was New Jersey with 10% of residents admitting having guns, according to the survey.

Alabama had the highest percentage of residents with loaded firearms at 17%, followed by Arkansas, Mississippi and Alaska.

Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., had the lowest percentage of people with loaded guns in their homes (in both places it is illegal to keep a stored, loaded firearm at home).

According to the survey, Alaska had the highest proportion of people with loaded and unlocked firearms. Arkansas was next, followed by Mississippi, Alabama and Wyoming.

NSSF Touts Black Rifles at Writer’s Event

After relegating makers of tactical or “black” rifles to back aisles at the SHOT Show for a number of years, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is now actually campaigning for them.

At the 2007 Professional Outdoor Media Association conference in Minneapolis North, Minnesota August 2-4, NSSF “rolled out a new campaign to help traditional hunting and gun writers learn more about the surging popularity of tactical rifles and gear. The campaign included range time with several AR-15 platform rifles, a luncheon presentation, information packet, interviews and photo ops with industry representatives,” according to a NSSF press release.

The move apparently stems from the emergence of such products in the catalogs of such traditional “old line” firearms makers as Smith & Wesson and the acquisition of Remington Arms Company by Cerberus Capital, which also owns Bushmaster Firearms.

Proposed Gun Law Prompts Gunmaker’s Move

An Illinois gun maker plans to move to Iowa after the LeClaire, Iowa City Council agreed to sell city-owned land to the company.

The council voted recently to approve the sale of the land to Les Baer Custom for $10,000. The company is currently based in Hillsdale, Ill., but its owner, Les Baer, decided to move after Illinois lawmakers proposed a ban (which the state’s governor actively supported) on the distribution, sales and manufacturing of semiautomatic firearms.

Baer hopes to move into a one-story steel building in LeClaire by November. The building will be used to make custom 1911 handguns and AR-style rifles. The move initially will create 14 jobs with a total of at least 18 jobs by 2010, Baer said.

Initial opposition to the plan by com munity activists who objected to the move of a firearms manufacturer in their community quieted and no one spoke in opposition of the project during the final city council meeting.

Rick Reed, president of the LeClaire Chamber of Commerce said the custom firearms company will help strengthen the city’s manufacturing base.

“We’re thrilled to see Les Baer will be coming to our community, and we welcome new businesses and manufacturing to LeClaire,” Reed said. The council also voted to give Les Baer $150,000 in tax increment financing.

Savage Range Systems Wins Contract

Savage Arms’ sister company, Savage Range Systems, was recently awarded a contract to build a 25.8-meter range for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at their Regina facility. The range will be designed with 16 lanes and is expected to provide training for over 2,700 cadets over the next year.

Gun Writer Bill Passes California Assembly

Firearms regulations are so bad in California that the law prohibits a journalist (read ‘gun writer’) to receive a handgun not listed on the state Dept. of Justice’s “not unsafe” roster list for the purpose of evaluation.

With National Rifle Association backing, the state Assembly, July 19th, passed AB854, which is intended to create a system that will allow a loan to take place through a dealer and to be returned to the manufacturer through a dealer for the sake of evaluation for publication. The bill was sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for consideration. The bill is evidently intended to benefit the firearms publishing firms situated in California, which have had to hire personnel in other states to do shooting tests and photograph certain guns banned in California.

FBI Has Half-Million Names on Watch List

Civil liberty advocates are highly critical of the FBI for having an estimated halfmillion names on its “terrorist watch list.” One critic accused the Bureau of being “out of control.”

“It (the list) grows seemingly without control or limitation,” American Civil Liberties Union senior legislative counsel Tim Sparapani told ABC News. “If we have 509,000 names on that list, the watch list is virtually useless. You’ll be capturing innocent individuals with no connection to crime or terror.”

Bushmaster Sponsoring Match

Bushmaster Firearms International has become sponsor of the Mountain Man Aggregate of the inaugural Bushmaster Cup presented at last July’s National High Power Rifle matches at Camp Perry.

The Bushmaster Cup is a specially commissioned and engraved red crystal vase by Krystof. One Bushmaster Cup will be awarded to the Overall Champion, and one to the Top Junior, with the highest overall shooting scores using a factory Bushmaster rifle. Both vases will be presented to the winners and will become their property to take home.

Kalashnikov Vodka on U.S. Market

Vodka Kalashnikov, now available in the U.S., is based on a select recipe approved by Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, designer of the AK-47 rifle. It was the first vodka ever to be created by combining salt, sugar, vanillin and glycerin.

Created in the time-honored, classical tradition, this elite vodka is a supreme class of spirit, called “LUX”, distilled from a high-quality grain and specially prepared with softened, thoroughly filtered water. The four food additives greatly enhance the quality of the vodka. The product’s unique mellow character and extremely high quality have been recognized through international awards.

In 1999, Vodka Kalashnikov was awarded finalist of the All-Russia program of competition of “100 best goods of Russia.” It also earned medals and honorable mentions for quality and original registration at the international and All-Russia competitions of 1995-2000 years including bronze at the international fair Evrika in 1999 and 2000 as well as the seal of approval of London’s international trade fair of wines Olympia – 99.

Ingredients: Spirit “LUX”, ultra-purified water, glycerin, vanillin, salt and sugar syrup. 40% Alc./Vol. (80 Proof) Volume1L Produced by LVZ Glazov.

Each bottle has a private clock number stamped on an individual locket shaped with the appearance of a military ID plate, commonly called a “dog tag”.

The U.S. contact for Vodka Kalashnikov is VRG International, Inc. (www.vodkakalashnikov.com)

Nevada Carry Permit Holders May Need Background Check

The Nevada state legislature’s failure to pass a bill may mean that the 25,000 Nevadans with concealed weapons permits may have to undergo a federal background check every time they buy a gun.

For years the Bureau of ATF has exempted Nevada permit holders from undergoing a check with each gun purchase. Now that exemption may be scrapped. Firearms buyers in Nevada who do not hold a concealed carry permit must pay $25 for a background investigation when they buy a firearm. But those with permits have been exempted because they undergo background checks when they get their carry license.

Frank Adams, executive director of the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association, said the ATF in the past was dissatisfied with the checks made by local sheriffs and so the local law enforcement agencies beefed up the process. But the ATF also wanted state law to conform to the local sheriffs’ practices. Bill AB21, backed by the sheriffs and chiefs, was aimed at satisfying the federal agency’s wishes, but it recently died in the state Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Adams said his association plans to ask the federal government for an extension based on the fact that local sheriffs still conduct the checks, even though state law has not yet been changed.

ATF Celebrates 35-Years as an Independent Bureau

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, which traces its roots back to the 1789 congressional imposition of a tax on imported liquor, is celebrating 35 years as an independent federal law enforcement bureau.

It was July 1, 1972 when the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Division of the International Revenue Service became the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms within the Department of the Treasury. When the Bureau moved to the Department of Justice in 2003, it added “Explosives” to its name.

ATF’s history includes actions against organized crime figures during Alcohol Prohibition popularized in the “Untouchables” television series. The Bureau’s agents, in tracking down producers of untaxed alcohol or “moonshine” from rural stills were those referred to as “revenooers” by the hillbilly still operators.

“The world has changed dramatically in the intervening years since 1972 and ATF has adapted and evolved,” Acting Director Michael J. Sullivan said in a message to employees. “On this anniversary, ATF experts are arresting career criminals and dismantling violent gangs, investigating the origin and cause of catastrophic fires, and sharing explosives expertise by training our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters. The International Firearms Trade covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business covers the domestic market. He also offers FFL-mailing lists to firms interested in direct marketing efforts to the industry. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.

Firearms importers and exporters were afforded the opportunity of raising their concerns with international regulation of the firearms industry during the recent United Nations arms conference held last summer.

The industry addressed U.N. delegates through remarks made by our Firearms Attorney, who represents the import/export community’s two main trade organizations – the National Firearms Act Trade & Collectors Association (NFATCA) and the F.A.I.R. Trade Group. The U.N.’s ‘Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects’ has raised great concern on the part of industry as an attempt by the world body to institute global controls on its activities and those of its consumers.

“Our membership is concerned with the enactment of overly broad international regulatory programs that unnecessarily and adversely impact the legal trade in small arms and light weapons instead of focusing on reducing the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons,” our Firearms Attorney said. In addressing the ‘blanket approach’ taken by the U.N. to encompass all firearms in its regulatory scheme, our Firearms Attorney added that “the definitions currently utilized by the international community when referring to small arms and light weapons do not adequately distinguish between civilian and military firearms. Any policy that is considered should generally be aimed toward fully automatic military firearms.”

Noting that he himself is a registered broker, our Firearms Attorney urged that consideration of the world body of the definition of an “arms broker” not be as stringent as that in the U.S.

“The ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the regulatory regime in the U.S., was recently amended,” our Firearms Attorney noted, “to change the definition of brokering activities to include one or more predicate acts. By making it clear that simply one act, such as the financing of a defense article, constitutes brokering under U.S. law, and further, by these same regulations, stating that foreign persons ‘subject to U.S. jurisdiction’ are captured by brokering, you can see that a wide variety of people and conduct can be subject to regulation.”

Our Firearms Attorney argued that such a model is not necessary at the international level nor cost effective in attempting to curtail potential core problems in the small arms trade. He recommended that future U.N. work in this area be narrowly tailored to specific problem areas.

Multi-Jurisdictional Overlap

Our Firearms Attorney also addressed another potential problem area with U.N. regulation of brokering: multi-jurisdictional overlap.

Mentioning that current U.S. law extends U.S. jurisdiction very broadly in regard to brokering, our Firearms Attorney said, “If nations extend their jurisdictions in an overbroad manner, brokers will not be able to conduct transactions due to the sheer number of countries claiming jurisdiction over the broker’s conduct. A broker should only be subject to the jurisdiction of the nation of which he is a national or the nation in which he is truly conducting brokering business.”

Our Firearms Attorney also offered the industry’s view on the topic of establishing brokering norms. Before such norms can be established, he advised, there must be effective import and export regimes established in each nation involved in the shipment, transportation and receipt of firearms.

“Currently, too many nations have weak or non-existent import and export laws,” he said. “Addressing this issue before pursuing further brokering norms is key to the success of eliminating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.”

“While some believe that brokers are the primary force behind the movement of firearms, in most cases they are merely the facilitators of sales transactions between two interested parties already governed by the laws of the sending and receiving states. Therefore, brokering norms should be focused on who is able to facilitate a transaction instead of how the firearms themselves are being moved. The movement of the firearms is typically handled by the underlying parties to the transaction and is associated with a particular state. Because of this, placing the burden on brokers through the use of brokering norms will not be effective if the underlying import and export controls of each individual state are the source of the regulatory concern.

“When the preliminary step of improving the import and export regimes in each nation is accomplished, then brokering norms may be considered,” our Firearms Attorney continued. He went on to call for “reasonable” brokering norms that do not interrupt or interfere with the legal trade. “This necessitates that the definition of a brokering transaction be narrowly tailored to ensure that a transaction is defined as an actual transaction rather than, for example, the mere discussion of a possible future transaction.”

The Group of Government Experts within the U.N. will hold a fall meeting on the subject of brokering. Our Firearms Attorney closed by asking that they first consider the issue of establishing effective import and export norms within individual states before recommending international brokering norms.

The subject of international regulation of marking and tracing of firearms was addressed in remarks prepared by Richard Patterson of the Sporting Arms & Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute (SAAMI) as read by attorney Thomas Mason who is active in the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities.

SAAMI views the idea of marking the bullet and/or the case with a serial number (as has been advanced at the U.N.) “flawed” as it would not be possible to “ensure every number on every cartridge matched every number on every box” using the industry’s current production programs. It was added ammunition makers could not afford the capital investment required to make the idea workable.

The idea of marking cartridge headstamps with lot numbers has also been advanced. However, it was noted that ammo makers can sell parts of a lot to as many as 500 customers, each of whom break down their shipment to smaller quantities and sell to their own customers. In the end, small boxes of ammunition, though all marked with the same lot number, can be in thousands of different hands, making the marking exercise worthless as a law enforcement tool.

The UN Small Arms Conference ended after nine days on July 7th in deadlock with no formal conclusions or recommendations. In the final analysis, the complexity of the issue and the concerns of firearms owners as well as those expressed by the U.S. government representative (against a world-wide gun regulatory regime as well as the holding of future conferences on the issues of regulation) prevailed. No recommendations on ammunition, civilian possession or future UN meetings, or for that matter any other subjects, were adopted. The failure of this five-year program to impact the legitimate firearms industry, and the 2nd Amendment rights of U.S. citizens was total according to an analysis by the National Rifle Association of America. However, anti-gun non-governmental organizations as well as some governments served notice they would not give up and would present all of their issues to the UN General Assembly this fall.

Micro-Stamping Bill Advances in California

In another note on serializing, at press-time, the California Senate had approved AB 352, which, if passed by the Assembly, will require all manufacturers selling firearms in the state to micro-stamp the arm’s make, model and serial number on the firing pin’s tip.

Manufacturers argue the technology, owned exclusively by Hitachi Digital Imaging, is expensive and would add approximately $150 to the cost of every firearm sold in the state. To make matters worse, the Senate added last-minute language allowing the state to mandate serialization of all ammunition (including shotgun shells) “at a future date.”

Independent research performed by George G. Krivosta of the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory, Hauppauge, New York in the Winter 2006 edition of the AFTE Journal published by the Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners demonstrates how easy it is to remove the micro-stamp from the tip of a firing pin, using a power drill and hand-held grinding stone. Krivosta completely removed identifying numbers without removing enough material to render firing pins incapable of firing a round.

“The layman,” Krivosta writes, “believes that two bullets fired from the same gun are identical, down to the last striation. However, the trained firearms examiner knows that is far from reality.”

“The layman might also take as gospel that if you could find a way to place a number onto the tip of a firing pin, then you could certainly read it in the impression. Not until this research was performed and many test fires examined from a firing pin that had a known recognizable pattern, did it become apparent how much change could take place, and why matching firing pin impressions can be so challenging. This research has shown that implementing this technology will be much more complicated than simply burning a serial number on a few parts and dropping them into firearms being manufactured,” Krivosta noted.

“After multiple firings, the information becomes increasingly harder to read on the cartridges. The technical term for what happens is “peening” – the gradual and inevitable smoothing of raised surfaces from continued impacts. It’s the same process that flattens the heads of hammers and chisels.”

Krivosta also notes several firearms variables which would make the microstamp partially or totally illegible: Headstamping on rimfire and centerfire casings can interfere with the impression’s transfer; the hardness of centerfire cases necessary to handle their high pressures make impressions on anything other than primers difficult. Krivosta’s research says the option of tagging other areas have the same problems due to the movement of shell casings during the firing process. Tagging other areas might help identify individual firearm components, but would do nothing to tie ammunition to firearms, effectively defeating the purpose of the process.

FATS, Inc. to be Acquired by Meggitt

Firearms Training Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: FATS) executed a definitive merger agreement with Meggitt-USA, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Meggitt PLC, on August 23, 2006.

In the merger, the holders of FATS’ Class A Common Stock will receive cash in the amount of $1.08 per share for each outstanding share owned immediately before the effective time of the merger. The merger is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter.

“A strategic merger with Meggitt significantly advances our continued strategy of expanding our worldwide customer base, leveraging our strategic partnerships, and otherwise growing beyond our historical roots as a small arms training company to lead the industry in virtual training solutions,” said Ronavan Mohling, President and Chief Executive Officer of FATS. “Combining Meggitt’s strong development and commercialization capabilities in the aerospace and defense industries with FATS’ cutting edge technology in the virtual training solutions market, creates an excellent opportunity to leverage the significant strengths of both companies.”

The Meggitt group designs and makes high performance components and systems for aerospace and defense with capabilities in sensors, engine condition monitoring, avionics, air data systems, fire-proof cabling, ignition, environmental and fluid control, brakes and wheels and anti-skid systems, aerial and ground targetry, countermeasures and ammunition-handling. The group’s specialist capability is also deployed in the medical, mainstream industrial, test-engineering and transportation markets. At the end of its 2005 fiscal year, Meggitt PLC reported revenues of approximately $1.16 billion. North America accounts for just over half of Meggitt PLC’s sales. Meggitt-USA is the U.S. subsidiary of Meggitt PLC.

Georgia CWPs Now Qualify as NICS Alternative

On July 1, 2006 Georgia’s Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) again qualified as an alternative to a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check.

In 1998, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) sent an Open Letter to Georgia FFL-holders advising them that the Georgia CWP would qualify as an alternative to the background check required under the Brady Law. ATF’s recognition of these permits as a Brady alternative was based on the fact that Georgia met statutory and regulatory requirements for the exception permitted under the Brady Law.

In March 2004, ATF began a review of all states that had permits that qualified as NICS check alternatives to determine if they still qualified. In May 2005, ATF informed Georgia’s officials that the state no longer met the qualifications.

Georgia initially was not able to adequately address the deficiencies of the Georgia CWP in meeting the statutory and regulatory requirements for qualifying as a NICS alternative. Thus, on Oct. 17, 2005, ATF sent an Open Letter to Georgia FFLs stating that effective Oct. 19, 2005, the CWP no longer qualified as a NICS check alternative.

Georgia has since passed legislation, which took effect July 1, 2006, which addresses the CSP’s shortcomings in qualifying as a NICS alternative. Accordingly, the permit again qualifies.

Georgia retailers should note that if a firearms buyer presents a Georgia CWP, no NICS check is necessary. However, the required information about the permit must be recorded in question 23 of the ATF Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record. For questions call ATF’s Operations Branch, Tel: (304) 616-4200.

KY Permits Qualify as NICS Alternative

Kentucky FFLs should note that effective July 12, 2006, state Carry Concealed Deadly Weapon Licenses (CCDWL) issued on or after July 12, 2006 qualify as an alternative to a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check.

In 1998, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) sent an Open Letter to all Kentucky FFLs stating Kentucky concealed weapons permits issued after Nov. 30, 1998, would not qualify as an alternative to the NICS check requirement. Kentucky recently passed a law, which took effect July 12, 2006, that changes the way CCDWLs are issued. The state asked ATF to review if the CCDWL now met the statutory and regulatory requirements for the NICS exception. ATF’s subsequent review found that based on the new law, any CCDWL issued on or after July 12, 2006, does meet the requirements.

As of July 12, 2006, when a firearms buyer presents the retailer with a Kentucky CCDWL issued on or after July 12, 2006, no NICS check is necessary. However, the required information about the license must be recorded in question 23 of the ATF Form 4473.

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters. The International Firearms Trade covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business covers the domestic market. He also offers FFL-mailing lists to firms interested in direct marketing efforts to the industry. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.