Industry Notes

The number of NICS checks in a month is considered a strong indicator for how well gun sales are doing, Woodard explained. Each sale made by a federally licensed dealer, such as a gun store, is subject to a check. Missing from these transaction totals are the sale of used guns between private parties. Also, some states use the checks to issue gun-carry permits. "And sales of multiple guns during a single transaction by a dealer generally only requires a single background check," Woodard said. "So, for example, when I bought three bolt-action rifles at a local Academy store in Houston in March, that only generated one NICS check."

Browning has announced that its Hi-Power pistol production has ended, effective EOY 2017. That's a shame, according to Gun Tests Magazine, which has tested various Hi-Powers over the years and found them to be generally effective as concealed-carry weapons (CCW).

Gun Tests has learned that Lyman Products Corp. ("Lyman") is voluntarily recalling black powder rifles and pistols due to the potential of separation in the breech plug.

Gun Tests reporters and editors on the scene at SHOT Show 2018 in Las Vegas have been scouring the show for new rifle, pistol, shotgun, and accessory entries for our readers to consider this year. Here's a rundown on quite a few just-introduced scattergun choices for 2018, some of which we'll be looking at for further examination later this year.

In about a month, gun owners in Texas and visitors to the state will feel the positive effects ofSB 473, a bill which Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott signed into law that extends protections for Class 3 devices, such as short-barreled rifles (SBRs), suppressors, and "any other weapons," as defined by the National Firearms Act. SB 473 will take effect on Sept. 1, 2015.

Gun maker Forjas Taurus SA has agreed to settle a $30 million class-action suit with plaintiffs who claim that some Taurus handgun safeties, even when engaged, may allow the gun to fire if it is dropped, according to a review of court documents.

California has argued that a provision of California Penal Code section 26820 enacted in 1923 prevents the displaying of any "handgun or imitation handgun, or placard advertising the sale or transfer thereof" anywhere in or on their store that can be seen outside their store by passersby.

TrackingPoint, the Pflugerville, Texas-based maker of "Precision-Guided Firearms" that cost upwards of $10K, announced on its website that it is no longer accepting orders due to "financial difficulty."

Thompson/Center Arms is currently offering mail-in rebates for consumers who purchase any new T/C Venture rifle. Where allowed by law, the mail-in rebate program will be available to consumers who purchase a T/C Venture rifle from January 25, 2014 through April 30, 2014 in the United States or Canada.

The FBI's semi-annual uniform crime data for the first half of 2013 confirms once again what the firearms community already knew, that violent crime has continued to decline while gun sales have continued to climb.

Smith & Wesson Corp. has announced that the long-awaited California-compliant models of the SD9 VE and SD40 VE pistols have commenced shipping.

GunBroker.com has released its list of Top 5 best-selling firearms for January 2014, topped by Smith & Wesson's M&P semi-automatic pistol.