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The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that according to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report released last week by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid more than $109.8 million in the first calendar quarter of 2009; up 43% over the same time period reported in 2008.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announced last week that for the second quarter of 2009, the Company reported net sales of $72.4 million and earnings of 46¢ per share, compared with sales of $38.7 million and earnings of 5¢ per share in the second quarter of 2008.

The Miami-Herald has reported that the state of Georgia is offering free land, new buildings, and tax abatements to convince firearms maker Taurus USA to leave Florida.

A case to be heard by Supreme Court of the United States might result in felony charges and jail time for any person, outlet or entity that shows or sells depictions of hunting activities. Taking, selling or publishing images of hunting, fishing or trapping could mean felony charges and jail time.

CAMP PERRY, Ohio — U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Service Pistol Team shooter Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson swept every major individual award at the annual National Pistol Championships July 12-19, breaking national records along the way.

Robert M. Morgenthau, who has served as district attorney for New York county since 1975, wrote the Wall Street Journal prior to last week’s failed attempt to pass a national-right-to-carry bill in the Senate. It failed by two votes. We reprint Morgenthau’s comments in whole to show how elected officials twist and misrepresent the facts on concealed-carry laws to restrict gunowner’s rights.

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation has completed its acquisition of Universal Safety Response, Inc. (USR), a privately held, full-service security systems solutions provider.

Data released by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 968,145 checks in June 2009, up 18.1 percent from the 819,891 reported in June 2008.

As president of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, a Non-Governmental Organization member of the United Nations, Steve Sanetti addressed the U.N.'s  Open-Ended Working Group last week with the goal of explaining the legitimate uses of firearms and ammunition for sporting purposes and hunting by many millions of law-abiding persons worldwide, and urging that civilian firearms should be beyond the scope of any proposed U.N. consideration of fully automatic military firearms when its deliberations turn to small arms and light weapons as part of an International Arms Trade Treaty.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Twenty-five of the nation's leading gun rights activists wrote Congress to oppose the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ongoing confirmation hearings considering the fitness of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to join the nation's highest court have generated a lot of commentary related to constitutional issues that gun-owners care about. Here's a sampling of law-profession comments about her judicial record as it relates to 2nd Amendment, 1st Amendment, and 4th Amendment issues:

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Public Affairs Director of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms blasted the Obama Administration for his shifting support of the 2nd Amendment at the Prince William County Tea Party in Woodbridge, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C.