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Showing posts with label Handguns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handguns. Show all posts
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Record Gun Sales Boost Grants To Wildlife Agencies
The majority of customers at Jason Doetzer's gun shop have one thing in mind.
It's not getting ready for deer camp.
Yet, they're partly responsible for an unprecedented wave of funding for wildlife management and hunter recruitment here and nationwide.
Doetzer sells traditional hunting rifles at his store, Iron City Armory in Bridgeville. He moves a few each fall, but they otherwise “pretty much sit on the wall.”
Instead, most shoppers want something — a rifle, shotgun or especially a handgun — for personal defense.
“The biggest surge I can tell you I've seen is with the person who's never owned a gun before. It's the 50-year-old guy from Mt. Lebanon who's never felt the need to have a gun but now, he does, for whatever reason. It's women, too. There are a lot more females carrying all day, every day than ever before,” Doetzer said.
“People just feel vulnerable.”
Increasingly, they're turning to guns for security.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's background check system, about 9.1 million people attempted to purchase a firearm in 1999. In 2015, a record 23.1 million did.
That marked 10 consecutive years of applications topping at least 10 million, seven consecutive of at least 14 million and three consecutive of at least 20 million.
Manufacturers are racing to meet demand.
According to the Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, American gun makers built about 3 million firearms in 1986. In 2013, the most recent year for which numbers are available, they built a record 10.8 million. That was up 21 percent over 2012 and 40 percent over 2011, both of which set records.
Production increased across all categories: rifles, shotguns, pistols and revolvers.
That's been tremendous for wildlife and hunting.
Those who buy guns and ammunition — regardless of type, caliber or intended use — pay a federal excise tax. It's known as Pittman-Robertson funding. The Fish and Wildlife Service annually distributes it to state wildlife agencies based on their land mass and number of hunting license buyers.
The money can be spent on things ranging from wildlife research and habitat management to hunter recruitment and education training, said Tom Busiahn, chief of the service's division of policy and programs.
In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has had its share of Pittman-Robertson funding grow from $7.4 million in 2005 to a record $24.9 million in 2015, said federal grants coordinator Gary Camus.
Established in 1937, Pittman-Robertson has accrued more than $10.1 billion.
Yet, few gun owners know it exists.
“We sometimes call it the greatest conservation success story never told,” said Jim Curcuruto, director of research for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the shooting industry's trade group.
There's likewise little awareness of Pittman-Robertson among all but the most serious non-hunting outdoorsmen and women, said Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
He knows a bit about the funding stream, he said. And he's been following news of the rise in gun sales in the media.
“But I never made the logical connection of the possible corollary between the two,” Bonner said.
Today, the issue is how to keep that money flowing.
The North American Model of conservation says wildlife belongs to everyone but relies heavily on hunter dollars to fund its management, Busiahn said. That worked for a long time, he added.
Hunter numbers have stagnated, though.
“We could be seeing a significant decline in hunting participation and consequently funding in the next 10 years. So that concerns a lot of people,” Busiahn said.
The new wave of gun buyers might be the “saving grace,” said Todd Holmes, shooting sports coordinator for the commission.
Figuring out how to turn those newbie shooters, who are more likely to be young, female, urban and first-time gun owners, into long-term customers or hunters is key, Curcuruto said.
Manufacturers are trying to show that firearms can be used for fun on the range and for protection, said Samantha Pedder, the Westmoreland County native serving as outreach and diversity manager for the Shooting Sports Foundation.
Wildlife agencies, meanwhile, are starting to look at non-hunting gun owners as constituents.
“State wildlife agencies are really trying to understand their position in the game right now,” Pedder said.
Legislation before Congress that would expand how Pittman-Robertson money could be spent might help, said Mike Bazinet, public affairs director for the foundation. It would, among other things, allow wildlife agencies to do more for and increase contact with gun buyers paying into the system, he said.
That's something Roger Elder would like to see.
The Ruffs Dale man hasn't hunted since moving to Pennsylvania in 1980. He is a competitive shooter and volunteer match director for the U.S. Practical Shooting Association at East Huntingdon Sportsmen's Club in Alverton.
The popularity of those events show the need to support all gun owners, he said.
“My personal opinion is that Pittman-Robertson should continue to primarily support wildlife management, but I also think there's a growing need for non-hunting related shooter education programs. It's not hard to connect the dots between the need for education and the need for safe shooting venues, which, of course, involves money,” Elder said.
“Small clubs like East Huntingdon struggle to pay the bills, so it's difficult to scrape up the money for facility improvements or new shooter program development. A Pittman-Robertson grant may offer a solution to those willing to pursue it.”
Industry leaders will debate that and more at the foundation's annual “Industry Summit” from Monday to Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
Many expect the gun boom to continue in the run-up to the presidential election in November.
Doetzer said he's “just waiting” for a rush of customers.
Keith Savage, owner of Braverman Arms in Wilkinsburg, expects the same.
“I think there will always be an interest in guns. It's what makes us free,” Savage said.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Gunmakers pull up stakes, head south
Northern states, particularly northeastern states, just don't seem to learn. Their officials hobnob with that specific political party that doesn't have any use for firearms. They keep business taxes high and adopt more and more gun-hating laws. Gun-loving Southern states are thrilled. They get more gun plants, more jobs.
The latest companies to head south are Beretta and Remington.
Little more than a week ago, Beretta introduced its new plant in Gallatin, Tenn., near Nashville, a $45 million investment. The loser: Maryland, where Beretta had operated since 1980.
Beretta, which has been in business close to 500 years, will use its new plant to build the M9 handgun for armed forces. “Firearms are an important part of the culture in the United States, the culture of the outdoors and self-defense,” said Franco Gussalli Beretta, the executive vice president of Beretta USA. “So we were thinking it was important to develop our future business in a part of the country where all these concepts are clear and respected.”
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam applauded the decision at the opening ceremony of Beretta's manufacturing and research facility.
“They had questions about staying in Maryland because they didn't really feel appreciated there.” Haslam said, “Obviously in Tennessee,we take great pride in the Second Amendment, and we were proud to have a company like Beretta move here.”
While the facility employs 75 people, Beretta expects to expand that to 300 jobs in the next few years.
The company reported sales of $430 million in the United States in 2015, out of $725 million sales worldwide, said Pietro Gussalli Beretta, the president and CEO of Beretta Holding.
“Now the flag of the Beretta Group is in Tennessee,” he said.
Remington is celebrating its 200th anniversary. It is America's oldest gunmaker, and the national gun magazines are heralding the achievement with history and new details. New to Remington is a plant in Huntsville, Ala. Thought it is keeping its historic plant in Ilion, N.Y., Remington is building many of its legacy guns and those with new designs in the new plant.
Last year, Kahr Arms opened a plant in Blooming Grove, Pa. Ruger has a new one in North Carolina, and Colt moved into one in Texas.
The political people don't get it. Jobs, protection, enjoyment, challenges in precision and hunting abound in what they consider harmful activity.
Not many Americans have been enamored of the overall economy in recent years, but the gun industry is definitely contributing more than its share to bolster it.
The industry added 24,763 jobs in 2015, the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported. The nearly 10 percent increase is attributed to manufacturing and retail jobs for guns, ammunition and related supplies, like hunting gear. The NSSF said the last few years of job growth in the industry has been “nothing short of remarkable,” reporting an overall increase of 73 percent since 2008.
Wages and benefits from guns average $50,180, with many of the jobs in rural areas and small towns, where cost of living is relatively low.
The state at the top of the industry, of course, is Texas, with about 21,386 jobs. Next are California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and Missouri.
The economic impact from revenue, wages, benefits and taxes, totaled $49.3 billion in 2015, up 15% from 2014. NSSF said.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Handgun Hunting Of Deer Not All That Simple
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| Pennsylvania hunters need special licensing to hunt with a handgun. |
The allure includes easier portability, maneuverability in brush, having both hands free when moving, increased challenge and the excitement of pursuing deer with a novel sporting arm.
The disadvantages of hunting with a handgun include long-distance accuracy issues associated with the barrel length and the limited availability of effective non-speciality calibers.
But handgun hunters face an additional challenge that is not encountered by hunters using other legal sporting arms.
In addition to state Game Commission hunting licenses and permits, handgun hunters are required by the state Uniform Firearm Act, Title 18, to be in possession of a valid Concealed Carry permit or a Sportsman’s Firearm Permit.
The tags are not interchangeable. Pennsylvania is an open-carry state — it’s legal to appear in public with a gun that is visible. Carrying a firearm that is hidden from view requires a Concealed Carry permit issued by the county sheriff’s office. The Concealed Carry permit allows the user to carry the pistol hidden from view in most public situations, including hunting or transporting the firearm to or from hunting, target shooting or gunsmith locations.
The Sportsman’s Firearm Permit is a more restrictive subset of Concealed Carry. It authorizes a hunter to carry the gun while transporting it to and from hunting, target shooting or gunsmith locations. But it cannot be used in other Concealed Carry situations where the gun is hidden from public view.
“The main thing is transport in vehicles,” said Tom Fazi, spokesman for the state Game Commission. “From our perspective there is no provision in Game Law concerning this. As long as it’s a lawful device and not carried concealed, we don’t ask for a Sportsman’s Permit. It’s not our permit. We have no authority to request it.”
The Game Commission, however, regulates the type of firearm that may be used for hunting. Semi-automatics are unlawful — hunting handguns must be centerfire revolvers or single shot. To shoot at a state gamelands firing range, the Game Commission requires a valid hunting license or Public Shooting Range Permit. State and federal governments weigh in during the purchase of the handgun, which requires an FBI background check.
“In my experience you don’t see a lot of guys using handguns hunting,” Fazi said. “Those who do tend to be very knowledgeable about it. You see more guys in bear season who carry a rifle but maybe have a backup handgun on them, and they’d need the correct permit even if the handgun isn’t their primary sporting arm.”
Keith Savage, manager of Braverman Arms in Wilkinsburg, said that although the open carrying of a handgun while hunting without a permit is legal, he advises his customers to get a Sportsman’s Firearm Permit.
“Transporting the gun is the primary issue, but the way the law is written it isn’t entirely clear,” he said. “Due to the political climate, I’d recommend erring on the side of caution and getting at least the Sportsman’s permit if not Concealed Carry.”
Handguns used for hunting do not figure prominently in the debate over gun control. Shira Goodman of CeaseFire PA said the organization, “has not taken a position on the issue.” A spokesman for the National Rifle Association asked that his name not be used in this story and said the NRA “is not taking an official position at this time.’
Most pistols are made for self-defense or target shooting, and most of those are not efficient sporting arms. The .44 magnum is the most commonly used handgun for hunting. Savage said he wouldn’t go lower than .357 caliber. Hunting handguns normally have a barrel 6½ to 7½ inches long, and are milled to accept telescopic sights. Handgun hunters often use a bandolier-style holster that rides on the chest.
There are no special strategies or tactics associated with handgun hunting, said Savage.
“If you know what you’re doing, you’re going to able to shoot unbelievable distances even with a 7½-inch barrel,” he said. “Out to about 200 yards, handguns are as accurate as rifles, but it’s easier to be more accurate with a rifle farther out.”
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Handguns Provide Hunters A Challenge
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handgun he uses for distance hunting Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2014, at a shooting range near his house in Armagh, Indiana County. Bowers has different handguns for every situation he would come across while hunting. |
By Bob Frye
There's an irony here somewhere.
There's an irony here somewhere.
Dan Bowers' trips to the shooting range and woods sometimes can be “quite the production.” You're liable to see sandbags, rangefinders, wind meters and the occasional surveyor's tripod.
It's a lot of stuff, some of it large and bulky, almost cumbersome.
Then he pulls out his guns.
It wouldn't be fair to call them tiny or doubt their lethality. But they are among the smallest tools on these expeditions.
Bowers of Armagh, Indiana County, hunts exclusively with handguns.
“I used to really be big into archery, hunting and shooting competitively, but I'd taken it about as far as I could. I'd taken a hobby and turned it into a job that wasn't fun anymore. And picking up a rifle wasn't too appealing to me. It seemed too easy,” Bowers said. “So I've been handgun hunting ever since.”
Bowers estimates he's killed between 30 and 50 Pennsylvania whitetails over the last 17 years as well as everything from squirrels and rabbits to turkeys and antelope.
That kind of success doesn't surprise Gary Smith, the Austin, Texas-based editor of the online Handgun Hunter Magazine. He, too, hunts entirely with handguns. Over the last 35 years, he has taken everything from whitetails in his native Virginia to, this past year, Cape buffalo and a lioness in South Africa.
It's not a gimmick, he said.
“A lot of people, even a lot of hunters in the United States and some people in game departments, they don't understand what handgun hunting is and what these guns are capable of. But there's nothing that a handgun that's been set up correctly for hunting can't handle, from elephants right on down,” Smith said.
Bowers hunts with single-shot bolt-action handguns like the Remington XP 100, Thompson-Center Contender and the Competitor Corp. pistol. All come chambered in flat-shooting rifle calibers.
Smith prefers revolvers. He hunts with Freedom Arms wheelguns in mammoth calibers like .44 Magnum, .454 Casull and .475.
The two agree on one thing, though: To be a successful handgun hunter, you have to commit to practicing.
A single-shot handgun with a scope can “shoot half-inch groups at 100 yards all day,” Smith said. Even a good revolver with open sights can be effective out to 75 yards or so.
But you've got to make sure your abilities match the gun's, he said.
“If you think you can go out there and buy a box of shells and go to the range and shoot a few of those and be good to go, I can tell you that you're not,” Smith said.
Range time with the gun and ammunition you'll be using afield is the best practice, Bowers said. Practicing at home has its place, too, though.
Firing an unloaded gun — triple-checked to be sure it contains no live rounds — or one containing snap caps at things like light switches will teach you about grip tension, trigger squeeze and sight acquisition, he said.
Hunting small game with a .22 comparable in size, shape and action to your big-game handgun, meanwhile, teaches you about real-world conditions, he said.
All that practice will help you with “wiggle,” Smith said. That's the wobble you'll notice when trying to hold a handgun sight on target.
“Your sight picture will never be as steady as with a rifle. Some guys can never overcome that,” Smith said.
That's why it's imperative to always have a rest of some kind, be that a tree to lean against or a shooting stick you carry with you, he added.
Even then, to be ethical, you have to understand your limitations and live within those boundaries, Bowers said. Handgunning is much like bowhunting that way, he said.
“It's about truly assessing your practical range and waiting for game to get within that range. If you're only confident with putting your shots into a 6-inch circle at 40 yards, you have to wait for that animal to get within 40 yards. If it's 60 yards away, you have to let it walk,” Bowers said.
That might make handgun hunting sound tough, and it can be, Smith said. That's why so many people try it only hesitantly. They take a handgun into the woods but carry a rifle, too. In the end, they never kill anything with their handgun because — at the moment of truth — they fall back on the rifle, Smith said.
The moment you commit to leaving the long gun at home is when you become a real handgun hunter, and that's special, he said.
“It's something different,” Bowers agreed. “If you're a sportsman, and you're getting bored with what you're doing, it's a new challenge to take up.”
Handgun hunting rules
There are about 13.7 million hunters in the United States, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's last count, in 2011. Some estimates suggest about 1.4 million hunt with a handgun at least on occasion, said Handgun Hunter Magazine editor Gary Smith.
The rules for their use vary by region.
New York, for example, limits handgun hunting to state residents. Delaware will let anyone hunt with a handgun but only for white-tailed deer.
Handgunners get their own season, though.
It attracts about 12 percent of the state's deer hunters, said Joe Rogerson, a biologist with the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife.
In Pennsylvania, hunters must be at least 21 to hunt with a handgun and obtain either a sportsman's permit from a county treasurer or a concealed carry permit from a county sheriff. Most hunters opt for the latter because of the extra privileges it provides, Indiana County sheriff Robert Fyock said.
Beyond that, hunters can use handguns — revolvers and single shots but not semiautomatics — in existing hunting seasons, said Pennsylvania Game Commission press secretary Travis Lau. They must be sufficiently large to do the job, however.
“That handgun isn't necessarily restricted for hunting a certain species so much as the handgun has to be of a high enough caliber for that species,” Lau said.
Modern handguns for big game must be at least .45 caliber; muzzleloader handguns must be least .50 caliber, he said. Hunters can use things like .22-caliber handguns for small game.
The commission does not track handgun use or harvest, so there's no telling how many sportsmen use them in Pennsylvania or how much game they take, Lau said.
Bob Frye is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at bfrye@tribweb.com or via Twitter @bobfryeoutdoors.
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