FRI | OCTOBER 11, 2024

In observance of the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day holiday we will not be distributing any of our services on Monday, October 14. The Outdoor Wire Digital Network will resume our normal distribution schedule on Tuesday, October 15. Due to the holiday weekend, we request you submit news for Tuesday’s editions no later than 2:30pm ET Saturday.
ALPS Brands expands the company’s new Sierra apparel line by introducing the Sierra Vest. The Sierra Vest is engineered to maintain a comfortable core body temperature in cool weather while allowing for a free, unrestricted range of arm movement.
Nomad designed the Harvester NXT to put the edge in the hunter’s favor. Available in both men’s and women’s sizing, the Harvester NXT Series is wind-resistant to keep cold out and features high-pile, sherpa fleece lining to add an extra layer of warmth without bulk.

ALPS Brands announces the company’s new apparel line with the introduction of the Sierra Hooded Full Zip Jacket. Created for multi-season and mixed-weather wear, the new Sierra Hooded Full Zip Jacket is a premium crossover jacket built for challenging outdoor environments yet stylish and practical enough for everyday wear in “civilization.”
Stoeger Air Guns announces that its XM1 Scout PCP model has been named the inaugural Guns & Ammo Air Gun of the Year for 2024. This prestigious award was determined by the Guns & Ammo editors, contributors, and staff, following a rigorous evaluation of new products across the firearms industry.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) has created a new accolade – The Golden Bowtie Award – and honored its first recipient at this year’s Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC). Tom Taylor, Executive Vice President, Global Brand Development at SIG SAUER and member of SAF’s Board of Trustees, was presented the award at the annual GRPC in San Diego.

Holosun announces its remarkable achievement of winning the Gold Choice Awards for Red Dot/Reflex Sight categories from both Tactical Retailer and Shooting Sports Retailer. These prestigious accolades were presented to Holosun during the recent NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits held in Dallas, Texas.
Dead Air Silencers announces its participation in the 2024 Red Oktober Kalashnikov Championship. Taking place from October 11 to 13, 2024, at the Pro Gun Club in Boulder City, Nevada, this legendary event brings together Kalashnikov enthusiasts, competitors, and industry professionals for a one-of-a-kind competition celebrating the iconic AK platform.
WATCHTOWER Firearms announced its participation in the upcoming National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers Annual Expo. Dealers, distributors, and members of the media are invited to visit booth #1043 at the Kansas City Convention Center from October 15-18, 2024, to explore WATCHTOWER's innovative line of firearms and accessories.

Century Arms and Canik USA will be attending the upcoming 2024 National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Expo and Annual Meeting in Booth #430. The conference will take place on October 15th-18th, 2024, in Kansas City, MO.
Rost Martin announces that it will exhibit at the NASGW Expo from Tuesday, October 15th, through Friday, October 18th, 2024, at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Rost Martin will exhibit its introductory pistol, the RM1C, its premier compact striker-fired 9mm, at booth #1442.
Traditions® Performance Firearms will be exhibiting at the 2024 NASGW Expo & Annual Meeting held at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri October 15-18. Traditions® Booth is #939.
Maxim Defense announced that they will be exhibiting at 2024 NASGW Expo held Wednesday, October 16th to Friday, October 18h, 2024 at the Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO.
Taylor’s & Company announces they will be attending the 2024 NASGW Expo held Wednesday, October 16th to Friday, October 18h, 2024 at the Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO.
Sierra Bullets and Barnes Bullets will attend the 2024 NASGW Expo and Annual Meeting held in Kansas City, Missouri on October 15-18, 2024. Both brands will exhibit and hold meetings in booth #614.

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select: SWBI) announced that it has been awarded a firearm contract from the Maryville Police Department, the local agency serving Smith & Wesson's new home in the heart of East Tennessee.
Outtech is excited to welcome Geoff Whited as our new Regional Manager for the independent channel. In this role, Geoff will work closely with retailers in New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma, fostering strong partnerships and driving success.
NSSF has developed a webpage containing resources for military veterans, including a fact sheet discussing mistaken beliefs that cause some veterans to forego seeking health care from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) because of concerns about having their firearms taken away.

Anderson Manufacturing announced the appointment of Jennifer Tuttle as the new Director of Marketing. With over 20 years of experience in the firearm and 2A space, Tuttle is poised to lead the marketing team as the company continues its growth.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) is excited to announce openings for 12 State Game Warden positions across Oklahoma. No prior law enforcement experience is necessary; however, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 12 credit hours in a wildlife-related field.
High Speed Gear® (HSG®) announces the launch of its newest addition to the GEN 2 TACO® line up - the GEN 2 AR10 X2R TACO®. This pouch has been optimized to accommodate larger AR10 style magazines, meeting the demand for versatile magazine carriers in today's evolving battlefield.

Mesa Tactical introduces the new Truckee forend for the Remington V3 and Remington Tac-13 shotguns. Truckee forends are machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and are equipped with M-LOK® slots on the sides and bottom, providing versatile options for accessory attachment.
Taurus announces the release of the Taurus 608 Competition, the company’s first competition-ready revolver designed to perform straight out of the box. The Taurus 608 Competition delivers the precision and reliability needed for USPSA or ICORE revolver competitions without the need for aftermarket modifications.
Silencer Central has teamed up with MeatEater, a leading outdoor lifestyle brand, to launch the MeatEater by BANISH suppressor. Designed for hunting, this all-new 30-caliber suppressor is a game-changer for outdoor enthusiasts looking for top-tier performance in the field.

Winchester announces Dunlap Cannon Co.’s limited production run of 250 Winchester Model 98 signal cannons will be available in 2024. First debuted in 1903 by Winchester Repeating Arms Company, the Winchester signal cannon is a breech-loading cannon that fires 10-gauge shotshell blanks.
FN America announces the release of the FN SCAR® 15P chambered in .300 Blackout. An ideal choice for home and personal defense applications or for everyday range use, the FN SCAR 15P is the semiautomatic pistol modeled after the FN SCAR-SC personal defense weapon originally designed for military and law enforcement.
The Team Locker is a firearms history and expertise blog brought to you by WATCHTOWER Firearms. This is the go-to blog for essential research, safety tips, and the latest news in firearms.
X-Vision Optics announces the release of its newest product, the Shadow 10 Night Vision Binocular. The Shadow 10 offers an impressive night viewing distance of 130 yards in complete darkness and a daytime range of 330 yards. Its 2-8x magnification ensures crisp and detailed imaging, while the 88-foot field-of-view at 100 yards provides ample coverage of your surroundings.
Dark 30, an innovative new company in the outdoor technology sphere, announces the launch of the Dark 30 Defiance, a state-of-the-art 360° pan tilt zoom (PTZ) vehicle-mounted thermal camera. The D30 Defiance enhances the capabilities of nocturnal hunters and law enforcement professionals who have previously had to use thermal handheld devices on foot and through vehicles.
Safe LivinG announces its new collaboration with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. Safe LivinG will visit Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and Fort Cavazos this month to celebrate the collaboration. Safe LivinG offers attendees a unique opportunity to engage in various activities centered around personal security and firearm safety.
The power of evidential beauty is on full display in the Nov/Dec issue of American Handgunner, courtesy of the expert craftsmen at Santa Fe Stoneworks. Additional highlights of the Nov/Dec issue include a perspective from Pat Covert on how Kershaw Knives has endured over five decades to celebrate its golden anniversary in 2024.
“This is the most important election for the Second Amendment in our lifetime,” stresses NSSF VP and General Counsel Larry Keane. “People need to wake up, get registered and vote.” Keane details how the organization is driving its #GUNVOTE voter education campaign, and the potential ramifications of a Harris-Walz administration with SI Editor Jade Moldae in “Maybe It Is, Maybe It Isn’t. Regardless, Vote.
 

On Wednesday, SIG SAUER took another step forward in support of the foot soldier.

Formal dedication of their 210,000 square foot Jacksonville Arkansas Ammunition Center (JAAC) was irrefutable proof that the company has become a major player in the military contracting world, and an economic driver in a state that eagerly supports SIG’s expansion efforts.

But it is also part of a longer vision, a vision formed more than a decade ago by a former Israeli Defense Force foot soldier named Ron Cohen.

Nearly a decade ago, Cohen told me an ambitious goal he had in mind for SIG SAUER. At that time, it was far closer to the near-bankrupt status of yesterday than the ten-digit-plus juggernaut it has become under his leadership.

His goal?

To change the world of the foot soldier. In his vision, that would be achieved by SIG developing weapons that would make them better warfighters. I was intrigued, because I knew Cohen was speaking from experience. As an IDF footsoldier, Cohen had humped the weapons he knew in his heart SIG was capable of improving.

The dignitaries speaking at the groundbreaking Wednesday validated Cohen’s faith in the engineers and abilities at SIG.

United States Senator John Boozman (top) told attendees it was “never more important to invest in our military” and the “entire Arkansas delegation supports the efforts. Arkansas Governor Sara Huckabee Sanders (bottom) said her administration’s goal was to “make Arkansas a state as positive as possible for the creation of an infrastructure positive to the defense industry.” She was also adamant that Arkansas “stands with our military- and with Israel.”

Arkansas’ Senator John Boozman recounted Arkansas’ support of the military, and said he was impressed with the new facility, but he most “looked forward to touring the plant when it was bustling..and maybe shooting some of your stuff.”

That played well, as did Governor Sara Sanders making it plain that Arkansas was pro-military, pro-defense, and very pro gun. She also told how the development of a working relationship with SIG and CEO Cohen helped her see the dual benefits for defense of the United States and the economic prosperity of Arkansas.

But it was Cohen who brought home the single-minded goal he has had throughout SIG’s move into the military arena.

“I’m proud to be a soldier,” Cohen told the crowd, “and this is a revolution for the soldier.”

In explaining why SIG chose Arkansas, CEO and President Ron Cohen told the crowd how a phone call from Governor-elect Asa Hutchinson convinced him to take a serious look. “We’re not accustomed to government working with industry,” he said, “but that’s from being in the north.”

The soldier Cohen identifies most with isn’t like one of the many generals in the crowd. The soldier Cohen identifies most with is “the soldier who walks on the ground…the one who will have to shoot someone.”

His goal - and SIG’s has been simple: to support the foot solder. To make their load-out lighter, their weapons more lethal and their ability to do the job better.

“For the people of SIG,” an occasionally emotional Cohen explained, “this is not a job, it is a calling. We chose to do something that matters. We understand the mission. And we believe we are on a mission to change the world.”

“If I were an enemy of the U.S.,” he said, “I would not want to start a war with us.”

To prove his point, attendees were invited to tour the displays that will soon be replaced by manufacturing machines. The displays demonstrated how the JAAC facility would make the half-billion rounds they estimate producing annually, along with the rifles, pistols, optics, and suppressors being supplied to the military by SIG.

SIG’s Daniel Horner explained the advantages of SIG products currently in use by the U.S. military to attendees (top). One product not currently being offered, but under development is a drone equipped with a SIG P365 pistol. Drones are changing the face of warfare.

At the end of his remarks, Cohen made it clear that Wednesday’s event was only a lull in the action for the 3500 people of SIG, especially the nearly hundreds that work in Jacksonville, many of whom will soon be moving into the new building.

“Christmas is not far away,” he told everyone, “this building will look very different by then. And in a year, you probably won’t be able to find a place to park.”

He’s probably not exaggerating.

We’ll keep you posted.

— Jim Shepherd

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