The Shooting Wire

INDUSTRY UPDATE

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Dead Air Silencers welcomes the ATF's new guidance eliminating approval and registration requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns following Congress's reduction of the federal tax to $0 effective January 1, 2026. The change removes barriers established since 1934, making hearing protection devices more accessible to responsible gun owners while state and local laws remain in effect.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2026

We Buy Guns, a national online firearm purchasing platform, reported 15 transferable machine gun purchases in 2026 compared to six in 2025. Owner Chris Wing emphasized the importance of trust in NFA firearm transactions, which now represent about 9% of the company's total offer value despite comprising less than 0.5% of submissions.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2026

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) has standardized the 5.56 Commercial cartridge, introduced by Hornady Manufacturing Company. The new round features a 55-grain bullet at 3,400 fps with a maximum average pressure of 62,000 psi.

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Friday, October 9, 2026

CZ announced the appointment of Jon Shaffer as Vice President of Commercial Sales, reporting to President and Chief Commercial Officer John Dain. Shaffer brings two decades of sales experience, including over 10 years at SIG SAUER, and will lead commercial sales execution and channel development for CZ-USA and Dan Wesson.

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Friday, October 9, 2026

We Buy Guns released its September 2026 Secondary Firearms Market Report showing 758 completed purchases, the highest monthly total of 2026, with total offer value reaching $1,149,663. Smith & Wesson led manufacturer activity, while the SIG Sauer P320 was the most frequently submitted and purchased model, with Florida leading in submissions and completed purchases.

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Friday, October 9, 2026

Heckler & Koch USA announced Katherine Karaki's appointment as National Sales Manager. Karaki brings extensive sales leadership and manufacturing experience from a custom firearms manufacturer, holding a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Tyler. She will begin her role at the NASGW Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, October 13-15.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Watchtower Defense officially opened its new state-of-the-art headquarters and manufacturing facility in Tomball, Texas, showcasing next-generation products planned for 2027 launch. The company, operating under new ownership and leadership, is repositioning itself as a broader product-driven brand with an expanding portfolio of firearms and firearm-related products for shooting, hunting, and defense markets.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Streamlight, Inc. announced four key sales leadership promotions effective October 1, 2026. Matt Baker, Bobby Knight, Justin Thomas, and Brian Osborn have been promoted to expanded roles across Law Enforcement, Sporting Goods, Federal/Military, and OEM markets to strengthen sales operations and strategic partnerships.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

GrabAGun Digital Holdings Inc. announced a strategic collaboration with Sarsilmaz, one of the world's largest privately held firearms manufacturers, marking the fourth manufacturer to join the PEW Logistics platform. PEW Logistics will power e-commerce at sarsilmaz.us, managing compliant order processing, FFL routing, fulfillment and customer support.

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