INDUSTRY

Staccato 2011 announced three executive appointments: Jeremy Morton as Vice President of Business Development for Government Programs, Jay Helmick as Executive Vice President of Sales, and Willem Driessen as Chief Marketing Officer. The hires bring extensive experience from military, premium sporting goods, and tactical industries to strengthen the precision firearms company's leadership.

SHIELD Sights announced that its new 26,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Crewkerne, England is now fully operational. This milestone marks a major investment in the future of British manufacturing and reaffirms SHIELD’s commitment to designing, assembling, and manufacturing all of its products in the United Kingdom.

NSSF® announces the 5th Annual Governors’ Forum at SHOT Show® 2026 is shaping up to host several state governors to discuss the importance of the firearm industry to their states, Second Amendment rights of their citizens and their insights to challenges and opportunities ahead for gun rights in the United States.

Looking ahead to 2026, HeadHunters NW announces an expanded commitment to serving clients through on-site visits nationwide. The firm will be traveling directly to client headquarters, manufacturing facilities, and divisional offices to provide personalized consultation on human capital needs and talent acquisition strategies.

Patriot Ordnance Factory Inc. (POF-USA) has announced that it, in partnership with SERT, has been awarded a contract to supply the Next Generation Rifle System to an undisclosed end user in Asia. The contract calls for delivery of POF-USA’s .300 Blackout 8-inch Renegade platform.

Shell Shock Technologies, LLC. announces the launch of its new Affiliate Program through AvantLink. The program provides content creators, influencers, and industry partners with the opportunity to promote Shell Shock Technologies’ two-piece Nickel Alloy Shell (NAS3) case technology and premium Shell Tech Ammo while earning attractive commissions and performance-based rewards.

Rost Martin announced that Lipsey’s has joined its network as an authorized distributor. Partnering with Lipsey’s will open new opportunities, expand Rost Martin’s reach, and make its line of striker-fired pistols more accessible to dealers and customers across the country.

NSSF® will host several state leading law enforcement officers for the 3rd Annual Attorneys General Forum to discuss the legal landscape. This forum will be a moderated discussion surrounding courtroom developments to protect Second Amendment rights and the firearm industry from antigun “lawfare” attacks.

Athlon Outdoors has named the Sig Sauer P365 FUSE the winner of the Ballistic’s Best 2025 Compact Handguns category. Standing at the top of a highly competitive field of eight pistols, the P365 FUSE earned the highest overall score thanks to its exceptional ergonomics, shootability, accuracy, and real-world carry performance.

Silent Steel USA announced its nationwide search for professional sales representative groups to support the company’s rapid expansion.

Athlon Outdoors announced the Kershaw Launch 21 as the winner of the 2025 Ballistic’s Best EDC Knives category, an impressive debut for this brand-new division in the annual awards.
 

NSSF® is encouraged and supports the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) preliminary findings after reviewing large banks’ debanking activities. The OCC report revealed what the firearm industry has known, and experienced, for years. Large banks systematically “made inappropriate distinctions” of lawful businesses, including those against firearm-related businesses, to restrict access to banking services.

Hornady® recently donated $35,625 to the GRACE Cancer Foundation in Grand Island, NE., with a matching amount going to the American Cancer Society for a total donation of, $71,250 split evenly between the two organizations.

In the conclusion of Ballistic’s Best 2025 AR-15 category, the rifle that emerged victorious is the Heckler & Koch MR556 A4. After a grueling lineup of eight rifles, ranging in price from just $500 to more than $4,300, only one managed to edge out the rest by a razor-thin margin.

Camfour, Inc. will host a retailer-focused webinar on Tuesday, December 16th titled “NFA 2026: Zero Tax, Higher Demand.” The event will outline the major industry changes taking effect in January and what they mean for dealers.

Kinetic Development Group announced the addition of Bauer Precision of Denton, Texas, as an authorized KDG dealer. The addition of Bauer Precision comes as KDG prepares to roll out a new dealer locator tool on its website in the coming weeks.

After an exhaustive evaluation of firearms from across the 1911 and 2011 spectrum, Athlon Outdoors named the Wilson Combat Project 1 as the winner in the 2011s category for Ballistic’s Best 2025.

Kinetic Development Group announced that the company is closing out the fourth quarter with exceptional momentum across distribution, dealer channels, and direct-to-consumer sales. Driven by expanding demand for its SCAR platform upgrades, M-LOK offerings, and growing mount ecosystem, KDG enters 2026 with its strongest operational position in years.

WOOX announces they have been nominated for the 2026 Gundies Award in “The Most Innovative Brand of the Year” category. Voting is now officially open.

RetailBI has released the November 2025 RetailBI Firearm Sales Index, the firearm industry’s most accurate benchmark of retail performance and indicator of consumer purchasing behavior of new firearms, reporting -22.2% for November, with a year-to-date decline of -11.9%.