Here is some of the latest shooting sports industry news:

Sig Sauer is now making its P210 Standard in the United States, bringing its legendary pistol to the U.S. market with modern improvements.

The P210 dates to 1949 and was the combat handgun for the Swiss military. The P210 Standard is a 9mm hammer-fired pistol, with a precision machined stainless steel slide and frame. It features iron sights, upgraded ergonomic controls including a relocated manual thumb-safety for easier accessibility, a target grade trigger, custom walnut grips, a side magazine release and improved beavertail. The pistol comes standard with two 8-round magazines. 

“The Sig Sauer P210 Standard is an engineering marvel, and with this launch our product development has really come full circle in bringing our production of all SIG products back to the U.S," said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales. "The P210 Standard combines the Swiss and German heritage that made this pistol legendary, with the ingenuity of being American made.

"The reverse rail on this pistol gives it precise accuracy," Taylor added. "The thin contour grip and balance in weight gives it less felt recoil, and the tuned, short trigger press truly makes this one of the finest handguns ever made.”

Vorhees Promoted to Walther VP Strategic Development

Bret Vorhees is the new Vice President of Strategic Business Development for Walther Arms. In this new role, Vorhees will lead the strategy and execution of Product Development and Marketing. He will also oversee the evaluation of new brand/line extensions and potential acquisitions.

Vorhees was hired as the National Sales Manager for Walther Arms in 2013 and then transitioned to Director of Product Development in 2018. Prior to working for Walther, he worked for Leupold & Stevens, GOTE Gear Holsters and Crimson Trace.

”He’s an avid shooter with a solid understanding of product mechanics and performance, giving him insights to what consumers are looking for,“ said Adam Blalock, CEO – Walther Arms, Inc. “Bret’s background, education and experience make him very well equipped for this role.”

Rossi Reaches Settlement in Class Action

A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit claiming that certain Rossi brand revolvers, the .38 Special and .357 Magnum, are defective in that they could unintentionally fire when dropped.

The Defendants Forjas Taurus, S.A., and BrazTech International LC (doing business under the brand "Rossi") issued a Warning about these safety concerns in September 2018. Rossi, however, denies all allegations of wrongdoing and liability alleged in the lawsuit, and the Court has not decided who is right. The parties have agreed to settle.

Who is included? The Settlement Class includes: all individuals in the United States, including its territories and possessions, who owned one or more Class Revolver(s) on March 15, 2019. "Class Revolvers" means Rossi brand .38 Special and .357 Revolver models R35102, R35202, R85104, R97206, R97104, R46202 and R46102 — made between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2017. The Class Revolvers have a serial number stamped on the frame beginning with the letters Y, Z, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, or K. Anyone who receives this notice (including distributors and dealers), if you have sold or otherwise transferred a Class Revolver to someone else, please forward this notice to the current owner.

What are the Settlement Benefits? The Settlement establishes an "Enhanced Warranty" allowing current or future owners to send in their Class Revolvers for inspection, repair if necessary, certification, and cleaning, all free of charge (including shipping, labor, and parts). Additionally, each Class Member who takes advantage of the Enhanced Warranty and files a valid claim will receive a $50 cash "Inconvenience Payment." The settlement does not include claims for personal injury.

Prior to the settlement, Rossi launched an "Early Warning Program" designed and intended to make current and future owners of Class Revolvers aware of the potential dangers and to inform them that the Class Revolvers should not be used or carried until they have been inspected and/or repaired. Those who sent in their Class Revolvers for inspection and repair in response to the Early Warning Program are entitled to make a claim for an Inconvenience Payment.

How can you file a Claim? If you are a Settlement Class Member, you must submit a valid claim to receive an Inconvenience Payment. The claim period will run for one year after the settlement becomes final and effective, and the deadline will be posted on the website when the claims period begins. There is no deadline to participate in the Enhanced Warranty. In order to be eligible to receive an Inconvenience Payment, you must also have sent in your Class Revolver for inspection and repair under the Enhanced Warranty. You can file your Claim Form online at www.RossiRevolverSettlement.com, or you can print out a Claim Form from the website or get one by calling the toll-free number below and mail your claim to the Claims Administrator.

What are my other options? If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself by July 15, 2019. If you do not exclude yourself, you will give up any claims against Rossi covered by the Settlement, and will not be able to sue Rossi for these types of claims in the future. You may object to any aspect of the Settlement, but you must do so by July 15, 2019. The Long Form Notice of Settlement found on the settlement website provides greater detail on how to exclude yourself or object. The Court will hold a hearing on August 27, 2019, to consider whether to approve the Settlement and requests for attorneys' fees and costs of up to $5,553,000 and Incentive Awards of $7,500 to each of the three Class Representatives. If you file and serve an objection, you and/or your attorney (if you choose to hire one at your own cost) may appear at this hearing (but are not required to).

SOURCE: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida 

NSSF Honors Scalise as Legislator of the Year

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industries, has honored U.S. Rep Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) as its 2018 Legislator of the Year.

The award was presented at the NSSF's annual dinner in Washington D.C., coinciding with the firearms industry’s annual Congressional Fly-In.

“We honor Congressman Scalise for his perseverance and steadfast leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, particularly for his tireless efforts to advance the U.S. Munitions List to Commerce Control List Transition and we are honored to present him with the 2018 NSSF’s Legislator of the Year Award,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

“Congressman Scalise’s commitment to advance protections of Constitutional Second Amendment rights and lawful industries that service those who choose to exercise those rights," Keane added. "Congressman Scalise has been resolute in his convictions and his duty to execute his oath of office after enduring an attempt on his life. His grit was on full display for all our nation to admire when he returned to Congress as a stronger champion for the lawful commerce in arms and determined to empower our law enforcement to pursue those who would criminally misuse firearms.”

Scalise said he's "proud to stand for our Second Amendment."

“I’m honored to receive NSSF’s Legislator of the Year award,” he said. “Even while some in Washington try to restrict our Second Amendment rights, small businesses, retailers, and gunsmiths across the country continue to suffer from heavy-handed regulation and government bureaucracy that infringe on our rights. I’m proud to stand for our Second Amendment, and I will always work to protect these rights.”

The transition of the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List was an effort begun during the Obama administration to enact export control reforms. Of 18 categories of exports, only the three involving sporting firearms and ammunition were purposely left undone.

Scalise championed legislation and is working closely with President Donald Trump’s administration to finalize these reforms for our industry. The reforms would move export licensing of firearms and ammunition from the U.S. State Department to the Commerce Department, an effort that would allow U.S. manufacturers to more evenly compete with foreign manufacturers for competitive contracts.

The reforms also would eliminate an onerous annual State Department $2,250 registration fee imposed on small manufacturers who do not export firearms and gunsmiths, who don’t produce, nor export firearms, but simply repair firearms.