Here is the latest shooting sports industry news:
Bear & Son Cutlery has added William J Gartland & Associates to its manufacturer representative portfolio.
Based in Youngstown, Ohio, William J Gartland & Associates will begin representing Bear & Son Cutlery to its retail and distributor clients effective immediately.
"William J Gartland & Associates is a long-established and highly respected firm in the outdoor industry," said Bear & Son President Ken Griffey. "We are excited to have their team representing our Bear & Son, Bear Ops, Bear Edge, and GATCO Sharpener brands to retailers, distributors, and buying groups throughout the eastern U.S."
Established by Bill Gartland in 1973, the company includes 18 seasoned hunting, shooting, and outdoor product sales reps covering the eastern and midwestern states.
"Reputation and quality are everything in our business," Gartland said. "It starts with the manufacturers, carries through to the retailers, and reflects on everyone involved in the sales and supply chain. This is why our team of professionals choose to represent only those companies and products with a solid reputation that starts at the factory and continues with the consumer. Bear & Son Cutlery, with their high-quality, USA-made knives, certainly fits that mold and we are proud to represent them to our industry friends and clients."
Voight Signs With Team Ruger
Ruger has signed Maggie Reese Voigt to its professional shooting team and will represent the company as a brand ambassador.
Voigt takes the sixth spot on Team Ruger, which is led by captain Doug Koenig.
“We are honored to welcome Maggie to Team Ruger,” Koenig said. “Adding a multi-national champion to the team certainly raises the bar for us. Her experience is a great asset to our team and we are excited to see her compete in Ruger Red.”
Voigt’s current National and World shooting titles include:
— 2016 US-IPSC Handgun Champion
— 4-Time National Champion USPSA Multi-Gun
— 3-Time National Team Member IPSC World Shoot (Rifle & Handgun)
— Multi-Time Ladies Champion at Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun, MGM Ironman, Surefire World Championship, Safariland Expedition UML Championship, and Rocky Mountain 3-Gun
She has also appeared on television series Top Shot, Shooting USA and Modern Shooter.
“When Ruger approached me about joining the team, I just had to say yes,” Voigt said. “I have long-admired Doug’s shooting career and have seen first-hand how well Ruger firearms perform at the highest level of competition. I am very excited for the season ahead and proud to be representing a company that has a passion for developing and producing quality firearms.”
Voigt made her national debut as a member of Team Ruger with a High Lady win in the PCC Division at the Safariland Mike Voigt Memorial UPL Match and Safariland Expedition UML Championship hosted in Las Vegas, NV on March 15-17. Future matches for her include the NRA Bianchi Cup; Steel Challenge, USPSA, and Multi-Gun competitions, as well as a number of other state and national competitions throughout the year.
Taurus Names Buying Group of the Year
Taurus has selected Mid-States Distributing as the Taurus 2018 Buying Group of the Year. Taurus presented the award at the 2019 SHOT Show.
Established in 1953, the Fort Worth-based company is one of the leading buying groups in the farm store segment. Mid-States provides its 39 member retailers and approximately 700 retail stores around the U.S. and Canada with comprehensive farming, ranching, husbandry, and outdoor lifestyle products, including Taurus firearms for personal defense and hunting.
"Rural consumers, particularly those living in mid-western and western states, rely on dedicated farm stores for much of their occupational and daily living needs," said Carlos Vazquez-Pausa, VP of Taurus Sales. "From livestock feed, veterinary care, and farming equipment to clothing and even firearms, product diversity is key. Mid-States Distributing continues to excel in providing their retail chain clients with the kind of Taurus firearms that consumers living in the more remote areas of the country rely on for personal protection when they're out in the field or hunting. That's why we're excited to present Mid-States Distributing with the Taurus 2018 Buying Group of the Year award."
Ryan Oliver Joins Zanders Sporting Goods Sales Team
Ryan Oliver has been hired by Zanders Sporting Goods, a national wholesale distributor located in Sparta, Illinois, for its sales department.
Oliver came to Zanders with a strong background in firearm sales and logistics. He graduated from Trinidad Junior College with an Associate in Applied Science degree in gunsmithing. After college, Oliver started working in the firearms department as a gun counter associate at Cabela’s. He was eventually promoted to the firearms lead position and oversaw three firearms departments and 38 associates.
“I was looking for a better work/life balance but still wanted to stay in the firearms industry," Oliver said. "Zanders seemed like it would be a great fit for me. They’re a big player in the firearms industry but still has the feel of a family-owned business. It’s refreshing to work for a company that takes care of their employees as well as their customers. I look forward to being a part of the Zanders team for a very long time.”
In his free time, Oliver enjoys repairing and modifying firearms and is looking forward to getting back into competitive shooting.
Versacarry Taps Howard Communications Marketing Agency
Howard Communications has been selected as the PR/Marketing agency of record by Versacarry and will handle all media relations activities with the outdoor and shooting media.
“Everyone here at Howard Communications is looking forward to working with Versacarry to develop and implement a comprehensive PR strategy and help them grow an already great company,” said Howard Communications President Kevin Howard. “The story of Versacarry is an inspiration. Justin Sitz started the company when he could not find a pistol holster he was comfortable with. He designed and built a better holster nine years ago and his company has been growing ever since, offering a wide variety of shooting products.”
“We’re excited to partner with Howard Communications as we grow the Versacarry business and continue to develop new and innovative products for shooters,” Sitz said. “Howard Communications has a long history in the industry and a solid reputation of working with clients to maximize exposure both with the media and consumers.”
RISE Armament Partners with Eagle OPS
RISE Armament has partnered with the Eagle OPS Foundation to support veterans through a variety of programs.
RISE Armament’s primary involvement is through the Eagle OPS Freedom Shoots. RISE helped provide five RISE Watchman rifles for. At each Freedom Shoot event, 10 veterans or service members participate in timed shooting competitions. At the end of the shoot, the competitor with the best time receives a prize and is eligible to compete in a championship event in November. The events are held monthly in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Eagle OPS encourages active duty, reservists, veterans, their families, and all patriots to come to the Freedom Shoots.
Freedom Shoots offer friendly competition, but more importantly they provide veterans and other attendees an opportunity to build relationships and help ease the difficult transition of returning home from active duty. The events conclude with a discussion about how the group can reach more veterans and continue to build on the Eagle OPS mission of “connecting relationships and resources to bring our heroes home.”
“At RISE Armament, we have a great passion and desire to support our veterans in as many ways as possible,” stated Matt Torres, president of RISE Armament. “It was a simple decision to assist the Eagle OPS Foundation and their mission to support the transition veterans make when returning home.”
Johnathon Shepherd, founding partner of Eagle OPS adds: “The Eagle OPS Foundation understands that we cannot accomplish our mission of bringing our heroes home by ourselves. This is why we are very happy to welcome the partnership with RISE Armament. RISE Armament is the perfect partner for our Eagle OPS Freedom Shoots, and they are a model for all companies in being true difference-makers in the many veteran organizations they support.”
Sig Sauer Adds .30-06 Elite Match Ammo
Sig Sauer has added .30-06 Springfield to its Elite Match ammunition line featuring a 175-grain Sierra MatchKing bullet.
The Sig Sauer 30-06 Win Open Tip Match round has a muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps with a muzzle energy of 2,833 ft-lbs.
“Our 30-06 Springfield Elite Match load is designed to excel in today’s modern firearms as well as older rifles such as the M1 Garand and delivers the accuracy and reliability shooters have come to expect from SIG SAUER Elite Ammunition,” said Brad Criner, Senior Director, Brand Management and Business Development, SIG SAUER Ammunition. “Given the resurgence in popularity of the M1 Garand and numerous vintage rifle matches being held across the country, there is significant demand for this cartridge.”
Sig Sauer Elite Match ammunition features a temperature-stable propellant that delivers consistent muzzle velocity in all weather conditions. Premium-quality primers ensure minimum velocity variations, and the shell case metallurgy is optimized in the Sig Elite Match OTM cartridge to yield consistent bullet retention round to round.
