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New Announcements From TRU-SPEC

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

Tru-Spec has just made a few new announcements regarding their product line, competitive shooting team, and their providing of uniforms for the upcoming Brownell’s Rockcastle Pro-Am 3-gun Championship.

First, Tru-Spec has partnered with A-TACS, and will now be offering their Tactical Response Uniform selections in A-TACS AU and FG. The TRU Shirt, Pant, 1/4 Zip Combat Shirt, Boonie, and Patrol Cap will all be available in the new patterns starting November 2014.

Secondly, Tru-Spec has added Bethany Harris to their roster of award winning competitive shooters. Bethany Harris has competed and placed in USPSA, IDPA, GSSF, and 3-Gun events. Harris, who entered the competitive shooting arena in 2010, has celebrated winning High Lady and a second place Tac-Irons Division finish at the Task Force Dagger 3-Gun in 2014 already this year; adding to a list of accolades, including: 2013 3-Gun Nation Ladies Division: 4th Overall, 2013 3-Gun Nation Divisional Series: 3rd Tac-Irons Division, 2013 Southeastern 3-Gun Championship: Tac-Irons Division Champion and match High Lady, 2012 3-Gun Nation Amateur Series Finish: 9th and 2012 3-Gun Nation Ladies Division Finish: 5th.

Lastly, Tru-Spec has been awarded the tile as “Official Range-Wear” for the 2014 Brownell’s Rockcastle Pro-Am 3-Gun Championship. They will be outfitting the entire staff with an option of 24-7 Series Shorts or Pants, Performance Polos, and Tac-Ts. Rockcastle will be hosting more than 500 shooters on the various courses, making it the largest gathering of competitors (and sponsors) at any one 3-gun outing.

The 2014 Brownell’s Rockcastle Pro-Am 3-Gun Championship is taking place at Rockcastle Shooting Center at Park Mammoth Resort in Park City, KY, August 22-24.

www.truspec.com

Tags: A-TACS, Tru-Spec
Posted in Clothing, Industry | 5 Comments »

Details On The Tactical Holdings Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

Last week, Tactical Holdings filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in Federal Court in Wilmington, DE. The brands under Tactical Holdings include well known FR clothing manufacturer Massif as well as footwear makers Wellco and Altama as well as other companies Tactical Intermediate Holdings Inc, Tactical Holdings Operations Inc, Ro-Search Inc, Mo-Ka Shoe Corp, and Massif Holdings LLC. As you may recall, Ro-Search developed the Panama sole used in the old jungle boot.

Fortunately, they were given permission to use up to $3.5 Million in loans from Wells Fargo to pay vendors in order to keep things going through the process.

At face value this looks pretty scary for these brands but Massif may well come out of this situation stronger than before. While all brands were given until the end of July to find buyers, Massif has already been courted by Sun Capital Partners, who owns Point Blank Solutions, Protective Products Enterprises, Paraclete, Kelty, Sierra Designs, Slumberjack, Ultimate Direction and Royal Robbins. These guys know how to do it. Dow Jones reports that Sun Capital Partners has a $13 Million offer for Massif. As I understand it, Massif will go to auction soon with Sun Capital Partners as keen bidders who wish to nurture the business alongside its other holdings.

In a telephone interview with Noelle Christensen of Massif, she related, “As you know, we’re part of a larger corporate group, including footwear brands Wellco and Altama. The corporation, along with all entities, filed Chapter 11 last week. This court process will divest Massif from Tactical Holdings and Massif will be proceeding with an auction soon, to determine if Sun, or another investor, will be taking ownership.

Massif is a strong company and we’ll remain strong after this process is complete. As mentioned in the court filings, Massif received approval to pay vendors deemed critical during this process, so we can continue to deliver high-performance protective clothing to the warfighter.”

Unfortunately, the outlook isn’t as good for the footwear brands. Declining contracts and an investigation last year into sourcing of footwear has led to layoffs at Wellco. If they can’t find a buyer, DoD contracts will be moved elsewhere.

I would say that assuredly, Tactical Holdings as we know it, will cease to be. Things look promising for Massif who may find a new home alongside other PPE manufacturers. However, considering the crowded tactical footwear market, we are unsure who might go after not one, but two boot makers.

Tags: Altama, and Massif Holdings LLC, Massif, Mo-Ka Shoe Corp, Ro-Search Inc, Tactical Holdings, Tactical Holdings Operations Inc, Tactical Intermediate Holdings Inc, Wellco
Posted in Industry | 10 Comments »

Never Let A Crisis Go To Waste – How The Conflict In Ukraine Resulted In A Ban on The Importation Of Kalashnikovs Into The US

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

Back in March, President Obama signed Executive Order 13661, “Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine”.

Yesterday, the Secretary of the Treasury expanded exactly what that means by adding additional interests to the list. It was bound to happen, and now Concern Kalashnikov is on that Office of Foreign Assets Control list.

KALASHNIKOV CONCERN (a.k.a. CONCERN KALASHNIKOV; a.k.a. IZHEVSKIY MASHINOSTROITEL’NYI ZAVOD OAO; f.k.a. IZHMASH R&D CENTER; f.k.a. JSC NPO IZHMASH; f.k.a. NPO IZHMASH OAO; a.k.a. OJSC CONCERN KALASHNIKOV; f.k.a. OJSC IZHMASH; f.k.a. SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION IZHMASH JOINT STOCK COMPANY), 3, Derjabin Pr., Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic 426006, Russia; Registration ID 1111832003018 [UKRAINE2].

There’s a whole slew of companies and individuals on the list so the Obama Administration didn’t single them out, but this will those involved in the AK enthusiast market.

This has been anticipated by that community. The guns in the country are the guns in the country. I’m sure panic buying will ensue. If you already own one, you can sell it, free and clear. But if Kalashnikov or another individual or company listed on the OFAC list has a stake in it, then you need to contact OFAC. This should only be a concern to importers who might be selling on consignment.

To be sure, a friend in the region, Ukraine, is struggling with a Russian-backed insurgency. In response, the President of the United States decided to use the economic element of national power as leverage against Russia to encourage them to lay off.

Consider the importation of guns from Russia into the US as collateral damage. A ban on the importation of Kalashnikovs from Russia would not have been possible without new laws, stemming from legislation in Congress. But a crisis such as the one in the Ukraine is a convenient opportunity that can’t be passed up by an Administration that likes to take unilateral, executive action to further its aims.

Tags: Izhmash, Kalashnikov
Posted in 2A, Industry, International, weapons | 38 Comments »

Vertx Signs Professional Firearms Instructor, Expert Competitive Shooter And Veteran Of Operation Desert Storm, Gary Quesenberry

Thursday, July 17th, 2014

Cincinnati, OH 16-JULY-2014 – Vertx® Apparel is pleased and honored to announce professional firearms instructor, expert competitive shooter and Operation Desert Storm veteran, Gary Quesenberry, to the Vertx Pro Staff team.

“Having Gary join our Pro Staff is truly an honor for Vertx®. His training knowledge and excitement is refreshing and we were equally as excited to welcome Gary to the Vertx® family,” Ginger Rohlfs, Director of Marketing commented. “We’ve worked with Gary for a while and knew he would be an integral piece of our Pro Staff puzzle as we build a team of experts in their respective fields.”

With over 20+ years of Law Enforcement and Military experience under his belt, Quesenberry has made a name for himself as a respected top firearms instructor and competitor in the shooting industry. While having served in the US Army during Operation Desert Storm and heading as the lead firearms instructor for an elite counter terrorism organization within the Department of Homeland Security, Quesenberry has went on to train and lead both domestic and international instructional firearms tactics to Law Enforcement agencies.

In 2011, Quesenberry chose to participate in seasons 3 of History Channel’s hit reality show, Top Shot. During his time spent on Season3, Quesenberry performed exponentially well, finishing 3rd overall out of 18 top competitors. Most recently in 2013, Quesenberry was picked to compete on Top Shot: Season 5, this time competing with reoccurring All Stars of the show. Quesenberry made it all the way to the elimination round of the season finale.

“I’m incredibly excited to be a member of the Vertx® team,” said Quesenberry. “As a competitive shooter and professional firearms instructor, I look for any possible advantage on the range. Vertx gear is designed with that innovative, competitive spirit in mind. There’s simply nothing better out there.”

Chosen in 2012 as one of Cleveland’s Most Interesting People for his spectacular shooting skills and for his current role as firearms instructor for the Department of Homeland Security, Quesenberry is also President and CEO of Q-Series LLC and Director of Training for GrayStone Defense Group.

www.wearvertx.com

Tags: VertX
Posted in Industry | Comments Off on Vertx Signs Professional Firearms Instructor, Expert Competitive Shooter And Veteran Of Operation Desert Storm, Gary Quesenberry

Rampart International 2014 Live Fire And Range Day

Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

Rampart Range Day & Expo 2014 from RAMPART Corp. on Vimeo.

Rampart International held its 4th annual Live Fire Range Day & Expo on May 27th as a prelude to the CANSEC defence trade show in Ottawa, Canada.

More than 40 companies exhibited including Armament Technology Inc, Beretta, Colt Canada, General Dynamics, Sky Watch, Alexander Battery, Twenty 20 Insight, North Eastern Arms, Wolverine Supplies, G Code, Haley Strategic Partners, Israel Military Industries, S&S Precision, Mystery Ranch, Laser Devices, and other leading providers of tactical equipment. The event drew several hundred attendees from the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Canadian Army, CANSOFCOM, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, and other Canadian federal, provincial, and municipal agencies.

For 2015, the Live Fire Range Day & Expo is planned for May 26th and will be covered by SSD. Companies interested in participating are welcome to contact Rampart for details.

www.rampartcorp.com

Tags: Rampart International
Posted in Industry, International | 1 Comment »

Mike Mers Still With AAC or What I Meant To Say Was…

Sunday, July 13th, 2014

Just yesterday the blogosphere was all atwitter with news that the snappiest dresser in the firearms industry, Mike Mers was no longer with Remington brand AAC. But then, earlier today, Mers, known for his signature argyle sweater vest, posted this statement to Facebook.

D’oh….sometimes it’s best to wait until the dust settles on employment issues.

Congrats to Mers for his new role with AAC.

Tags: AAC, Mike Mers, Remington
Posted in Industry | 13 Comments »

TSSI Selects Cary A. Hevener as CFO

Wednesday, July 9th, 2014

TSSI is a great company that I’ve had the pleasure to work with for over two decades. Congratulations to Ms Hevener!

Harrisonburg, Virginia, July 7, 2014 – Bill Strang, President and CEO of Tactical & Survival Specialties, Inc. (TSSi) announced the selection of Ms. Cary Hevener as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. This announcement was the culmination of a careful selection process.

Hevener comes to TSSi from Dynamic Aviation where she was the Controller since 2006. Dynamic Aviation is the leading provider of innovative aviation solutions for government and commercial organizations worldwide. Cary attended West Virginia University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration – Accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in West Virginia and Virginia. Before working for Dynamic Aviation, Cary was the Controller for Hartman Motor Sales in Harrisonburg, VA for six years. Hevener says, “I am so excited to join the team at TSSI, a company with a proven track record in success. I am thankful to have the opportunity to be part of such a successful and progressive company.”
According to Strang, “We are very excited to have Cary join the TSSi family. Her experience and personality will be a great addition to our growth and future success.”
TSSi, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, was established in 1980 to support the U.S. military special operations community. Today, TSSI’s customer base includes logistical support for military, law enforcement, and disaster response organizations.

As CFO, Hevener will be responsible for the financial and administrative division of TSSI, with Accounting, Information Technologies and Human Resources reporting directly to her.

Tags: TSSI
Posted in Industry | Comments Off on TSSI Selects Cary A. Hevener as CFO

S&S Precision Launches New Site

Tuesday, July 8th, 2014

S&S Precision has completely updated the layout of their website with improved navigation including a new product navigation page. You’ll notice a GSA icon which connects you to a single, convenient page with all products listed on GSA.

I really like the new site and it’s a lot easier to learn about and order their products.

www.sandsprecision.com

Tags: S&S Precision
Posted in Industry | 1 Comment »