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LEAVING LAS VEGAS

The future of the SHOT Show I’m not going.  I just decided.  For the first time in more than 20 years, I’ll miss a SHOT Show. I’m skipping because of the mask mandate, pure and simple.  As you have read in prior months, I was an optimist that our firearms industry culture is on the free-thinking side and not too trusting of governments, especially those dominated by politicians who want to take our guns.  NASGW proved me right, and I trumpeted it in this space. But last week beginning Thursday (less than 2 weeks before SHOT), there was a weird shift.  The  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | January 11, 2022 | Firearms, Opinion Pieces | 0 Comments Read More »

THE SWEET SPOT FOR SUCCESS IN OUR INDUSTRY?

Selling Pistols like Soda Pop – Andy Warhol-style? It’s rare to find something on the Internet that gives you a new perspective on one of the most important aspects of your own life. We usually are seeing things that either enrage us, or reinforce what we already believe. Thankfully, I got permission from the author of this Substack publication to share it with you in its entirety, (along with my commentary). Open Source Defense bills themselves as “100% gun rights, 0% culture war. Making people proud to be associated with gun rights, with friendly,  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | December 4, 2021 | Firearms | 0 Comments Read More »

SHOT SHOW, UNMASKED

Why Mandates Don’t Matter, and Why You Definitely Should Attend This newsletter about mask mandates at the SHOT Show was all written, and then something changed.  The firearms industry just had a trade show under a mask mandate, and guess what?  Nobody wore a mask. Not a mask in sight at NASGW. Greater Columbus Convention Center, October 28, 2021 In that picture are at least 24 faces, all unmasked. Never mind that the venue required masks for all, and signs reminded attendees of the requirement.  It warms my heart to be part of an industry dominated by  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | November 2, 2021 | Firearms | 0 Comments Read More »

SHOT? MASK? OR BOTH? NEITHER?

Industry Mask-Preference Survey Link Inside Warning:  I occasionally get complaints from readers when I get into politics and industry gossip, and stray from valuable legal information.  I’m straying this month, so stop reading here if you’re looking for information to help you make better legal choices in your business.  See y’all next month... So, everyone’s asking me about the SHOT Show.  But I do talk to dozens or hundreds of clients, and I’ve been polling informally and confidentially about COVID and trade show cancellations since the beginning.   [...]

By Ben Langlotz | October 8, 2021 | Firearms | 0 Comments Read More »

REMEMBERING THE REMINGTON ROYALTY LESSON

Too Big to Fail? Remington’s bizarre “Brother, can you spare a dime?” Campaign It was ten years ago that I wrote about one of our industry friends playing an interesting voicemail at the SHOT Show. Consider all that has changed since then. These friends are innovators, with some valuable patents in their portfolio. Because Remington liked one of their inventions, they worked out a licensing deal. Remington paid royalties, and got to use the invention. Often, it’s the big guys paying the innovative upstarts. Pretty cool. Hoping for Handouts from the Little  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | September 2, 2021 | Firearms, Trademark | 0 Comments Read More »

MICROMANAGING THE “MICRO-ENTITY” PATENT FEE DISCOUNT

More than five years after Congress threw a little bone to start-up inventors, we’ve learned a few things. The good news is that you might qualify for reduced patent fees under the patent laws, thanks to a “gift” from Congress to small inventors. I didn’t follow the battle, but I expect it was a way for them to look like they are being generous in some small way when they’re raising fees in a big way. Half-price patent fees sounds like a good deal. I used to be nervous that it might be too risky to enjoy the benefit. I’ve mellowed out, and will explain  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | August 5, 2021 | Firearms, Intellectual Property Advice, Patent | 0 Comments Read More »