Gregory Kielma • July 23, 2025
Watch Tower, SCCY, and Speciality cartridge In Financial Trouble
Struggling Firearms Company’s and Ammo Manufacture Closes Down Business
The U.S. firearms industry has faced some financial distress in 2025 as gun manufacturers and ammo producers filed for bankruptcy protection.
Some gun makers have also shut down operations for economic issues without filing for bankruptcy.
Fledgling gun manufacturer Watchtower Firearms LLC, which was established in 2022, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 27, facing financial problems, including operational challenges, tax obligations, and significant vendor and service provider debt that led to its financial distress.
The company likely faced rising inflation, increased interest rates, and consumers' changing attitudes toward spending that impacted the company's financial situation.
The Frisco, Texas, firearms maker recently released its special edition Demolitia handgun and its Raider Series rifles. It is also developing its Commander pistol that is coming soon, according to its website.
Watchtower Firearms currently offers its Apache 9mm pistol, its Bridger 7mm bolt-action rifle, and other custom and special edition rifles.
Firearms ammo maker files for bankruptcy
Also, firearms ammunition manufacturer and dealer Specialty Cartridge Inc.,
which operates as Atlanta Arms, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 7 to reorganize its business.
The company manufactures and sells ammunition for handguns and rifles and offers hats and t-shirts for sale. It has various targets and target pasters for purchase as well.
The Covington, Ga., ammunition maker and dealer, listed $10 million to $50 million in assets and $1 million to $10 million in liabilities in its petition. Its largest creditors include Fiocchi of America, owed over $421,000; Grandeur Fasteners, also owed over $421,000; Amerway, owed over $331,000, and Wieland Metal Services, owed over $306,000.
SCCY Firearms has reportedly shut down its business.
SCCY Firearms shuts down its factory
And now, popular Daytona Beach, Fla., firearms manufacturer and dealer SCCY Firearms has closed its operations and is out of business, NRA Shooting Illustrated reported.
The company has not filed for bankruptcy protection at last check.
SCCY was not immediately available for comment. The company did not answer its phone lines listed on its website, and it did not return voicemail phone messages. It also did not respond to an email request for comment.
The company's assets, including gun computer numerical control machines and centers, injecting molding machines, lathes, office equipment, 3D printers, and other items, are reportedly scheduled to be sold to the highest bidders in an auction conducted by Prestige Auction on June 24-26.
SCCY Firearms' assets were seized by the Volusia County Tax Office of Florida at its Daytona factory on March 11, 2025, for non-payment of tax debts totaling over $249,000.
The tax office posted a Notice of Pending Levy and Seizure on the factory's exterior stating: "All equipment, furniture, and fixtures located inside this location regardless of status (owned, leased, loaned, or borrowed,) are subjected to taxation and are now under pending levy and seizure for unpaid tangible personal property taxes.
"Disposal of assessed property prior to satisfaction of the tax lien is a violation of a Florida statute Chapter 818 and is punishable by one year imprisonment and/or $1,000 fine," the notice stated.
The amount due on March 11 was $249,932.38.
The notice advised "Contact revenue recovery before proceeding," with a phone number and email listed.
If the company makes a tax payment to the county, the seizure and auction process can be halted. The county has also been talking with the company's landlord and the lender who loaned SCCY the money to purchase the equipment to arrange a payment to release the equipment to the lender, The Outdoor Wire reported.
Joe Roebuck, a mechanical engineer and tool-and-die-maker, founded SCCY in 2003. SCCY's first manufactured gun, the CPX-1 pistol, was first sold in 2005. The company was listed in the Top 10 among domestic pistol manufacturers in volume in 2022, according to Shooting Illustrated.
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Being Prepared for the 2026 Hurricane Season By Gregory Kielma, Tactical K Training & Firearms The 2026 Hurricane Season is shaping up to be another year where preparation isn’t optional it’s essential. Florida has seen record heat, rising insurance pressures, rapid population growth, and increasingly unpredictable storm behavior. None of that is meant to create fear. It’s meant to reinforce a simple truth: preparedness gives you control, confidence, and options when the weather turns. Whether you’re protecting a home, a business, or a family, the goal is the same build layers of readiness before the first storm forms. Start With Awareness and a Plan Storms don’t give you time to “figure it out later.” Your plan should be written, practiced, and known by everyone in the household or workplace. Key elements of a solid plan: Where will you go if evacuation becomes necessary Multiple routes out of your area A communication plan if cell networks fail A designated out‑of‑state contact A plan for pets, elderly family members, and anyone with medical needs For businesses, include: Who secures the building Who handles digital backups Who communicates closures and reopening A plan removes panic. It replaces it with action. Strengthen Your Home or Business Before the First Storm Florida structures take a beating every year. Small improvements now prevent major losses later. Exterior protection: Inspect your roof for loose shingles or soft spots Clear gutters and drainage paths Trim trees and remove dead limbs Install or test shutters Reinforce garage doors—one of the most common failure points Interior protection: Surge protection for critical electronics Elevate valuables and important documents Know how to shut off water, power, and gas If you own a business, walk your property as if you were a storm: What can break? What can blow away? What can flood? Fix those points now. Build a Realistic, Usable Supply Kit For Your Home or Business A hurricane kit isn’t about stockpiling, it’s about independence. After a major storm, help may take hours or days to reach your area. For homes and families: Water: 1 gallon per person per day (minimum 3–7 days) Non‑perishable food Medications and medical supplies Flashlights, headlamps, and batteries Battery bank for phones First aid kit Copies of important documents Cash in small bills Tools, gloves, tarps, duct tape For businesses: Backup power for essential systems Printed employee contact lists Hard copies of insurance documents A plan for securing inventory and equipment Preparedness isn’t about fear it’s about not being dependent on luck. Protect Your Digital Life In 2026, digital readiness is just as important as physical readiness. Back up important files to the cloud and an external drive Photograph your home, business, and valuables for insurance Store digital copies of IDs, insurance policies, and receipts Keep chargers, power banks, and a small solar panel if possible When the power goes out, your digital preparation keeps you moving. Understand Post‑Storm Safety Most injuries happen after the storm, not during it. Be cautious with: Downed power lines Flooded roads Carbon monoxide from generators Unstable structures Contaminated water If you evacuated, don’t rush home. Wait for official clearance. Your safety comes first. Mindset: Prepared, Not Paranoid Preparedness is a discipline, not a reaction. It’s the same mindset we teach in every Tactical K class awareness, planning, and responsible action. A hurricane is a natural event. Your response is a choice. When you prepare early, you protect: Your family Your property Your business Your peace of mind And you set an example for your community. Kielma’s Parting Shot The 2026 Hurricane Season will bring challenges, just like every season. But Floridians are resilient, and preparation is part of our way of life. Start now. Strengthen your home, your business, and your plan. Build your layers of safety before the first storm forms. If you need help building a plan, creating a checklist, or preparing your family or business, Tactical K Training is here to support you with practical, real‑world guidance.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’ Thursday, April 30, 2026 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia WASHINGTON - Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Brandon Smith was already on supervised probation for a violent felony when he chose to traffic firearms, and he continued even after being told the buyer intended to use them for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Over the course of six months, he arranged the sale of at least nine guns—including one with an obliterated serial number—to a prohibited individual. This was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a sustained and deliberate effort to arm someone who could not legally possess firearms. My office remains committed to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by trafficking illegal guns.” On Jan. 9, 2026, Smith pleaded guilty before Judge Howell to conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 108-month prison term. According to court papers, beginning in November 2023, ATF opened an investigation after a confidential source reported that Smith, then on supervised probation for a violent felony, was actively advertising firearms for sale by texting photographs of guns to prospective buyers, including individuals with prior felony convictions. During the next six months, Smith sold or arranged the sale of nine firearms to a buyer on six separate occasions. During the transactions, Smith sold his own personal carry firearm on multiple occasions when a supplier failed to deliver, then purchased a replacement for himself afterward. In early January 2024, as Smith and the buyer discussed an upcoming transaction, the buyer told Smith he needed the firearms because he was “at war” after his cousin had been killed. Smith proceeded with the sale. The buyer had also told Smith he was serving a criminal justice sentence at the time of the transactions. Smith acknowledged that he, too, was “on papers.” Smith arranged a total of six transactions from Nov. 30, 2023, through May 30, 2024, resulting in the sale of nine firearms. At least one of the firearms had its serial number obliterated. On Oct. 26, 2024, MPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1600 block of 16th Street SE and found Smith in the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Officers observed open containers of alcohol and discovered a satchel at his feet. Inside the satchel, in plain view, was a loaded Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in the magazine. The bag also contained a bank card and government-issued identification in Smith’s name. Smith has prior convictions for Simple Assault (2011), Attempted Robbery (2013), and Robbery and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (2016), for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was serving a term of supervised probation from the 2016 conviction at the time of the firearms trafficking conspiracy. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan. Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking
