The recent thread on Colt reminded me of several controversial incidents in the "gun community" and with the ease of researching those involved (thank you interwebs), it seems that we get a clearer picture of them. I have to admit that I've had a grudge against Bill Ruger for a long time now over his "no honest man...." statement, but it seems that he epitomizes the Elitist attitude found in these incidents. He was wealthy and had wealthy tastes in cars, boats, and the trappings of the rich. He kinda reminded me of my grandfather who told me I didn't "need" an AK because I couldn't hunt with it and it was a "waste of money". Only my grandfather was concerned that I was spending money better off going towards my own home or retirement. It was concern for me, not "I don't trust him to own it". Others also belong here, like X Products/James Malarkey with his wish list of licensing scheme, "gun ownership is a privilege", and his wife's Everytown for Gun Safety fundraising BS. Benchmade Knives was also recently in the crosshairs for helping a local PD destroy weapons and they didn't handle the situation a well as they could have. Colt could have not made any statement or could have just said they had to concentrate on military contracts, instead of their so-so statement that sounded more like "we agree and/or are afraid of Beto so we are going along with the Walmart plan". Walmart is only concerned with their bottom line, and are cowering to the antis in the hopes they won't protest them opening new stores in the east and west coasts (they will though). Even the NRA has ignored the rank and file members in favor of large corporate donors. They like to tout the millions of members to politicians, but are only interested in the big money donors, sponsors, and advertisers bring to line their pockets. How many of you are interested in joining an NRA Wine club? Or how about their Carry insurance that won't pay anything unless you win in court and has limits? I've noticed that these are "well to do" people who have inherited their money or have been given the best start in life (parents paying for college). I won't fault them for having successful parents or careers, but quit dictating what's "best" for us. I've had discussions with them in the NFA circles and I hear the same crap: "I would love to have the NFA registry open again so we could get the latest MGs." then I would hear the "I don't want any Tom, Dick, or Harry to be able to get one" or "If they opened the registry it would de-value my investment of unfired in the box M-16 or MACs!". I guess in the end we have to continually be alert and not trust someone else with our constitutional rights, even if they pay lip service to it now.
"No honest man"...unless he wanted to buy a Ruger 10/22, Mini-14 or Mini-30. Most of the gun manufactures had to toe-the-line back during the Clinton Era and got on everybody's sh-- list. Smith & Wesson did the same thing and it took years for them to recover. Ruger bought his way out of the doghouse by making donations to the NRA for every gun sold.
Yes, donations to the NRA have bought plenty of good press for Ruger, but I have to admit that since the company has new management it's giving us what we want. Full capacity magazines, AR-15, factory 25 round 10/22 mags, and best of all gotten away from those god awful P series pistol and joined the 20th century.
The old do as I say not as I do thing. The wealthy have plenty of guns or hired security with guns. I kind of figure this whole anti-gun idiot thing would happen so whatever guns I really needed were bought long ago. PSA still sells AR.s cheap enough. Not for long i imagine. Most people here are set when it comes to weapons. Society in general, just idiotic about guns.
It's just me, but I really despise the term "2A". It is meaningless, just a numeral and a letter, no definition. Whenever I read it, my mind has to stop and translate it. Comes from my IT days as my team's documentation guru. I tend to think literally, so defined terms are critical. I always write it out, "Second Amendment". I can accept the short form, "2nd Amend." But that's just me, one of my many quirks. As to the OP, I see a major problem being that most of the old gun companies now are part of larger corporations, and run by corporate beancounters. So, they cut corners to increase profits, which only works to a point. They also bow to the loud minority of the non-gun owning public, who fear certain styles of guns. So we see those guns being dropped, or so castrated in design as to be nearly uselss. A sad sign of our times.
The erosion of our Second Amendment rights started in '34 and gained ground in '68. The Second Amendment did not dictate the style of arms, just arms. I fully believe the founding fathers meant for the populace to be equipped with any gun possessed by the government, they just didn't foresee tanks and nukes. People seem to have forgotten that we were once rebels flying in the face of England and her king, fighting for and ultimately achieving our independence. That independence has given us the freedoms to speak our mind and that is where it has somewhat backfired. Somehow someway, we have become a country of mindless politically correct morns who have forgotten the very things we founded this country for. They have forgotten that we shed blood so that they may enjoy the right to protest, and good men died so unfair rule would not stand. Many men lost everything to further this great country and make it the bastion of freedom the rest of the world craves, and yet somehow in the past few years everyone has forgotten those sacrifices. Just like they have forgotten 9/11. Just like they will stand by and watch the few make law for the many. Yeah, I see the time fast approaching when we will wish we had bought that extra ammo or splurged for that new rifle or handgun. I see us as about a generation away from a society that has been disarmed and I hope I'm wrong. Guess I need to put a magnet on a rope and revisit the site of the boating accident...
The gun companies have been playing dirty pool for years. They were major supporters of the GCA of 1968, which eliminated foreign imports of military surplus arms, which were the major competition for the US gun manufacturers. Why buy a modern sporter bolt rifle for $100 when you can pick up a nice 8mm surplus Mauser for $15. They are just a business, run by businessmen who are mostly concerned with their Bottom Line. Look at Winchester's move to cut production costs on their model 70's & 1894's in 1964, need I say more?
The ONE thing folks forget IS, that most of those living in the USA, today, their progenitors were immigrants, to the USA and not born here while the USA was in existence...... My Own, were Torries during the Revolutionary War, and ran to Canada after.... Then just after the Civil War, they snuck back in, and settled in Kansas. then during the Dust Bowl days, they moved west to Seattle.....
Miami shoot out,1986 Bill Rugers statement March 30th 1989 Think he is pissed about a Mini 14 being used against the FBI in 1986....Who knows?
My forebears came to this country around 1745. Several others of the greater family were sent from England to the Aussie penal colonies, so our family name is encountered there. But my two ancestors were fleeter of foot, making it to Charleston, SC. then down here to Florida. Guns have always been a part of my family.
If just a small % of gun owners refuse to obey the law that will translate into millions of armed citizens. So preserve and bury your scary guns and ammo where they won't be found, keep a few guns so that you can shoot, hunt and buy ammo, teach your children well, and pass on the guns and ammo to future generations. When the SHTF gun owners will rule...literally!
If it were not for the ingenuity of American influence and help Europe would have fallen to Hitler . if it were not for the few that willingly sacrificed their lives for their freedom , Europe would be under Hitler. Too few are willing to make that sacrifice, and the liberals/democrats are banking on that. Are you willing to be demonized and made a spectacle, all you are all you own destroyed for nothing?( in the view of those unwilling to make the sacrifice) It is unlikely that if another country will not step in on our behalf against a tyrannical government, seeing most other governments support that behavior them selves. I guarantee you that IF some one else steps in, the American way will have fallen altogether.
We are heading for the last days of the Roman empire. Bread and circus is now the order of the day. My option is to vote with my money. Next on my list is a Taurus G2C!
