U.S.A. – -(Ammoland.com)-
“Are you going to arm an increasingly tyrannical government deep state takeover seeking to diminish AMERICANS’ CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS and intending to target and abuse your customers?” colleague Dave Licht asks gun manufacturers on my War on Guns Placeholder blog. “Will you keep arming the states and agencies that unconstitutionally restrict your customers from buying your products? Will you keep arming the officers in states that intend to red flag your customers and seize their property purchased from you, without notice, hearing, or due process?”
I created the blog as a supplement for when I get emails that are too long to post in their entirety and have no link for sharing. This allows me to pass along important information by creating a linkable post that can then be posted on other blogs, social media sites, and the like.
Why Do You Keep Arming The States And Agencies That Unconstitutionally Restrict Your Customers?
Lich’s open letter makes an important point: Why would manufacturers want to provide customer disarmament tools to states like New York, California, New Jersey, Hawaii, and others, where politicians are not only trying to shrink the market, ban products and destroy the industry through lawsuits? It’s actually a follow-on post to one he’d sent me a few weeks earlier, wherein he noted:
“I spent this am contacting every gun manufacturer I do business with and asking them to PICK A SIDE and go full Ronnie Barrett on every state and agency presuming to infringe on Heller, Bruen and the Constitution generally. It is time for the industry to stand up for their customers and NOT SELL GUNS TO AGENCIES AND STATES ADOPTING & ENFORCING RED FLAG LAWS and passing rebound statutes to p*** on Bruen.”
Licht’s Ronnie Barrett reference, of course, recalls a 2002 letter the President of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, sent to then-Chief William J. Bratton of the Los Angeles Police Department, about his company’s .50 caliber rifles:
“I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.”
Barrett again sent similar letters, one to the State of California in 2005, the Honolulu Police Department in 2008, and the State of New York in 2013.
I recounted these and more in my 2018 AmmoLand article, “More in the Firearms Industry Should Follow Hornady’s New York Example,” documenting President Steve Hornady’s announcement saying in part:
“Hornady will not knowingly allow our ammunition to be sold to the State of NY or any NY agencies. Their actions are a blatant and disgusting abuse of office and we won’t be associated with a government that acts like that. They should be ashamed.”
Picking up on Licht’s industry missive around 29 minutes into his August 25 program was Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense host Mark Walters.
“This is interesting stuff, guys,” Walters told his audience. “These questions are brilliantly asked.”
“Is it the individual New Jersey State Police officer’s fault that his state is the way it is and does what it does, and he should be punished simply because he wants to be a New Jersey State cop…?” Walters asked. “But then that gets back to ‘Well, I’m just doing my job…’”
“I would send a letter to those individual officers saying ‘Look, I’m sorry, but because of what your state does, because of your employer’s policies… you will not enforce those laws with my products,’” Walters rhetorically concluded.
His wasn’t the only national “gun rights” program picking up on Licht’s letter.
A caller to Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk brought it up on the Sunday, August 28 program, around 12 minutes into Hour 1. Responding, Gresham brought up an important point concerning what manufacturers can and cannot do by law.
“The thing you’ve got to understand is that the gun companies cannot get together and make that decision,” Gresham noted. “That would be, frankly it would be illegal. The gun companies cannot get together and collude, if you will, to restrict sales.”
He’s correct; that and other points about Licht’s letter were part of a discussion I had with Mark Walters when I joined the program in Hour 1 on August 29. The industry as a whole doing it would lead to federal action. But that still would not preclude companies from doing it independently without coordination or collusion based on customer feedback.
How could enough pressure be generated to get some manufacturers to take notice, so that gun owners could see who would take a stand? That’s something national and state gun groups could take the lead on, at least the ones not afraid to rock the boat.
It’s past time gun manufacturers stopped acting like neutral parties, willing to reap the benefits of RKBA activism as long as they don’t have to take a stand. It’s not inappropriate to publicly ask those companies what their position is, and to favor and patronize those that stand with American gun owners (and publicize those who won’t).
Or, as Licht concludes his open letter:
“So … Manufacturers … whose side are you on? If we don’t hang together, they’ll pick us off one at a time … and America will be lost. PICK A SIDE.”
And, of course, let’s not forget those arming ATF…
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
“The gun companies cannot get together and collude”.
Well, governments get together and collude…
HLB
There are many firearm and ammunition companies that take this view, we just aren’t as good at PR.
I can promise you that Liberty Ammunition will never sell to the states of NY, Oregon, Washington, California or agencies either.
We WILL continue to serve all consumers and provide them with the best self-defense ammunition available today.
What firearms and ammo are used by agencies in these state?
Are consumers willing to not own those brands?
I have been saying this for years. I will not support an industry that supports those trying to take away my rights. Ronnie Barrett is a hero in my eyes.
I had not heard about Hornady and that tells you the sad story of our 2A journalists. I will now consciously look at Hornady first for my ammo and reloading needs. I believe in supporting those that support me.
Im guessing you did not know ,until japs attacked pearl harbor Roosevelt was trying to make a deal with the Germans, it is also why we did not take out Stalin, Roosevelt was a socialist, the socialists that created the depression ,took advantage of it to put inplace “controls” unconstitutional acts that people were too busy to see for what they were
the reason everyone buys coins from anywhere else
Now I’ve heard it all, hahahahha.
Still here, Comrade? Excellent! You’re totally winning! Don’t stop now.
You bet Comrade. I am still here. The down votes tell me I am where I need to be to further help in excision of the Orange Cancer that has attacked the minds of my countrymen during the last decade.
I highly doubt the pigs are getting full auto.. of course, I could be wrong….some might be… Eff nascar. I haven’t been a fan since Dale died…when I refer to that certain segment, I still call it the Winston Cup… I do like Hornady… But I like all the makers…I like having a variety of things…I don’t like using the same pill in to many loads…I like them to be different…I like a Barnes 185gr TSX in .338 Federal, Hornady 165gr GMX for .30-06sprfld… Hornady 150gr SST in .308win…Speer 270gr JSP in .44remMag (rifle), Federal Premium 160gr tipped-Trophy Bonded in… Read more »
I have a mix ,as well but most of the real long range stuff is turned on a jewelers lathe from bar stock
Niiice [southpark inflection]
to hit past a mile with any consistency you have to control everything you can , not so crazy as making my own powder ……not yet anyway
Have you tried Hornady A-tip yet?
i do have some for 308 got a special deal 20 of each weight to try have not done any 3006 lately ,but will when summer runs down so we will see ,they are too heavy for service rifles
The Hornady A-tip is what I have selected for my favorite wildcat. I can’t talk about it too much, because it’s not finished yet, and I want to be the first to name it… While there may be similar cartridges, I don’t believe it’s cartridge has ever been done, at least not that I have found. Nevertheless, it has a pretty cool lineage I think, and some great distinctions…. Plus, what will be an awesome name.
and to be truthful I have made some should fly great dont ,back to drawing board scrap ,have been messing with oilite bronze to have it tight enough and not shatter ,and get the velocity tricky
the idea is sound use a duel base or triple base powder like the big guns slower turn longer barrel higher velocity less wind affect low drag …in theory you could make a low earth orbiting bullet
Seems like it would be better if it was turned from round stock..haha.
No it’s not…I get what you’re saying…but, BMW has a different business model…BMW is more of a “drivers car”, and has historical been geared primary to the driver, and more concerned with the ‘driving experience’…. annnd Mercedes is more luxury car… geared more towards “utilmate engineering”, and for the experience of ‘all those involved’… As far as the Volkswagen… It’s more of the poor Man’s alternative to the Audi… I’m thinking that maybe pass cars influenced that statement, such as the Volkswagen karmann Ghia, for the Volkswagen built Porsche 914… I want to say the Volkswagens of poor man’s car,… Read more »
Good morning.
“Mercedes made staff cars for the war effort.” True that, and Ferdinand Porsche did design work for the Maus tank, among other war projects, and was a member of Hitler’s SS. Spent a little time in French captivity as a war criminal after WWII.
“Audi will always hold a special place in my heart.” Can you really say that and 100LS in the same sentence, and keep a straight face?
Your last full paragraph reads like an excuse for Hitler’s excesses to me. Am I missing your meaning?
Thanks, stay well.
What’s wrong with the 100?
No excuses for his excesses… They cost him/them the war. He was a nut. …but then again, so was Picasso.
I just don’t understand why he’s the world’s enemy, yet no one ever talks about the 200 million people killed by communism in Russia.
Good morning again. Nothing, if you want to dismiss vibration issues from that slag heap of an engine that led to broken exhaust systems, and bits vibrating loose or off; driveability issues from the French revenge Solex carburetion system (which they finally cured with Bosch FI 5 years into the model run, and 2 years before the well deserved end); excessive inboard brake disc/pad wear on the automatic-equipped models, that were partially remedied by moving the discs out to the wheels in 1975; a bizarro final drive ratio change to a lower (higher numerically) spec for model year 1973, if… Read more »
Ok. So the 100 is the only poor model introduced by any maker? So is that to conclude that no one should have fine memories, of cars made by a particular maker because they had a s***** model? I said I will always have a place in my heart for Audis….due to growing up in an Audi dealership, and Audi being a part of so many fine memories…along with paying the salaries of both my parents and for my very birth. So despite many phenomenal cars and the high level of innovation that Audi, themselves; brought to the automotive world… Read more »
Good afternoon. One of Audi’s greater accomplishments was to take the more aerodynamically sound Audi Turbo Quattro 4WD IMSA racing in the 80s. With rally man extraordinaire Walter Rohrl at the wheel, they were killer on street and low-traction circuits. With a stock bodied car with the doors welded shut, they almost won the whole thing one year. When they came back the following year with a tube-framed car more like the other competitors, they blew away the others, to the point that the series caused extra weight to be added to the car, and the turbo inlet restricted to… Read more »
What are feelings?
Last word to you.
You’re kind of weird.
I like Hodgdon.
Don’t expect the BIG arms & ammo companies to take the long view and do the right thing – the SMART thing – like Ronnie Barrett. The #1 priority of their corporate leadership is to make good financial numbers for the coming quarter. And many of them are probably salivating at the coming opportunity to arm 87,000 new IRS agents. And as long as sales are good (and they’re fantastic now, judging by prices and shortages) they really don’t care much about what government is doing to the general public, and don’t want to rock the boat. There’s precedent for… Read more »
the Remington self preservation thing, most are in the they wont do that to me they need me stupid place. government sniper rifles were all Remington 700 variants ..good luck with that strategy
I seem to remember Senator John F. Kennedy being in favor of halting the importation of foreign military surplus firearms. His efforts were to protect the firearms manufacturers in his home State!
This was well before the GCA of 68.
it was not what you think, at the time many of the lend leese guns from ww2 were being returned to dcm for sale. he was trying to kill dcm(now cmp)
clinton did the same and obummer too
You are right. However, as the woke mob shows, companies react quickly to perceived pushback from what the companies think are “customers” when in fact the company is reacting to a singular activist loudmouth. It’s happened for many moons. The late great Rush Limbaugh talked about this phenomenon for 20 years. Before the internet, which used by the right activist is the best faux force multiplier ever invented, the activists started by creating a fancy organizational name that generally was a 180 degrees different than the agenda they are pushing, a scathing-threatening letter and a fax machine that could dump… Read more »
I remember registering to vote back when I first came of age. But what really got me into voting was a magazine ban initiative being put forth by Broward County, FL. Me and a coworker/friend mad sure we could vote, and iirc I had to go re-register. It passed but we did vote against it, thankfully Florida passed a preemption statue.
Been voting ever since, primary elections included.
first voted at a town hall in isle La motte vermont open carry November is hunting and every one voted on way out GREAT memory
hell of a history of guns in that little town
It was interesting how loud the silent majority became after Biden’s speech condemning 1/3 (more likely 80-90%) of the nation. However they will scream for a week or so, then everyone goes back to their increasingly difficult lives and families then the left overwhelms the comments and message boards with their toxic rhetoric again. It’s as if they don’t have jobs, families and lives.. go figure…
I happen to agree with this premise and actions. I knew Hornady and a few boutique manufacturers had taken this stand. It would be nice to have a list of the folks who do practice what’s preached, because those are who I want to support with my business.
They don’t have to ineligible-tize him… Melania is gonna do that. I’m telling you, I don’t think she’s gonna stand for another run….I don’t think he really-really wants to, either…
But, I could be wrong… I think I have been once before….a long time ago…
Yeah I’ll buy that
Since when has there been honor amongst arms dealers or buyers? This tyrannical government will just get their guns from someone else. But taking yours would make their agenda a lot less complicated.
That should get quite interesting. lol
Because “This tyrannical government will just get their guns from someone else.” Is not a sound reason to actively support those who betray us. We need to let the industry know we will support those that support us and will actively avoid those who betray us.
“The gun companies cannot get together and collude, if you will, to restrict sales.” Yet, politicians collude daily to attain their agendas…..D v R; color/ethnic/geographical/et et caucuses…..
“Tyranny is that which is legal for governments, but which is illegal for citizens.” so saith Tommy…..Tommy Jefferson. America is awash with government, politician tyranny.
good on all but number 17, the revolution happened because of attempted gun control
my statement is we should have slammed the government in 1934 they took advantage of depression to do illegal stuff and set up structures to defend their crimes
Difficult when our leaders were traitors, like the heads of the NRA. Still are!
NRA Delenda Est!
Yeah that Fredrick looks like a cold blooded killer…and I don’t mean in a good sort of way….Wayne looks like somebody selling a pyramid scheme.
mob hit man, or just too much lsd nuts
Haha maybe both
too much glue and paint sniffing , the facial spasms
Word. Frederick’s probly a twist on the ol’ NY-Princeton-Harvard elitist sociopath. LaPew looks like an Ambiguously Metrosexual Access-Lobbyist Grifter.
He’s definitely been in some shady business.
i thought he looked like the idiot station owner in uhf
Whoa. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard that term. Masonic Zionism… How do you feel about the woke movement being hijacked by these ‘actualnonwoke’ dims?
I doubt this goes anywhere long as industry lets key trade assns like NSSF embrace ATF as “our federal partners”, and so forth. NSSF did not oppose this last round of gun control, same as passive-aggressive support.
They are arms dealers…when have you ever known an arms dealer, that had the moral handicap of not selling arms to both sides?
I’m sure there have been many instances in history, when arms dealers decided the outcome of a conflict, by deciding which arms to sell to which side…
Such as, Northrop Grumman not selling us fixed wings… HAHAHAHA, Get the reference?
Haha, I’m funny.
Imma funny guy.
lol.
SOUND THE CHARGE!
Why are y’all downvoting this? Must have struck a cord. Muahahaha.
Re #GunVote ad some comments demoralize folks from even voting let alone sacrificing to win peacefully (donate-volunteer). The “ballot box fail, time for bullet box” line, as if the fraud’s total & armed resistance is a romantic picnic, might as well be paid for by $0R0$
If we don’t vote, Ds don’t even HAVE to steal elections
Same for not giving to viable conservatives like Ted Budd & anti-fraud groups like America 1st Legal & Thomas More Society
If the fraud’s total how did VA flip? And why do Ds lavishly fund THEIR races?
Sacrifice to win or don’t whine
OFFICER Ope‘s sock puppet downvote posse wants you to DO NOTHING, don’t vote, don’t donate, don’t volunteer, don’t sacrifice, just bloviate online.
Thanks to “votes don’t matter & bullet box” demoralization psyops, many patriots won’t even vote, let alone sacrifice to at least TRY to save the USA peacefully.
If the fraud’s total why didn’t Liz Cheney “win”?
Yet even in Wyoming 6% of Rs say they’ll never vote again. If that % holds nationally, 100s of seats will be gifted to DemComs. Many races are decided by <1%.
If the fraud’s total why did Virginia flip?
Trump is a criminal and author of the Big Lie. Trump lost soundly in the electoral and the popular vote. He is a loser, a liar, and a cheat. Hopefully if he gets too far along the CIA will take him out and he will happen to have a heart attack while on the campaign trail, oh such a terrible fate oh beloved leader. Trump is the greatest threat to our country, hands down.
Haha, no; third-world collaborators like you are….but that’s obvious…just like the rest of y’alls actions…you point this finger at someone, accusing them of being/doing the very things your organization is guilty of… A bank robbing ring, accusing the police of going around robbing banks…after the police just caught them red-handed… typical Bitch tendencies..
Without a doubt, Trump, his cronies, and Cult-of-Trump are the greatest domestic threat to our country in well over 160 years. Chew on that for a while. One of the most honorable things you can do for your country with your life, if you have the metal for it, is to first excise the Orange Cancer from your mind, then help excise it in all of its forms from our Nation.
How have you survived this long?
Yes, he is. As the great American philosopher would say, “What a maroon!”
Yeah I watch him every morning..
You are a more devoted student of the “Long Earred Varmint” philosophy than I can be. And you will reap more benefits than watching other TV “evangelists.
Yes, they would know the difference between a boy wabbit and a girl wabbit.
Your filthy mind’s sneaking out there, Bill.
My tv stays on MeTv…no need in flippin channels… I still have to mute the commercials and and ignore the content…because the ‘programming’ allowed to be marketed during the commercials… but other than that… Yea. MeTv.
Did you notice on “Hogans Heros” Sgt Shultz carries a Krag-Jorganson rifle.
I have indeed… Shultz has good tastes. ….he’s the star of the show ya know….
Yes, brother, he is a thinker so deep that he has to dive into a hole to deliberate!!
How does your 24/7 vapid bloviation, sock pup trolling-downvoting-Opevoting yourself & your organ grinder help put Trump back in, OFFICER?