Gunmaker's "Inaugural Special"
Sometimes context is everything.
Yesterday Connecticut gunmaker Sturm, Ruger & Co. announced an "Inaugural Special" for high-capacity ammunition magazines for its Mini-14 rifles, a weapon nicknamed the "poor man's assault rifle." According to Ruger:
From November 4, 2008 to January 20, 2009, fans of the Ruger Mini-14 Target Rifles and Mini-14 Ranch Rifles, both chambered for .223 Remington, can purchase Ruger manufactured 20-round magazines (regularly priced at $39.95) for only $29.95. This special offer is only available through the Ruger On-line Store. Please note that these magazines are not available where state or local regulations limit magazine capacity to less than 20 rounds.
The Ruger Mini-14 series of rifles has been extremely popular since first introduced in 1974. Long considered simple, rugged, and reliable, these rifles have proven so popular around the woods, farm, and ranch that they earned the nickname "Ranch Rifle." All Mini-14 rifles come from the factory with integral scope mounts.
For 2008 only, Ruger is offering a special edition NRA Mini-14 rifle. This rifle ships with two, 20-round magazines and a portion of the sales from each rifle is donated to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action to support its ongoing efforts in defending our Second Amendment rights.
"Inaugural Special"?
"Target Rifle"?
"Integral Scope Mounts"?
The gun industry's attempts to exploit outside events--in this case, the pro-gun fear that a Democratic Congress and Administration will result in a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines--to sell more firearms and related products to a continually shrinking base of gun owners is well documented.
But Ruger's exploitation of gun lobby-stoked fears of an Obama presidency don't occur in a vacuum, as illustrated by this posting from www.keepandbeararms.com:
Comment by: markht@bellsouthdotnet (11/4/2008)
As I write this it's 11:03PM Central time, and I've known for about 1 hour that Obamarx is president-elect. We all need to get ready mentally for the rough times ahead. We need to make peace with our God for what we might have to do to save what is left of this once fine republic. Or decide if it's even worth saving. Buy what you need NOW. There's a window of opportunity between now and 1/20/09. There may be time after ... but don't count on it. If you don't have what you need now you haven't much time left. May God bless this once great country.
Pro-gun critics will argue that all of this--from Ruger's promo to comments posted on keepandbeararms.com--are just words, the intersection of opportunistic commerce and pro-gun puffery.
And 99.99 percent of the time that's the case. But as we saw when Timothy McVeigh bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, stoking the fear of government can provoke violent acts.
And that's the .01 percent we have to worry about.
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None of the arguments, by the progun advocates here, are convincing enough to make me believe that people actually 'need' in their possession those firearms designed to kill many.
1) Please show where "need" is a criteria for having a right to arms, or any other right.
2) Please tell us which firearms were "designed to kill many" and how they differ from other firearms.
Hey Josh!
How come it is ok to send Americans overseas to die for AIPAC but we can't be trusted to own a gun?
What gives?
How did VPC get tax exempt status when it's only purpose is to destroy parts of the bill of rights? Educational institution? You're part of the the propaganda organ of the Democrat party.
Tens of millions of us were burned badly by the 1994 "assault weapon" bait-and-switch. I very naively thought "This is America, it won't pass" and so put off the purchase of a new stock for my Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. It was $75, we were newly married, and we had bills, so I put it off. The stock I wanted folded for storage and had an ergonomic handgrip.
And then Congress made it a Federal felony to put that stock on my rifle. So, I waited ten years to purchase it, until after the non-ban expired.
I do not believe that a new ban will be passed---with the other problems facing the nation, expending political capital to ban the most popular civilian rifles in the United States, when only 3% of murders involve any type of rifle, will probably not be a priority. But I am not so naive as to think that a ban couldn't happen again, so you'll understand if I hedge my bets.
If you want gun owners not to fear a new ban on rifles with modern styling, perhaps you should stop agitating for one.
"when only 3% of murders involve any type of rifle, will probably not be a priority. "
You have to remember that while the rifles are the things which scare the public the most and get the most air time, the AWB also strongly affects handguns. That is one way the gun controllers get their numbers to 'look good'.
The only way the AWB really affected handguns was to make them smaller and more concealable, and to increase the price for replacement magazines for non-downsized handguns.
For example, the AWB was a major factor driving the initial popularity of the subcompact Glock 26 vs. the compact Glock 19; the 26 was downsized to match the length of the little 10-round magazine, instead of the standard 15-round magazine of the 19.
It also drove a shift toward larger caliber handguns; if you are limited to only 10 rounds in the pistol, they might as well be 10 rounds of .40 S&W, .45 ACP, or even .357 SIG rather than 10 rounds of 9mm.
I believe when Barack and company realize that they can't fix the economic problems of this country in a reasonable amount of time, they'll pull an AWB out just to make it look like they are getting something done.
Entirely possible
To better understand the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution it is helpful to consider how almost every reasonable person would interpret this amendment if it did not involve something which is considered controversial or politically incorrect by some and idolized by others. Arms in the possession of ordinary citizens meet both criteria. Let's, for the sake of argument, suppose that the Second Amendment dealt with books, not arms or weapons, and read like this: "A well educated electorate, being necessary to the maintenance of a free State, the right of the people to own and read books, shall not be infringed." Does anyone really believe that liberals would claim that only people who were eligible to vote should be allowed to buy and read books? Or that a person should have to have voted in the last election before the government would permit him or her to buy a book? Would the importation of books be banned if they did not meet an "educational purpose" test? Would some States limit citizens to buying "one book a month"? Would inflammatory "assault books" be banned in California?
how many people are active members of the vpc? timmy macs greatest weapon was his ingenious use of common chemicals..which are still in common use..you know..kind of the way that guns in common use are going to be harder to deny honest citizens..i would be willing to bet that right now..just like in 1993 when it was apparent that awb would be passed..the firearms industry is going into overdrive and will produce enough guns and hi-cap magazines to last until we get another president..just as i am sure they will find ways to "skirt" the ban..which did more for gun ownership than any one group ever has..people who had never thought of owning a gun realized that a right could be taken away and suddenly found themselves not wanting to lose that right..so we took back congress and slapped bill clinton down..be careful josh..those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it..
I fail to see how Ruger is doing anything wrong.
Obama states on his website that he wants to bring back the 1994 AWB, which would affect some of the most popular guns in America, such as the mini-14. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for Ruger to use that as a marketing tool to sell them before they are banned. The manufacturers of any other currently lawful product would do the same thing if the future president said he wanted to ban it.
One thing you can be certain of is the best way to get people to buy something is to have a politician tell them they can't have it.
Exactly.
Reminds me of the now (thankfully) expired ban of so-called "assault weapons." When manufacturers came out with new models that were legal under the ban, the citizen disarmament zealots whined that they were "skirting" the law, when what they were actually doing was COMPLYING with it.
I suppose any time someone obeys a law, he could be said to be "skirting" it, but that would seem to leave disobeying it as the only alternative.
The Old West rule should be applied: if the idiots with guns can't conduct themselves in a civilized way, their guns should be taken away.
You mean as in convicted felons, those indicated for felonies, those convicted or indicted for domestic abuse, those under restraining orders, those show to have a drug addiction, or those who have been adjudicated as mentally deficient should not be allowed to have firearms?
Guess what? It is already the law and has been for some time.
I guess alot of that depends on how you define "idiot", namely if idiot is used to indicate felons--no problem--but if a law abiding citizen owning a fair sized collection makes them an idiot by your standardd, I do have a big problem.
Josh is right about stoking fear. And a crass marketing moment for Ruger. A company that is overpriced and losing market share.
Josh is the only one stoking fear.
Obama has shown that he DOES NOT understand the First or Second Amendments with his opposition to CCW, semiauto carbines, and other bans so beloved by Josh Sugarman and company.
According to Obama, our rights are given to us by the federal government.
Well, Tuesday certainly showed the awesome political clout of the NRA.
After all, Wayne LaPierre (Chief Terrorist of the NRA) warned us the NRA would sink some $40M into defeating Obama/Biden.
And given the fact Sarah Palin is an ardent supporter of the NRA who would unquestionably cause tens of millions of gunowners to vote for McCain.
Gee, I guess we should concede....
Josh, it is not unreasonable to request that you argue your positions on their merits, instead of making ill-founded attacks on people who have different ideas than your own. It is unfair, misleading, and offensive to suggest that people who are concerned about protecting gun ownership rights will engage in terrorist attacks such as the one carried out by Timothy McVeigh. The evidence offered in support of this insinuation is one comment among millions on an internet bulletin board. Your insinuation is tantamount to claiming that all people who support racial equality will engage in acts of violence, as "proven" by the existence of the existence of the radical black power movement.
Aside from all of that, I have never heard the term "poor man's assault rifle" used in reference to the Ruger Mini-14.
With a suggested retail price of $830 for the base model to $1050 for the Target model, the Mini-14 isn't a "Poor Man's" anything. it takes a good bit of disposable income to buy one.
You, Josh, are the one preying on the public's fears and ignorance.
No one calls the Mini-14 a "poor man's assault rifle" except you, Josh.
You continue to try to confuse people by using the terms "assault rifle" and "assault weapon" interchangeably.
The definition of an "assault rifle", which has been recognized for decades by bona fide firearm experts like Hogg and Edzell as well as by the US State Dept and Dept of Defense traces back to the characteristics of the progenitor of the type, the German StG44 (SturmGewehr of 1944 - SturmGewehr nearly literally translates as "assault rifle"). That definition is:
"A select-fire, carbine length rifle firing light to intermediate power and caliber cartridges fed from a detachable magazine"
Select-fire means the firearm has both a semi-auto mode (1 trigger pull = 1 bang) and a full-auto mode (1 trigger pull = bang, bang, bang, ...) and can be rapidly switched between modes by the shooter, without tools or disassembly, by an external selector, usually a lever. Since the firearm fires full-auto without modification, it is classified by the US federal government as a full-auto firearm, AKA machine gun, and strictly controlled as an NFA Class III firearm.
The Mini-14 is strictly a semi-auto firearm.
"All Mini-14 rifles come from the factory with integral scope mounts. "
And the problem with that is WHAT? MANY rifles come with integral scope mounts and it is increasingly dificult to find a rifle without a scope or to find one with iron sights. Scopes are well established in both hunting and competitive shooting with the vast majority of such rifles having scopes.
As for "target rifle", that is exactly what that model is intended for:
"When extreme accuracy is the goal, the New Mini-14® Target Rifle, is the only choice. With its heavy barrel, adjustable harmonic dampener and target stock, the Target Mini can be tuned to shoot one-inch groups at a hundred yards.
The heavy barrel Mini-14® Target Rifle delivers minute of angle accuracy when tuned using the adjustable harmonic dampener. The Target Rifle's new grey laminated target stock features a wide, flat forend for easy holding or resting on sandbags and a non-slip grooved rubber recoil pad with three spacers to change the length of pull by up to 1-1/2 inches. " - Ruger
Across Colorado, gun shops reported brisk business Wednesday as hunters and gun enthusiasts began to stockpile in anticipation of a Democratic president and Congress whittling away Second Amendment gun rights. The FBI is reporting that gun sales have increased 10 percent over purchases at this point last year.
Jerry Stehman told an endless wave of customers at his Jerry's Outdoor Sports store in Grand Junction to come back in two hours to pick up their firearm purchases. For the past 10 days, Stehman said, customers have been gathering cases of ammunition and multiple guns.
"We don't know where this character is coming from or what he's gonna do to us," Stehman said of Obama. "But I can tell you it's been good for business."
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10910395
Bwahahahahahaha!!!!
Sorry, Josh. No matter how many times you try to paint the NRA and gun manufacturers as the "evil gun pushers" like you're doing to Ruger this time, fact is, the only help the gun industry needs is Obama's record on guns itself:
GRAND JUNCTION — John Faulkner and his wife, Brenda, thought Wednesday was a good day to buy a handgun.
"I'm 37 years old, and this is the first time in my life that I am really scared for our future," said Faulkner, an oil field worker, as he perused the collection of weaponry in A Pawn Shop here.
At Aurora's Firing Line gun shop, Steve Wickham was also purchasing. "Anything I can get my hands on," he said as he cradled a $699 9mm handgun.
Same thing in Lakewood: "I was selling guns before I even opened the door," said George Horne, owner of The Gun Room. "It's gone completely mad. Everyone is buying everything I've got on the shelves. Sales have been crazy."
By midday Wednesday, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's "Insta- Check" background check — required for the sale of a firearm and typically about 8 minutes long — was jammed with waits lasting more than two hours.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10910395
BTW Josh, how have YOUR sales been since November 4th? Noticing any increase? Being one of the only FFL holders in DC, I'd imagine you're pretty swamped.
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