Maker of "Youth" Rifles May Have Shipped Loaded Guns

One might think that a cardinal safety rule for gun manufacturers is, "Don't sell loaded guns."

Well, apparently one might be mistaken.

According to an "Urgent Notice" for gun dealers that until today was posted on the web site of firearms distributor Sports South, Inc., and which recently made its way to the pro-gun corners of the Internet, Brooklyn (yes, that Brooklyn) rifle manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms may have shipped rifles for sale loaded with ammunition. The warning states:

"URGENT ATTENTION REQUIRED!!!!

We have been notified by Henry Repeating Arms that some rifles may have been shipped by them loaded with ammunition. If you have any Henry Rifles in inventory they must be inspected to make sure they do not contain ammunition. Also, please inspect any incoming Henry Rifles. This does not relate to a specific model or date. Each gun in your inventory must be checked for ammunition. Henry Repeating Arms apologizes for any inconvenience that this may cause."

A quick phone call this morning confimed that the "Urgent Notice" is no hoax. And yet the web site of Henry Repeating Arms--which promotes some of its rifle lines as "youth" rifles for children--makes no mention of the possibly loaded guns being shipped.

One might also ask if maybe something more than a whispering campaign among members of the gun industry might be called for, especially for a company which takes pride in its weapons being used by children as young as five.

Unfortunately, because guns are one of only two consumer products not subject to product safety regulation by a federal agency (the other being tobacco) it's unclear what measures the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) can force the company to take to not only protect consumers from this current threat, but also ensure that it doesn't happen again.

 

Follow Josh Sugarmann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/VPCinfo

Comments

[mike101]

06:55 PM on 04/07/2008

So Josh, how did you manage to hang on to your FFL? I understand you tell people you need one so you can go to gun shows. Well Josh, I can go to gun shows, and I don't have a FFL. Why do you really have a FFL, Josh?

And how did you manage to keep the VPC in operation when you reported to the IRS that the VPC received ZERO donations from 2001 to 2004? What happened to all of that Joyce Foundation money?

[NYCexile]

08:29 PM on 04/04/2008

Well, since you're a FFL too, Josh, why don't you check your inventory and let us know what you find.

By the way, I'm in the market for a Hi Power with an ambidextrous safety. What kind of deal can you offer?

[SnowflakesInHell]

05:56 PM on 04/04/2008

I've never understood what you guys are getting at with the "product safety" line of argument. It's a gun! It's supposed to be dangerous. There is no such thing as a safe gun, only safe users, and the way to make safe users is through education.

[Feb29]

11:20 AM on 04/04/2008

First rule of gun safety:

Treat all guns as if they are loaded.

[Berettasskeeter]

11:32 PM on 04/03/2008

Nonsense, as usual. The firearms industry is heavily regulated, among the toughest in the country. This is a sorry mistake, but a mistake only. How many cars are recalled for hazardous mistakes every year?
Semper fi

[Thirdpower]

10:17 PM on 04/03/2008

Wow Josh. Fear mongering at its highest. Did you find this on Google?

[SnowflakesInHell]

05:42 PM on 04/04/2008

They probably sent the alert out to FFLs ;)

[hopeless277]

04:51 PM on 04/03/2008

I say ship all guns loaded. Let the gun lovers take their chances.

[kaveman]

07:15 PM on 04/04/2008

"I say ship all guns loaded. Let the gun lovers take their chances."

True gunnies treat all firearms as if they are always loaded. Shipping loaded firearms would make no difference to them when they're looking at guns in the store or gun show.