In a strange twist, it’s the U.S. gun industry that’s struggling under Republicans

[Tennis]

WEBSTER, Texas—President Donald Trump promised to revive manufacturing in the United States, but there’s one once-burgeoning sector poised to shrink under his watch: the gun industry.

Fears of government limits on guns—some real, some perceived—led to a surge in demand during President Barack Obama’s tenure and manufacturers leapt to keep up. Over the decade ending in 2015, the number of U.S. companies licensed to make firearms jumped a whopping 362 per cent. But sales are down and the bubble appears to be bursting with a staunch advocate for gun rights in the White House and Republicans ruling Congress.

“The trends really almost since Election Day or election night have been that gun sales have slacked off,” said Robert Spitzer, political science department chairman at State University of New York at Cortland. “When you take away Barack Obama and you give the Republicans control of both houses of Congress, which is extremely friendly to the gun lobby, then the political pressure subsides. And that surely is at least a key part of the explanation for the drop-off in sales.”

The pendulum swing is not lost on employees of outfits such as Battle Rifle Co., a small enterprise tucked into a nondescript strip mall outside Houston, with a storefront section featuring cases filled with handguns and walls lined with assault rifle-style long guns. The manufacturing floor and its eight employees, all veterans of the military or law enforcement, occupy the back.

“President Obama was the best gun salesman the world has ever seen,” said production manager Karl Sorken, an Army veteran and self-described liberal who voted for Obama and notes the change for the industry under Trump is a topic of conversation in the shop.

“You might have people who were more inclined to buy because they were worried they might not be able to later. That’s going away for sure,” he said. “But by the same token, the shooting sports in this country are going to explode because they’re not going to be as worried or restricted about how they can shoot, where they can shoot.”

There are nearly 10,500 gunmakers in the country, many of them founded since 2000, said Larry Keane, senior vice-president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Experts say many are drawn to long guns, in part because sales for them rose after a Clinton-era ban on “assault weapons” expired in 2004 and politicians’ threats to restrict them drove demand. At the same time, shooting sports grew in popularity, and returning veterans sought out weapons with which they became comfortable in Iraq and Afghanistan.

From 2004 to 2013, sales of all handguns—pistols and revolvers—increased nearly fivefold, according to industry figures. Sales of rifles tripled in that timeframe.

Battle Rifle took shape in the middle of that surge, formed in 2010 after its founder Chris Kurzadkowski ventured into his garage to build his police officer son a rifle from scratch.

Now, the retail store in the front of his shop has a cozy seating area, a TV and coffee with such names as AK-47 Espresso Blend. The craftsmanship happens out back, where the all-male crew brings a love of long guns, the Second Amendment, precision and a bit of artistry to creating custom-made rifles.

Battle sells about seven each week. Prices range from around $700 to as much as $4,000, depending on accessories, specifications and custom paint jobs. Some 60 per cent of its weapons are sold to police officers.

Country music and conservative talk radio waft through the cavernous shop where guns are made and used ones repaired. The ribbing among the tight-knit group is constant, but when it turns serious, the men describe their work as something that transcends simple labour.

“Our forefathers realized what tyranny does and if you don’t have a way to protect yourself from tyranny then you become a subject,” said ammunition expert Jamey Spears, who spent five years in Texas law enforcement until he was shot during a raid on a Dallas crack house. The .45-calibre hollow point bullet that went through a gap in his body armour remains lodged next to his spine, a noticeable lump reminding him of how close he came to dying that day.

“I have nothing but the most heartfelt adoration for people who serve so others can be safe,” he said.

One reason for the surge in manufacturers of AR-platform firearms—called “modern sporting rifles” by the industry—is that they are not protected by patents or trademarks. That makes it an open field for anyone with the proper federal license.

Another has been demand helped by a monied clientele. The majority of AR owners are overwhelmingly male, with half between the ages of 45 and 64, and more than half reporting annual income of more than $75,000, according to a 2013 survey conducted for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents gunmakers.

http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com...rnment-189759/

Pretty neat.
We could all use some good news.

[Ghostpanther]

Yeah. Gun rights advocates have got some good news of late also. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/04/03...cent-wins.html

[Zython]

This could easily be solved by marketing guns to black people to protect themselves from the fascist hordes they armed over the last 8 years.

[Ghostpanther]

Also some more good news ...

Arkansas Gov OKs guns in bars, churches, on college campuses

Mar. 27, 2017 - 1:40 - Republican Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson signs bill into law expanding gun rights, permitting concealed handguns in public and some private locations, including bars and churches, and on college campuses

Another one http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/29...s-hunting.html

And even another one http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017...rms-sales.html

The good news just keeps on rolling in for gun rights.

[jimboa24]

Well duh, if you aren't fearful that the President or his party are going to try and take away your guns, you're not going to try and buy and stockpile them. Thus, sales will slump.

That's literally the reason why gun sales skyrocketed under Obama - people were fearful that the Democrats were going to try and ban the sale of firearms, so they went on a gun-buying frenzy for like 8 years. Now that Republicans are in control, there is virtually zero fear of the government trying to grab our guns.

Well, not just fear. Some people bought them as a way to say "fuck you and fuck off" to the anti-gun crowd.

[Ghostpanther]

Well duh, if you aren't fearful that the President or his party are going to try and take away your guns, you're not going to try and buy and stockpile them. Thus, sales will slump.

That's literally the reason why gun sales skyrocketed under Obama - people were fearful that the Democrats were going to try and ban the sale of firearms, so they went on a gun-buying frenzy for like 8 years. Now that Republicans are in control, there is virtually zero fear of the government trying to grab our guns.

Well, not just fear. Some people bought them as a way to say "fuck you and fuck off" to the anti-gun crowd.

Was not just gun sales which sky rocketed here in Ohio, but applications for conceal/carry permits. Over 150k new applications where filed last year. A new all time record. And this year it took me 2 months to finally get mine, primarily because they are so backlogged with applications.

[alexkeren]

This could easily be solved by marketing guns to black people to protect themselves from the fascist hordes they armed over the last 8 years.

That's pure comedy gold considering the vast majority of gun deaths in the US are them killing them selves.

Just look at the murder rate in Chicago, some of the toughest gun control laws in the country. Which does nothing to stop criminals from buying off the black market.

[Masark]

Which does nothing to stop criminals from buying off the black market.

And that black market is supplied by *drumroll*, the lax gun laws in neighbouring states.

Unless you've got internal borders, gun control is a "go national or go home" thing.

[Auxora]

No surprise that the fear mongering that Obama or Hillary would take everyone's guns led to a massive artificial jump in sales. Gun companies made a lot of money for something that was never going to happen even if Hillary had won, and Obama never did was they scared people with. Funny that many of them that fell for it spent a fortune stockpiling ammo when prices were sky high. Obama couldn't even get the smallest of gun regulations added. Now that people are realizing that gun sales are returning to normal, and even below that since people already did their buying.

[Ghostpanther]

And that black market is supplied by *drumroll*, the lax gun laws in neighbouring states.

Unless you've got internal borders, gun control is a "go national or go home" thing.

Yeah, the US Constitution can be annoying to some at times. But the real issue is not lax gun laws, but a failure too many times to enforce the laws we do have.

[RampageBW1]

You know what NRA could do to make gun sales go up again? Claim that Republicans are going to go after their guns. Nothing boosts gun sales like some good ol' fashioned fear mongering.

[Zython]

That's pure comedy gold considering the vast majority of gun deaths in the US are them killing them selves.

Yeah, suicide is a serious issue.

Just look at the murder rate in Chicago, some of the toughest gun control laws in the country. Which does nothing to stop criminals from buying off the black market.

They're funneled in from Indiana.

[Ghostpanther]

You know what NRA could do to make gun sales go up again? Claim that Republicans are going to go after their guns. Nothing boosts gun sales like some good ol' fashioned fear mongering.

Except they are not going to do that. The one issue we need to keep in mind is, there are only so many people out there who are going to purchase a firearm. It is not like buying something which you use and lose every day like gasoline. So stands to reason it is going to eventually taper off no matter who had won the election.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah, suicide is a serious issue.



They're funneled in from Indiana.

Yet Japan has a much higher suicide rate then the US and a much lower gun ownership than the US has. :P

They can come from any state or even out of the US.

[Breccia]

The gun industry will be fine once Trump opens the coal mines for gunpowder.

"But we don't use coal for gunpowder anymore"

We don't use it for power plants much either, so it's gotta go somewhere dammit!

[Poopymonster]

No surprise that the fear mongering that Obama or Hillary would take everyone's guns led to a massive artificial jump in sales. Gun companies made a lot of money for something that was never going to happen even if Hillary had won, and Obama never did was they scared people with. Funny that many of them that fell for it spent a fortune stockpiling ammo when prices were sky high. Obama couldn't even get the smallest of gun regulations added. Now that people are realizing that gun sales are returning to normal, and even below that since people already did their buying.

They didn't come to tak muh gunz because they were scared I had so many guns.

[Zython]

Except they are not going to do that. The one issue we need to keep in mind is, there are only so many people out there who are going to purchase a firearm. It is not like buying something which you use and lose every day like gasoline. So stands to reason it is going to eventually taper off no matter who had won the election.

Well, A. Guns break.
B. There's still an untapped market here.

[God Save The King]

Yeah. When the gun lobby can't use fearmongering to bolster sales, they tend to slump :P

[DeadmanWalking]

The gun industry will be fine once Trump opens the coal mines for gunpowder.

"But we don't use coal for gunpowder anymore"

We don't use it for power plants much either, so it's gotta go somewhere dammit!

WHat are these plants you speak of? Isn't that where people without educations use to work for a decent wage in the old timey days, i.e. The 90's?

[Ghostpanther]

Well, A. Guns break.
B. There's still an untapped market here.

I agree on both your points. Guns can break ( not often from my experience, have a 1950 era SW .38 revolver that still works smooth as silk. ).

There is for sure a black market out there. Same for drugs. Despite all the laws, they still exist.

[Allybeboba]

I wouldn't be totally surprised if the gun lobbyists paid the former administrations to tighten the gun restrictions so they sell more firearms.