FYI on Mayor Trying to Put Squeeze on Gun Manufacturers.

[TNRat]

Here is a link to the article: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/01/30/politics/rybak-firearms-manufacturers

Summary: Mayor wants to punish gun makers if they don't stop selling semiautomatics to citizens outside of military and LEO circles and/or lobby for stricter gun control. Mayor notes President's office is "delighted" with their announcement to do such.

My Response was to point out that I will refuse to venture into their city and spend a single dime while being very close, certainly within a morning's ride, later this year if they start doing such a thing. Below is the actual response I just emailed to the Mayor's office. I also asked that he be sure and publish a list of all Mayor's who decide to follow along with this plan so I know not to venture into those areas as well. I strongly urge you to vote with your money also. It is funny that on this Mayor's blog he also brags about crime rates in Minn. being at a decade low and stresses that he and others must find a way to control this gun violence.

My comments to his office:

"It is my understanding you seek to punish gun manufacturers and NOT criminals who show no personal responsibility for crimes being committed in your city. It is also my understanding you reported the President's office was "delighted" by this idea.

Two points I need to make:

1. I sincerely hope Smith & Wesson and your officers and security agents will be delighted by Smith supplying ONLY revolvers to these officers for their and your defense and not those evil automatics. (Please note that last bit was sarcastic.);
2. Please note we will need a listing of ALL Mayors who intend to follow you along this path. I will be sure and spread the word down here that our money should NOT be spent on visits to your cities but on matters that support our Constitution.

Y'all have a great weekend."

I have sent the following email to Liz Sharp of S&W. lsharp@smith-wesson.com This was the only non general inbox email I could locate. I found this on the Smith and Wesson forums at http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/292079-smith-wesson-withdraws-eastern-sports-outdoor-show.html.

"According to the news article at the below link (I included the above link) there could be a boycott of gun
manufacturers by certain Mayors if gun manufacturers do not begin lobbying for stricter gun control measures. I just wanted to thank
S&W for its support on the Eastern Show situation and let you know that I will continue to support the company that has produced the
M&P 45 ACP I currently use to protect myself and my family with on a daily basis. Please keep up the good work and let me know if I can do
anything to assist."

I suggest we let everyone know that we either support or do not support their agenda. That is taking an active role in the preservation of our rights and our Constitution. Thanks.
 

[173rdABN]

If the mil/leo market doesn't buy them, it free's up more for civilian purchases and helps complete endless back-orders. They wouldn't loose a dime of money. Someone will always buy their products. Is the mayor really that stupid, thinking that would even make a difference? 

Minnesota is doing the same with Federal, Remington and a couple others, saying if they don't stop selling to the public, Minneapolis police will stop buying from them. If it was my company, I would laugh and stop selling to them, and fill back-orders or push more to small business owners to help the local economy out. 

[E4 No More]

I believe that the Mil/LEO market is far bigger than the civilian market. Is see this going nowhere.

[173rdABN]

Lets think of companies like Barrett, that don't sell to California because they don't allow .50 BMG there. Barrett sells calibers of all sorts in all different guns. So, why not sell to California? To prove a point. Along with a VERY long list of companies that refuse to sell to that state. That just proves that companies can always sell their products other places, to other countries, always fill military orders, and do great without skipping a beat. 

 

So, companies boycott police. Big deal. Police suffer, the gooberment gets the point that they don't have a major impact like they think they do, and HOPEFULLY stop this crazy talk and ban agenda crap. Sucks the police have to deal with it, don't take that the wrong way. But peoples eyes need to be opened. There are endless facts out there saying how more gun control is bad, and more guns for personal defense is good. Companies can not sell to someone and do great, this and that. I could rant forever, I'm about to loose my train of thought from thinking about how stupid this all is. 

[TNRat]

I believe that the Mil/LEO market is far bigger than the civilian market. Is see this going nowhere.

The military and LEO market are far bigger? IDK but would like to see some actual stats on that.

 

Still, if ALL manufacturers stood up as an industry like they just did with the Eastern show it most definitely could have an impact since those organizations have to have the products from somewhere and there could be an outpouring from the line troops in the cities. I guess the point is we all have some level of leverage and should use it wisely yet often. BTW, has everyone contacted their elected officials this week?

[DaveTN]

I support companies like Smith & Wesson, Ruger and Remington by buying their products. Smith & Wesson has been great about listening to their customers and giving them what they want.

I support the dealers I use because they offer reasonable prices and refuse to buy from those that don’t.

Anti-gun Mayors boycotting American Gun Manufacturers would have as much impact as fat people boycotting gyms.

These guys act like they are the bread and butter for the gun companies. The gun companies want their business because the public wants what the cops carry. But the public won’t support companies that support gun control.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Probably is going nowhere, but it would be nice to see those companies boycott those police departments. That

market may be huge but it is intermittent. I'll bet the profitability comes from consumer sales, since you and I don't

get to use competitive bids and civilian sales are much higher in the civilian markets right now.

[battleop]

I support companies like Smith & Wesson, Ruger and Remington by buying their products. Smith & Wesson has been great about listening to their customers and giving them what they want.I support the dealers I use because they offer reasonable prices and refuse to buy from those that don’t.Anti-gun Mayors boycotting American Gun Manufacturers would have as much impact as fat people boycotting gyms.These guys act like they are the bread and butter for the gun companies. The gun companies want their business because the public wants what the cops carry. But the public won’t support companies that support gun control.

I would support S&W right now if I could find an M&P 15-22 in a store to buy. :)

[c.a.willard]

i dont think that the LEO market is bigger than the civilian market at all.  Military LEO combined maybe, but probably still short of civilian sales.  there are only a few companies that supply the majority of arms to the military.  When you combine that with the significantly reduced prices mil/le get their arms for its pretty obvious that the lions share of most manufacturers profits come from the civilian market. 

[mcurrier]

BTW, has everyone contacted their elected officials this week?

I contact mine several times per week, but I did not elect them and I can't wait to get rid of them.

[Guest summertime27]

I believe that the Mil/LEO market is far bigger than the civilian market. Is see this going nowhere.

 

This above -  SO NOT TRUE......... it is not even close.

[npgunner]

I contact mine several times per week, but I did not elect them and I can't wait to get rid of them.

Same here ... how long do we have to wait for the next chance?

[battleop]

I believe that the Mil/LEO market is far bigger than the civilian market. Is see this going nowhere.

I think I saw a quote from Ronnie Barret where he said their profit came from civilian sales.

[Moped]

If I were the major firearms manufacturers, I would refuse to sell to cities that back such nonsense.  That would be like cutting of your nose to spite your face.  No way the MIL/LE Market is as big as the civilian market  I figure at best they are about equal.  No company wants to see their sells cut in half, by supporting such idiocy!

[Smith]

I believe that the Mil/LEO market is far bigger than the civilian market. Is see this going nowhere.

I'd have to disagree. Ruger is number one in handguns and they have virtually no le/mil presence. Actually there are quite a few of the top handgun manufacturers that have hardly any le/mil presence like kel-tec. Manufactures want le/mil contacts for marketing on the civilian level.
What they do like about le/mil contacts is the guaranteed product numbers that allow them to produce in volume which helps their civilian numbers.

[mikegideon]

I believe that the Mil/LEO market is far bigger than the civilian market. Is see this going nowhere.

 

You have 300,000 handgun carry permits in TN, which is a fraction of the gun owners. How many cops in TN? The civilian market is pretty big these days.

[E4 No More]

You have 300,000 handgun carry permits in TN, which is a fraction of the gun owners. How many cops in TN? The civilian market is pretty big these days.

How many civilians buy let's say the M&P 45 for instance? How many MIL/LEO are there in other countries who buy US arms?

[mikegideon]

How many civilians buy let's say the M&P 45 for instance? How many MIL/LEO are there in other countries who buy US arms?

 

I don't know. I know quite a few folks with M&P's, and even more with Glocks. Maybe one of our vendors can pipe up and say how many folks buy LEO quality guns compared to the Taurus and Bersa crowd. I've always made sure that the bulk of my guns were at least issued by some LEA's. It's just reasonable to think that a large number of folks buy good guns.

[E4 No More]

I would agree that over all the civilian market is larger, but specific to some manufacturers they aren't.

 

I just think refusing to sell to MIL/LEO would be a HUGE sacrifice to their profitability, and it ain't gonna happen.

[mikegideon]

I would agree that over all the civilian market is larger, but specific to some manufacturers they aren't.

 

I just think refusing to sell to MIL/LEO would be a HUGE sacrifice to their profitability, and it ain't gonna happen.

 

I agree with you there, I think. Pulling out of the big outdoor show was a serious lick too. Some sabre rattling just has to happen these days.

[DaveTN]

I would agree that over all the civilian market is larger, but specific to some manufacturers they aren't.
 
I just think refusing to sell to MIL/LEO would be a HUGE sacrifice to their profitability, and it ain't gonna happen.

I agree it isn’t going to happen. When you have a gun series called “Military & Police” it wouldn’t make much sense to say we aren’t going to sell to Military and Police.

But I still think civilian purchases eclipse LEO by a long shot.

[Guest macmonkey]

From what I've been reading the mayor has little control over which weapons are bought and used by the departents.  it's up to the commissioner and/or chief of police to set the guidelines.  Seems like a lot of political pea-cocking if you ask me.

[jughead]

From what I've been reading the mayor has little control over which weapons are bought and used by the departents.  it's up to the commissioner and/or chief of police to set the guidelines.  Seems like a lot of political pea-cocking if you ask me.

you are rite BUT if one thinks the head honchos dont stick together one has their head in the sand

Edited February 9, 2013 by jughead

[1gewehr]

As of 2008, there were 765,000 sworn Law Enforcement officers (Federal, State, Local) in the US.  Figure that departments buy more guns than one per officer, so 900,000 is probably not too far off the mark.  And figure an average replacement cycle of every three years (very liberal, but why not?).  That's only 300,000 handguns per year as a market for LE.

ATF says that there were almost 2.6 million handguns made by licensed manufacturers in the US, with 120,000 of those being exported.  Military contracts for Beretta, Sig, and Colt pistols only amount to about 40,000 pistols per year.   So, over 2.1 MILLION handguns are sold to civilians every year, versus less than 400,000 for Military/LE.

 

Smith&Wesson went bankrupt after getting civilian gun owners pi$$ed-off in 2000 by making a stupid deal with Clinton.  If you don't think that other manufacturers noticed, you would be wrong.  And Smith&Wesson in particular, has been VERY vocal about not supporting gun control!