FIREARM MANUFACTURER FLEES ANTI-GUN CRUSADE
South Carolina is one of several southern states benefiting from anti-gun laws passed in northern states in the wake of the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting – or at least we thought that’s what was happening.
Turns out the Palmetto State’s taxpayer-subsidized luring of gun manufacturer PTR isn’t everything it was cracked up to be (which makes it not unlike Haley’s record on Second Amendment issues.
Anyway …
One state that is poised to make bank off of anti-gun laws? Tennessee, the new home of Italian-based Beretta.
Beretta announced this week its decision to leave Maryland, where governor (and 2016 presidential hopeful) Martin O’Malley is leading an anti-gun crusade.
The Maryland House of Delegates was able to block some of the most pernicious anti-gun laws being pushed by O’Malley and others, but the company said “the possibility that such restrictions might be reinstated in the future leaves us very worried about the wisdom of maintaining a firearm manufacturing factory in the state.”
Good for them …
This website has consistently opposed any infringement on the Second Amendment – going so far as to urge civil disobedience of any laws which take away the right of ordinary Americans to keep and bear arms. In addition to being unconstitutional and bad for business, it’s also worth noting that anti-gun laws don’t stop violence.
Why pass them, then?
Good question … in fact, we’ll be sure to ask O’Malley that when he comes hunting for presidential support in early-voting South Carolina.
32 comments
“we’ll be sure to ask O’Malley that when he comes hunting for presidential support in early-voting South Carolina”
Do that, the GOP is missing opportunities by not bringing up Democrats gun control efforts during elections.
I never understood why gun manufacturers such as Colt, S&W, and others located or remained in anti-gun states as they did, for so long. In Smith & Wesson’s case, I can kind of see them being in Massachusetts because everyone in MA hates guns, even S&W as evidenced by their clinging to those stupid “Hillary holes” on their revolvers.
Hillary holes?
The ugly hole just above the cylinder release for the accursed locking mechanism, which was part of an agreement S&W made with the Clinton administration.
Though (fortunately) no cases of them locking during gun fights have been documented, there have been a number of instances of them locking due to recoil or after being dropped. To unlock it, you need a little key that is furnished with guns containing the locking mechanism.
S&W has seen fit to include this nuisance feature on just about all of their revolvers produced since the Clinton administration agreement, causing a serious drop in their desirability as defensive weapons by a number of people, to include myself. Fortunately, they have produced in small quantities, a few of their “Centennial” style J-frame (5 shot .38) revolvers without them. I was fortunate enough to acquire one of those specimens a while back.
Some have disabled the feature but the best thing would be to have a gun that didn’t have it to begin with.
Hunh, didn’t know that. My “newest” gun is a 30 year old 686 K frame. My “assault rifle” is an M1903A6.
Both of those are treasures to behold!
The Smith has accompanied me on an adventure or two and never failed me, 4 inch barrel is very accurate at any reasonable range and the .357 packs a wallop. The A6 had not been shot in more than forty years when I got it and still put five rounds in a paper plate at 100 yards with nothing more than a brush down the barrel first, it’s tightened up considerably with a good cleaning and some time behind the trigger. They don’t make rifles like that any more. The Garand is a better weapon but it’s heavier and my A6 was free.
The 686, especially the older ones such as you have, were solid, reliable, and durable, guns. I grew up with .357 Magnums and would not feel under-gunned in most situations with one today. The plastic-framed semi’s of today carry more rounds between reloads and are lighter on the belt, therefore that is usually my primary carry gun.
I have an 03 Springfield that was my Dad’s and like you, haven’t fired it in over 40 years. That’s one of those things on my “to-do” list that I haven’t gotten around to yet, checking its accuracy and all.
If finances ever got right, I really would like to add a Garand to the collection. No one in my family had one, but I have seen them in action on the range and they rock!
I’ve got 6 speed loaders for the 686, if I need more ammo than that, I’m running away to fight another day. Consider joining a “marksmanship club” and getting a DCM Garand. I’m not much of a “joiner” or I would have already done it.
Not everybody in New England hates guns.
I competed against New England National Guard/Reserve teams in national competition from 1999 – 2010 and they were some of the best in the nation (year in – year out).
They beat the shit out of the southern state teams as a rule. (except maybe for Texas).
Shows how much you know………………
Never heard of hyperbole’, eh?
i can’t even think of a problem that can’t be solved by more guns. i mean why the hell would any law-abiding patriotic paranoiac want to walk around without one? people walking around unarmed makes baby jesus cry.
Those who beat their swords into plowshares work for those who don’t.
Baby bejeebus don’t give a hoot.
Luke 22:36.
And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one
Looks like you never heard of one of the Rottweiler fables:
Story is the owners tied their purses around the necks of the Rotts because they knew noone would dare snatch the purse from that dog.
Can’t really disagree with your sarcasm.
When the day comes that I feel it is necessary to pack heat everywhere I go—-it is all over and we have failed as a society and a country.
How did Horry County miss out on this opportunity? Check the high-quality manufacturing standards PTR has in Loris:
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2014/07/18/4360167/ptr-takes-a-couple-more-slugs.html
Maryland sucks!
It’s real name is Lower Massachusetts … a small Soviet Republic.
DoD is now in the process of identifying a new pistol to arm U.S. forces. The M9 and M11 9 mm Berettas will be replaced entirely. Recent tests are pointing to a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber as the likely winner. When this happens how great a coup will it be for Tennessee to land a company which just lost the overwhelming bulk of its business? Did Tennessee pay any bribes like SC does? By the way, S&W is based in Massachusetts.
What a shame that military sidearm brand and model selection involves so much politics. Glocks would be an ideal choice due to reliability, durability, and corrosion resistance. Seems I recall a prevalent story regarding selection of Berettas as being due to wanting Italy to allow us to maintain air and/or naval bases in their country.
Going to .40’s with FMJ flat point bullets would probably be a drastic improvement over the 9’s.
Just about anything would be an improvement over the M9, they are really showing their age and they did not age well. There are multiple U.S. manufacturers building great guns in .40, .45 and some oddballs like the .357 Sig that would fit the requirements that Uncle Sugar has laid out.
The 9mm was a compromise with our NATO allies and the choice of Beretta was pure politics, neither compromise or politics should enter the weapons selection decision loop, but they will.
I agree to a point.
Sadly, procurement of weapons has always been under the influence of politics or money. If I’m not mistaken, the decision to go with the M-9 was during the Reagan Administration.
As aircrew, I carried the M-9 into combat in two major conflicts (Bosnia & Gulf II – we had .38 specials in Gulf I) but I did qualify expert for both .38 Special and .45 cal when I was in the 82nd Airborne back in the 70’s.
It’s always the trade-off between rounds and stopping power. You get 15 rounds with the M-9 and what 7 with the .45.
It’s kinda like NC vs. SC bar-b-que where the argument will never be settled (I pull for NC Lexington style myself).
I’ll go toe to toe with anyone any day with the M9 in combat pistol competition (Winston P. Wilson competition rules would apply of course).
Personally, I am interested in the .357 Sig (have been for a number of years). And the good old .357 mag is about the best choice for a wheel gun I can think of(two TOTALLY different kinds of rounds (but I like the shape of the .357 Sig = WAY sexy and it’s performance charts make it impressive for some applications)
.357 Sig is one hell of a round any way you look at it but the purpose of the M-9 was ammo compatibility/availability with other NATO members. That does make sense from a logistical standpoint.
I’d hate to be plunked down in the Ukraine running out of .45 or 10 mm/.40 cal waiting for an airdrop of ammo when the Dutch or Belgium guy next to me is firing away with a shit load of 9 mm ammo and I’m throwing rocks because I’ve run out of ammo.
I carried an M-16/4 and an M-9 on all of my deployments except this last one, I finally got tired of lugging around 300+ rounds of ammo. As a young infantry officer I carried a .45 and an M-203. When I became a company commander, I traded the 203 for a shotgun – a pumpkin ball or buck shot can be very handy and we had traded our 1911s for M-9s. I was unimpressed with the M-9 from day one. New, they were accurate but that was their only redeeming factor.
The test results I read showed the .40 S&W as the best performer in accuracy and stopping-power.
Making “trades” with foreign governments to allow the US to forward deploy aircraft and ships. WOW, this is new and unique news.
What’s amazing to me is how much you bitch about the type & quality of stories here at FITS, yet you always come back.
What decision made by any arm of the government involving the spending of public money isn’t political?
Yes, true. It is just sad that sidearms, which a soldier’s life will likely depend on at some point, should be based on reliability and effectiveness. I imagine the stupid politics extends to many other items of critical equipment, such as the fighter segments of Congress keep pushing, which is known as a total dog by those who might have to use it.
Nikki’s Tit’s showed the way to republican freedom, LOL.
silly sic(k) willie can’t own a gun.
Can’t even have one in the house.
Thanks to the Lautenberg Amendment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_Violence_Offender_Gun_Ban
So, silly sic(k) willie. What ever happened to your little .22 you used to brag about?
“Thanks to the Lautenberg Amendment.”
We can only hope that sack of shit is burning in hell along with Ted Kennedy, right now.
Unfortunately, my belief system doesn’t include hell, at least not in the traditional sense. :-(
Can Nikki be the first to see how it feels ? just saying ?