Gun Ban Initiatives: Best Salespeople Ever

Posted on September 27th, 2007 in Blogging by Justin

Ryan Horsley of Red’s Trading Post notes:

Tomorrow we will be receiving 28 Maine Lobsters overnighted from Bushmaster. This is a promotion that they have done for quite a few years, but we have never got this many. Who do I have to thank for this…none other than Carolyn McCarthy D-NY. We have sold more so-called “assault weapons” than we have standard rifles this year with the new and improved Assault Weapons Ban, which is looming, that was introduced by McCarthy.

A common saying a decade ago in a gun shop was; there has never been better gun salesman than Bill Clinton.

I, and this blog, are evidence that gun bans really do get folks buying guns.

I was persuaded to purchase my first firearm back in 2001 by my general manager. It didn’t take much. I remember watching the NRA and VPC debate on Donahue of all things back when I was 13 and even then I thought the Assault Weapons Ban was bullshit. He took me and a number of us from the office out shooting, I figurd it was time to buy a pistol, and he took me to my 1st gun show. While there I boughta CZ-75B and I’m pretty sure I pickd up a 15 round magazine for it that very day, afraid that they wouldn’t be available later.

The very next day I was out at another gun shop and I bought a Glock 21. Shortly after I aquired “banned” 13 round magazines for it. Damn did that ever cost me! They were $125 each! Still, I bought them, because I was afraid if I didn’t then I’d never get the chance.

I bought a shotgun next, a Remington 870 Express with the 20″ rifled barrel.

Then I got an AR-15, and 30 round mags to go with it.

Then I got an Egyptian AK-47 clone, and 30 round mags to go with that.

I dropped about $3 grand into guns and magazines just because the AWB passed. Then, now comfortable with ownership of firearms, and not caring what people thought about me, I’ve bought another 30-something. I’ve sold a few, given away a couple, but not too many have left my posession.

If the 1994 AWB never passed I might own a shotgun right now.

There’s a lesson to be learned from this:

As much as I fear every gun law that comes up that can be used to restrict our rights, I must admit that they probably freak out a number of rational people enough that they go out and get armed to some extent. That may or may not snowball like it did with me, but it’s a possibility.

The gun banning crowd might be best served by holding off for a decade or two on any legislation and then calling for the total bans that they want. Incremental measures are simply creating more enemies to their cause.