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.
You’ve surpassed my collection by now! I’ll have to check out all your new acquisitions next time I’m in the area. :)
I bought a Cobray Streetsweeper shotgun prior to the 1994 ban, not in anticipation of it, just because it was cool. Turns out it’s a pain in the ass to reload. you’d be better off with a “legal” shotgun that is easy to slap three more rounds into than reloading the 12 round drum of the streetsweeper, takes about 3 minutes to eject each spent shell individually, insert a new one, turn the drum one notch, repeat twelve times.