Or perhaps I should say reciever wrap. Someone at Armalite has a sense of humor.
Month: November 2008
Mitt on the Auto Bailout
My first reaction to this article was to think that Mitt Romney sounds more like a Republican than Bush at this point. Of course, I seem to recall in the primary he wasn’t exactly practicing this kind of tough love with Detroit.
UAW Holidays
This is a big part of why GM can’t succeed. I don’t even get half that many holidays, and I’m management.
Not Physics Majors
Apparently none of the women on The View know what suffrage is. Perhaps they would like to sign a petition to end women’s suffrage.
Financial Crisis? What Financial Crisis?
Paul Helmke would like to think it was their message, rather than the financial crisis, which delivered the election to Obama. SayUncle points out that it’s hooey. What killed us this election was exceptionally bad Republican turnout. We did a lot of hard get out the vote work in my district, which paid off. My county only bled 3000 or so votes from 2004. Pennsylvania is a difficult state for gun rights activists. Many of our gun owners are also union members, and can’t always be counted on to vote like gun owners. When economic times get rough, they run for the big “D”. It’s worthwhile to point out that McCain was ahead in Pennsylvania before the financial crisis hit. I recall conversations with a few gun owners after the crisis that went, “Well, I have a choice between my guns and putting food on the table. I just don’t think we can afford another 8 years of failed economic policy.” Of course, if you have your guns, you can always put food on the table, but it’s hard to convince people worried about jobs and mortgages to vote their gun rights. People tend to vote their pocketbooks before all.
Sportsmen voted along the same lines for McCain that they did for Bush, but fewer of them turned out. I think there were a lot more of those guys than my interactions with gun owners was indicative of. A lot of unhappy gun owners voted with their butts, in that they spent election day sitting on it. I can’t blame the Brady Campaign for trying to ride Obama’s coattails. Maybe it’ll help their fundraising. We’ll see how the next two years goes for them, but my prediction is that things will not go as well for them as they wish, nor as bad for them as we would like. It’s going to be rough, either way.
A New Term
For hunters that don’t support gun rights, except for their own, BadIdeaGuy managed to come up with a new term I think I like:
AHSAhole
We’ll declare Ray Schoenke the inaugural member of the club.
UPDATE: Looks like this isn’t the first instance of that term. Ray Schoenke will have to be number 2.
Gun Nuts Radio
I made a a brief appearance on The Breda Show last night. Ooops… did I say Breda Show? Oh yeah, that Caleb guy is on there too :) If I sound like I had a few drinks, it’s because I did. I start in at about 22 minutes.
A Good Question
Bruce Asks, “I’m still trying to figure out the how those who declared Sarah Palin unqualified to hold the office of Vice President can say, with a straight face, that it would be in the best interest of our country to put Al Franken in the United States Senate.” The recount happens today, I believe. Let us wish Mr. Coleman luck. With Stevens being defeated in Alaska, we don’t have much of a filibuster left.
What’s Selling
High-end retailers continue to report steady sales, with increased interest in AR-style rifles. Their biggest challenge was getting the “upper priced models and accessories”. There was also a markedly lower interest in the high-end hunting guns, with a couple of retailers admitting surprise that high-end hunting rifles were coming in as trades for – you guessed it- AR-style rifles and semi-auto pistols.
Mid-level dealers say their business was spiking in ammo sales, particularly in the .223/5.56, 7.62×39, and .308. In fact, many were calling around in their dealer networks last week trying to find more of each – with no luck. As one dealer said “we can’t even get the stuff we normally warn our customers about shooting because of the lacquered cases.”
This week ammo is in even shorter supply with .308 selling at what some dealers characterized as “ridiculous” levels. Friday, I saw 5,000 rounds of .22 caliber ammo fetch and $400. Granted, it was very high-end ammo, but that price was staggering. Even more surprising, there was no argument at the price.
They are saying even pawn shop owners are saying people are coming in and offer gold jewelry, and old guns for AR-15s and semi-auto pistols.  It’s almost like someone is planning to ban them or something.
And Another One Gone
Winnetka, IL has repealed its gun ban. The decision was unanimous.