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Hmm manufacturers making deals with antis ?

I have said for a long time that we are our own worst enemies.

They may benefit from the deal now but it will be short lived. The antis get what they want and will be back later to close the gaps, which will be easier once the groundwork is in place.

The concept of incrementalism still seems to be lost on most. Eventually we will wake up and the last little sliver of freedom we thought we still had will be stripped away like taking candy from a baby and we will have ourselves to blame.
 
They just effed not only gun owners in Il, but their dealers too! Are we not all equal under law? Then why is the Walmarts exempt? this is just cutting down little by little, the mom n pop stores cannot afford this. And, only 9 transfers a year?! WTF is that BS?!!
 
looks like this is getting around.

RRA & SA issued statements that seem to contradict the actual events.

To sum up:

RRA & SA both contribute the bulk of the funds for the IL Firearms Manufacturing Association (IL Gun Lobby Group). Their lobbyist cut a deal with the senate gun grabbers to carve out an exemption for RRA & SA in exchange to change their position from opposed to neutral on the bill. Once this was achieved it garnered more support during the committee hearings, passed, went to the Senate and passed by one vote.

Both companies are claiming the "obama" defense..... we found out when you did.

Both company facebook pages are bombarded to the point where they were deleting comments.

The lobbyist has YET to be fired and Arfcom has found information that the lobby group has been sending tens of thousands of dollars to known anti-gun politicians in the IL legislature.

It even took the online rep in Arfcom 3 days to make a statement once the information broke on their site.....

These 2 companies, appear, to have literally shot themselves out of the market place.

With today's information gathering ability.... you may see both companies lose 30-50% of their sales by year's end.
 
They aren't the first to make a deal with the devil.

It has taken me more than 25 years to buy another Ruger product after he sold us out to the Clintons and the assault weapon ban.

I only recently bought another Ruger product this year because the company now seems to have changed. I held a grudge until one of us had died. In this case, old man Bill beat me to it, but cheaper than dirt is another company I won't support, but not because of their political misdeeds. They're just a shitty company.

Yeah, RRA and springfield armory has screwed the pooch. Not that Springfield is much more than an importer.

They don't make the springfield xd. They're made by HS Produkt in Croatia.

The old Fal's and Uzi's Springfield once sold?

Nope, they were imported and didn't make them either.

I wouldn't really put money on springfield actually making the M1A to tell you the truth.

You know what would be even worse?

If this bill didn't make it out of the state senate to the governors desk. They would lose a large share of the business, all for nothing.

If any gun business were to think that gun owners don't pay attention who's trying to screw them, they're crazy.
 
John A. said:
They aren't the first to make a deal with the devil.

It has taken me more than 25 years to buy another Ruger product after he sold us out to the Clintons and the assault weapon ban. I only recently bought another Ruger product this year because the company now seems to have changed. I held a grudge until one of us had died. In this case, old man Bill beat me to it, ...
Click to expand...
I was the same way. I didn't even keep track of Ruger and didn't know until 30 seconds ago that Bill is gone. I don't know how long it will take me to get over it.
 
He's actually been dead almost 15 years now to be honest. That should tell you how bad I hold a grudge. I only this year bought my first Ruger product since the AWB started. But after seeing that the company has done an about face from his views since his death, I have became cautiously optimistic that the Ruger of today is ran differently than the Sturm/Ruger of old.

I can't help but to be reminded to not judge the child for the sins of his father.
 
First there was this: Springfield Armory & Rock River Arms Made Campaign Contributions to Anti-Gun Rights Politicians - LINK

Then they both put out statements that they didn't know what IFMA was doing. However...

8b33048049.jpg


Dennis Reese is the CEO for Springfield, Tom Reese is co-chairman of the board at Springfield and Chuck Larson is the CEO for RRA. They're the 3 directors on the IFMA. We're supposed to believe that they weren't aware that a tiny organization - of which they're the directors! - made a decision with ramifications of which they were unaware?

Today, they put out these:

Springfield Armory Severs Ties with IFMA For Acting “Against Our Principles”

Rock River Arms: We Quit IFMA Over ‘Backdoor Politics and Convoluted Deal-Making’

It sounds to me like they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar and now are in damage control mode.
 
Apparently Springfield public relations officer has issued an apologetic statement, essentially saying they didn't know what their paid activists were doing and were cutting all ties to them, publically saying we didn't know, shame on them.

-----------------

May 2, 2017 5:52:59 PM

The Executive Director of the Illinois Firearm Manufacturers Association (IFMA) acted without our prior knowledge and against our principles and those of the industry as a whole with respect to the Gun Dealer Licensing Act. We no longer have confidence in IFMA and after speaking to other directors we have made the decision to sever all ties with the organization, effective immediately. I take full responsibility for my failure of oversight in this case and deeply apologize to my employees, customers and industry partners for the distraction and divisiveness this situation has caused within our tight-knit community. Our industry has always stood strong and fought fiercely together in the past and I am personally committed to defeating this harmful legislation. To that end, I have pledged to the NRA that we will bring the full resources of my company to bear in this fight.

We are not new to this battle, Springfield Armory has fought and defeated legislation like this in Illinois for decades. We are wholeheartedly against this bill and will fight shoulder-to-shoulder with the NRA, National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Illinois State Rifle Association and others to see it defeated as the unnecessary and harmful overreach that it is.

We want to assure all Americans, like us, who fight to protect the Second Amendment that we and our industry partners will leave no stone unturned to defeat this bill.

Stefany Reese, PR & Communications Manager
Springfield Armory, Inc.
stefanyr@springfield-armory.com
309-944-8994
 
carbinemike said:
Here is a rebuttal article from Bearing Arms where they rip TTAG some.
https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2017/...k-river-arms-oppose-gun-dealer-licensing-act/
Click to expand...

Being an auditor by trade here's why it's bad to take stuff at face value. This whole.... I didn't know until you knew is complete horse crap and let me explain why that is in bullet points:

1) IMFA is comprised of RRA & SA... period. Look at the form 990 which identifies the executive branches - Dennis Reese (SA CEO), Tom Reese (SA Chairman), Chuck Larson (RRA CEO). You're telling me these guys didn't know wtf was going on with such a pivotal anti-gun legislation that would directly impact their business in the state of IL? Nope... not buying it.

2) So now we established that there's no way they "didn't know".... can they explain the campaign contributions IMFA has been giving to Cullerton & Madigen for the past couple of years. Two of the very most anti-gun IL politicians in the legislature? Wait... let me guess.... you didn't know from a lobby group you are basically responsible for funding and overseeing their entire operations. Got it.

3) Lets talk about their weak ass response.... oh we are at a conference so we didn't have time to get to address this immediately?! Right..... because losing 50% of your business volume over shitting on your market base doesn't qualify as a direct and immediate response. In fact, the first response was sort of defending IMFA. Once that didn't go over well they HAD to issue a new response dissolving the association. Weird... what's the new association going to look like.... exactly like the last with the same players involved.

They sold out. Got caught. Damage control is blowing up in their face. Nobody is buying their weak ass story, Bearing arms can eat a penis for not doing better research, and the other two companies can suck lumpy crap through a straw while being fornicated with a flaming steel Dilly and then FOAD.
 
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I personally like SA and RRA products. But i have MANY friends who are FFL mom n pop businesses whom I like more. IF it comes out in the wash that these companies supported this legislation which is so damaging to the small retailers it is inexcusable. By supporting I mean ignoring as long as they were exempt from it. I believe the jury is still out Im listening carefully to all information. It doesnt look good so far. While fully aware lobbyist often play both sides of the fence without everyone's knowledge I find it very hard to believe that the leaders of two major players in the industry werent fully aware of such intrusive legislation being proposed in their very own home state that would directly effect the way they do business. We shall see. I always liked KGB saying. trust but verify.
 
It goes way beyond just this bill. For years, IFMA has been donating large sums of SA & RRA money to anti-gun Illinois legislators. How can the 3 directors claim they didn't know that?

They're either lying or completely incompetent. They're running pretty large companies, so it's unlikely they're incompetent. That only leaves...
 
Bearing Arms has a second editorial that is similar to the one I linked above but it is more "look over here and ignore the elephant in the room":
https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2017/05/02/sensationalist-missing-point-illinois/

I want to note that posting these isn't an endorsement that I agree with Bearing Arms. I have been steadfast in several boycotts but did go back to Ruger before John A did. I think I got my first Ruger since the early 90's about 4-5 years ago. Gun owners have long memories.
 
carbinemike said:
Bearing Arms has a second editorial that is similar to the one I linked above but it is more "look over here and ignore the elephant in the room":
https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2017/05/02/sensationalist-missing-point-illinois/

I want to note that posting these isn't an endorsement that I agree with Bearing Arms. I have been steadfast in several boycotts but did go back to Ruger before John A did. I think I got my first Ruger since the early 90's about 4-5 years ago. Gun owners have long memories.
Click to expand...

LOL totally forgets to talk about how the "lobby group" is literally comprised of the two company CEOs and one lobbyist. Their excuse is... "dropped the ball".

If SA & RRA didn't give their "behind closed door" consent to the carve out and changing their position to the bill... this bill never would have left committee.

Me thinks thou protests too much...
 
Pretty deep hole been dug. Stinks like i originally said i like SA and RRA both but dont think il be supporting them further. Sad im sure some great folks employed who are just as pissed.
 
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