Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms drop their opposition to a gun control bill for a carve-out

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C0untZer0

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A long-time anti-Second Amendment politician, Illinois State Legislator - Don Harmon introduced a bill - SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing in the Illinois State Senate. It is a bill meant to close specifically targeted gun stores in the Chicago area and make operation of gun stores elsewhere both extremely difficult and extremely expensive, if not impossible. This bill is filled with unspecified fees and exorbitant fines, onerous and expensive provisions, as well as invasions of the privacy of every gun store patron in Illinois and it also affected firearms manufacturers located in Illinois - like Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms. The Illinois Firearms Manufacturing Association, Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms dropped their opposition to Sen. Harmon's Gun Dealer Licensing bill in exchange for a carve-out in the bill excepting gun manufacturers. In essence, the IFMA threw their customer base and Illinois firearm owners to the wolves. In their own self-interest in being exempted from the outrageous restrictions in the bill, the manufacturers who make up the IFMA bailed on the very dealers who sell their firearms and the gun owners who buy them.

I am going to contact Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms to let them know that this was a very foolish decision on their part and to let them know how displeased I am with actions. I'm going to call their offices, and also leave comments on their Facebook pages:


Springfield Armory
(309) 944-5631


Rock River Arms
(309) 792-5780
 
I was actually kind of excited about the new SA XDE 9mm they just announced. A new gun based on a platform I actually prefer for CC was hard to believe. I was actually thinking about trading in an old Ruger LC9 for one... never mind. What a disappointment!
 
If this is true I have absolutely no problem calling them up and telling them what it think about it, but before I do that I would love some evidence to support your claim.

No offense meant, it's just a rather serious accusation imo, so I'd love to see a news article or maybe a gun rights group confirming. Just something solid I could reference other than "some guy on the internet said."

Again I mean no offense, and hope you understand.
 
Here is the Illinois State Rifle Association's e-mail on the subject. It mentions that the bill in it's original form would force gun manufacturers in Illinois to move out of state or shut down, but it doesn't mention that SA, RRA and IFMA dropped their opposition to the bill in exchange for an exemption.

As many of you know, the Illinois Senate recently passed a gun dealer licensing bill (SB1657) that has caused quite a stir in the gun-owning community. The ISRA believes that it is very important that you, the law-abiding gun owner, understand just who the perpetrator behind this bill is, and who the bill's victims are:

Victim #1 - The Law Abiding Gun Owner. If SB1657 is eventually signed into law, the biggest loser will be the law-abiding gun owner. The bill would place an enormous regulatory burden on any entity determined to be a "gun dealer." Under the bill, a "gun dealer" is any entity that sells 9 or more guns per year. The cost of compliance with the bill's requirements would add anywhere from $150 to $300 to the retail price of any new firearm. Many current gun dealers would find it pointless to remain in business. As a result, Illinois gun owners may find themselves having to drive hundreds of miles to find a dealer still in business. It's important to note that the 9-gun limit also applies to private parties who sell 9 or more guns per year. Therefore, someone trying to sell off their gun collection would have to be licensed by the state and suffer all the regulatory requirements that full-fledged gun shops encounter. In short, most Illinois gun owners would find that their right to keep and bear arms had been effectively nullified.

Victim #2 - The Independent Gun Retailer. If passed, SB1657 would require firearm retailers to drastically alter their business processes. Such would include upgraded training for employees, updated security systems, and increased expenditure of staff-hours dedicated to government inspections of their stores. The net result would be a significant increase in fixed overhead costs for independent retailers. Increased overhead costs would be passed along to customers in the form of higher retailer prices to the tune of $150 to $300 per gun. Increased gun prices would artificially drive down demand for firearms by the law-abiding public. In effect, SB1657 would establish a tax on a Constitutional right. It should be noted that "big box" retailers are exempted from the bill's requirements because their gun sales do not exceed 20% of gross yearly sales for all lines. The exemption puts independent dealers at a serious competitive disadvantage - further driving the demise of independent gun shops. Having very little skin in the game could prompt the big box retailers to withdraw entirely from the firearms market - thus leaving Illinois citizens with no accessibility to firearms.

Victim #3 - Illinois Firearm Manufacturers. Under the original version of the Senate bill, firearm manufacturers would have to comply with the licensing bill as well. The costs to manufacturers would be prohibitive and they would have to move out of state or shut down.


The Perpetrator:- Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park).

Harmon represents one of several gerrymandered districts designed to neutralize west-suburban Republican power. A self-proclaimed "progressive," Harmon sees himself as a dragon slayer of sorts with the ISRA being on top of his list of dragons to slay. Since becoming President Pro Tempore of the Illinois Senate, Harmon has launched incessant attacks on the NRA, the ISRA, and lawful gun owners in general. It is now abundantly clear that Harmon's goal is to abolish civilian firearm ownership in Illinois.

Harmon's commitment to eliminating private firearm ownership is evidenced by the company he keeps. Harmon is especially cozy with anti-gun crackpots Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords. Since September 2016, Harmon and his anti-gun cronies in the Senate have accepted over $600,000 in donations and lobbying support from Giffords to ram SB1657 right down your throat.

Harmon's Caspar Milquetoast appearance belies a shrewd, vindictive man driven by an obsessive dislike for guns and the people who own them. Harmon claims that SB1657 is designed to protect children from so-called gun violence. Yet, there are no provisions in the bill even slightly related to the safety of any child in the state. The truth of the matter is, Harmon's intention is to thrust the right to keep and bear arms into a death spiral.

In summary, Sen. Don Harmon is an enemy of the 2nd Amendment; an enemy of the Constitution; and an enemy of the people. Harmon is an urban elitist foot soldier ready and willing to do the bidding of billionaire gun grabber Michael Bloomberg. As we know, Bloomberg's intent is to establish a gun-free America. To achieve that end, Harmon is intent on stripping you of your human dignity, intent on denying your family's right to protect themselves, and making a mockery of the Founding Father's intentions when founding this great nation.

Now that we've told you the real story, it's up to you to work tirelessly to neutralize Harmon and his gun-grabbing pal
s.
 
Of course SA, as well as RRA, are going to look out for themselves. Maybe they need to think of a more gun-friendly state to do business in like, say, Alabama? Remington moved over 2000 jobs from NY to here in Huntsville for that reason. We love having them here! At least then they wouldn't have to stab everybody in the back whenever the next gun-grabber legislation goes through.

I'm not going to cross Springfield off my list altogether. But, the name Springfield Armory means a lot less to me today than it did last week!
 
I have several from each company, and always liked the two companies. Now, I won't be running out to buy any news guns from either of them.
Imagine the timing of SA releasing their latest version of the XD the same day this news came out. Oops.
 
Ya, Springfield Armory disabled ratings and visitor comments and removed the "Write a Review" section from their Facebook page.

I'm sure the marketing people had visions of the Springfield Armory FB page being lit up with the buzz over XDe, instead they're battening down the hatches trying to do damage control.
 
According to the attached article, the owner of Rock River Arms knew nothing about this. One of the questions mentioned at the end of it is whether Springfield knew about this or whether it's something the lobbyist for the IFMA did without consulting with them. I'll hold off judgement until all the facts are out.


https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2...ield-rock-river-illinois-sell-picking-pieces/


I agree that I'd like more info, but the CEO's 'non-statement' statement wasn't very reassuring. He had the perfect chance to disavow the decision, and absolutely did not.


Larry
 
the attacks on the 2nd, are now coming hard at the state levels. the money being spent in my state trying to "buy" votes is shameful. looks like the same in illinois.

i find reeses comments unimpressive, and i am being nice. ill hold comment on rra until i read more.......
 
Well Jay Keller stated in an Illinois Senate committee that the IFMA would drop their opposition to the bill if manufacturers were exempted. That was in March. Rock River Arms didn't know this was going to happen? We're supposed to believe that they didn't know anything about this and it was a total surprise when their guy at the IFMA went on record in a committee hearing stating that the IFMA would drop their opposition to Harmon's bill if he exempted them from it?

I know that they're mainly in the business of making firearms and firearm parts, and they have the IFMA and NSSF to handle stuff like this , but if its true that this was a surprise to them, they were really oblivious. Can manufacturers really be that oblivious to bills like this and "assault" weapons bans ? It is kind of difficult for me to excuse...
 
Well Jay Keller stated in an Illinois Senate committee that the IFMA would drop their opposition to the bill if manufacturers were exempted. That was in March. Rock River Arms didn't know this was going to happen? We're supposed to believe that they didn't know anything about this and it was a total surprise when their guy at the IFMA went on record in a committee hearing stating that the IFMA would drop their opposition to Harmon's bill if he exempted them from it?

I know that they're mainly in the business of making firearms and firearm parts, and they have the IFMA and NSSF to handle stuff like this , but if its true that this was a surprise to them, they were really oblivious. Can manufacturers really be that oblivious to bills like this and "assault" weapons bans ? It is kind of difficult for me to excuse...


I agree; I think it's fair to expect large gun manufacturers to be *at least* as politically aware as me, a typical gun owner in the state.

Larry
 
I sent SA an email this morning expressing how felt about the stance they took on this Bill .
 
I just spoke with their customer service. They had no response other than to tell me a statement will be released at some point (she didn't know when) and to insist that I give her my phone number so she can call me back at a later date, which I won't do. The fact that they've had the entire weekend to prepare for what they know will be numerous calls this morning and still have no explaination is incomprehensible to me.
 
I will be watching to see what stance the NRA has regarding this Bill and with SA and RRA .
 
The NRA has been and still is against this bill as is the Illinois State Rifle Association, but neither of them have commented on the IFMA's defection.

I posted the ISRA's response e-mail above. There is no mention of the IFMA, SA and RRA's dropping their opposition to the bill, IMO the ISRA e-mail is telling pveople to forget about SA RRA and the IFMA and to focus our energy on defeating the bill in the house.

OK, that's fine, I see the wisdom in Illinois gun owners not wasting energy lambasting SA and RRA while ignoring the legislative process of the actual bill, but for the ISRA to not even acknowledge what happened is not really helping the situation. You can't calm the situation down by telling people to ignore what happened.
 
I emailed my representative and asked him to vote against this bill when it comes to the IL House. He's relatively new, having just taken over for his predecessor who resigned to take another job.
I believe him to be pro-2nd amendment based on some statements he made.
The state senator in my district voted against this travesty. She is solidly on our side.
 
I emailed my representative and asked him to vote against this bill when it comes to the IL House. He's relatively new, having just taken over for his predecessor who resigned to take another job.
I believe him to be pro-2nd amendment based on some statements he made.
The state senator in my district voted against this travesty. She is solidly on our side.

We all need to be doing this. Additionally, we need to do the following:
  • Bombard SA and RRA with calls and e-mails. They need to do what they can from their end to repair this damage. Please be polite when you call, as the customer service rep who answers the phone isn't responsible for this.
  • Call and e-mail Governor Rauner's office (217-782-0244, https://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactus/Pages/VoiceAnOpinion.aspx) to encourage him to veto this bill if it reaches his desk. If he loses the next election, a democratic governor will not veto this. If he vetos it, he's going to have many motivated supporters making sure he gets reelected so he can veto the next comparable bill that winds up on his desk. If he doesn't veto it that motivation is gone.
  • Contact everyone and every organization you know to make sure they're calling. Gun clubs you belong to, friends who you shoot with, etc.
  • Finally, make sure your LGS' are getting the word out as well. I'm on e-mail lists from a couple of them and haven't seen anything from them yet. They need to start e-mailing their customers.
 
This would all be more convincing if the lobbyist for their group hadn't announced in March that they'd drop their opposition if they got a carve-out.....
 
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