Zumbo: Gun rag writer trashes "Assault Weapons"

[stevetexas]

Hi HuntCast ,

We don't get a whole lotta that down here. I'm sure it's fun.

Steve Texas

 

[magnumtc]

HuntCast,

I just listened to your broadcast about Mr. Zumbo and thought you had a great synopsis of the whole incident. I think Zumbo's credibilty and reputation have suffered greatly and it is a shame he is not trying to do more to correct the problem. People make mistakes. People who write about guns and hunting for a living are entitled to their opinion. However, if you post your opinion in a public forum, you should not be surprised if you say something insulting to a segment about our gun industry that you will get some backlash. His apology was very lame. So I write for an NRA publication, Shooting Illustrated, I attend shotshow, etc., yet we are to buy his story that he was simply tired and ignorant of AR15/AK47 rifles? Is it wise to call a AR15/M16 a "terrorist rifle" knowing that it is used by our police and armed forces? I just don't get it? Did he not realize the anti 2nd crowd would have a field day with this and use it against us knowing a new assault weapon ban was in the works?

Some suggestions for Mr. Zumbo:

You made a major mistake! You may not be able to fix/overcome its effects but at least try like hell! Where is a real apology to our fine police and servicemen who use your so called "terrorist rifle" to protect your
2nd amendment rights?

Where is an official retraction of your blog? Hint Hint! Maybe post in in the magazines that employ your writing!

Attend every shooting/hunting show and face the music you created! Take your lumps like a man and grow from this! Duck and cover is not a good strategy!

Call your sponsors and tell them to drop you until you are "re educated". Make some changes, attempts to fix the firestorm YOU created with your own words. Maybe they will rehire you once they have SEEN some of the ACTIONS you have taken.

Get the message out that we are all brothers and sisters in the gun world. An attack on one type of firearm is an attack on all firearms! We have got to band together! You can be the new town cryer on this!


Get on some of the larger gunboards and start trying to heal the wounds. Some will still hate you, some will not! You have got to try, otherwise it does indeed make you look like an elitest and that you were not sincere in your apology!

 

[madmike]

677 posts...

Gee, sure would be nice to see 677 letters sent to Remington, Congress and Brady.

And maybe 677 donations to GOA

and 677 Remingtons purchased to show we support them supporting us.

(Bought a box of .223 yesterday. All I can afford for now.)

 

[Guntalk]

There is much to learn from this event.

I wrote a piece about this yesterday, but waited a day to post it to www.guntalk.com. (That's one thing I learned from this!)

Here's how the piece starts:

Tipping Point -- Suicide on the Web

Something fascinating just happened. I suspect it will be studied by those who do such things, but at this point, it is clear that last weekend we saw a sea change in the way gun owners react to threats.

 

[madmike]

Several times I suggested an SKS or AK-47 variant, and was told, in NO uncertain terms, that they wished to eat at least part of the deer, and not blow it into little pieces all over the countryside.

Police officers wearing “bulletproof” vests are vulnerable because the blunt trauma from bullets fired from an assault weapon is so severe as to be lethal

www.ceasefiremd.org/PressReleases/2004/061504.html

Semi-automatic civilian assault weapons are killing machines for human beings. Military features such as a high capacity magazine, pistol grip and barrel shroud allow for rapid and accurate spray firing. On top of their lethality, assault weapons look mean which is why they are favored by drug-dealers, mass murderers and other criminals committed to terrorizing and killing their victims.

"Rapid and accurate spray firing"? :banghead: Evil looks make it kill better? Because having a regular gun pointed at you isn't scary?

 

[Derby FALs]

There is much to learn from this event.

I wrote a piece about this yesterday, but waited a day to post it to www.guntalk.com. (That's one thing I learned from this!)

Here's how the piece starts:

Tipping Point -- Suicide on the Web

Something fascinating just happened. I suspect it will be studied by those who do such things, but at this point, it is clear that last weekend we saw a sea change in the way gun owners react to threats.

Having just read some of the comments on a few of the online groups where people were posting Zumbo's home address and personal information, calling for . . . well, it was hard to know what they were calling for . . . I made a comment about our willingness to eat our own. Some of that was based on hearing gunnies say that they won't buy Ruger firearms because of something Bill Ruger said two decades ago. Hey, the man is dead and buried.

Still, in this case, I was wrong. That's not what was going on here, as I discovered when I got off the air. To listeners who took offense, I do apologize. The outrage by gun owners is completely understandable. To put it in context, Zumbo's comments came only days after we saw the introduction of a bill in Congress to bring back the Clinton Gun Ban (the so-called "assault weapons" ban). The final nail in the coffin was when-- Sunday afternoon -- the Brady Campaign (the leading group working to restrict gun rights) posted Zumbo's comments to several places on the net, saying, in effect, "See, even the top hunting writer says these rifles have no legitimate use."


Thank you, Tom. It was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Tom

I just read Tom's Zumbo update.

Nicely said, Tom.

Thanks for that.

You're completely right: we need to harness this energy and use it as a "clue-by-four" to get Washington's attention.

 

[magnumtc]

Mr. Gresham, I just read you article and agree that it is now time to refocus our energy to the upcoming fight for our 2nd amendment rights! Again, where is Mr. Zumbo? Why is he not trying to right this?

 

[Guntalk]

>>Again, where is Mr. Zumbo? Why is he not trying to right this?<<

There really is no avenue for him to do that.

 

[Striker]

Tom,

I think that magnumtc has some viable recommendations in post #677.

As for an avenue, why not start here at THR?

Painful? Yes.

Effective? Maybe or maybe not....but it would be a start.

 

[madmike]

Thanks! I'm looking to replace a Gerber multitool . . .

I sell and love the Swisstool.

It goes great with a K31

 

[AndyC]

...use it as a "clue-by-four" to get Washington's attention.

Oh, I do like that phrase - mind if I steal it?

 

[ArfinGreebly]

AndyC

"clue-by-four"

mind if I steal it?

Certainly.

I stole it fair and square.

No reason you shouldn't.

Use it in good health.

 

[dlistello]

Mr. Zumbo has done what all of us have in our lives, spoke / wrote before thinking. He has apologized so lets move on. More concerning is why haven't all of the anti-Zumbo people out there been as passionate ( using their internet forums ) in protecting the second amendment by promoting NRA / NSSF participation,negating all the misinformation the media puts out on a daily basis, and writing their elected government officials over recently proposed bills in the house and congress that are directly aimed at taking away our rights. We should be putting our energies to better use, Mr. Zumbo is not a threat to our Second Amendment rights, we all need to rezero our sights.

Dave Listello

 

[chickenfried]

Okay I understand the educate the hunters angle. But does anyone else have a problem with Zumbo getting a hunting trip with Ted Nugent out of this. There are plenty of people out there that give the second amendment their full support and work tirelessly to fight the gun grabbers. I'd rather see one of those people get a hunting trip with Ted Nugent.

 

[HiroProX]

I'd have to agree with magnumtc's suggestion. If anything, Zumbo more than likely had no idea of the scope of shooting beyond his narrow interests and likewise no concept of how damaging his comments could be.

What's done is done, but by showing up, owning his actions, and learning and undertaking new actions with what he has learned in mind, it can prevent a recurrence.

 

[Eleven Mike]

We must find a way to "Zumbo" our attackers in Congress, in the state houses, and wherever they assault our rights.

Tom Gresham

I didn't think I'd get into this thread again, but I just had to compliment Tom (Guntalk) on his article and his take on this debacle. The link is posted above a couple of times. Read it.

Okay I understand the educate the hunters angle. But does anyone else have a problem with Zumbo getting a hunting trip with Ted Nugent out of this. There are plenty of people out there that give the second amendment their full support and work tirelessly to fight the gun grabbers. I'd rather see one of those people get a hunting trip with Ted Nugent.

Don't you think big-name hunting writers like Zumbo (before he messed up) can arrange hunts with Nugent if they really want to? If you achieve notoriety in the hunting field as he did, then you could probably hunt with the Nuge, too. He's trying to eat crow and perform penance. Let him. I'd rather see him reformed than destroyed, wouldn't you?

 

[Smurfslayer]

Thoughts.

I saw the thread where Remington severed ties first and commented that it was a powerful statement. I couldn't believe the level of response here.

Absolutely incredible that we were able to mobilize and direct accurate, high volume fire (so to speak) and suppress the enemy with unprecedented efficiency. One could easily liken THR's to "electron storm"

I think this has been an object lesson in behavior modification. This is how we win. Remember this event, this thread and the actions we took the next time a THR asks us for help.

 

[Mal H]

Tom - very well stated. I was one of the thousands of listeners to your show on Sunday when Jim Zumbo called in. To be honest, I was a little mad at you for being what I thought was lackadaisical in your treatment of Zumbo and your questions to him. It seemed like you were more interested in the "everyone makes mistakes" standpoint than in the irreparable damage Zumbo's "opinion" piece had caused.

I see I was wrong, and I'm glad I was.

 

[cpileri]

copies of text

Now that OL has erased his original blog and his apology, does anyone have a reprint saved of those 2 posts.

I just want to save them for posterity- and for possible refuting the misquoting that the Brady Bunch will be doing. Without the original text, we cannot claim that they are quoting out of context.

C-

 

[cpileri]

Moving Mr. Gresham up to the 'good guy' list

Mr. Gresham, your synopsis and commentary of the even was very good. I had not been a regular reader of guntalk prior to this, but now I will be. C-

Outdoor Life & Zumbo Sponsors

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

Last updated 21 Feb 2007, prior versions obsolete.

Sponsors (and individuals) who remain supportive (or have not yet commented) of Zumbo (i.e. who get ZERO future busine$$)
Bill McRae (another ‘hunter’s only’ anti-)
Thomas McIntyre (Another writer)
SWAROVSKI [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL
STONEY POINT PRODUCTS [email protected],


Sponsors (and individuals in the industry) who left (and get MORE of my $$$)
Remington (http://www.remington.com/library/press/2007/2007-1.asp )
David M. Fortier
SWFA (Chris Farris, TEAM SWFA – Admin www.RifleScopes.com )
Hi-Mountain Seasonings www.himtnjerky.com/
Cabela’s ( …currently reviewing contractual obligations … regarding … sponsorship of … Jim Zumbo)
Tom Gresham (Host, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk radio show www.guntalk.com )
MOSSY OAK [email protected], [email protected],


Sponsors who have commented but are fence-sitting as of yet
Outdoor Life ( pulled his blog, but haven’t fired him and their statement is pretty soft) [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
Gerber Legendary Blades Gerbergear.com
[email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]



Plan to continually update, revise, correct, etc.
Just FYI,
C-

p.s. i believe Mossy Oak pulled out from under Mr. Zumbo as well, so I moved them to the good guy list, too. If I am in error about any of these, please let me know. C-

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

cpileri -- Here you go, with the websites of the thoughtful people who saved them before Outdoor Life pulled them down.

Assault Rifles For Hunters? by Jim Zumbo

As I write this, I'm hunting coyotes in southeastern Wyoming with Eddie Stevenson, PR Manager for Remington Arms, Greg Dennison, who is senior research engineer for Remington, and several writers. We're testing Remington's brand new .17 cal Spitfire bullet on coyotes.

I must be living in a vacuum. The guides on our hunt tell me that the use of AR and AK rifles have a rapidly growing following among hunters, especially prairie dog hunters. I had no clue. Only once in my life have I ever seen anyone using one of these firearms.

I call them "assault" rifles, which may upset some people. Excuse me, maybe I'm a traditionalist, but I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity. I'll go so far as to call them "terrorist" rifles. They tell me that some companies are producing assault rifles that are "tackdrivers."

Sorry, folks, in my humble opinion, these things have no place in hunting. We don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them, which is an obvious concern. I've always been comfortable with the statement that hunters don't use assault rifles. We've always been proud of our "sporting firearms."

This really has me concerned. As hunters, we don't need the image of walking around the woods carrying one of these weapons. To most of the public, an assault rifle is a terrifying thing. Let's divorce ourselves from them. I say game departments should ban them from the praries and woods.

http://michaelbane.blogspot.com/2007/02/serious-stuff-jim-zumbo-defection.html

I will post his apology in full:

I was wrong, BIG TIME

Someone once said that to err is human. I just erred, and made without question, the biggest blunder in my 42 years of writing hunting articles.

My blog inflamed legions of people I love most..... hunters and shooters. Obviously, when I wrote that blog, I activated my mouth before engaging my brain.

Let me explain the circumstances surrounding that blog. I was hunting coyotes, and after the hunt was over and being beat up by 60 mph winds all day, I was discussing hunting with one of the young guides. I was tired and exhausted, and I should have gone to bed early. When the guide told me that there was a "huge" following of hunters who use AR 15's and similar weapons to hunt prairies dogs, I was amazed. At that point I wrote the blog, and never thought it through.

Now then, you might not believe what I have to say, but I hope you do. How is it that Zumbo, who has been hunting for more than 50 years, is totally ignorant about these types of guns. I don't know. I shot one once at a target last year, and thought it was cool, but I never considered using one for hunting. I had absolutely no idea how vast the numbers of folks are who use them.

I never intended to be divisive, and I certainly believe in United we Stand, Divided we Fall. I've been an NRA member for 40 years, have attended 8 national NRA conventions in the last 10 years, and I'm an advisory board member for the United States Sportsmen's Alliance which actively fights anti-hunters and animal rights groups for hunter's rights.

What really bothers me are some of the unpatriotic comments leveled at me. I fly the flag 365 days a year in my front yard. Last year, through an essay contest, I hosted a soldier wounded in Iraq to a free hunt in Botswana. This year, through another essay contest, I'm taking two more soldiers on a free moose and elk hunt.

When I started blogging, I was told to write my thoughts, expressing my own opinion. The offensive blog I wrote was MY opinion, and no one else's. None of the companies that I deal with share that opinion, nor were they aware of what I had written until this firestorm started.

Believe it or not, I'm your best friend if you're a hunter or shooter, though it might not seem that way. I simply screwed up. And, to show that I'm sincere about this, I just talked to Ted Nugent, who everyone knows, and is a Board member of the NRA. Ted is extremely active with charities concerning our wounded military, and though he's known as a bowhunter, Ted has no problem with AR 15's and similar firearms. My sincerity stems from the fact that Ted and I are planning a hunt using AR 15's. I intend to learn all I can about them, and again, I'm sorry for inserting my foot in my mouth.


http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2007/02/zumbos-apology.html

 

[hso]

Perhaps if everyone that responded to Jim Zumbo's disasterous call for the ban of AK and AR rifles sent some version of this brief letter to their elected officials in Congress the gun banners would get the message, yet again, that the American public do not want their elected representatives stepping on their individual and collective rights.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

I am writing to ask for your help to DEFEAT HR1022.

The main focus of this bill is to reinstate the so-called "assault weapons" ban. HR1022 is not a “reinstatement” as it goes far beyond the original Assault Weapons Ban that FBI and CDC studies proved to have no impact on crime or public safety. HR1022’s sole sponsor claims the bill’s goal is to reduce crime by banning firearms with a certain appearance. Ms. McCarthy seems to be ignorant of the facts that the guns she is so afraid of are not significantly used in crime according to FBI statistics. Such a bill would provide no benefit to the American public and represents another tired attempt from a failed philosophy to limit people’s freedom.



I am a firm supporter of the Second Amendment. HR1022 is a blatant infringement on the rights of all citizens of the United States of America.

I look forward to your reply, which I will do my best to share with friends and family.

Sincerely,

 

[Hawk]

...
and 677 Remingtons purchased to show we support them supporting us.

676 now and back 'atcha. Great idea.

Doesn't even have to be budget buster - there's a nice ball cap on their site for 9.00. It'd be nice if we could heat up their e-commerce site with 5000 orders for coozies and caps.

 

[Guntoter]

. . . I made a comment about our willingness to eat our own. Some of that was based on hearing gunnies say that they won't buy Ruger firearms because of something Bill Ruger said two decades ago. Hey, the man is dead and buried.

Hey Tom,
Great article. Thanks for your support but if you've been fighting for gun rights as long as you state then you should be very familiar with what Bill Ruger DID and the controversy that surrounds him and his company. For a refresher read this:
http://www.thegunzone.com/rkba/papabill.html

If you need more look up writings by the late Neal Knox. It isn't so much what Ruger said that alienated many gun owners it's what he actively DID. He willingly threw a section of loyal "gunnies" to the wolves for his own self interest. I met the man twice and wasn't impressed either time.

The fact that "he's dead and gone" is a moot point as far as I'm concerned. Who does or doesn't currently have a stake in his company is a moot point. He cost me a lot of money and caused some of the firearms I like best to jump into the stratosphere pricewise. I may forgive but I don't forget. I haven't heard anyone at Ruger apologize or make any attempt to rectify what he did. For that reason I choose to spend my firearm dollars elsewhere to this day. You might say I'm voting with my dollars.

I do thank Bill for one thing. In looking for reasonably priced rifles I discovered Savage. Just like Rugers they aren't real pretty but unlike Rugers they are tack drivers right out of the box and still reasonably
priced.