AR-15 sales and 'rights' controversy

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

The AR-15 platform is available today to shooters and collectors in a variety of calibers (the diameter in inches of the projectile) with many accessories (straps, scopes...). It enjoys a niche in the gun market somewhat analogous to the niche which the iPod has in the personal music player market.

Just as iPods have numerous types of accessories designed specifically for them, AR-15s can be fitted with stocks (the end which is held against your shoulder) of various lengths and both folding and telescoping stocks. In short, it's popular, in part because the variety of available accessories makes it adaptable to wide range of uses and comfortable for various statures of shooters.

It's estimated that about 4 million AR-15s are privately owned in the US today.

Some folks believe that the Second Amendment protects the right of the people to have the military and law enforcement armed. That's not the whole story. Some other folks believe that the Second Amendment assures that individual citizens can buy AR-15s so they can fight off our federal government if need be. That's also not the whole story.

This controversy is about rights. There are basic rights like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that are expressed in the Declaration of Independence and universally understood. If you believe in the right to life, the right of self-defense is a natural consequence of that. The rights protected in the Bill of Rights are really attributes of humanity. When others don't respect your rights, you're more of a slave than you are free person.

Great thinkers and philosophers back to Plato and maybe before have devised ideas on government. Our founding documents make it clear that a prime responsibility of government is to protect the rights of individuals. One of the more important aspects of the Second Amendment and any of the individual rights covered in the Bill of Rights is their use as a barometer of how well our government is doing at that prime responsibility.

Trust me; it's more important to know that your government is doing its job protecting everyone's individual rights than it is to make sure you get an AR now before the ban, so yours will be grandfathered in. If you have the money to buy an AR, spend some on your phone bill and call your representatives. Spend on some postage and write a letter. If you can take some time off work, visit your representatives. Protect everyone's rights.

As Basil Plumley said when Hal Moore asked him about finally getting an M-16, "Sir, if the time comes I need one, there'll be plenty lying on the ground." That day will never come for this country if we keep in mind the importance of our basic rights.

[jmg257]

1. Has ANYONE ever said we don't have the right to self defense??

Hmm - "Justification" I think is what it is called in many penal codes.

'Justification; use of physical force in defense of a person.'

Whew - Yes - we still have it!!

Brutus
"The common good, therefore, is the end of civil government, and
common consent, the foundation on which it is established. To effect this
end, it was necessary that a certain portion of natural liberty should be
surrendered, in order, that what remained should be preserved: how great a
proportion of natural freedom is necessary to be yielded by individuals,
when they submit to government, I shall not now enquire. So much, however,
must be given up, as will be sufficient to enable those, to whom the
administration of the government is committed, to establish laws for the
promoting the happiness of the community, and to carry those laws into
effect. But it is not necessary, for this purpose, that individuals should
relinquish all their natural rights. Some are of such a nature that they
cannot be surrendered. Of this kind are the rights of conscience, the right
of enjoying and defending life, etc."

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. I see no difference...

...in effect between using the term "Justification; use of physical force in defense of a person" and "right to self-defense".

As to surrendering liberty, individuals surrender their freedom to do as they please when what they please detracts in substance from the life, liberty or property of another. There is no reason to surrendering liberty to the government.

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[jmg257]

5. There is none. Which is why I said there aren't many people at all

Who say we should lose it.

Maybe some pacifists somewhere?


Edit ipad suk

[jmg257]

2. Stories? I would say these are works of fiction.

Some folks believe that the Second Amendment protects the right of the people to have the military and law enforcement armed. That's not the whole story. Some other folks believe that the Second Amendment assures that individual citizens can buy AR-15s so they can fight off our federal government if need be. That's also not the whole story.

The folks who believe this stuff really need to study more.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

4. We all could always use more study. ;) n/t

[jmg257]

6. :). You ain't shitting! nt

[jimmy the one]

7. drinking like a fish does not qualify for phd

discnt: We all could always use more study. n/t
jmg257 . You ain't shitting! nt

You must not know any 'professional students'. Some are 'in college for life', or the predominance of it, or perpetuity, perpetual students.
I know a few, using the higher educational system as a pretext to live their life of reilly, & justify their indolence.
Some get masters degrees majoring in Voluntary Idleness, then there's one phd candidate I wonder about, not in college anywhere, not for years, what will it be in? maybe 'aquatic life', since he drinks like a fish.

.. remember the higher education hierarchy:
BS degree means bull sh*t degree
MS degree More of the Same
PHD: Piled Higher & Deeper

.. of course reading books is not what I'm talking about, I love libraries.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. Piled Higher & Deeper ;)

I know just what you mean. Again, I think we all could always use more study and less school.

(After being expelled.)
John Blutarsky: Seven years of college down the drain!

[jmg257]

9. LOL! GREAT line! nt

[rrneck]

17. When you get your bachelors degree

you think you know everything.

When you get your masters you find out you know nothing.

When you get your doctorate you find out nobody else knows anything either.

[ileus]

10. I'm sitting at home today waiting for Mr. UPSman

to deliver my new upper...I've had the lower for a year or two and I finally ordered a new upper.

Turns out they want a live autograph and won't just leave it on the porch.

Anyone who loves mechanical (and simple mechanics at that) devices would love the AR platform. You can build a lower in your favorite chair. Customize it to any level you desire for whatever use you want. Hunting, Competition, Target, Self Defense.

You can buy many different short length caliber uppers making it the TC of the semi-auto world. You can customize every aspect of this little rifle making it the ideal multipurpose firearm. Don't like DI then get a piston powered upper. The posibilities are endless let your imagination run wild you won't be disappointed.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

11. "...the AR platform..."

A marvel of engineering to be sure.

[ileus]

12. Exactly...lots of people don't realize the utility of this little gem.

Sure some don't like the DI part, but that's easy to get past if you're willing to spend a few more bucks for a piston powered upper.

For the price of three uppers you can have it all in the AR.

Target, Hunting, and Self Defense. Spend 400 bucks in tax stamps and you can get a SBR with suppressor custom made for the ultimate in home defense. The best part is it's affordable (well it was) you could get a basic sporter for 700 bucks, that's doubled for now. Hopefully once the scare is over they'll come back down.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

13. Be on guard

When the prices start normalizing the same type of 'when in doubt, ship it out' pressure that occurred with computer HDDs after the Thailand floods in the Fall of 2011, will impact QC on these AR parts. During the floods, which seriously impacted production, HDD prices almost doubled. As a result the recovery period saw prices return to normal but many brands, including Western Digital, HGST (Hitachi brand owned by WD) and Seagate are still shipping drives with high failure rates.

I would expect a more moderate but analogous problem with ARs.

[Ashgrey77]

15. That happened during the last real rush, QC started slipping bad.

When Obama got elected to his first term there was a huge rush on all firearms stuff including AR15's and associated magazines. QC slipped big time once they ramped production to meet demand. I had a top of the line Noveske upper I had to send in and then sold because of QC problems during that time period. It will happen again, and soon. LOL

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

18. I've been away from QC for awhile but...

...IMHO the commercial world could learn a few things from DoD:
http://docimages.assistdocs.com/watermarker/transient/46FC5E8B30FF4F119CBA501A5EB2EF13.pdf

But there's never a substitute for manpower, skill or experience.

[ileus]

16. Don't remind me of what awaits me when I return to work tomorrow.

I have to copy a HD then configure all the DICOM settings tomorrow on one of my LogiQ9's. I've already replaced two BEP's in the past six months these ultrasound units are giving me one hell of a headache.

Anyway....you're right I'm sure the QC dept is out to lunch during high volume times like these. I read yesterday that magpul was 1 million magazines behind on orders. LOL Glad I have all the magazines I need. I do need another complete BCG.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

19. That whole HDD dance...

...is a real PITA.

[Ashgrey77]

14. That is why I like them.

I'm a computer technician who builds and works on almost everything I own. Firearms being no exception. The Armalite platform is probably one of the best modular firearms ever devised. Multiple calibers, operating systems, ergonomics, and to top it all off it's lite, compact, and soft shooting even in larger calibers like 7.62x51mm. Plus you don't need a gunsmith with a machine shop to work on or build one. I consider myself a technical person, and that's exactly what the AR series of rifles is, a tech geeks firearm.