The state of America’s gun economy during a Donald Trump presidency will continue to change.
Some people fear that, while things will undoubtedly get better for gun owners as an entity, there is no longer the need to buy massive numbers of firearms, inevitably causing the gun market to come tumbling down.
The argument can be made about former president Obama (HA! I love saying “former”) that he is the best gun salesman of all time.
And, now that there is room to breathe with a pro-gun president in the White House without having to fear that our guns will be confiscated, the gun economy is doomed. In other words, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Or, can you?
Personally, I think cake is delicious, and, truth be told, if President Trump is smart about this, and he actually does support the people who put him over the top in the election, he could actually boost the economy even further than before.
Believe me … believe me …
Let’s dive into this, head first.
Imagine, if you will, a world where the Hearing Protection Act is law. Imagine going to the gun shop, filling out a form 4473, and leaving with the suppressor of your choice. Imagine not having to jump through NFA hoops with exorbitant fees just so you can protect your ears …
… personally speaking, I don’t own a single suppressor because of the principal of having to jump through said hoops for one. How many people are out there in the country like me who would love the option to own a suppressor for their gun but choose not to?
Or, better yet, who’d have a suppressor for multiple guns? If I didn’t have to pay exorbitant fees and wait several months for one, I would. But, here’s the beautiful thing:
None of my guns are set up for a suppressor, because I’m currently unwilling to buy one. If things change, and I’m suddenly willing to, which I’m crossing my fingers for, I’ll make that plunge.
But because none of my guns are set up for suppression use, I’d have to either buy more guns that are ready, or buy the accessories to make them ready. Therefore, it wouldn’t just be the suppressor companies who would benefit, because gun makers and accessory makers would also benefit.
And, in an effort to help people buy more suppressors and accessories, prices would have to come down. The days of overpriced goods is likely over as more companies wake up to the smell of freedom, realizing that they’ll have to compete on price to sell any.
The suppressor thing is just one of the ways President Trump can keep the firearms economy strong.
Let’s move on to another NFA item, Short Barreled Rifles and Shotguns. Why is there so much regulation on such a useful firearm? Oh, silly me for forgetting. It’s so the government can make more money.
Besides that, though, what’s the point? While pistols, rifles, and shotguns work just fine for home defense, they don’t compare to a short barreled gun with a butt stock on it. Current law allows for a rifle with a barrel of 16” while a shotgun must have an 18” barrel.
Anything less than that (in addition to overall length, etc.) requires additional steps to purchase.
Asinine.
Can you imagine if gun companies were given free reign to build and sell SBRs and SBSs? They could sell to everyone without needing the consumer to jump through government hoops. All that’ll be needed is a simple background check, which most of us are already doing.
My guess, is that we’d buy them like crazy.
If we didn’t buy them direct from the factory, the accessory companies would flourish. In all reality, if President Trump made it easier to acquire these useful weapons, the firearms economy would boom.
Why? Again, companies like FN America and the like would be able to sell their Short Barreled Rifles.
Or, if you already own an AR pistol without a butt-stock, but want to put one on when it becomes legal, you can buy one and shoulder that puppy without worrying about the ATF knocking down your door.
If you own 6 AR-15s and want to purchase 12 inch barrels for half of them, Or, better yet, an even shorter barrel with room for a suppressor, the barrel company will be able to sell you and everyone else in the same boat, that barrel.
Oh, let’s not forget the gas system, handguard, grips, butt stocks, and all the other stuff people will need (and want) to buy when they go to complete their perfect home-defense gun.
Ah, I hear what some of you are thinking right now. “But, we’ll put so many of the ATF employees out of work.” Well, not necessarily.
While we are at it, why don’t we reorganize the BATFE, the nice folks who regulate such stupidity, into what we’ll simply call the BATT. Instead of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, it can be known as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Terrorism.
Rather than worrying about what law abiding citizens are doing with their firearms, they can work on what actual criminals are trying to do next. Instead of making our lives harder, maybe they can help us out a bit by helping the overwhelmed FBI by keeping more eyes on the suspected terrorists.
Just a thought.
But, what about the money the government collects from the NFA items? That’ll leave a big hole won’t it?
Maybe.
A part of the burden can be relinquished by offering up some more guns for sale. What do we want? Military issued 1911s!
When do we want them?
Yesterday!
Seriously though. How many people were lined up to buy old, beat up 1911s from the CMP? I know I was. I bet you were too. There is money to be made there, if the government can get off its arse, and sell them to us.
Personally speaking, if just these things are done, it will do wonders for the firearms industry. Then, when you take the rest of what we are hoping Trump will do and put that into the pot, the gun industry will stay strong for many years to come.
Only time will tell, at this point, just how far President Trump is willing to go for the silent gun-majority who voted him into office. We know what we want, and it’s now time to deliver.
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