SHOT Show Notes

I just returned from the 2012 SHOT show, the largest and most successful ever.

All the manufacturers are working to fulfill backorders that will extend well past the Gingrich inauguration.  One has only to check the current stock market values of the 2 publicly held firearms manufacturers in America to see that their values have increased dramatically in the last year.

It is now impossible to count the number of manufacturers of Sport Utility Rifles (AR platform rifles) and 1911 and polymer pistols.

In the training business we have an ever increasing number of providers.  We have experienced an increase of 600% in women participating in training.

How have we arrived at this point, three years into the administration of the most anti freedom president in the nation’s history?

Where has all this energy and enthusiasm come from?

What is driving this expansion of our industry, this expression of freedom of our citizens?

I submit to you that 2012 is the culmination of a Perfect Storm that began brewing in 1988.  The year of the first shall issue concealed carry law passed in Florida.  This law was the impetus for more than 40 more states to pass similar legislation.

In 1994, the Clinton administration passed their version of the Sport Utility Rifle ban and the ban on standard capacity magazines, requiring manufacturers to sell only reduced capacity magazines.  Along with a significant tax increase, these two issues cost President Clinton his ability to govern from the left as America mobilized to take over the national legislature.

In 2001, jihadists attacked America, using commercial aircraft.  Once the passengers understood what was going on, Americans took the fight to the jihadists.  While the plane crashed, the heroes aboard the aircraft prevented another victory for the jihadists and provided a lesson for all Americans.  Never surrender, fight, they may kill you but if you do not fight they will surely kill you.

In 2004, the Clinton bans on Sport Utility Rifles and standard capacity magazines expired, even as the leftists fought to reinstate the law that did nothing to reduce crime or make America safer.

In 2005, “The Lawful Commerce in Arms Act”, shepherded through by the National Rifle Association was passed and signed by President Bush.  This legislation provided that firearms manufacturers, distributors and dealers could not be sued out of business.  This one act actually saved this industry in America and tens of thousands of jobs.

In 2008, government expansion took off.  At an ever escalating rate, freedom has been continuously restricted, debt has been heaped upon all of us and crime has been increasing.

In 2011 and 2012 we are watching the fall of the insolvent governments across Europe.  We are watching the overthrow of “The Friends of Obama” (governments he greeted warmly in 2009, traveling across the Middle East, offering apologies for America).

In case after case, Americans witnessed hours of attacks on the hardworking European producers by consumers and terrorists of every stripe.  Americans have taken notice of our real economic situation (almost Greece).

Americans are aware that the potential for large scale unrest is real.

Americans have awakened to the realization that they really do have only themselves to rely on when unrest rises to these levels.

About the author:

Buz Mills, a USMC Veteran, has served on the Board of Director NRA since 2009 and is the President of Gunsite Academy, Inc., the world’s oldest, largest privately owned firearms training facility, training USMC/Special Operations personnel deploying to Middle East, law enforcement and civilians.Buz is a lifetime hunter, gun collector and competitive shooter (IPSC national competitor). Buz is also a political activist/lobbyist, supporting local, state, national pro-2A candidates.