AS SALES SOAR, BUSHMASTER SHRUGS AT BID TO RENEW GUN BAN (Online Poll)

PortlandPressHerald ^ | Wednesday, May 14, 2003 | MATT WICKENHEISER

[fight_truth_decay]

Nearly a decade after Bushmaster Firearms and other gun makers lost their fight to block a federal ban on assault weapons, the Windham company has increased its sales by at least 900 percent, erasing fears that the ban would put some manufacturers out of business.

At Bushmaster, revenue is 10 to 15 times what it was before the 1994 law, said Allen Faraday, the company's vice president of administration.

"We adjusted our business as to what was allowed and what wasn't allowed, and we've grown since then," Faraday said. "Basically, what we did was, going forward, we eliminated all of those items that made it a banned firearm."

So, as Congress begins to consider an extension of the assault weapons ban, Bushmaster is largely indifferent. At the same time, some gun-control proponents cite the sniper shootings around Washington, D.C., where a Bushmaster gun was used, as an example of the need to extend such bans.

Legislation has been filed to indefinitely extend the ban, which is set to expire in September 2004.

"Of course we were opposed" to the ban initially, Faraday said. "It was the latest attempt - and a very powerful one - for the anti-gun people to ban firearms. What they do is go after the military, sinister-looking firearms first."

But Bushmaster is less worried about an extension. "From our point of view, extending the ban is probably OK," Faraday said.

In fact, the 77-employee company is so bullish about the future that on Tuesday it announced plans to buy a bankrupt competitor, Professional Ordnance Inc. of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Faraday declined to reveal sales figures and is not required to do so because Bushmaster is a private company. However, he said the firm - which makes semi-automatic rifles for civilians, as well as automatic weapons for the military and foreign government agencies - has increased its sales across all markets.

Bushmaster has pushed quality and customer service, Faraday said, while a major competitor, Colt, was having problems in those areas. Colt also lost support from traditional supporters, such as the National Rifle Association, when it agreed with a federal government request to put trigger locks on its guns.

"In terms of non-government sales, we are the largest in the country," said Faraday. "We're much larger than Colt for AR-15-type rifles," a semiautomatic version of the most common military weapon.

An extension of the federal ban has been proposed by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. President Bush has also indicated he would support extending the ban.

According to a statement from Feinstein's office, assault weapons accounted for 8.2 percent of all guns used in crimes in 1993. In 1996, the latest date for which statistics are available, the number dropped to 3.2 percent.

The original ban listed a series of specific firearm models that were prohibited. Bushmaster's AR-15, a civilian version of the M-16, wasn't on the list, said Faraday, and that allowed the company to make product modifications that helped it thrive.

The federal law defined "assault rifle" by characteristics. Bushmaster's weapons included several of the features, including a telescoping stock, threads for a screw-on flash suppressor and a lug for mounting a bayonet, Faraday said.

Bushmaster fought the ban until it was clear the legislation would become law. Then the company began to redesign its AR-15 to comply with the new statute, he said. The changes were all cosmetic and didn't affect the gun's performance, Faraday said. Also, a limit on the size of magazines for the guns lowered the number of rounds to 10 from 30, he said.

Faraday said most of the gun manufacturers made similar changes to their designs, and that he wasn't aware of any business that would suffer if the ban weren't lifted as scheduled.

If the ban is removed, Faraday said a market probably would develop for weapons with the missing modifications, because that would make the guns more like their military cousins.

"I suspect we would respond to the market, and if the market wanted some other rifles in the pre-ban configuration, we would follow the law and we might offer those," said Faraday. "There was nothing we were required to do that would make that rifle safer."

Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both Republicans, have yet to announce their positions on the proposed extension.

The House version of the bill would strengthen the current law by including weapons modified to get around the ban, such as Bushmaster's Superlight Carbine. Faraday said he wasn't familiar with the House bill, but said, "If it makes sense, then we certainly will consider it."

Bill Harwood, president of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence, said the ban should go further. "It has had some effectiveness, but it's not nearly what it could be," he said.

"Manufacturers are very, very successful at finding ways of getting as close to the line as possible," Harwood said. "Bushmaster's a good example. They've learned how to work around the assault weapons ban and still supply firearms to people who are capable of doing things like those done by the Beltway (Washington) snipers."

Bushmaster made the gun used in the shootings last fall, and the company is facing a lawsuit by relatives of victims. The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, also names the Tacoma, Wash., gun dealer that either sold or lost the rifle, as well as the sniper suspects, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Malvo. Muhammad and Malvo are accused of killing 13 people and wounding five others in Washington, D.C., Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Virginia.

Faraday said Bushmaster supports a pending bill that would not only ban lawsuits unless the manufacturer commits a crime, but would also allow for current lawsuits to be dropped after judicial review.

"These are lawsuits that are . . . saying the industry needs to be held responsible for who buys their firearms, and how they're used, marketed, etc.," said Faraday.

The House version of the bill passed 285 to 140, said Faraday, but the Senate version hasn't been heard yet.

Staff Writer Matt Wickenheiser can be contacted at 791- 6316 or at: mwickenheiser@pressherald.com

[ninenot]

I have also heard that Colt's quality has dropped like a rock on the 'standard' model, although the target model is pretty good...

[Travis McGee]

OTOH, "AWB+" would put them all out of business.

[joesnuffy]

www.busmaster.com

Bushmaster Firearms has always been a proud and strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an
individuals right to access, own and use firearms. Bushmaster has fought the anti-gun movement continually
in their constant efforts to eliminate firearms from our society. We have committed a great deal of our
resources to support this effort and will continue to do so.



Unfortunately, the anti-gun movement finds a great deal of favor in much of the press with their bias and
slanted reporting. Bushmaster has always tried to be open and honest with the press in an effort to help
them see the other side and to educate them on the real issues. Often the real story is left out or slanted in
an attempt to feed the anti-gun agenda.



In a May 14th article in a local newspaper, regarding the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban and its sunset provision,
the reporter took totally out of context what Mr. Faraday said and slanted the article in a way that made it
appear that Bushmaster was in support of extending the Ban. One of the quotes that was taken out of
context and was incomplete was "From our point of view, extending the ban is probably OK, in terms of
affecting our sales, but we have always supported legislation protecting gun rights, including the Assault
Weapons Ban sunset provision." The reporter asked how Bushmaster dealt with the ban in the first place and
how we were able to continue our business. The quote that we would consider supporting the bill that would
strengthen the current Assault Weapons Ban law was totally mischaracterized. The discussion was about how
far apart the pro-gun groups and the anti-gun groups are in trying to understand each other, and that if the
anti-gun groups would propose ideas or suggestions that made sense, then we would consider them, but
instead their entire effort is to shutdown the industry.



The firearms industry's ongoing battle with the well-financed anti-gun groups creates an atmosphere of
absolute non-understanding and non-compromise on both sides. From the point of view of the firearms
industry, it has become an issue of survival. As long as the press continues to distort and slant the issues,
and the anti-gun groups are determined to destroy the industry, then there never will be any meaningful
discussion of the issues.





Contact Information

Here you will find all our telephone numbers and Email contacts.

Telephones
For Sales, Pre-sales and Technical Questions, please call:
Sales Department: 1-800-998-7928
Mon. through Fri. 8:30 am - 7:00 pm
Sat. 10:00am - 3:00 pm.
Eastern Standard Time

For Product Availability, Order Status, Tracking Numbers
Customer Service: 1-800-883-6229
Mon. through Fri. 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Email: customerservice@bushmaster.com
FAX
1-207-892-8068

Address for UPS Packages
Bushmaster Firearms, Inc.
999 Roosevelt Trail
Windham, ME 04062

Address for all other Mail

Bushmaster Firearms, Inc.
P.O. Box 1479
Windham, ME 04062

Electronic Mail
Law Enforcement: le@bushmaster.com
Technical Support: techsupport@bushmaster.com
Customer Service: customerservice@bushmaster.com
Company Information: info@bushmaster.com
Webmaster: webmaster@bushmaster.com

[Kadric]

Colt has always used a large front pin on their civilan AR-15's as far as I know. I know that at one point they changed the trigger and hammer pin size also not sure when but would guess it was when they installed the block in the lower. I have a '68 production with the large pin. I would say it was more of quality and marketing issues which cost them. Why pay the extra money for the Colt name when you can get a better product for a lot less.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Bump.......

[Eaker]

Thanks Joe!!!!

To characterize this report's lies as "taken out of context" is far more polite than I would have been!

Eaker

[nerdwithamachinegun]

Colt also doesn't have much going for it in terms of customer service.

They will not sell a wide variet of rifle parts to individuals as will Bushmaster, ArmaLite, Rock River Arms and others.

Try buying a replacement 14.5" lightweight barrel from them.

[Shooter 2.5]

Really? I thought they changed the pin size during the Assault Weapons ban. It was one of the reasons why I went to an Armalite.

Thanks for the info.

[Shooter 2.5]

Way to go, Joe!

More media lies exposed.

Looks like I owe Bushmaster an apology.

You called it, Ninenot. Never trust the media.

[freedomlover]

I was going to buy a pre-ban Colt (NIB) with everything nasty on it for $2500- but now I'm going to wait and buy the same thing for hopefully lots less. Sorry I'll have to wait a year + but I did order a Ruger Red Label 12 Ga Over/Under today!

[Fiddlstix]

Online poll: Assault rifles

What's your opinion?
Should Congress ban certain types of assault rifles?

No, I am not in favor of a ban on assault rifles: 81.52%

Yes, I am in favor of a ban on assault rifles: 15.16%

I'd need more information to make a decision: 3.33%

Total Votes: 1082

To top of story

[Blue Collar Christian]

"President Bush has also indicated he would support extending the ban."

Maybe I missed that. I thought he said be would sign the bill if it got to his desk. That is not indicating he would support it, it is saying he would not veto it if it got to his desk. Not necessarily the same thing.

This guy could show Chubby Checker a thing or two.

[PhilDragoo]

Did you say Bushmaster?

Sean Hannity confirmed today Chuck Schumer has an armed bodyguard.

[Squantos]

But Bushmaster is less worried about an extension. "From our point of view, extending the ban is probably OK," Faraday said

From my point of view buying "Colt" from now on is OK ...Squantos said.....

Stay Safe Joe !

[from occupied ga]

I want one!

[Joe Brower]

See joesnuffy's post #23. The lying leftmedia strikes again!

[ninenot]

Ahhhh--you get older (like me) sometimes you instinctively know "what's missing" in the newspaper quotes.

Practice, practice, practice, then buy more ammo and practice more.

[ninenot]

All he was referring to is that BushM will be economically viable, even if the ban continued. No way, no how, did he "endorse" the ban, as you can see from the BushMas website material posted in # 23.

You have to understand that The Press lies in very sophisticated ways. A study of Bill Clinton's speeches will be helpful to you as coursework for Lying 401. Right next to it should be Maureen Dowd columns.

[BlueOneGolf]

2nd Amendment BUMP!!!