Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Anyone seen David Petzal?

He has his own TV show called the Gun Nuts on the Outdoor Channel and was recently praising Kenny Jarret's AR15 on it.

That's a beauty, BTW.....

You're "hope" was realized long ago. Haven't bought any Ruger products since Bill Ruger made his "deal with the Devil." Over the years I'd bought seven of his firearms before... but none after.

L.W.

This, from the guy that thought it WOULD penetrate??

Genius...

To those who would castigate a guy ( and extending it to all things him --his company for instances) for a stated opinion or position once held, it's good to know you've never taken the low road, always the high road, have aways been in the right, always had the wind to your back and never have had to change our mind.

I never a couple of years ago would have thought I'd own a black rifle; I was rather scornful of them. Then a young coworker introduced me to them and voil�, i have one. True, it's an ugly, black machine but what a machine it is!

I like DP's writing with his acerbic humor and wit and don't write-off guys that don't hold every position I do.

Ben Franklin's maxim about liberty and safety applies to Bill Ruger's sell-out to the leftists.

Schoolchildren across America should be learning this wise quote:
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Well said! I had forgotten that quote.

I too took offense at what Ruger did, but as a small business owner I recognize that you do what you have to do to survive. Do those that hold Bill in offense own a Smith and Wesson? Everyone makes mistakes, it is just when you own a multimillion/billion dollar profitable company they make it to the news media a lot faster. He made a stand and was man enough to back it up. Not many would or can with that much riding on the outcome. For that I still respect him. Besides, I like his firearms too much to hold a grudge too long for a man that do so much good during his lifetime.

The proverb "Do not judge me until you walk a mile in my shoes AND make my payroll" applies here.

With respect to Smith and Wesson, the company is no longer owned by the holding company that sold out to the leftists (it may have changed hands twice since then).

Actions have consequences, and Bill Ruger took a position based on his risk calculations of whether he was risking more by alienating customers and potential customers by selling out to the leftists or taking a principled stand for the 2nd Amendment. Consumers have a right to vote with their dollars against business owners who actively seek to restrict their rights - that's one of the great aspects of a capitalist society.

Can somebody remind me what Bill Ruger did that was so horrible? I recall that he said he could live with a ban on hi-cap magazines. Was there anything else? And was that such a terrible statement that we can call it "selling out to leftists?"

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturm,_Ruger
quote:-----------
In addition to the furor from the National Rifle Association caused by "The Ruger Letter", Ruger made additional comments during an interview with NBC network's Tom Brokaw that angered the NRA further, saying: "no honest man needs more than 10 rounds in any gun�" and "I never meant for simple civilians to have my 20 and 30 round magazines�". It has long been Ruger's policy to limit sales of those items to Law Enforcement or Military purchasers.
------------------

I think honest men and women who live near our southern border might have a need for more than 10 rounds in a gun.

Razor back,

Yes Smith and Wesson is no longer owned by the previous holding company. Does not mean that they did not screw up just as bad. Similarly, Ruger is no longer owned by Bill Ruger Sr., as he is deceased. Why forgive one and not the other? Doesn't add up.

It amazes me how a firearms maker can also be anti 2nd amendment

The amount of ammo that my magazine holds is for me to decide, not Bill Ruger

And do not the benefits to American gunowners provided by Ruger and their products not amount to anything?

I don't require people to agree with me 100%.

I'm sorry, but I still don't see how those comments can be expanded into B.R. being "anti 2nd Amendment." He's talking about magazines, not guns. And his opinion about how many rounds a civilian needs are just that: his opinions.

On the same kind of overly critical thinking, does a company owner who says "real guns are blued steel and walnut" become anti 2nd Amendment? It is, after all, an opinion that would limit the kinds of guns his company made.

Excellent points as usual Rocky.

I am also sure that in his present condition, Bill Ruger could not care less about what anybody thinks about what he said while alive. It also seems pretty weird to boycott a company due to what somebody who has passed away once said.

Just because Ruger believed in the regulation of certain aspects of gun ownership did not make him "anti second amendment".

That quote above only makes him "anti high capacity magazines for civilian use"...

That may not fit YOUR world view, but it sure as hell did not make the man Anti- Second amendment.

Firearms owners expect people who own firearms companies to back freedom and the 2nd amendment. Standing before your customer base and telling them they are "simple" peons who can not be trusted with high capacity magazines shows the same arrogance the leftist politicians exhibit.

On another note, Cooper Firearms took a hit a couple of years ago because the CEO supported Obama. It means I vote with my dollars, and I won't be buying any Coopers, either. I am reminded every day these past two years that Obama got elected by a bunch of morons.

I certainly disagree, you are either pro 2nd or you are not, there ain't no 1/2 BS. Only 10 round capacity today, single shots tomorrow
Capacity limits is certainly anti 2nd amendment, no other way to slice it.

Dan Cooper was ousted from the Cooper company due to the Obama stuff, shortly after the news became public two years ago. Boycotting Cooper is about as smart as boycotting Ruger because Bill Ruger (who passed away 8-1/2 years ago) made some negative comments about high-capacity magazines on civilian firearms.