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A survey of 371 youths in Sacramento’s juvenile justice system by the Sacramento Bee found that more than half claim to be able to get a gun within 24 hours.

The youths said their sources are friends, illegal gun dealers or from home.
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Officials want to expand a gun violence prevention program in the San Juan Unified School District. The program provides a hotline for students to report weapons and includes a two-hour class on gun violence.

Gulf War are in the hands of thousands of civilians, including terrorists and drug dealers, according to US congressional investigators. They are available through dealers, gun shows and the Internet. Buyers need prove only that they are 18 and do not have a criminal record.

The anti-gun movement continues to use tragedies to further its agenda. In a shameless move to exploit the Sept. 11 attacks, Handgun Control Inc. (HCI-Brady) released a hastily assembled report linking American gun sales to terrorism.

The report, entitled, “Guns and Terror: How Terrorists Exploit Our Weak Gun Laws,” was released in mid-December during a Capitol Hill press conference.

“For terrorists around the world, the United States is the Great Gun Bazaar,” said Michael Barnes, president of HCI.

The report claims that: “The irresponsibility of the gun industry, as well as irrational statutory restraints on federal record keeping of gun sales and other necessary enforcement tools, allows corrupt gun dealers to funnel guns to terrorists.”

At the press conference were Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calif.). They all called for stricter gun laws.

“Our current gun laws are so weak that our country serves as a virtual arsenal for terrorists,” Waxman said.

“Jihad trainees are instructed to ‘obtain an assault rifle legally’ and enroll in American gun clubs to take courses in sniping, general shooting, and other rifle courses,” Reed said.

Sen. Feinstein called for background checks on all firearm transactions, even those between individuals.

In the report, HCI calls for new restrictions on gun sales, including:

“Requiring complete criminal background checks wherever a gun is sold, whether at a gun show, through classified ads, or over the Internet.

“Retaining federal background check records and allowing reasonable access to those records by federal law enforcement.

“Limiting large-volume gun purchases to curb trafficking of guns to terrorists and criminals.

“Permanently reauthorizing the assault weapons ban.”

While anti-gun legislators and the liberal media praised the report, its exploitation of fear was not lost on others. An editorial in the Missoulan newspaper of Missoula, Mont., called the report “a shameful ploy.”

“The report’s few examples of people linked to terrorist groups buying guns in the United States all involve cases in which authorities caught the suspects breaking our ‘weak guns laws,”‘ the Missoulan’s editors wrote. “Read the report critically and what you actually see is reassuring: Law enforcement agencies, using informants, tracking records and mounting sting operations, were effectively thwarting would-be terrorists long before Sept. 11. The notion that Islamic fanatics can expect an easy time shopping at gun shows — the main “gun bazaar” cited in the report — is laughable.”

The Missoulan is right. Sadly, though, those dedicated to abolishing guns and gun ownership aren’t laughing. They’re cheering. In addition, they’re giving large sums of money to finance the anti-gun movement. In December, we reported that Sarah Brady, chair of HCI, was pleading for money.

“Regretfully, I must report to you that in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America, we have been forced to make significant cutbacks in our programs, threatening our ability to fight for a safe America. We desperately need your help now more than ever,” Brady wrote.

Incredible! First, HCI blames the Sept. 11 attacks for forcing “significant cutbacks” and then exploits the terrorist actions to push for more gun controls. Brady’s plea for money resulted in two donations, totaling $500,000, at the end of last year. It’s important to know how HCI is planning to use the money.

A $200,000 donation from the late political cartoonist Herbert Block “will be used to advance the Brady Center’s core mission of creating an America free from gun violence.”

A $300,000 donation from the June and John Hechinger Sr. Charitable Trust will be used:

“To establish and train a strong national network of volunteer speakers who will educate their communities about the threat of gun violence and highlight how it can be reduced through prevention efforts and gun safety laws.

“To educate and mobilize college-age students about the impact of gun violence and what they can do to help make their communities safe by supporting the Campus Alliance to Prevent Gun Violence, a network of local, campus-based chapters that work closely with existing gun-control organizations.

In 1994, gun sales soared, manufacturers worked overtime, distributors rushed inventories through the pipeline, and dealers sold guns as fast as they arrived.

In 1995, gun sales plummeted, manufacturing slowed to a crawl, bloated inventories gathered dust, and the dealer became the second loneliest man in town.

Ironically, 1994 should have been a rotten year for businesses and 1995 a great year. In 1994, anti-gun messages resounded across the country and the crime law was signed by the President. It had the makings of a bad year.

However, the anti-gun campaigns actually drove guns sales to record highs. When the GOP gained control of Congress, 1995 was set to be a good year.

It didn’t happen. Sales figures lurched, stumbled and staggered through the first quarter of ‘95. And then it got worse.

“It was not a banner year,” said Bob Scott of Smith & Wesson. “Hardest hit were high-capacity handguns that no longer had high-capacity magazines.”

With handgun sales crippled, other products took a beating.

“The softening of the handgun market definitely affected our handgun ammunition business,” said Bill Wohl of Remington.

When sales stopped, inventories jammed warehouses and manufacturers slowed and, in some cases, turned off the machines, 1995 was a bad year for business. And its effect on the industry is expected to be felt into 1996.

“It’s going to be a tough first quarter,” said William Fraim, president of AcuSport. “Some in the industry have been so badly hurt they may not be around in February. Overall for next year, we’re looking at a slight improvement over 1995.”

Industry analysts expect handgun sales to continue to be soft through at least the first half of ‘96.

Despite the devastation, there were some bright spots during 1995. Shotgun sales held their own during the year and even advanced moderately, which also helped the sale of shotgun ammo. Rifles also continued to sell.

“Our long-gun business was still brisk,” said Wohl. “There was a big demand for our varmint rifles especially the Sendero.”

Quick adjustments by some manufacturers also helped them through the year.

“Introducing new products definitely helped,” said Scott. “We took a small gun emphasis to counter the soft high capacity market and to meet the demands of concealed carry.”

While most retailers reported a dismal year, not all dealers suffered during 1995. Wayne Williams, owner of Greene Guns & Sports Supply in Ruckersville, Va., said he had a “wonderful year.”

“We’ve done well this year and I’m expecting it to get better,” said Williams. “We sell upper-end firearms and a lot of accessories. We also don’t try to compete with the big mart stores.”

Adjusting to the marketplace will be, more than ever, vital to success in ‘96, according to industry insiders.

“We’re addressing the black powder market in ‘96,” said Wohl. “It’s an area where we see continued growth. Overall, 1996 looks to be a good year for us.”

In the end, experts view 1996 as a critical test to determine who will survive in the shooting industry.

“Yes, it’s been tough, but to be honest, we’ve never seen greater opportunity for future growth,” said Fraim of AcuSport. “We’re in this for the long term.”

Editor’s Note:

Each year, in the December issue of SI, we provide an extensive analysis of the firearms production for the previous year based on data received from the ATF. Devoted readers will note that no such 1994 production report appears in this issue. And for good reason. We don’t have the data.

For the first time in several decades, the ATF did not publish an Interim Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report. This year, the ATF acknowledged that their reports have been incomplete and often inaccurate. According to ATF officials, the reports from the manufacturers often have errors and the problem is compounded because the data has been handled poorly at the ATF. Rarely were reports ever screened and no one checked on manufacturers who failed to file their reports as required by law.

In between answering questions about the dozen or more handguns on the table in front of him, the Sabetha gun dealer charged that new gun control laws under consideration in Washington, D.C., are misguided attempts to respond to the spate of shootings in the nation’s schools. If put on the books, he said, they would do nothing to deter criminals and gun violence.

“That’s the way I feel,” Johnson said matter-of-factly. “They (Congress) don’t want to solve the problem — they’re satisfied with blaming the NRA (National Rifle Association) and gun shows.” Gun shows have been cast in a negative light since it was revealed that some of the weapons used in the April 20 massacre at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., were purchased at a Colorado gun show. One provision in a massive anti-crime bill that has passed the U.S. Senate and is awaiting consideration in the House of Representatives would require background checks on all transactions at gun shows. Currently, licensed gun dealers must clear all sales through the FBI’s background check system, a process that can take up to 72 hours. But private individuals can buy, sell and swap guns at shows without background checks or paperwork. If new background check requirements are imposed on private collectors and individual gun owners, Jeff LaCrone would be among those affected. He came to Saturday’s show with two rifles slung over his shoulders. A few hours later he had sold them both. “It’s not going to stop a thing,” LaCrone said of the proposed new restrictions. “It’s crazy. They’re not attacking the problem. They’re only looking at the symptoms.” But gun control advocates see the issue differently. To them, allowing people at gun shows to buy and sell weapons without a background check and resulting paper trail constitutes a dangerous loophole in the law. Recent polls suggest gun control advocates may be winning the battle for public opinion. A survey conducted earlier this month by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press indicated two-thirds of Americans believe increasing restrictions on guns is more important than protecting the rights of Americans to own them. An Associated Press poll taken soon after the Littleton shootings recorded a 9-point increase in the percentage of Americans who think tougher gun control laws are a better deterrent to violence than stricter enforcement of current laws. Many of the dealers and gun enthusiasts who attended Saturday’s show don’t believe the polls, dismissing them as misinformation spread by what several referred to as “the anti-gun media.” Joe Krasny, a gun dealer from Waterville, is among those who think public opinion has been manipulated by the media and the federal government. Seated behind a table in the back of the Expocentre’s massive convention floor, Krasny was selling off his inventory of handguns. He said he was getting out of the business because “it’s not worth the hassle involved.” Like many others at the show, Krasny is convinced the proliferation of guns has little to do with the problems of crime and violence in America. “When I went to school in the 1940s and 1950s, there was a gun in every home that I was ever in,” Krasny said. “The problem is there is no God in America anymore. And the government is to blame because they took the paddle away from the schoolteacher.” Complaints about the government, particularly the federal government and President Clinton, were common at the gun show. Several vendors attempted to capitalize on the anti-government sentiments. Among the most prominently displayed samples at one stand were T- shirts that labeled Clinton a draft dodger and one that featured a Nazi swastika, a Soviet hammer and sickle, and the star of the People’s Republic of China under the heading, “The experts agree, gun control works.” Another T-shirt on display read, “Christian American, heterosexual, pro-gun conservative. Any questions?”A nearby booth featured manuals for illegally transforming semiautomatic rifles into fully automatic assault weapons and several provocatively titled books, including: “CIA Explosives for Sabotage,” “Home Brew Dynamite,” “How to Make Disposable Silencers” and “The Anarchist’s Cookbook.” Several gun dealers said they were uncomfortable with some of the books, and promoter Rex Kehrli acknowledged he was thinking about banning some of them from his shows. But Kehrli, a strong believer in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms, said he is concerned about violating the First Amendment free- speech rights of his vendors. “It’s a controversial thing — I just haven’t acted on it yet,” he said. “You could go to the library and get the exact same books for free.” Kehrli isn’t as ambivalent when it comes to the proposed new gun control legislation. He is against it. Insisting that only 2 percent of crimes committed with guns involve weapons purchased at gun shows, Kehrli said: “We really worry the law is going to punish the law-abiding citizen. We are not getting the type of people in here who are doing the big nasty things in our society.” In front of Kehrli’s registration table at the front of the Expocentre, a man dressed in camouflage fatigues stood waiting to sell his Chinese military rifle to someone entering the show. Others looked over the mounds of merchandise on the show’s 400 vendor tables wearing holstered handguns, their children walking beside them with boxes of ammunition. Some have speculated the laws under consideration would drive gun shows out of business, but Kehrli doesn’t think so. “I think it would create a really horrible amount of inconveniences, but I don’t think it would put me out of business,” he said. Kehrli’s Iowa-based company, R.K. Shows, stages between 30 and 40 guns shows a year. The next Topeka show is scheduled for July 10-11 at the Expocentre.

Overall dealer profitability, as measured by Top Gun dealers nationwide, jumped in March to 10.7%, up from 2.1% in February. Overall net profit for the year through March was 5.7%, a sharp improvement over the 1.1% YTD figure recorded in February and the 1.6% last March. Showroom traffic also improved substantially in March.

Traffic was up 2% in March, compared to March 2002. By comparison, traffic had been down 23% and 28% in January and February, compared to the same months last year. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Indicators listed are year-to-date figures for …

Overall dealer profitability in January, as measured by Top Gun dealers nationwide, was a negative 3.3%, off from 5.6% in December. In January 2004, profitability was a negative 2.3%. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Showroom traffic also dropped in January Traffic was off 4%, compared to January 2004.

By comparison, traffic had been up 3% in November and December, compared to the same months in 2003. On a brighter note, gross profit per vehicle financed was $445 in January, up from $409 in December. Indicators listed are year-to-date figures for franchised, …

staff reports and bloomberg news reports Following a two-month sting operation, the city sued 15 out-of-state gun dealers as part of a bid by Mayor Michael Bloomberg (above) to crack down on illegal firearms. More than 500 guns sold by dealers in five states had been connected to crimes committed in the city.

The mayor joined Sen. Charles Schumer to press for legislation that would give local law enforcement access to federal gun data. Stengel succeeds Kelly at Time richard stengel (below), president of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and a former …

More than 50 people were arrested in a crackdown on thieves and drug dealers yesterday. Police searched 55 addresses in west and north London, Sutton, Croydon, Southampton, Slough and Solihull in the third phase of Operation Phoenix - an 18-month ongoing investigation.

“I cannot consent to allowing such a bill to pass through the Senate without any opportunity to debate the merits or offer amendments.”

Feinstein noted that the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association wrote to Congress on Sept. 25 urging them to oppose the bill, noting it “would have a devastating effect on the ability of law enforcement to stem the flow of firearms from lawbreaking gun dealers to violent criminals.”

Any senator can place a “hold” on a bill to keep it from being offered on the floor without 60 senators’ approval.

The National Rifle Association, which supports the bill, fired back.

“Dianne Feinstein told ‘60 Minutes’ that if she could get every man and woman to turn their guns in, she would,” NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said Thursday.

“As a supporter of draconian gun-control and gun-ban measures, it is not surprising that the senator would stand in the way of good public policy.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Modernization and Reform Act, introduced by Rep. Howard Coble, R- N.C., and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., differentiates penalties based on the seriousness of the violation and the size of the firearm business, and requires that any ATF decision on a dealer’s license be reviewed by an administrative law judge. Supporters say it gives the ATF more flexibility.

The House passed HR 5092 Tuesday on a 277-131 vote; Arulanandam noted that about a third of House Democrats supported it. All Bay Area lawmakers except House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, voted against it.

“At a time when California cities are seeing a rapid increase in gun homicides, often committed by criminals who get guns through the illegal gun market, now is not the time to be curtailing ATF’s power to enforce our gun laws,” Berkeley’s Griffin Dix, president of the California Million Mom March Chapters of the Brady Campaign, said recently of the bill.