Charts: How Foreign Firms Flood America With Guns—and Get Rich Doing It

[Scuba]

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2013/04/charts-foreign-gun-companies-laws-nra

Every time another mass shooter unleashes a torrent of bullets in a school or theater, the world puzzles over America's permissive approach to gun ownership. A story following up on the Sandy Hook massacre in Austria's largest daily, Krone, noted the apparent link between "lax weapons laws" in the United States and our "high rate of gun killings, compared to other western nations." But the newspaper didn't mention how Austrian gun makers profit from and help perpetuate those lax weapons laws. In 2009, a whopping 67 percent of Austria's gun exports went to the United States. Here's the breakdown for our top 10 foreign suppliers.



The National Rifle Association benefits handsomely from these relationships. In 2012, for instance, the Austrian pistol maker Glock funneled $115,000 to the group—a donation that isn't reflected in the chart below. Based on available figures, we estimated that nearly half of the group's gun company donations come from foreign manufacturers—the proportion rises substantially if you include donations from Springfield Armory, an American company whose top-selling XD pistol, one of the nation's most popular handguns, is a relabeled Croatian weapon.

[SunSeeker]

1. Geez, looks like the right wing gun nuts are keeping Europe afloat.

Oh the irony.

[leveymg]

2. This totally omits data for US manufacturers, which make up 70% of the market.

ATF: 5.4 million guns manufactured in the US vs 2.8 million imports (2009) - https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:HckEwnFc-iMJ:www.atf.gov/files/publications/firearms/121611-firearms-commerce-2011.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgysYVTXyyPq-h1BcBbk6ENlwYfe38Vl3me9LxkjIjr4RI9-cXngFNOCbPkmOxq_-PyW8On0992Vd6YQw517rl6quG9bHja9X9zPCLMnUnFSj-4TZdb4A4hpULy7v20lsSfpMhc&sig=AHIEtbRh_dJ-AU_M-QONvRuMRFv6HagApg

[Scuba]

3. That was the point.

[leveymg]

4. Do you think MJ is doing a deflect and shield job for Remington and Colt Arms, etc? Looks that way.

[Scuba]

5. Snort. No, just exposing another aspect of the problem.

Seems reasonable to me to point out that foreign gunmakers are selling more misery in the US when they're allowed to do in their home countries.

[leveymg]

8. The article could have added one sentence for context. Conspicuous by its absence. Snort.

They could use an editor.

[premium]

6. So why doesn't Pres. Obama issue an EO banning the impotation of foreign made

weapons?
I know that the domestic manufacturer's would probably pick up the slack but at least it's a start.

[dookers]

12. Most of the foreign companies now have US factories.

Last edited Sat Apr 6, 2013, 12:50 AM - Edit history (1)

Its a requirement for most govt contracts that weapons be made in the US. Its also a way to get around EU export restrictions or any arms limitation treaties. Countries like Austria or Germany are forbidden to sell to certain countries or warzones, but if they produce arms in the US they can get around these limitations. European gun makers produce in the US because the price of manufacturing is cheaper than the EU and then export from the US to various markets. Also assault weapons are banned from into the US importation. But if its made on US soil, its not subject to import restrictions.

[markboxer]

13. He should!

Ban all guns, accessories and all foreign military surplus from being imported. No exceptions at all

[freshwest]

7. So Wayne's the Mitt of small WMD offshoring production with US Chamber of Commerce support?

The United States Chamber of Commerce is on record as having gone abroad to get campaign money to defeat progressive ballot measures and Democrats that opposed their global masters.

The owners of the Tea Party© don't tell people buying their brand they're selling their sovereignty to China and Canada to make the Koch brothers more money from the Keystone pipeline.

Tea Party Patriots©, funded by the Koch brothers are buying guns to play at being 'soveriegn citizens.' They enrich other nations while their masters are taking this country apart town by town.

And they call Obama a globalist? Pulleeze, grow up before you die.

[dookers]

9. What portion of these companies sell to the Local and Federal law enforcement?

[Scuba]

10. Don't know, but I'd prefer our government purchase American-made.

[dookers]

11. Even though Europeans are anti gun

They are arguably the best at making advanced killing machines.