I'm surprised nobody mentioned what SA did in Illinois. I will not buy another SA made firearm.
http://www.guns.com/2017/05/02/state-level-gun-dealer-licensing-bill-passes-in-illinois-senate/
You might want to re-think that.
I wrote this on another board but it still applies.
I have deliberately not passed judgment one way or another on this issue but I think I'm getting close to coming down on one side, and I think it might be in favor of Springfield and Rock.
It's been about half a month since the story was broke on TTAG that Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms had stabbed LGS's in the back (and by extension every 2A proponent, freedom lover, and the whole blink'n nation). TTAG reported that IMFA, through their lobbyist agreed to take a stance of "neutral" on an evil gun-store closing Illinois bill if IMFA members were given a carve-out and exempted. Springfield and Rock were both founding members if IMFA and the largest, most important/recognizable, contributors to it.
Since then I've seen Springfield and Rock beaten up pretty bad on forums and parts of the 2A blogosphere. What I didn't hear was Springfield or Rock's side of it. Now, I've seen official press releases from both and heard an interview with a Rock representative.
I'll be honest, both "sides" of this issue make some convincing points and, unless I can acquire an Arisian Lens, I doubt if anyone will ever be able to prove one or the other is deliberately lying or misrepresenting. So, frankly,
it comes down to the earned reputations of both sides.
On one side is Rock and Springfield. Both have been pro-2A for a very long time. Both have a well documented history of donating to pro-2A causes and organizations. Collectively, they've given vast amounts of money and volunteered a great deal of time to the NRA and other similar orgs. Is it possible that Rock and Springfield threw gun owners and LGS's under the buss for corporate profits? Yes. Is it consistent with what we know of their history? No.
On the other side is TTAG. TTAG has a reputation of plagiarism, intellectual property theft of images and other material, misrepresentation of information to promote their website, false accusations, "reporting" gossip as fact, and flat out lying (some of which I've personally witnessed). At best TTAG is the firearms community equivalent of the National Enquirer; at worst TTAG wouldn't know the truth if they had it in their name.
Is it possible that TTAG is honestly and fairly reporting without embellishment or "sexing" the story up in order to drive clicks and controversy? Yes. Is it consistent with their history? No.
So, until contradictory information surfaces from a reliable source, I'm going to land on the side that Springfield, Rock, and most (all?) of the other members of IMFA were unaware that their lobbyist "went rogue" and made a deal which, while in his client's short term best interest, would harm the over all 2A community while placing his clients in a serious negative light which could ultimately cost them millions in negative publicity and lost sales.
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk