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Private Equity Firm Sells Its Stake in Gun Manufacturer Because of Shooting: ‘Watershed Event’

Dec. 18, 2012 9:53am Jonathon M. Seidl

Cerberus Sells Stake in Freedom Group Gun Manufacturer After Sandy Hook Shooting

TINLEY PARK, IL – DECEMBER 17: Jason Zielinski shows a customer an AR-15 style rifle at Freddie Bear Sports sporting goods store on December 17, 2012 in Tinley Park, Illinois. Americans purchased a record number of guns of guns in 2012. Gun sales have surged recently with people buy guns for personal protection following the mass shooting in Connecticut and gun enthusiasts buying guns because they fear a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban. About 47 percent of Americans own guns. Credit: Getty Images

NEW YORK (The Blaze/AP) — The private equity firm Cerberus will sell its stake in a firearms company that produced one of the weapons believed to have been used in the shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., calling it a “watershed event” in the national debate on gun control.

While saying that it’s not its role to take positions or attempt to shape or influence the gun control debate, Cerberus said it is taking what action it can by selling its stake in the Freedom Group, which makes the Bushmaster rifle.

On Friday, 20 children were killed, 26 people in all, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in one of the worst mass shootings in U.S history. The gunman, Adam Lanza, is believed to have used a .223-caliber Bushmaster AR-15 rifle in the attack.

The AR-15 is a civilian version of the military’s M-16. Versions of the AR-15 were outlawed in the U.S. under the 1994 assault weapons ban. That law expired in 2004, and Congress failed to renew it under immense pressure from the gun lobby.

Cerberus, however, is distancing itself.

“We are investors, not statesmen or policy makers,” the company said in a statement. “Our role is to make investments on behalf of our clients who are comprised of the pension plans of firemen, teachers, policemen and other municipal workers and unions, endowments, and other institutions and individuals. It is not our role to take positions, or attempt to shape or influence the gun control policy debate. That is the job of our federal and state legislators.”

And it appeared some investors were ridding themselves of shares in firearms makers this week. Shares of Sturm, Ruger & Co. plunged nearly 7 percent in early trading Tuesdsay. Shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. fell more than 9 percent.

But that’s in stark contrast to firearms sales, which have seen a spike since the shooting. Foxnews.com offers some examples:

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation says it set a new record for single-day background check submittals this past weekend.

In San Diego, Northwest Armory gun store owner Karl Durkheimer said Saturday “was the biggest day we’ve seen in 20 years. Sunday will probably eclipse that.”

In southwest Ohio, from dawn to dusk a Cincinnati gun show had a line of 400 waiting to get in, said Joe Eaton of the Buckeye Firearms Association.

“Sales were through the roof on Saturday,” said Eaton. “People were buying everything they could out of fear the president would try to ban certain guns and high-capacity magazines.”

The deluge of buyers had officials working overtime. Background checks that normally took 15 minutes in California took more than four hours, Durkheimer said. In Colorado, background checks that normally take minutes turned into wait times of more than 12 hours, said CBI spokeswoman Susan Medina.

“We had to call in extra staff,” Medina said. “The wait times were high.”

The CBI says it processed more than 4,200 background checks on Saturday, the day after the Newtown, Conn., shooting. That surpassed the previous high of 4,028. Nationwide, FBI data shows 16.4 million background checks were run in 2011. An agency spokesman said Monday it did not keep daily numbers and would not have figures for December until early January.

TINLEY PARK, IL – DECEMBER 17: An AR-15 style rifle sits on the counter by Craig Marshall as he assists a customer at Freddie Bear Sports sporting goods store on December 17, 2012 in Tinley Park, Illinois. Credit: Getty Images

The New York firm said Tuesday that it was deeply saddened by the shooting, and that it will hire a financial adviser to help with the process of selling its interests in Freedom Group, a major firearms manufacturer which, in addition to Bushmaster, produces Remington Arms.

A representative for Freedom Group could not be immediately reached for comment.

The announcement comes one day after the California State Teachers Retirement System, a large pension fund, told The Wall Street Journal that it was reviewing its $500 million investment commitment to Cerberus because of the firm’s stake in Freedom Group.

A representative for the California State Teachers Retirement System could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.

Cerberus affiliates made an investment in Freedom Group in 2006. The firm said that Freedom Group does not sell weapons or ammunition directly to consumers, and that it does not believe that “Freedom Group or any single company or individual can prevent senseless violence or the illegal use or procurement of firearms and ammunition.”

Cerberus Capital Management makes investments on behalf of clients that include the pension plans of firemen, teachers, policemen, and other municipal workers and unions, endowments and other institutions and individuals.

Money made from the Freedom Group sale will be returned to its investors, Cerberus said.

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Comments (97)

Xiccarph
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:25am
I’m always amused, and certainly disgusted, by politicos and other talking heads bringing up the “assault weapons” ban of 1994 as the encompassing again-revived solution to crimes involving firearms.
Do these total morons, idiots, simplex-minded dolts actually know the difference between the so called “assault weapons” banned by that useless law compared to the ban-compliant firearms that took their place?? Obviously not. How many readers here know the differences?? Some, I’m sure…many probably….I doubt. How many realize that the term “assault weapon” was a creation of the anti-gun types in the first place? The differences, you stupid, moronic, never-let-a-crises-go-to-waste political buffoons, is totally cosmetic. The absence of bayonet lugs, flash hiders, pistol grips, threaded muzzles, or > 10 round magazines don’t affect one iota the basic functionality of these devices. These idiots are satisfied by placing the word “sporter” in the model name of these things, making them properly PC. Even after the ban expired, a firearm resembling an evil military weapon, is often is called a “sporter” to placate the all-noticing politicians. Even ammo, especially imported ammo (and firearms) all have the “sporting” adjective added somewhere to make it appear to be something that is pleasing to the Watchers in Government…otherwise, its import would be prohibited by the ATF guardians. These fools exist totally in a symbolic world, and won’t fix any aspect of r

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- Techcon
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:36am
  If I’m not mistaken, no domestically produced arms were banned, just “features” gun-tards find to be scary.
  
  A post-ban 16″ barreled AR-15, for example, would have been sold with the collapsible stock (if equipped) fully extended and pinned, a non-threaded barrel, no bayonet lug, and a 10 round magazine.
  
  Those alterations would have prevented the latest massacre, of course.
  
  No?
  
  Then you’re not a liberal.
  
  Report this comment
- azcowboy1
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:47am
  Bushmaster, I am currently unemployed, live in Az and would work for cheap making your fine weapons. Résumé complete. I wonder if this counts as a job search lol.
  
  Report this comment
- fastfacts
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 12:29pm
  Rush Limbaugh made an interesting discussion over the term “assault rifle” and how it is basically a political term to ban more guns. ( http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2012/dec/limbaugh_assault_rifle.html ) As they expand the definition they limit the type of guns you can buy.
  
  What do you think?
  
  Report this comment
- 226crimsontrace
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 12:35pm
  I couldn’t care less what brand of gun this POS used, I want the press to tell me what drug he was prescribed
  
  Report this comment
- BSdetector
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 12:50pm
  The assault weapons ban is still in effect here in jersey. The law specifically stipulates that you can have an attatched grenade launcher as long as you dont ALSO have a collapsable stock, or a pistol grip.
  
  Ofc grenade launchers are banned in other ways, but according to the libt@rds, it’s an acceptable feature as long as you dont have a scary pistol grip or a stock that you can adjust to the right length to fit your arms.
  
  Report this comment
- Trigus
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 3:16pm
  @226CR The firearm was the instrument but the drugs where the contributing Factor. I to would have like to have seen a toxicology report, and the surveillance video of the outside the school entrance. The school did have cameras right?
  
  As far as gun control is concerned: it will give a new title to the local drug dealer. Drug Dealer/Arms Dealer.
  
  Did anyone ask Holder about all those “assault weapons” that where given to Mexican Drug Cartels during the failed Fast And Furious Operation?
  
  There was 1688 murders committed in the US last year according to FBI involving a knives, 353 murders involving a rifle, and 728 murders involving the feet and hands.
  
  UK Home Office reported for 2011 that there where 11, 752 crimes committed in the UK and Whales involving Firearms. Did anyone ask how that ban on firearms is working out.
  Yet everyone wants to ban assault weapons.
  
  “Every step we take towards making the State our Caretaker of our lives, by that much we move toward making the State our Master.”
  Dwight D. Eisenhower
  
  “They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security.”
  Benjamin Franklin
  
  Report this comment
- KevINtampa
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 3:18pm
  @226CRIMSONTRACE
  
  DING! DING! DING! DING!
  
  http://web4health.info/en/answers/bio-benzo-sideeffects.htm
  
  Paradoxical stimulant effects
  Benzodiazepines occasionally cause paradoxical excitement with increased anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, hallucinations at the onset of sleep, irritability, hyperactive or aggressive behaviour, and exacerbation of seizures in epileptics. Attacks of rage and violent behaviour, including assault (and even homicide), have been reported, particularly after intravenous administration but also after oral administration. Less dramatic increases in irritability and argumentativeness are much more common and are frequently remarked upon by patients or by their families. Such reactions are similar to those sometimes provoked by alcohol. They are most frequent in anxious and aggressive individuals, children, and the elderly. They may be due to release or inhibition of behavioural tendencies normally suppressed by social restraints. Cases of “baby-battering”, wife-beating and “grandma-bashing” have been attributed to benzodiazepines.
  
  Report this comment
- KevINtampa
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 3:35pm
  We are always told everything about the guns these attackers have used by the MSM. We know the type and make of the guns, size of the magazines, the caliber of round, the grain weight, the year it was manufactured, the store that originally sold it, and just about every forensic tidbit of the weapon.
  
  I think it’s time we start demanding the very same details on the drugs they were taking. From Columbine to Virginia Tech to Aurora, and likely in the case here, everyone one of these shooters were all on psychotropics of some kind, but that’s about all we know.
  
  Seeing the correlation and knowing the paradoxical effects of these drugs, and in the effort to uncover the entire truth of the minds of what has enraged these madmen, we need to ask the same questions about the drugs in these people’s bodies as the bullets in their guns. This means:
  
  1. What specific drugs were these shooters taking?
  2. What dosage were they prescribed?
  3. Which doctor or institution prescribed the drug?
  4. How long had they been taking the drug?
  5. Often times these drugs involve cycles, what cycle was each one at when the crimes took place?
  6. What was the original diagnosis that prevented the person from being admitted to a hospital but instructed to live in society on a medication with known homicidal side effects?
  
  Report this comment
Landon410
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:11am
just got a christmas bonus in the form of a prepaid visa from my company…. maybe I should go buy some ammo or a new gun?!?!

pretty soon they’ll be going after my compound bow!

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- JRook
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:19am
  Not sure it is a watershed event in terms of moderating the absurd amount of money the NRA drops in Washington to influence/buy Congress. But it will certainly put a damper on the Pro Gun, protect the 2nd. amendment advertising campaign that drove the stock to an unsustainable level. Translation, it has hit it’s peak and they are cashing in. Nothing more.
  
  Report this comment
- taintso
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:23am
  I’m not an archer but a friend of mine is and he has some arrowheads that in my opinion are more deadly than some bullets.
  
  Report this comment
- Landon410
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:35am
  well your friend is an idiot, broadheads are NOT more deadly than bullets
  
  they are both deadly yes, but a bad shot with a bow ( couple inches off) animal is going to live, or run miles before dying
  
  a bad shot with my deer rifle (couple inches off) the deer is still going to drop dead where its at
  
  thats because my arrow weighs 100 grams and is going 300 FPS, the KE isn’t that high
  
  my bullet weights 200 grams is going 2500 FPS and a huge amount of KE
  
  Report this comment
- Xiccarph
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:41am
  Get one or order one soon. Problem is, most manufacturers of “assault weapon” types of firearms are months behind in orders, and have been since soon after Comrade Obama took office. You may have to pick whats available off the shelf or buy a used one from a shop or private party. Another option is get a parts kit and receiver, and put one together yourself or hire someone to assemble it. Depending on what you want, its availability may vary. Get ammo now, and lots of it; its still plentiful. Ammo taxes and controls are a back-door means to control our use of firearms, and they can control that many ways without Congress. Oh, yeah, they have been looking into this method for quite some time, waiting for an opportunity….
  
  Report this comment
- HOOT_OWL
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 12:48pm
  Easy on the caffeine Landon410
  I know this topic has everyone biting the bit due to misinformation TAINTSO said he’s not a archer ‘his friend is’ …then he said ‘in my opinion’. then he said ‘some bullets’ not most.
  
  Personally I think he was talking about getting shot by a arrow ‘himself’ , a ‘animal’ . and I too would not want to be shot with a broadhead that inflicts maximum damage, compared to ‘some bullets’ on the market. I pray I never find myself in that position.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 1:15pm
  jerkrook,
  The NRA doesn’t have to invest a dime in Washington WE HAVE A INALIENABLE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
  It can only be over turned by a Constitutional amendment in which the citizens of each state votes and it takes a 2/3 of the vote to get said amendment. Any legislaitiion passed by Congress or the President is a violation of their CONSTITUTIONAL OATH and grounds for impeachment or removal.
  Trust when I say any action taken by any of the branches of Government will be viewed for what they are Unconstitution breaking of the oath of office. Please Please let em try it
  
  Report this comment
- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:21pm
  Landon-
  If a broad head was used on a human that person would bleed out fast, most gunshot victims survive, even multiple hits. Luckily there have not been too many psycho rambos murdering via bows or crossbows or they too would end up banned. The advantage the gun has is the shock/knock down power and the noise which creates disorientation in some victims, and of course range.
  
  Report this comment
- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:26pm
  Just imagine if they made a bullet that worked like a mechanical broad head, blades snapping out upon impact to increase bleeding….that would be awesome, kinetic energy coupled with slicing acton would be the deadliest round out there.
  
  Report this comment
- tnman65
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:08pm
  Thank you warmunger. Apparently Landon doesn’t know that a broad head arrow has a lot more penetration than a bullet and causes a pretty destructive path. Also if both were shot in the exact place on a human or animal there isn’t going to be much difference unless the bullet hits a bone on the way through.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on December 19, 2012 at 2:03pm
  landon you’re obviously not a hunter I’ve tracked deer miles on a bad rifle shot. I’ve never seen one break a 100 yards on a bad butterfly shot. Every move is another cut.
  
  Report this comment
nueces
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:55am
Good. Freedom Group is a true ‘vulture’ capitalist cabal. Remington (Bushmaster) and Smith and Wesson (different group though) have been nearly ruined by the influence of bean counters that do not understand quality control OR customer relations. If you know anything about the firearms industry presently in the US most of the truly quality guns are coming out of small independents. Colt and Ruger are still mostly OK but for how long? Some of the best gun manufacturers are European. What does that tell you?

We put armed guards to protect our money but not our children. What does that suggest? We know about probably 95% of the violently insane but we do little. What does that tell us? Our elitist controllers immediately jump on a senseless tragedy for political gain. Lesson? This nation is going down hill so fast there is very little hope. We have the government we deserve.

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- oldguy49
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:03am
  amen…….and pass the ammo
  
  Report this comment
- Top_Contributor
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:08am
  Bunch of trigger fingers up in here.
  
  Definitely NOT the type of people who should be carrying guns around.
  
  Report this comment
- DAS_MOOCH
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 12:29pm
  TOP_CONTRIBUTOR, maybe you should get out of here then and go CONTRIBUTE to the TOP of someones glans.
  
  Report this comment
- Top_Contributor
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:06pm
  @DAS_MOOCH, what’s a “glans?” You’re nuts. I hope they take away your gun you big crybaby!
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:57pm
  DAS_MOOCH, Bwahahahahahahahahaha! I guess that TOP_CONTRIBUTOR will have to wait until he is old enough to take that biology class! Bwahahahahahahaha, DAS_MOOCH, you helped make my day, and TOP_CONTRIBUTOR, you’ve given me the biggest laugh of the day. Bwahahahahahahaha!
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:59pm
  TOP_CONTRIBUTOR, Bwahahahahahaha, your glans is probably only about a couple of inches from your nuts.
  
  Report this comment
RemoteCoderz
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:48am
“We are investors, not statesmen or policy makers,” the company said in a statement. “Our role is to make investments on behalf of our clients who are comprised of the pension plans of firemen, teachers, policemen and other municipal workers and unions, endowments, and other institutions and individuals. It is not our role to take positions, or attempt to shape or influence the gun control policy debate. That is the job of our federal and state legislators.”

They say one thing, yet do another. They call this “hypocrisy” in the dictionary. You can’t say “it is not our role to take positions” when clearly pulling out of their investment is TAKING A POSITION.

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- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:24pm
  they are taking a bad financial position since the gun companies stocks have made huge increases.
  
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- RedneckJim
  Posted on December 19, 2012 at 12:49am
  When Cerberus got into the game a few years ago, and started buying up so many gun manufacturers, there were rumors going around that Soros was behind it all, and was going to shut the companies down. Those rumors were squelched. But the fact remains that whether it is Soros or other private investors, Cerberus was in it to make money. They have undoubtedly made many million$ since getting into the business. If they are now getting out, I’m willing to buy their manufacturers’ stock for pennies on the dollar if they are willing to sell it as such. The fact is Bushmaster has been sold out (everything pre-sold) for many,many months. Go to Davidsons’ site (Gallery of Guns) and have a look for yourselves. Cerberus is betting that the gun-control freaks are going to win a battle again. I can’t blame them for getting out while the getting’s good. That’s what investors do. If I could afford it, and they were available, I’d buy thousands of Bushmaster ARs. It worked before, and it will work again. Just like socialism. It failed before, and it will fail again. Only the insane refuse to recognize reality and trends. All the “socialists” in power are forward-thinkers who understand that their minion masses are too ignorant to do the same. The masses are suckers begging their potential masters to enslave them so they can be ensured of their daily “poop in a pan.” How sad there are so many who are more willing to beg for table-scraps than work for steak.
  
  Report this comment
awolpiper
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:45am
And then Cerberus can remove the stocks of Coca Cola, Pepsi, RJ Reynolds, GM (cars kill) Stanley Tool (hammers kill), J Henckles (knives kill), Morton Salt, Hormel (bacon, spam, scrapple). What a bunch of morons. The tragedy is becoming more of big business than what it really is….effective care of our mentally ill in the United States.

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silvermike
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:45am
From a financial standpoint this might be a good time to sell as firearms manufacturers stocks are at a historic high. Use the shooting as an excuse….whatever.

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Cavallo
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:41am
Cerberus’ mistake will be someone else’s gain. Buy! Firearms manufacturers are going to be making a ton of money over the next few months.

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BlackCrow
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:34am
PC cowards and not very bright on top of that. Bushmasters are flying off the shelves faster than HoHos.

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- taintso
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:20am
  That used to be Twinkies. Are Ho Ho’s non union?
  
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termyt
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:32am
“The AR-15 is a civilian version of the military’s M-16. Versions of the AR-15 were outlawed in the U.S. under the 1994 assault weapons ban. That law expired in 2004, and Congress failed to renew it under immense pressure from the gun lobby.”

Yes – versions that had a carrying handle and bayonet lug. It had a huge impact on violent crime because criminals had a less convenient way to carry the rifle and could no longer do bayonet charges. Remember the huge bayonet massacre back before that law was passed? No? Me, either.

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- Dismayed Veteran
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 3:54pm
  Bayonet charge..LOL
  
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msconstrue
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:31am
bad business move?…maybe. or do they know something we dont?

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DougHuffman
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:28am
I’m sure that their investors will really appreciate the change in value.

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FlagWavingPatriot
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:25am
Get them while you can. Our spineless Boehner will probably cave into whatever O wants.

If you do buy a gun out of fear, PLEASE find a competent trainer and learn proper safety and use. And then practice routinely. PLEASE do that. Owning a gun is a right, no doubt about that. But it is also a big responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

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pap pap
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:25am
How about a common sense solution to all of this.

Have an armed guard at the schools that has a pistol at his hip. Also because this would be no match for an AR-15 have a safe on premises that has a finger print lock that can be opened quickly by the guard and have an AR-15 in the safe. When the school goes on lockdown a siren should sound so that the entire community knows that something is amiss and the perp wil then panick and kill himself (maybe).

This would cost the communities more money but I think parents wouldn’t mind paying for this serivce. Of course this would only work well with a voucher system in place so that parents could move their children to the safest schools.

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UNALIEN
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:17am
It is up to them, that is what makes a market, but maybe they should also ditch all the Pharmaceutical Companies they invest in that push psychotropics on children an youth… that cause suicidal and homicidal effects

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- turkey13
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:36am
  I would be leary of a investment house that dumped its most profitable stock. Us Americans don’t make anything anymore, we are just consumers. We do make guns and ammo. These are the only companys that are working 24/7. The employees can get all the overtime they want. Most ammo & guns are on backorder. The gun dealers are marking up most guns for Christmas by 25% becauseit is a sellers market. All the college kids that can’t get a job come up with money to by Chineese made Apple IPads & IPhones. We haven’t made a US made TV in 15 years.
  
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- UNALIEN
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:16am
  it is a bit of a non story if they dumped aka sold their holdings then somebody also bought…
  
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3Tesla
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:17am
There is absolutely no difference between an AR-15 and a Glock 17. Yeah the AR has a more powerful round and with a 30 round mag more bullets but — the fact is– that the demented demonic nerd turd would have killed everyone with the glock or the the Sig Sauer just as easily.
The first step to disarming the U.S. citizen has begun. In a few years the only weapon that you will be “allowed” to have will be a flintlock. The gun laws worked for this clown – he was denied purchase of a rifle a week earlier. He STOLE these weapons that should have been secured by the dead mom who paid the ultimate price for failing to do so.
The AR is a semi-automatic weapon that is magazine fed as is almost every handgun sold today– BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU SIGN ONTO NOW. A legally permitted concealed handgun carrier at the school that day would have SAVED many lives.

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- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 2:31pm
  he could have killed them all with a little .22 plinking rifle. There was no one there to stop him, until the police finally showed up, and then he stopped himself.
  
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thibx
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:16am
that’s their choice. wished i owned some of the stock.

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YallComeBack
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:15am
Sure!!!!!!!!!!!! Out of a matter of principle!!!!!!!!!

Yah, right.

Like sell right at the point when the stock that has been going through the roof is at it’s highest….. and now that the gun companies are targets of ultra-liberal administration that would love to put them out of business.

Hmmmmmm. Think the stock value will start going down in 4 months? 6 months?

What a load of ^&%$&^$.

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Uechi
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:14am
No great loss. The quality of the firearms manufactured since they had control of costs has resulted in shoddy workmanship and crappy guns from Remington and Marlin

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- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:19am
  Interesting. What are the shoddy models from Remington and Marlin. Just wondering, that’s all.
  
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- Landon410
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:30am
  tx_45
  i love my marlin, but its not a remlin, once marlin manufacturing got taken over my remington quality took a dump.
  
  338mx with a 92 serial, JM stamp and CT/marlin barrel roll
  
  so to answer your quesiton about which product from marlin sucks, about everything made in the last 2-3 years
  
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TX_45_ACP
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:12am
Not a smart move in my humble opinion. They were swayed by emotion. AR sales are already climbing and are increasing after all of the talk of banning guns. Even if they come out with an “assault rifle” ban, it will mean little. We already had an “assault rifle” ban in 1994 because you can’t legislate against a type of weapon that does not exist.

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- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:16am
  I meant to say “we had an existing ban expire in 1994″…
  
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- Landon410
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:20am
  the “assault rifle” used in this shooting wasn’t an “assault rifle” per the CT law, as CT has an assault rifle ban in place already
  
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- TX_45_ACP
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:33am
  @Landon410 – Agreed. There was a lib calling in the Joe Pags show demanding that machine guns should be banned. LOL
  
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- Landon410
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:10am
  does my remington 597 (22lr) with 25 capacity mag count as an assault rifle to these idgits too?
  
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- DesdemonasCrew
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 1:07pm
  In California…Yes. 10Rd. magazine max. And it has to have a mag release that needs a tool to operate it. That tool can be a bullet, hence the term “bullet button”. However, the insane democrap legislature in Ca. is trying to pass new legislation to ban the “bullet button” The result will be that the lunatics who want to kill lots of people will be forced to use gallon jugs of gasoline.
  
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Mike76
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:08am
Good. Knee-jerking is always a shrewd business move. (note sarcasm.) Ever since Cerberus got into the firearms business, they have put so many cost cutting measures in place that quality has suffered tremendously. Through a 94% ownership of Freedom Group, Cerberus controlled Remington, Marlin, Bushmaster, DPMS, and Advanced Armament.

A note of caution though – Among the top executives at Cerberus are Dan Quayle and John Snow. Cerberus has also been a big contributor to Republican campaigns. The question to ask is why are these so-called Conservatives turning their back on the firearms industry and does this mark a shift in the political will of the GOP. If so, the fight may be over for us – at least politically.

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searching for the Truth
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:03am
So, I guess this means I’ll have to be purchasing firearms from the same place I get my Chinese handcuffs from now on !

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perry1980
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:02am
What a horrible business move.
Guns and Ammo mfg are Through the ROOF thanks to Obama and now this shooting.

Guns and Gold.the 2 best investments in the last 4 years

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Zipit
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:01am
I call BS! Gun sales and stock prices have soared in the last couple of years! These guys are selling to realize the profit!

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SimpleTruths
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:00am
Good, suck the capital out of arms manufacturers, that’s their lifeblood.

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- naughtycal
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:07am
  I say suck the capital out of D.C tax revolt 2013
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:11am
  Seems you are an expert on suck.
  
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- Cavallo
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:12am
  Sales is their lifeblood actually. And business is booming. They’re selling so many firearms that they can’t make them fast enough. There are very few industries that can match the demand that the firearms manufacturers are seeing. The same goes for the ammunition manufacturers. They can’t make enough ammo to cover the demand. Selling your stock in firearms is a moronic course of action, at least for the next few months.
  
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- justangry
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:13am
  Yeah, great move. Dumping stocks of gun manufacturers during record sells…. That’s the INVESTMENT company, I’d want to put my money behind. God collectivist statists are dumbasses.
  
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- Zipit
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:23am
  Fubared! So much so, that simple has stretch marks on his upper lip! Just like Barney Frank!!!
  
  JUSTANGRY! Been on vacation!
  
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- mercenary4freedom
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 11:17am
  SIMPLE-T, by the looks of your avatar, you seem to be partial to sucking on things.
  
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GhostOfJefferson
Posted on December 18, 2012 at 9:58am
Firearms sales are even more through the roof than prior to last Friday. Selling out like this IS a political move. If these idiots cannot act in the best interest of their investors, where the best interest is to provide the best profit they can legally, then there may be reason for investors to bring suit here I believe. I’m not a lawyer, but I suspect that a firm dumping stock for politics and thus deliberately making sub-optimal investment decisions may be a “no no”.

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- naughtycal
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:04am
  I was thinking the same thing. Their argument doesn’t hold water gun sales are up they just made just political moves with their investor capital. I would pull my investment out from cerberus ASAP.
  
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- RANGER1965
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:07am
  Their largest client (the teachers union), threatened to drop them, plus say lots of bad things about them…ressurrect the 1% occupy speeches etc. Rather than go through a PR nightmare and lose the revenue, they chose to drop Bushmaster.
  
  You can bet every private investor including every member of this private equity board, and all the union officers are all privately investing in gun Manufacturers.
  
  Smart business decision, but utter hypocrites all the same.
  
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- Cavallo
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:14am
  Don’t let Cerebeus manage your money because they make political decisions with it rather than financial ones. Selling stock in the firearms industry is foolish considering the amount of sales that they are seeing. The auto industry wishes it was this profitable.
  
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- mrunner
  Posted on December 18, 2012 at 10:24am
  Sounds like a good time to watch the market and pick up the stock at a low point. Not often you get a chance to know ahead of time that a great company’s stock is going to drop artificially low!
  
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