As California lawmakers propose even more gun control for the state, Gun Owners of California (GOC) warns that Big 5 Sporting Goods is taking a position that “stabs CA gun dealers in the back.”
At issue is new legislation–SB 464–that controls the way guns are stored by licensed gun dealers and also controls the way guns are displayed.
GOC sent Breitbart News a press release which said:
SB 464 makes unreasonable demands that are virtually impossible to attain. The requirement that retail stores either erect concrete pillars in front of their business is extreme – depending on the physical and geographic location of the store, this could entail city permits, permission from the property owner as well as adjoining businesses. The other option – to have all firearms put in a safe or vault is equally as unfeasible – given that there are few safes that could accommodate such inventories.
The GOC release claimed that Big 5 Sporting Goods has taken action that endangers local Federal Firearms License holders (FFLs) throughout the state. Far from local, Big 5 describes itself as “one of America’s top retailers of name brand sporting goods and accessories.” At the start of this calendar year, the chain had “433 locations spread throughout 11 western states,” and GOC’s Sam Peredes says this amounts to more financial wherewithal to comply with rules and regulations that would force mom and pop gun stores out of business.
Moreover, Peredes fears this is exactly what SB 464 will do–it will force local gun stores to close up shop. And he said Big 5 was in the trenches fighting SB 464 along with everyone else, until they apparently worked out a deal that made the new gun controls palatable for the sporting goods conglomerate.
Peredes told Breitbart News, “Big 5 Sporting Goods was at the table with us and the California Rifle & Pistol Association when this legislation was introduced, then they brought in a consulting firm. Such a firm’s job is to represent their client’s interests and work out a deal. They worked out a deal and walked away from the table. Left the rest of us in a lurch.”
GOC observed:
If it weren’t for the efforts of the pro-Second Amendment organizations in California, Big 5 would have been out of the firearms business in the Golden State a long time ago. At very least, they should have had the courtesy of informing the 2nd Amendment community that they were willing to feather their own nest – at gun owner’s expense. Instead, they hired a powerful lobbying firm, independent of the pro-gun lobbying groups, to look after their own best interests.
The GOC press release explains that Second Amendment organizations fear Big 5 secured an amendment to SB 464 which requires a safety measure the sporting goods conglomerate already has or can easily afford, mom and pop gun stores be damned.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.