This morning we ran a quote from a Politico article on the U.S. DOJ opening an antitrust inquiry into the potential sale of Vista Outdoors’ ammunition-related brands (CCI, Speer, Federal, Remington, Alliant Powder, etc) to Czechoslovak Group, a company based in the Czech Republic. Antitrust considerations aside, the Politico article put my brain on two tracks.
First, as always, the media is horribly ignorant of everything gun-related. It’s amazing how much opinion and proselytizing and politics they’re willing to confidently publish while knowing nothing of the subject matter. In the case of this Politico article it wasn’t anything overt like that — it’s actually a straight news piece with no bias or opinion that I noticed — but the mainstream media’s ignorance of all things “gun” still came through:
[…]the deal will lock up the U.S. market for primer, the key ingredient in bullets[…]
Vista currently controls a majority of the U.S. market for primer[…]
Winchester, a gun maker and the other major manufacturer, makes primer only for its own use.
Those are three examples of six or more demonstrating that the author clearly believes “primer” is a substance perhaps like Spice from Dune rather than an object; a distinct, individual component that should be written in the plural form in the above sentences (“…makes primers only for its own use.”)
Obviously this isn’t a big deal, but it leapt out at me and I had to laugh. Again, always, the mainstream media doesn’t know a primer from a bullet from a cartridge, let alone an automatic weapon from a GLOCK from an assault rifle.
Following the comic relief was your basic everyday existential dread over the idea of a foreign company owning this manufacturing capacity. It isn’t just primers, it’s projectiles, cases, gunpowder, loaded ammunition, and more. This doesn’t sit well with me, and it’s nothing against Czechia. Even during the Soviet Union they pushed back where they could, which is why the vz. 58 exists as the Czechs didn’t want to use the AK-47. They struck out on their own and did their own thing like good Bohemians, attempting to get away from Communist rule effectively the entire time (as per my limited understanding).
But, no matter. It could be a British company, it could be be a Canadian company. It wouldn’t change my feelings on this. Certainly there are dozens of countries that would be worse — or far worse! — than the Czech Republic involved here, but the only one that would be better is the U.S.. Our ammunition manufacturing capability and capacity should be owned domestically.
Clearly this isn’t a Federal law. Maybe it should be. Heck, ammunition manufacturing is controlled under ITAR already. Foreign ownership should be restricted.
What say you?
5 Responses
Rather have CZ owning those brands than US based Cerebus Capital or Freedom Group.
Expansion Industries in Texas was supposedly going to be producing primers but I see that said business filed for bankruptcy last year.
Ammo Inc. doesn’t appear to manufacture their own primers.
Foreign ownership doesn’t worry me as much as 1 or 2 conglomerates owning everything under their banner such as Vista Outdoors owning all the above brands. The name “Freedom Group” bring back any memories?
Foreign powers don’t need to wage war on the US…they are just going to buy it one piece at a time.
*BREAKING* :
“Former Uvalde police chief arrested for role in response”
“Pete Arredondo was one of two Uvalde police officers charged for their response or lack thereof.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqqke_jBRZ4
Took ’em long enough… 🙁
You are correct of course. Our cheap consumer culture has pushed virtually all manufacturing overseas. I wish Americans were more focused on owning less foreign crap (but it’s cheap!) and more quality American-owned/manufactured goods. We should be supporting each other, not our enemies and temporary friends.
The stockholders at Vista just want their payday and American hegemony was NEVER a consideration.