One of the oldest and most-recognized firearm manufacturing brands in the United States is suspending production for AR-15-style rifles for civilian buyers.
The announcement comes amidst a fierce debate on gun control and the Second Amendment. Democratic presidential candidates are pushing for hasher restrictions on firearm ownership, including a national registry for gun owners, “red flag” laws, and bands on certain weapon types.
Timing has led many gun owners to speculate Colt is caving into political pressure to stay on the Democratic Party’s good side. The manufacturer has since stated that the company simply believes there are enough long rifles on the civilian market already, and that making more would be a waste of money.
“The fact of the matter is that over the last few years, the market for modern sporting rifles has experienced significant excess manufacturing capacity,” Colt CEO Dennis Veilleux said in a press release. “Given this level of manufacturing capacity, we believe there is adequate supply for modern sporting rifles for the foreseeable future.”
Veilleux went on to attempt to assure gun owners that the company is still committed to the Constitutional liberty that allows it to exist.
“We want to assure you that Colt is committed to the Second Amendment, highly values its customers and continues to manufacture the world’s finest quality firearms for the consumer market,” the CEO added.
Colt Manufacturing closed its statement by saying it will be focusing on its military and law enforcement contracts.
The takeaway here is that, instead of pouring energy into making civilian products, Colt will be drawing revenue from taxpayers instead. This is something to keep in mind the next time you’re in the market for a long rifle.
