Home gunsmithing

[Apache]

I am a relative newbie on this site, and know that little of what I write commands any respect from you guys, but you might consider this from my years of owning a business built upon my reputation and skill.

Small businesses are rarely the target of new regulations, especially ITAR regs. With this reputed Executive Action, and now it has become clear is NOT an EA, we see bureaucrats trying to improve their regulatory reach with regard to a law that's been on the books for a long time.

That's a big SO WHAT? in my book. For now, you can just ignore it, and if the regulatory agency in charge thinks YOUR business falls under the scope of the law, they'l send you a letter stating such, which you can copy your to congressman if you find it'll adversely effect you business.
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First, let me say I KNOW there was no intent for insults or disrespect in your reply....nor were any perceived on my part.

This entire regulation IS DIRECTLY TARGETING the small fry businesses. My business consists of ONE employee.....ME. The profits on prefit barrels are not all that great once you figure in all of the costs involved in producing them. Then you still have all the normal business costs of local, state and federal licenses, fees and such. The IRS gets more than their fair share also....then $2250 divided among, say 100 barrels just to keep it easy math.....is $22.50 per barrel. This is directly the result of this so called fee. For me.....it has to get passed to the customer directly therefore driving up prices. My larger competitors can afford to absorb these fees somewhat and likely will not have to raise their prices as much if at all.....So where does that leave me?

A larger company will be able to absorb it relatively easily. Me on the other hand......well the writing's on the wall. The Feds are targeting me and my kind. They do not want me in business. And as you've correctly stated, I'm VERY small fry in the government's eyes......but don't think they will not pay attention to small fry as you've mentioned.....just ask the IRS if they will look away from small business just because you're small. Since I'm such small fry....do you think my email to my senators and congressman will really have any weight to it? Let answer that one for you......NO. VERY unlikely. It will surprise me if I get any response at all.....I MAY get some kind of form letter thanking me for contacting them. But even that hasn't happened yet.

I'm just a lower middle class white man trying to make a living in a country that has decide it doesn't like me anymore. Doesn't like the job I do. Nor has any respect for the values I stand for. And people wonder why I'm paranoid.

[Texas10]

Thank you for your kindness, Apache. I was about to delete my post, sure that I was about to get hammered by the flame-throwers from hell. So I'd like to respond to your response.

First of all, your business is not driven by lowest cost. You are the business, and your workmanship is what draws customers to your site. So I really don't think this will be a big impact to your business. IF it were me, I'd just add a separate line item to your billings that details your new ITAR fee. Say $25.00 per barrel. As an example, every flight school in America used this technique when gas prices rose extraordinarily fast. It was a line item surcharge, and I can say that my business remained robust.

If your customers gripe, just point them to your/their congressman by handing them a pre-printed letter advocating your position, with address and have them sign and send it off.

If EVERY effected gunsmith does this, Congress will be inundated with letters from today forward until the law is stricken.

Think of the power of this.....every transaction by every effected business begins including a letter with pre stamped and addressed envelope.

Yes, i know...lots of extra work for a couple of months (wait until congress returns from summer recess).

Or better yet, start an online letter signing campaign. Or do both. Form a collaborative with other gunsmiths, share the workload.

You or I don't have millions to buy face to face time with our congressman, (even though mine lives just over the fence from me) but they do read their mail. So print something up here, I'll print it out and sign, tie a rock to it and throw it through his friggen window if that's what it takes. LOL ....just kidding. His office is only a mile away and I've been there before. I'll hand deliver it to his very attractive assistant. Wait, no.....that's even more likely to get me in trouble.....

[J.Baker]

Every write-up and discussion I've seen on this thus far focuses on the gunsmithing aspect of it and totally ignores Section 3 - Registration Required Other Than Manufacturing which states "Assisting foreign persons in the design, development, and repair of firearms may constitute the export of a defense service (see 22 CFR § 120.9) and require ITAR registration with and authorization from DDTC." That's the part that would apply to me and this site and my other firearm related sites. The DOS deliberately leaves it as vague and unspecific as possible with the "may constitute" langauge. Well what "may" and what "may not" exactly?

I've basically decided that for my purposes it's just going to be business as usual around here until the Jack Boots show up at my door telling me to stop. They decide they want to fine me $1 million for running a website I'll say fine and walk down the street to my attorney's office and tell him to start drawing up bankruptcy papers. They want to throw me in prison for 20 years for running a website so be it, the way I see it I'll be out of business and no longer have an income so that will just ensure I have a roof over my head and 3 hot meals a day for the next 20 years, and when I get out I'll only have a few years until I can draw Social Security (assuming it still exists at that point).

[Texas10]

I admire your tenacity, Mr. Furious however, I would hope to see a craftily worded letter as a sticky on every board on your site, along with a list of addresses to send to.

I say we give'm hell.....in writing of course.

[foxx]

Lord knows I want to fight this and contribute to the effort in any way possible. Of course, I, too, have a lot at stake currently, but as a matter of principal, as well.

[Apache]

This is going to be my last post on this as I have way too much work to do to get tied up on the forums with this anymore.

The threat to forums by this crap is just as real as the rest of it. They are really stretching their muscles in threatening the first and second amendments with all of this. The problem will be IF they are even successful with a little of this, which is likely, it will leave something for them to build on later. The WHOLE THING should be trashed from beginning to end.....even the "periods" should be trashed........The only governing agency for this type of thing should be the BATF instead of multiple agencies with conflicting opinions. That would be plain common sense though......something they obviously know nothing about since they think their rulings and definitions are "common" understanding.

It simply boils down to this: Pay to play or fight it and take your chances. I'm waiting to make a final decision for the elections this fall if at all possible. I am going to put some other options in motion - just in case - that will hopefully work out.

But this doesn't look good right now to me. I've seen a lot of forum chatter at first, but very little actual contacting of governmental representatives. Even the forum chatter is slowing down now.

We're just a frog enjoying a nice warm bath.....water's a little warmer than it was a few minutes ago it seems.....pretty soon, we're gonna be that cooked frog and it'll be too late.

If your neighbors house is burning, don't just stand there and watch. Your house might be next.

Y'all take care!!!

Jim

[foxx]

Yes, BOTH Mr. Furious and Apache are right. The forums AND the gunsmiths are being attacked equally. As such, ALL of America is being attacked here. This is INSANE. We are ALL being shutdown.

I simply don't know what to do about it. I feel impotent.

It's like I am sitting at the embassy in Benghazi screaming for help and no one is listening or responding. The difference, of course, is I am sitting here with ALL of America around me, yet none of my friends and neighbors even care the rpg's are coming in thru the windows.

PLEASE, SOMEONE here must have ideas or suggestions on what to do.

[foxx]

In desperation I just called the NRA-ILA 800-672-3888, prompt 5

I was told they are working to address this with the Legislature, but because Obama took this step now, as legislators are busy campaigning, they are unable to get their attention. They are supposedly working on building a case to fight this in the courts, but it will be very slow. He said even they did not recognize how FRAGILE our system is. This type of "end-around" is swift and effective. When an administration is willing and able to rework the system and force their agendas and initiatives upon us by essentially creating a new department or authorizing preexisting, albeit unrelated departments, to take action in his favor, i.e. cheat, we do not have an effective way of responding.

[foxx]

Just as soon as I posted the above, the NRA called me asking me to listen to Wayne explain the situation to me so they could get more donations from me to help fund their lobbying efforts and support their/our gun friendly legislators get reelected. Well, okay, I would like to do that, but Obama has already, essentially, cut my throat! I am bleeding out, HIS gun is at MY head and I'm reaching for my wallet to help fund someone's campaign efforts to be elected to an IMPOTENT legislative body!

I should have asked the guy if he could make a nondeductible contribution to MY cause. I need to raise $2,250 real quick-like.

Oh, but wait, that won't help Apache and Mr. Furious or the rest of the forum members here.

[Texas10]

Wait, WHAT? I thought it was clear that this was NOT an Executive Order. Now you're reporting that the NRA says it was?

[foxx]

It was/is executive ACTION. It is a new way of doing business. Appoint a department to usurp power from a different department or branch of government. The constitution and model for the republic be ****ED!

[foxx]

Don't you see????!!!!!!

There were laws written intended to empower the State Department to prevent defense secrets and weapons, munitions, technology, etc. from getting into the hands of our nation's (and allies) enemies. Then, when no one who cared was looking, Obama instructed them (the State Department) to "turn the guns" on US! and no one (of any consequence) screamed "FOUL!"

[foxx]

As the fictional western character Josie Wales might say to Obama and Hilary, "Mr. President, don't piss down my (the American people's) back and tell me it's raining."

Well, he is, and what's worse, he's LAUGHING at us while he does so.

Oh, FUDGE! I just sound like a raging lunatic.

[Dennis]

I have been involved with competition shooting and hunting since I was in Jr HI School. I love the sport.

I can't believe we are all being faced with a situation like this. I have written several concerning my opinion on these restrictions.

Basically the law abiding USA citizen is being hurt because of a few idiots.

I am not giving up, I will still voice my concerns whenever possible.

Following all the laws and fees are making it tough on the small business man. Most people don't realize what it takes to keep a small business running and always think they are being overcharged. It looks like it's only going to get worse.

Dennis

[LoneWolf]

Here's another article explaining this topic:

https://blog.princelaw.com/2016/07/2...-registration/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[foxx]

So Gunsmiths need to be regulated (more than in the past) because they MIGHT be building illegal, automatic rifles...

Why not regulate plumbers and pipe fitters the same way... they MIGHT be building pipe bombs!

Moreover, there has been no crimes committed with automatic (illegal) weapons, anyhow.

[yobuck]

Well in the short run, the only thing we can do is realize who our friends are and vote accordingly.
Starting like right now there are two important primaries in WI. and AZ.
We need to sweep the place out thouraly. We might shoot ourselves in the foot while doing so for a brief period.
But that's a whole lot better than being shot in the head.

[psharon97]

Nope, because in their infinite wisdom, ICANN (the organization that is responsible for issuing I.P. addresses) never had the foresight to set it up like phone numbers with country codes. As such the IP addy 219.0.0.001-100 could be in the U.S. and 219.0.0.100-199 could be in China and 219.0.0.200-299 could be in France and so on. And even it it were organized with a country code, all one would have to do is route through a proxy server in the U.S. to get around their country being blocked.

What really amazes me is how quiet everyone is on this, especially the NRA and Gun Owners of America. The NRA put out a brief statement on Wednesday and that's it. Nothing for six days after it was signed, and nothing more in the four days since.

IP addresses are assigned by geographical location. You can go to a site like whatismyipaddress.com then go to https://www.maxmind.com/en/geoip-demo for specific information on a target IP address.

The way I understand this regulation, if you do any work, including mounting a scope, reloading to increase accuracy, changing the barrel, building AR rifles, using a 3d printer to build a lower, you fall in this regulation. This is the direction I think these unelected bureaucratic pukes are taking this law. I'm hoping a republican president, along with a republican led congress can put a stop to this nonsense.

[Texas10]

I suspect that this "change" in interpretation of the Code of Federal Regulations, will be subject of court battles, and injunctions with the likely hood that the SCOTUS will decide the issue some time in the future. It may be that the "fee" is simply rescinded or changed to accommodate smaller shops.

I think that the application of an onerous fee is tantamount to a restriction or prohibition which, when applied against a Constitutional Right is usually seen as illegal.

Harrumph, Harrumph! I didn't get a Harrumph outta that guy!

[foxx]

Liberals think it is onerous to expect a person to show photo ID when voting, but have no problem charging onerous fees to gunsmiths.

Hmmm...

Liberal courts will likely believe the same way.

[DrThunder88]

I'm hoping a republican president, along with a republican led congress can put a stop to this nonsense.

Just don't fall into the trap of thinking "can" and "will" are synonymous.

[foxx]

THis law has been on the books for a long time. No one like us was aware of it until now, and the State Department did not use it this way until now. It is up to US to bring it to the attention of the legislature NOW!

[J.Baker]

Think I'm just going to sell off all my guns and ammo and reloading stuff, then take up crochet. Who's with me?

[foxx]

Will you start a new website and forum when you do? You might devote some space to those who like to spin their own yarn and make their own hooks and needles.

Heck, who knows, maybe some die-hards will even raise their own sheep and yaks for the wool.




Do yaks produce wool?

[HalfTrack]

MrFurious, I hear you but then we have the mallet to worry bout.
That could be dangerous too. Please save me from myself America?

HalfTrack