WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. has stopped issuing export licenses for most civilian firearms and ammunition for 90 days for all non-governmental users, the Commerce Department said on Friday, citing national security and foreign policy interests.
The Commerce Department did not provide further details for the pause, which also includes shotguns and optical sights, but said an urgent review will assess the “risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities.”
The Commerce Department declined to comment beyond the posting on its website.
US halts exports of most civilian firearms for 90 days (msn.com)
Some people are running around with their hair on fire about this. Calm down, there won’t be a shortage of gun inside the country not only because only affects exports but because they are only about 3.5% of the manufacturing business. According to the ATF in 2021 13,804,919 firearms were manufactured in the US and only 458,684 were exported. That is about half a month of retail sales in the US.
Of course, if you must buy another gun, please feel free to add to your collection. Do let us know what you got. 😀
Of course, if you must buy another gun, please feel free to add to your collection.
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Got a Platypus in the production queue, does that count?
Question being what will they do next? A ban on IMPORTS?
It’s another tool in the toolbox.
Most of the US made guns that fuel international terrorism, organized crime and drug cartels come from state actors and government agencies.
They are probing how much they can take away, this time it’s just another angle.
Export may be just 3,5% of manufacturing numbers but the international market is not as competitive as the US market which may translate to higher margins for the exported guns. Then there is the small but important reality that some manufacturers don’t export AT ALL so the percentage is higher for the remaining manufacturers that do.
Ammunition is another big issue. The international market for US made ammunition is HUGE and the number of manufacturers is smaller. The US market MAY soak up the excess.
And “Dan” adds another important point: that it may open the gates to restrict the imports. People tend to forget that there are a lot of big imported brands:
Everything from Bergara, Chiappa, Wichester/Browning, Heckler & Koch, Walther, Umarex, Howa, Rossi/Taurus, everything Turkish, Armscor of Phillipines (Rock Island Armory) etc.
And some brands import part of their portfolio: most Weatherby rifles (made by Howa, Japan), Springfield Helion and pistols (made by HS produkts, Croatia), Mossberg has a mexican manufacturing branch (the Maverick line), etc.
tiredWeasel great post, all very important points for consideration. And Dan said the scary part out loud.
” but the international market is not as competitive as the US market which may translate to higher margins for the exported guns.”
It is not. I have no figures from the last decade or so, but back when Colt was of still importance, their ARs at the local market started in the $700s and went up while their export price was in the mid $400s for the ARs with the giggle switch. Just right off the bat, Exports are not subject to local taxes.
Around 2012 I could take a look at Colts price list – an M16A3 or A4 was around 700-800€, more or less the same as a G36 at that time. (for what it’s worth: a FN made M2 HB QCB was around 10.000,-€ in the same timeframe)
But we are not talking about military or law enforcement because these guns are not subject to the export ban. We are talking about civilian guns.
So, let me see if I have this right.
The manufacturers will not be able to sell their products to overseas buyers for a while, and this is translating into gun shortages in some people’s minds?
More stock on hand means… more stock. I do not think the gun makers will slow down production much at all.
So does anyone have a hypothesis what the goal of the bad guys is here?