I have been picking up the Willamette Week rag lately to check on my personal ads <kidding> read what garbage they come out with re: the passing of the ban.  This Wednesday's issue has a short story.  What I read didn't surprise me, but here's something I want to point out -- now I know probably nobody here spends $.02 at The Gun Room on Foster, but the guy is a bigger ass than I even thought.

Here's the link, and the article below.

FIRED UP OVER NOTHING
Gunslingers and cops say Kerry's shooting blanks on assault weapons.
BY DAVE FITZPATRICK

dfitzpatrick at wweek.com

Last Thursday, Jarrad Stanton climbed out of a mud-spattered Nissan Pathfinder at an old rock quarry in the Tillamook State Forest. The 27-year-old Portland contractor strolled to the quarry's edge and shouldered his semi-automatic AK-47. Down in the pit, a red plastic coffee can floated on a muddy, trash-ringed puddle.

The AK's concussive roar shattered the silence. Ten seconds later, the coffee can was no more. The puddle was a few inches shallower, water having splashed out on all sides. And Stanton was out 30 rounds.

Three days before, a 10-year-old federal ban on assault weapons expired. Democrat John Kerry raised campaign Cain about it all week. Kerry claims the ban's demise makes America less safe and proves George W. Bush would rather placate gun nuts than govern sensibly.

It's safe to say Kerry's argument was not crafted with Jarrad Stanton's vote in mind. Like many Second Amend-ment enthusiasts in the Portland area, he was glad to see the sun set on Title XI of 1994's Federal Violent Crime Control Act, which banned 19 types of assault weapons.

Not that he thought it meant much.

In fact, Stanton--along with a number of Portland sportsmen, gun-shop owners and cops--thinks Kerry's effort to stir up swing-voter outrage is based on a bogus premise. The ban, they say, was mostly cosmetic. If you wanted a semi-automatic assault weapon, you could get one--legally.

Take Stanton's AK. Under the law, it was illegal to sell such a gun with more than two features from a list including a bayonet lug, collapsible stock, pistol grip, flash suppressor and magazine capable of holding more than 10 cartridges. Manufacturers scaled down magazine capacity or stripped away other illegal accessories--and went right on selling guns.

Meanwhile, anyone who wanted banned features could exploit the law's grandfather clause, which allowed possession of any gun or accessory manufactured before 1994. A legal market for pre-ban weapons thrived.

"I got mine three or four years back at a gun show," explains Stanton, who uses a .40-caliber handgun for self-defense, the AK for stress relief. "It was $475 plus tax--$519 in all. I can get 1,000 rounds for $109, and I can probably shoot them off in about half an hour."

The ban thus did little to dampen interest in assault weapons, according to local gun merchants. Royd Jackson, owner of the Gun Broker in Clackamas, says demand has increased for "AR-15-style guns" similar to those used by U.S. military forces. (Jackson notes that prices--$700 to $1,500--have dropped considerably since the ban's end.)

Warren Lacasse of Southeast Foster Road's Gun Room says he, too, has seen an increased demand, though he couldn't care less. "We're not interested in thugs," he says. "We cater to the hunting end." (Lacasse often dumbfounds customers looking for "pre-ban stuff" by handing them a replica .50 caliber 1812 black-powder rifle. He calls it "the original assault rifle.")

Like gun owners and sellers, local police say banning sales did little to make Portland streets safer.

"In the vast majority of cases, guns are obtained through theft or other such means," says Portland Police Officer Greg Pashley. According to Pashley, most crimes are committed with handguns, which are easier to conceal.

"The tactics and methods we use won't change because this law went into sunset," he says. "Whether they have one shot, 20 or 30, you have to approach situations carefully."

Up in the Tillamook, Stanton voiced a very similar sentiment. Just as he ran out of ammo, an SUV pulled up. Out jumped four high-schoolers clad in a bizarre mix of flip-flops, tactical vests, Vietnam-era bush hats and antiquated ammo belts. They packed a 9 mm pistol, a chirpy little .22 deer rifle and an enormous old bolt-action .30-06. Stanton nodded politely and made a little small talk as the teens set up their target, a female mannequin torso covered in duct tape.

But when the guy in flip-flops started waving around the .30-06, Stanton decided it was time to pack his guns and leave.

"My dad was a Marine," he said. "I am religious about safety."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally published on WEDNESDAY, 9/22/2004

LOL. That's the same guy that told my buddies uncle that he should get an AR instead of an SKS. He wanted a beater rifle that he could take a dear with and the guy said the AR was much better for dear. My buddies uncle, who's a master hunter, just laughed and walked out. What a dumbass.

What an ass.  Fortunately everyone here already new that.  How the hell is he still in business?

Quoted: What an ass.  Fortunately everyone here already new that.  How the hell is he still in business?

I would imagine he prays upon people who don't know any better. Most people don't know anything about firearms. Not to the extent people on this board do.

I would rather give up shooting forever than deal with The Gun Room. That guy is a First Class, Grade A penis.

250 for a hammered 10-22,  yes calling him a ftard would be an understatement.  But he isnt completly worthless, you could always use him as a bad example. lol

I think we should have a contest! Walk in and say you've been thinking about buying your "first gun". Whoever comes back with the wildest story or highest price quoted wins something! Could be fun. ( I'm sitting here typing putting off packing boxes for our move next week.)

Bang

Fuck him! I am sure that Karma will catch up to him in due time.

CH

Quoted: I think we should have a contest! Walk in and say you've been thinking about buying your "first gun". Whoever comes back with the wildest story or highest price quoted wins something! Could be fun. ( I'm sitting here typing putting off packing boxes for our move next week.) Bang

I'm not in OR....but if ya'll do this, post the results out in GD so everyone can laugh.  

Man....I am glad I am not the only one!!!!

Growing up near that shop I went there once to buy a handgun. I stopped at 3-Bears, when it was in Vancouver only, and priced a Colt 1911 and then headed out to the Gun Room. I walked in and asked about a the specific model I wanted. They asked me for ID to make sure I was 21 which kinda set me back. They then showed me the same gun I just priced and it was $350 more for the same thing. I mentioned that I priced these around town and the JA behind the counter told me they don't sell factory seconds before I had the chance to even blink. Needless to say I still have the gun bought from 3-Bears and have never been back....


Cheers

I went into that shop after pricing a sig229 around town, they had a 229 for $1035 bucks. i ask him about meeting three bears price and he said that  the gun room has better guns and customer service, i said well a sig is a sig right? he freaked out and went off the deep end about the other gun shops being  scalpers and they dont offer customer service like his, i told him that he was very right and i was goin to three bears. walked out laughing while he was still going off, he told me not to come back to his shop.
dont know how the dipshit stays in business like that but he seems to do ok.

I have found most of the local gun store owner's to be arrogant pricks, with extremely high prices for used shit and NEW. Which is why I have turned to the internet for purchasing my firearms, I am tired of the arrogant pricks thinking they are the only game in town, this includes gunshows also. These guys are worse than alot of used car salesman. The internet is a gunshow 24/7, it does not cost to park or get in, and you do not have to get insulted by the guy trying to give you 1/2 the worth for your gun. I understand that these guys need to make a living but come on.
Chuck

Well I don't know that the guy who owns the Gun Room is in it for a living... he seems to try as hard as possible to go out of business.  I really wonder what keeps him going -- maybe his wife works and makes enough to subsidize the shop?