Individuals who exploit firearms industry to turn a buck?

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He isn't doing anything different than many other "celebrities" do, marketing some product with his image. Be it a perfume or cosmetics line, sneakers, clothing, etc. What makes him different than any of the others?

As far as advertising, I hadn't seen or heard about it until you brought it up. Thanks for nothing. :rolleyes:
 
I am unable to decide whether Aragon, is working with Jesse to stir up publicity, or just as outraged as he claims. :rolleyes:

After all controversy is publicity, and I would probably never paid any attention to this venture otherwise.

Yeah, bad taste in my opinion, but my opinion and a $1.25 will get you a cup of coffee.

As far as how the tricked out guns look, and why somebody might want them, Has no one heard the phrase "Barbeque guns" before?
 
Im really not seeing what I'm supposed to be worked up about in the given example. Wouldnt wear that if it was free but it doesn't bother me that it exist. As for the general question asked no I dont see the gun industry as some holy untouchable entity if people want to use cheesey marketing techniques then whatever, it happens with pretty much everything else.
 
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My question is, "Who are their perceived customers, who would both desire such a thing and be able to file a true 4473?"
 
I think I am with We Are Not Amused on this one. If the OP had not posted this 99.5% of the members here would have never heard of or seen the marketing. It doesn't bother me as I will not be a customer......
 
Let the free market decide if it is a good idea or not
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It seems contradictory to me when people who consistently advocate for freedom of one kind, 2nd amendment, want to restrict freedom of another kind, free market? :what:

Why would I want to restrict what products people bring to market? The beauty of a truly free market is that we are free to buy only those products we choose to buy. If you don't like this jacket don't buy it but I fail to see it as exploitation.
 
Heaven help us when members of this forum can decide what other gun owners should be able to buy or even browse on the internet.... I will probably never buy anything from Jessie James (I don't really like his sense of style or design), but I certainly don't see it as "exploiting" the gun industry. If he can sell his product for a profit, more power to him! This type of attitude is a slippery slope that I don't want to be on.
 
MS magazine denounced the SW Ladysmith line as exploiting women's fears and promoting the masculine agenda of violence.
 
Why the negative opinion of gun manufacturers?

Hummm the O.P. only has 17 posts and is criticizing individuals and the gun industry for exploiting their products in a negative manner just to make money.

ex•ploit
(ĕk′sploit′, ĭk-sploit′)
n.
1. An act or deed, especially a brilliant or heroic one. See Synonyms at feat1.
2. Computers A program or system designed to take advantage of a particular error or security vulnerability in computers or networks.
tr.v. (ĭk-sploit′, ĕk′sploit′) ex•ploit•ed, ex•ploit•ing, ex•ploits
1. To employ to the greatest possible advantage: exploit one's talents.
2. To make use of selfishly or unethically: a corporation that exploited peasant labor.


I assume that the O.P. is trying to make the case that individuals and gun manufacturers are acting selfishly or unethically rather than a brilliant act.

I imagine that most individuals in the gun industry meet the O.P.’s definition of acting selfishly or unethically.
Consider the following examples;
Manufacturing copies of the AR-15 and M-4 and selling these weapons designed for war to the general public.
Manufacturing and selling kits to convert Saiga Sport Carbine to copies of the AK rifle which is also designed for use in war.
Manufacturing hollowpoint ammunition with claims of it’s expansion and superior knockdown power.
How about high capacity magazines? Some aftermarket handgun magazines hold 20 rounds not to mention 30 rounds for rifles such as the AR and AK. Why are manufacturers selling these magazines? Protection against zombies and Russian troops invading our country?
Advertising, guns and ammunition directed especially towards women and their fear of being a victim of violent crime.
Here is another one. There are advertisements for night sights showing the gun owner in a alone in a dark garage with a body in the background presumably a dead bad guy.

And on and on and on…
 
All I see here is free market value + capitalism. Don't want it don't buy it, simple enough.

I personally think his 1911s are pretty classy, though I'm not crazy about the jacket I'm sure some do like it.
 
I have mixed feelings on the guy, but I will say that he has probably fired more historical and modern firearms than 99% of the people on this board. He has always loved guns and the people who use them, especially the military. And, being rich and famous, he gets opportunities that most of us don't - to embed with troops and fire their stuff and browse private gun collections from all over the world.

I am not surprised that he decided to hire some gunsmiths and start in the industry.

He may be gaudy but I bet he will introduce more young generations to firearms that the old farts running the local gun stores around the country.
 
Baron66 said:
He may be gaudy but I bet he will introduce more young generations to firearms that the old farts running the local gun stores around the country.
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Unfortunately, you are probably right. Why are so many gun store owners trying to run off all their business?

But the recent surge in popular gun shows on Television has led to an increase in gun awareness by the young.

One of the popular topics at break at work are the various gun shows on TV.
 
Let the free market decide if it is a good idea or not
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I agree. Mr. Colt, Mr. Henry and Mr. Marlin all had to start at up at some time. I think the OP needs to take an Econ 101 course. "Exploitation" isn't bad, in and of itself. It only means that the cost of labor, materials and overhead are collectively less than the income the product generates. Which is what has to happen for people to stay in business.
 
Argon, thank you for making me aware of this new start up. I had not heard that Jesse James has started a company to customize guns just as he has done for his customized bikes. Some (you) may call this exploitation, while others (virtually everyone that's not you) will simply call this creative marketing. While as a human he cannot be accused of being the most noble guy in the world or even very likeable, his craftsmanship and artistry are why he can command over $3K for a customized 1911. He'll never push Colt or Remington, off to the side, but I will bet his appeal to the high end buyers will keep him going for a long time. Hell, he may even get another reality show.
 
VAgunner said:
It seems contradictory to me when people who consistently advocate for freedom of one kind, 2nd amendment, want to restrict freedom of another kind, free market? :what:

Why would I want to restrict what products people bring to market? The beauty of a truly free market is that we are free to buy only those products we choose to buy. If you don't like this jacket don't buy it but I fail to see it as exploitation.
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This^^^^^
 
Like it or not when someone with a questionable background (and jj certainly has that) pushes a certain product/industry with questionable tactics (the stereotypical cholo, the pistol turned sideways, etc.) some of the grime will rub off onto the product, particularly highly political products like guns. When certain forces (such as anti-gun zealots) focus on that grime it can do damage in general to the product/industry. No question about that.

This has nothing to do with a free market, capitalism, allowing the buyers to decide or anything of the sort. I wouldn't for a moment suggest that people with jj's track record be legislated against. At the same time I would have been pleased to hear of him pushing another product or industry. I was just curious if others were also concerned about negative publicity?

For those that can't grasp that, I'll give a more extreme example. I'm sure there is a market (likely a fairly diehard, however limited market) for Nazi-themed AR15s and M1911s (not to mention Lugers and P38s.) An individual or company has the freedom (in the US at least) to make such arms with swastikas emblazoned all over them, (provided they could find vendors and retailers willing to work with them.) They could even dress someone up as Adolf Hitler to be their pitchman. While most would find that sickening, it would also attract others. It would also generate negative publicity for the gun industry.

There's no law against that in the US. While I wouldn't favor any sort of legislation to put such a company out of business, I would be concerned that the mere existence of such a business could (and would) be used to attack the gun industry as a whole. Would I feel relief when they were quietly refused display space at the annual NRA and SHOT shows due to the concern about negative publicity? Yes I would, "freedom" not withstanding.
 
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As far as Im concerned, its just another person on OUR side ie. pro-gun...If you don't like JJ maybe Facebook would be a better place to vent? :)
 
There's no question that jj is exploiting the gun industry (or if some might feel more comfortable simply "guns" or "the world of guns") to turn a buck. Choppers and cars didn't last, TV didn't last, Sandra didn't last and now it's guns, at least for the time being.
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Sure sounds like you've got some beef with the guy. I hope you guys can work this out through counseling.
 
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I am unable to decide whether Aragon, is working with Jesse to stir up publicity, or just as outraged as he claims.
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Never heard of this JJ before this, am not wasting the time to look him up, could care less what he makes or how he markets, so if this IS an attempt at this angle, not only am I not amused, it is the type of publicity that would send me to his competitor just on principle.

There is NO exploitation in the gun industry just as there is no price gouging. The free market (aka buyers) set the selling price of any product and therefore its success or failure
 
The late Mr. Jesse James has been deceased for so long that his past actions take on a folkloric aspect.
 
I'm not seeing anything here except the discussion of a business venture and a very small one at that. There are so many people doing custom 1911's that it's almost impossible to keep up with all of them. Does he build his own frames, probably not. Does he build his own barrels, probably not. Parts? Probably from Wilson or some other supplier. Does he have the artistic talent to transform a parts gun into something that will sell to the Rolex gold chain crowd? Can you chop my 1911, dude?
 
WCC used to build old school bikes with modern touches. I can remember when he would be broke after payroll because distributors would take their time paying him.

With TV exposure, the clientele had deeper pockets, bikes got more elaborate and gaudy, and with that, more expensive.

When I heard he was venturing into firearms, I expected them to be about like his bikes. I have only seen one of his bikes, and if he takes the same approach to his guns, he wont have trouble selling them.
 
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