Milwaukee newspaper continues assault on gun store

[Monkeyleg]

I've posted before about the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel running one, two or even three-page stories about Badger Guns. The stories border on being libelous. I'm really surprised that the owner of the store hasn't sued.

Today's story--the sixth the paper has run since September--is about felons renting guns on shooting ranges. Never mind that Badger can't run background checks on people who use their range, or people who rent guns. Never mind that the BATF says Badger is following the law. The Journal Sentinel is hell bent on running them out of business, leaving Milwaukee County with just one gun store.

Here's the link to the story. The links to the previous stories are at the lower left corner of the page.

 

[berettashotgun]

You can't argue with opinion.
That is all a social rag is nowadays.
Little substance and a whole lotta' speculation.
The story in the paper points out specific facts - that cannot be refuted.
Same author I presume?

 

[Jumping Frog]

When our local newspaper ran some anti-gun opinion, our state level firearms groups protested to the point that the paper relented and ran an opinion rebuttal piece that we authored. We also open carry protested on the sidewalk in front of the newspaper HQ, passing our flyers saying they were ignorant, uniformed and stupid.

Milwaukee people need to gets some stones and take the battle to them.

 

[searcher451]

Is this an "attack" on the gun range, or is it an "attack" on the laws, or lack thereof, that allow felons to walk into gun ranges and rent Glocks? It seems to me in reading the article that the opinions of both sides, the gun range folks included, are well-represented.

 

[unibrau]

Guys, Badger guns is a horrible example of a gun dealer! The guns they have sold have been involved in more crime then any other dealer in the country.(atleast this used to be true)

 

[General Geoff]

Guys, Badger guns is a horrible example of a gun dealer! The guns they have sold have been involved in more crime then any other dealer in the country.(atleast this used to be true)

So you would also blame the car dealer for selling a car to a drunk?

 

[brboyer]

Guys, Badger guns is a horrible example of a gun dealer! The guns they have sold have been involved in more crime then any other dealer in the country.(atleast this used to be true)

Do you have verifiable evidence to back up your beliefs?

 

[rmfnla]

So you would also blame the car dealer for selling a car to a drunk?

If the drunk tried to buy a car while inebriated or was listed as a repeat DUI offender on a DMV printout, yes I would.

 

[General Geoff]

Incredible.

 

[Walkalong]

Guys, Badger guns is a horrible example of a gun dealer! The guns they have sold have been involved in more crime then any other dealer in the country.(atleast this used to be true)

Please verify this statement.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Walkalong, you're the victim of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's playing with words.

The Milwaukee Police Department is one of very few--or maybe even the only department--that runs traces on every gun officers come across. If they find an elderly person passed away, and there's a gun on the premises, they run a trace.

This results in thousands of traces over and above the traces of guns involved in crimes. Since Badger was at one time, and may still be, the largest gun retailer in Wisconsin, it stands to reason that there's going to be more guns from Badger than any other dealer.

When the Journal Sentinel talks about Badger and "crime guns," they're really referring to traces on guns that had no involvement in crimes.

It makes for spectacular headlines, though.

 

[CoRoMo]

Incredible.

No, I say that's absurd. No car dealer has any right to meddle in the DMV record of any customer. Absurd.

The small amount of internet story that I'm familiar with, regarding the ordeals of Badger Guns, can't stand up to the fact that the authorities haven't decided that Badger should lose their license. That alone tells me that all the hubbub is much ado about nothing.

 

[GIJOEL]

I've been a patron of Badger for nearly 15 years. They do everything in their power and within the limits of the law to avoid straw purchasers and keep criminals out of the store. Now after the suicides that occurred at the range the store has removed all of the rental firearms. Between false information and manipulations in he media they have been painted as a reckless dealer. What can they do? does anyone have any suggestions? How does a public range and store stay in business when they are portrayed like this?

 

[KodiakBeer]

I read several stories linked at the bottom of the article. I've worked in gun sales, so I think I have some idea of what is at the heart of this. There doesn't seem to be any guns going out the back door. They are a large seller (60,000 guns over a several year period), but only a relatively few discrepancies are noted. Believe me, it's easy enough for a clerk to forget to make an entry or a paper gets misfiled or somebody transposes a couple of numbers when recording a sale. Make 60,000 sales and you're going to find some mistakes. There are no indications that any sale was made to a felon.

Any mistake in a gun sale is serious, but it sounds like they're under a magnifying glass because of the cop shootings.

That whole idea about large volume straw purchasers who show up with suitcases full of guns is largely a myth. I'm sure it happens, but most straw purchases for criminals is just some girlfriend, acquaintance, etc, buying a gun for the felon. No law is going to stop that from happening. You can't prosecute because the buyer can just claim it was stolen. You certainly can't blame the gun store.

 

[Buck Snort]

If the drunk tried to buy a car while inebriated or was listed as a repeat DUI offender on a DMV printout, yes I would.

Don't you realize your response makes absolutely NO SENSE whatsoever? As a matter of fact, it is a perfect example of a non sequitur.

 

[SigP229R]

Things like this is just what I really love about our media; anything sensationial or the least bit to what they consider the left of the line they will keep it going until it causes some real problems.

 

[Ronsch]

In Alaska, IIRC, DMV reports can only be run by LEOs or the individual whose report it is. Same for a Criminal History.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

heard about this issue a while ago. this paper seems to have it in for that particular gunshop....

 

[Wishoot]

I've purchased a couple of firearms from Badger in the past as well as guns from one of their close competitors. I can tell you that Badgers background check procedure is exactly the same as it is anywhere else in Wisconsin. They do nothing different.

They are reasonably decent to deal with and their prices are OK.

How on earth are they supposed to know if a gun they sell is going to be used in a crime? They do not have a crystal ball.

The Anti's are just trying to make an example out of Badger. The Journal is the worst Lefty rag in the Upper Midwest.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

is wisconsin generally a "gun havin" state?

 

[Karl Hungus]

is wisconsin generally a "gun havin" state?

If not for Milwaukee and Madison, WI would be Texas.

Stuff like this from the MJS doesn't surprise me in the least.