the Heavy Lifting... One Of The Ways We Add Value to Our Consignments

Taking Stock #31: The Heavy Lifting… One Of The Ways We Add Value to Our Consignments

Ah, California. Blessed with perennial good weather, soft breezes caress the beaches and valleys; while soft-headed politicians, obsessed with nannying a complacent public into numbness, enact vast thickets of legislation, designed to enforce dependence upon a somnolent citizenry numb to anything but the handouts they receive, and the ever-higher taxes they must pay for the government’s so-called largesse. They don’t love the independence that the mere ownership of firearms imply; they don’t like gun owners at all. This, despite the Constitutional protections that were carefully woven into the fabric of our free society, by men whose vision far exceeded anything ever imagined by the grey-minded, penny-souled bureaucrats, whose sole ambition is the unlimited exercise of power and control over an increasingly unlettered electorate, made so by their own failed educational system.

At Lock Stock, & Barrel, we are mindful of these freedoms, and the wisdom of these men who founded our great nation. And we have incorporated those beliefs into our business model, which, despite the byzantine morass of legislation, allows us to do business, so that you can enjoy your constitutionally-protected freedoms.

But it ain’t always easy.

Frankly, it’s hard to do business in this political climate, especially a gun business. I thought I’d take a few minutes to offer some observations about that.

1. Sacramento and Washington politicians don’t love us, and every year, the stack of paperwork, the comprehension of legislation designed to exhaust us into compliance, grow. We stay in front of that. If there’s a law you don’t understand, or you’re not certain how to go about selling, or buying a firearm, we’re there to help. We worry about this stuff, so you don’t have to!

Remember, we can deal with all 50 states, but consider these regulations that apply solely to California:

A.) The California Handgun Roster. California has established a roster of firearms which are allowed to be sold in the state; the expense of doing so discourages many firearms manufacturers from selling their products in this state. Furthermore, it must be renewed every few years, at the manufacturer’s expense. It’s ridiculous and complex; the exact same pistol with a 4 1/2 inch barrel must be expensively submitted in a 5 inch barreled version; black finish or stainless finishes must also be tested separately. Yes, it’s extortionate, and ridiculous, but we keep up with it, for your benefit.

B.) The 10 round magazine limit. This state has decided that 10 rounds are all you get, unless, of course you are law enforcement, or one of the protectors of these self-same politicians. Then, of course, you can get all the firepower you need or want. But wait; if you had your magazines BEFORE the ban, somehow, they’re okay, even though you can’t tell by looking which were manufactured, when. Some rifles can have more than ten rounds; some cannot. It’s based on exterior features, such as pistol grips or flash hiders. Confused? We’re not, and we can help.

C.) What is an assault weapon? A Bullet button? When are they required? Is my rifle legal? Don’t worry; we know.

D.) How about interstate transfers? With Lock Stock, & Barrel, you can browse through our inventory, no matter where you are. We’ll make certain that whatever you want, you can get, and that it will be clean, professionally packaged, and shipped safely to you. If you’re a seller, we negotiate the various laws of each state, making certain that you receive the best price possible for your possession. We make sure that we, and most importantly YOU, stay on the right side of the law, without creepy individuals coming to your residence, and scanning your other possessions, as well…

E. ) Then, there’s the ever-changing political climate. In spite of worshipping weapons at every celluloid turn, making billions of dollars showing guns employed in their violence-soaked blood-fests, without remorse or ramifications, in order to sell movies, Hollywood is bent on eliminating those rights from a free people. The public attitudes, fed by soft-headed mindsets that do not take into account our liberties, but rather their narrow attitudes, are often hostile to what we do. A few examples:

Google, the most common search engine on the internet, will not allow us to have direct links to sellers on the Lock Stock & Barrel website, or they will not list us with Adwords, no matter how many hits we get. (And we get a LOT!) That’s why – please be patient with us – you can no longer link directly to the websites which carry our wares. (Don’t worry – we employ work-arounds, so you can always get to the products you want!)

E-Bay will not allow any gun-related object that can help a gun to shoot, be listed on their site. So you can list a holster, or a stock, but not a trigger. How about a barrel, then? Or a sight? Don’t worry, we know.

Bank of America will not issue loans to firearms-based industries, regardless of the jobs and revenue that might create. So we do our banking business elsewhere.

The Lock, Stock, & Barrel website is constantly under attack by hackers; we spend a small fortune here, keeping our internet presence up and running, so that you can be sure that your consignments will be sold for a fair price, or that you can get the firearms that you want, through us!

Does all of this seem like a lot? Well, whether you are a seller, or a buyer, that’s why we’re here! We do the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to. It’s our job, and we’re proud of the work that we do, so that you can relax, and count your money, or enjoy that new-found firearm or accessory, which will allow you to pursue your constitutionally-protected firearms rights, wherever you may be.

That’s us. Lock Stock & Barrel Investments. Doing the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to.

By Mark Romano