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U.S. NEWS Friday 20 September 2019

Colt suspends production of AR-15 for civilian market

By PAT EATON-ROBB which emerged from bank- access to such weapons
Associated Press ruptcy in 2016, remains are being threatened, Win-
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. committed to the Second kler said.
(AP) — Gun-maker Colt is Amendment. He said the "Given these sales and the
suspending its production company is expanding its history of Colt being a com-
of rifles for the civilian mar- lines of pistols and revolv- pletely disorganized, dys-
ket including the popular ers. functional company that
AR-15, the company said Despite a national debate goes into bankruptcy and
Thursday in a shift it attribut- on gun control, Colt's deci- can't keep anything going
ed to changes in consumer sion seems driven by busi- properly, my assumption is
demand and a market al- ness considerations rather that this is a business deci-
ready saturated with similar than politics, said Adam sion that is being driven by
weapons. Winkler, a gun policy expert their own business prob-
The company said it will fo- at the University of Califor- lems," he said.
cus instead on fulfilling con- nia, Los Angeles School of Still, Winkler said the com-
tracts with military and po- Law. pany's decision risks alien- In this Aug. 15, 2012 file photo, three variations of the AR-15 rifle
lice customers for rifles. FBI statistics show more ating and angering its re- are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacra-
mento, Calif. On Sept. 19, 2019, Connecticut-based Colt Fire-
"The fact of the matter is than 2.3 million people maining customer base. arms said it was suspending production of its version of the AR-
that over the last few years, applied for background "We've seen in the past that 15 for the civilian market.
the market for modern checks to purchase guns when gun manufacturers Associated Press
sporting rifles has experi- in August, up from just over are viewed to have given
enced significant excess 1.8 million in July. Those ap- in to gun-safety advocates, has focused in particular pushing for mandatory rifle
manufacturing capacity," plications, the best avail- gun owners will boycott on assault-style rifles like AR- buybacks over the last few
Colt's chief executive offi- able statistic from tracking them and really hurt their 15s that have been used in weeks.
cer, Dennis Veilleux, said in gun sales, has have been business," he said. "If they mass shootings. "Hell, yes, we're going to
a written statement. "Given rising steadily, with a slight think a company like Colt Democratic presidential take your AR-15, your AK-
this level of manufactur- decline after Donald Trump is disrespecting their iden- candidate and former 47, and we're not going to
ing capacity, we believe was elected president in tity or giving in to the other Texas congressman Beto allow it to be used against
there is adequate supply 2016, something call the side, Colt's likely going to O'Rourke, whose home- your fellow Americans any-
for modern sporting rifles for "Trump slump." see serious damage to its town of El Paso was the site more," O'Rourke, a said dur-
the foreseeable future." Gun sales usually go up other firearms brands too." of a shooting in August left ing a Democratic presiden-
Veilleux said the company, when guy buyers feel their The debate on gun control 22 people dead, has been tial debate this month.q