Gun manufacturer shoots self in foot.
I have been putting together a 6.5 Grendel rfile over the past... oh ... year or so (and it is still not done). Recently, I had a little bit of buyers remorse since I had bought an Alexander Arms 16" upper, and then found out later that Robinson Arms was offering their XCR in 6.5 Grendel (6.5G). The XCR, to be sure, is a fine rifle. They basically took an AR, made it a free floating, piston driven rifle with a collapsable stock, and voila!... a very fine rifle. The two greeat failings of the AR, IMHO, include the relatively anemic cartridge, and the fouling/reliability problems associated with the gas impingement system. Certainly, there are advantages to the system, but the vulnerable point remains. Anyway, the 6.5G is a wonderful correction of the first weakness. Sorry, but the 6.8SPC is just a 7.62x39 soviet with a dress. While it has more short range knockdown, it comes at the cost of long range accuracy. Zero sum. As for the fouling/reliability; well, that means you keep your weapon clean, and you can effectively niullify that weakness. Not ideal for a maintainance company that doesn't know what a chamber brush is for when they wander into indian country and get ambushed, but it is lighter and, more importantly, when it starts to fail, it generally fails gradually, whereas when an op-rod fails, it fails suddenly and comletely.
Anyway, I got a 6.5G AR. Fine. Very happy with it, just a little remorseful since I could have gotten the XCR, and had both of the weaknesses negated. This lingering emotion lasted right up until I heard that Robinson arms is supporting Mitt Romney. Now, I have nothing against Mitt Romney personally, and I have nothing against mormons, and a lot of the Marine cowboys I knew were mormons, and we got along spectacularly. These were some drinkin' fightin' sons of b*tches, and I loved them as much as the drinkin' fightin' Irish Catholic Marines. Hell, you knew you were going to whup some ass when you had a Bull rider to your right, and a southie to your left. But I digress...
The problem with Mitt, who my father supports, is the fact that he has said that he would sign an AWB if it came across his desk as President. I also distinctly recall him being asked about guns and responding with some sort of weak attempt at being a staunch 2A supporter because he went hunting rabbits with a single-shot .22 when he was a kid. That was a weak evasion in an attempt to pander. Romney jacked up fees on gun registrations. Romney has failed to get CCW laws into Mass. Yeah, I know it's Mass, and about as anti-gun as you can get, but Mitt has certainly shown his willingness to throw gun owners under the bus. Well, you will excuse me if I am willing to throw him under the bus, in return. My fear is that Romney will allow gun control measures to go through the oval office unopposed, and trade our rights for some sort of temporary and questionable political gain. It should be transparent to all that Romney is just a Fudd. Even worse than that, he is just a Fudd Wannabe.
So, when, on Jan 1, 2008, Robinson arms decided to back Romney for the republican nomination, I can only guess that since they are located in Utah, they are backing their faith, not their livelihood. In response, I will support their faith, but not their livelihood.
I will not buy any Robinson Arms product, and I strongly suggest that anyone contemplating doing so should re-examine their intentions. I also am going to recommend to my congresscritters that Robinson arms not be awarded any military contracts, and I will recommend to my local and state representatives that any police purchase contracts not be awarded to Robinson arms.
Unfortunately, of all the Rudy McRomney condidates, the only one who has any sort of claim to the gun vote is McCain. He, at least, in the immediate aftermath of the VaTech shooting, supported 'No gun control.' While he may be willing to piss all over the first ammendment, at least he holds fast on the second. That is a discussion for alater date. In summation, of the GOP candidates, there are only two who are blatantly for gun control; Guiliani and Romney. Any gun manufacturer who supports either of these candidates better get used to going without mine.
So, in the end, I have an Alexander arms 6.5, and I am proud to own it. The only way it could be better would be if Bill Alexander could have licensed Ronnie Barrett to make it.
Respectfully Submitted,
doc Russia