Utah gun maker turns down $15M deal with Pakistan

[nhboy]

Link to original article.

"WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (AP) — A Utah-based gun manufacturer has turned down a $15 million deal to supply Pakistan with precision rifles, citing concerns they could eventually be used against U.S. troops.

Mike Davis, sales manager at Desert Tech, said the company was on a short list for a contract with Pakistan, but spurned the opportunity because of unrest in Pakistan and ethical concerns.

It was a difficult decision because of the amount of money involved, he said, and the sale of rifles to Pakistan would have been legal.

"We don't know that those guns would've went somewhere bad, but with the unrest we just ended up not feeling right about it," Davis told KTVX-TV.

The company, based in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Valley City, was founded in 2007 on the principle of keeping America and its allies safe, he added.

"As a business owner you always want to be successful, but I think ethically and morally you want to go about it the right way and stick behind your founding principles," Davis told KSL."

 

[Larry Gude]

Why were they on the list to begin with?

 

[GURPS]

Why were they on the list to begin with?

Paki was searching world wide for someone to build sniper rifles :shrug:

 

[Larry Gude]

Paki was searching world wide for someone to build sniper rifles :shrug:

Mike Davis, sales manager at Desert Tech, said the company was on a short list for a contract with Pakistan, but spurned the opportunity because of unrest in Pakistan and ethical concerns.

I haven't read it yet. My question is did they reject inquiries out of hand or get involved in the procurement process and then get cold feet or, perhaps, come to the realization they were not gonna win so, make a virtue out of necessity?

 

[Bonehead]

I am not sure that it matters as long as the rifles never get to someone determined to kill a American or one of our allies.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I thought all gun makers where capitalist pigs that profit from death.

 

[b23hqb]

I haven't read it yet. My question is did they reject inquiries out of hand or get involved in the procurement process and then get cold feet or, perhaps, come to the realization they were not gonna win so, make a virtue out of necessity?

It appears to me, from the article, that this manufacturer has had numerous contracts in the past, and was obviously in the pool for these type weapons. Seems clear that when the owner learned Pakistan was the destination, with the political and terrorist influence, he made a personal ethical decision over economic.

I'm checking out their site now. I feel the urge and need to buy another good hunting gun, quite probably from these guys.

 

[Gilligan]

The Paks manufacturer many, if not even most, of their own firearms, including a sniper rifle.They export them too.

 

[StadEMS3]

I'm checking out their site now. I feel the urge and need to buy another good hunting gun, quite probably from these guys.

I just looked too. Yeah, nice weapon but starting at $3,000-$5000 for thier SRS. I'll have to pass. Besides our socialist state won’t let me get one anyway.

 

[Larry Gude]

I just looked too. Yeah, nice weapon but starting at $3,000-$5000 for thier SRS. I'll have to pass. Besides our socialist state won’t let me get one anyway.

That's not unreasonable.

 

[Gilligan]

That's not unreasonable.

It didn't think so either. About $5000-6000 all up (the 3 grand starting point was only for the basic chassis). The rifles produced by Iron Brigade (IBA) cost about the same...


Iron Brigade Armory

 

[StadEMS3]

That's not unreasonable.

I'll bet it's worth every penny of it. I don't shoot enough to justify the cost myself.

 

[Gilligan]

I'll bet it's worth every penny of it. I don't shoot enough to justify the cost myself.

I really enjoy long-range target shooting. But as often as I get to do it (not very), I'm quite happy with my "$2000 Special" sniper rifle and the relatively cheap ammunition I can get to feed it. That...and I don't have the skills to take advantage of the sub-MOA potential of a truly precision piece like one of Rocky's IBA rifles.

 

[StadEMS3]

I really enjoy long-range target shooting. But as often as I get to do it (not very), I'm quite happy with my "$2000 Special" sniper rifle and the relatively cheap ammunition I can get to feed it. That...and I don't have the skills to take advantage of the sub-MOA potential of a truly precision piece like one of Rocky's IBA rifles.

I enjoy long range myself but I haven't found a place longer than 150' indoors. It's pretty much not a challenge anymore with my Cx4. Was thinking of taking up trap & skeet.

 

[GURPS]

I really enjoy long-range target shooting. But as often as I get to do it (not very), I'm quite happy with my "$2000 Special" sniper rifle and the relatively cheap ammunition I can get to feed it. That...and I don't have the skills to take advantage of the sub-MOA potential of a truly precision piece like one of Rocky's IBA rifles.

a Mosin is about $ 200 not 2000

 

[Gilligan]

a Mosin is about $ 200 not 2000

True. But that's not the one I was referring to. Plus...the ole Mosin-Nagant 91/30 barrel, bolt/receiver and trigger now resides in a nice new Archangel chassis and is ready for some optics, a Harris bipod,.... .

 

[Bonehead]

True. But that's not the one I was referring to. Plus...the ole Mosin-Nagant 91/30 barrel, bolt/receiver and trigger now resides in a nice new Archangel chassis and is ready for some optics, a Harris bipod,.... .

Dammit Gilligan ...........





now you got me pondering a build !

 

[Chris0nllyn]

True. But that's not the one I was referring to. Plus...the ole Mosin-Nagant 91/30 barrel, bolt/receiver and trigger now resides in a nice new Archangel chassis and is ready for some optics, a Harris bipod,.... .

How do you like the Archangel stock? I sure would like a detachable mag for the Mosin.

How much fitment was involved?

 

[PrchJrkr]

How do you like the Archangel stock? I sure would like a detachable mag for the Mosin.

How much fitment was involved?

*bump*

 

[Gilligan]

How do you like the Archangel stock? I sure would like a detachable mag for the Mosin.

How much fitment was involved?

It took literally 15 minutes to swap the hardware from the wood to the Archangel. I was astonished how easy it was. 15 minutes and we were out setting up a target to try it out.

I still have to go back and do the machining and mods to replace the iron sights with a scope mount..stuff like that...but when it came to "Zero to chootin' in no time flat" I have to hand it to those folks at Archangel.