Gun Control & RKBA
In reply to the discussion: What a novel idea! [View all]gejohnston
(17,502 posts)movies have, sometimes unintentional. No, I'm not going Tipper Gore and Wayne LaPierre. When the watch companies wanted to market wrist watches to men (who thought real men used pocket watches) they got guys like Clark Gable to wear them in the movies.
Here is what it has to do with the discussion. Back when the King Bad Ass in the movies (including Broadway) switchblades and tire chains, did street gangs get a money order and order guns from Sears? No. Legally, they could. This was before the ban on unlicensed interstate transfer or filling out any IRS or ATF forms. In fact, the IRS didn't really want to be bothered with the 1934 and 1938 laws and did as little as possible. Now, movie King Bad Ass uses SMGs that never run out of ammo.
More specifically the gun industry and non criminal use:
Single action revolvers were dead. Colt stopped making the "Peacemaker", partly because of World War 2's military production and partly being antiquated. TV westerns created demand for them. First Ruger, who started with a .22 knock off of a Nambu Type 14 started making the Blackhawk and Bearcat single action revolvers. Colt started production. A division of Beretta started making them, and still does. Then there is the Smith and Wesson model 29 and the .44 magnum round. First produced in 1955 for deer hunters and metallic silhouette shooters. That is what the .44 Magnum was intended for, and rarely sold outside of that niche.
Then a certain Clint Eastwood movie series comes along and everybody seemed to want one. Most of which, went to the range once or twice before being traded in for something more "manageable".