Don’s Guns

In a recent entry on a proposed expansion to Indiana’s gun laws, I mentioned one of “our” local stores called Don’s Guns. I want to expand on that entry about gun control with a little piece dedicated to that worthless heap Don himself. So sit back and enjoy my collection of “Don’s Greatest Hits”.

April 6th, 2007 – Owner Don Davis calls Mansfield’s proposal a good move. “Indianapolis has grown and it used to be right out here at 38th street was the city limits. Under Unigov, they’re now out to the county line roads. And, all the guns I sell today are not like I sold 35 years ago. These guns go a long way. So this is a big city, it’s time we should do it, and it doesn’t effect the indoor shooting.”

March 30, 2007 – “Any gun they take away, (the person) can get a new gun almost instantly,” said Don Davis, owner of Don’s Guns and Galleries on the Northwestside. “They say it’s an illegal gun. But all the guns probably were first purchased legally at a gun shop. Indiana cannot survive with the gun laws that they’ve now got in place.”

Those are just the juicy quotes that I could turn up on Google News; the local NBC affiliate had one on their website but the article is no longer available.

Clearly, Don’s seems interested in getting his name in the paper – he loves publicity. He also doesn’t seem to care about other firearms owners. So what do people in the Indy/Metro area think about Don’s? I’m so glad you asked.

By now the appearance of Don Davis, the noted Indianapolis bottom-feeding firearms dealer, blowhard and horse’s patoot, in every situation where the local media wants to drum-up support for more restrictions on firearms use or ownership should come as no surprise. His smarmy face, unctuous manner and unabashedly slimey persona are familiar to about anyone in the state from his late-night television ads, and that’s precisely the kind of negative image they’re after. That he’ll actually carry the p— bucket for them is just tasty, tasty gravy. After all, if somebody that disreputable agrees with them what kind of a raving, Right-wing nutcase must anyone who doesn’t be? – From The High Road

While I’m not a great big fan of the ATF, it seems that they have an opinion on Don’s Guns as well.

From 1989 through 1996, this dealer sold 398 guns traced to crime; 311 of those guns had a “short time to crime” as defined by ATF. The guns were involved in at least 7 homicides, 12 assaults, 2 robberies, and 370 additional gun crimes. The dealer also sold at least 2012 handguns in multiple sales.

Numerous gun traffickers have “straw purchased” dozens of guns from Don’s Guns in recent years. For example, between October 2001 and January 2002, Etely Diamond used two straw purchasers to buy 25 handguns from Don’s Guns and then resold them on the streets of Chicago.

Another trafficker, Jerome Steele, used straw buyers to obtain 12 and 9 guns on two different occasions in 2002 from Don’s Guns and then resold them illegally in Chicago. A third trafficker, Willie Soward, also used straw buyers to obtain guns from Don’s Guns for resale in Chicago.

I generally don’t like it when the ATF goes after gun dealers, I usually feel like they’ve just got an axe to grind (ref. Reed’s Trading Post in Idaho). However, in the case of Don’s they actually have legitimate reasons to want to shut him down. I’d support it.

You guys remember Jim Zumbo, and the enormous controversy that started when he called AR15s “terrorist rifles”? That was stupid; but it’s not as bad as what Don does. Don breaks the law, and gives law abiding gun owners a black eye with his actions. Furthermore, he then turns around and stabs those law-abiding gun owners in the back by running to the media to eagerly sound off in favor of whatever idiotic proposal is currently being rammed down the throats of Marion County.

Like I said Monday, I’ve really had it with Don’s Guns. I’ve been in their store twice since I’ve lived here, never again. If you’re in the Indy-Metro area (including Fishers, Carmel, etc) I’m asking you to do the same. Boycott Don’s Guns. Let’s not send any more reputable business to that pompous clown.