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Fred's
Articles
A Visit To The High Country - A Tour At Fred's
Remembering my first visit to the secret warehouse of Fred's, the "largest M14 stock dealer on the east coast", I returned recently for a revisit.
The warehouse, in an undisclosed location, has no name or other identification outside - but inside! The huge warehouse is stacked 9 to 12 feet high from wall to wall with 4 foot square heavy cardboard and wood containers filled with stocks, slings, and handguards.
The no-longer mysterious Fred appeared out of the darkness to serve as my guide. Throwing the overhead lights on, I saw the multiple racks with M14 stocks sorted on them, huge piles of slings, and boxes and boxes of handguards being sorted out for shipment. The formerly narrow - barely shoulder-width - passageway was now expanded to a large shipping area. Reminding me that not much could be seen at ground level, Fred then invited me to the "high county" for another quick tour. "You'll see things in a different light", he smiled. "Down here, you're just another 'groundling'. Up there, it's another world."
Remembering what was involved, I accepted with alacrity. I was not to regret it.
To get to the "high country", you first climb vertically the 9 feet to the top of the nearest stack of boxes. Once on top, a whole new view unfolds. You can see from one end of the warehouse to the other over a "floor" of containers. You begin to realize just how big the enterprise is. Where you can not see more than 30 feet in any direction at ground level, here a wide vista of the tops of dozens - or maybe hundreds - of huge cartons is spread out before you.
"Very few people have ever seen this view", Fred said. "It puts you in a totally different perspective of what this is all about." Saying that he bent over and pulled the lid off the nearest four-foot square box. Inside were M14 stocks, some with slings, some without. The contrasting colors of the walnut and birch stocks stood out vividly. Picking a few out, Fred said "this is only the surface. There are about 200 stocks in this one box, and there are two more boxes below this one. We can afford to sort out the bad stocks, and ship the good ones. That's how we keep all our customers happy. Let's look at another one."
So saying, he opened another box a few feet away, this one full of synthetic stocks, laid neatly end-on-end. "These are some of
the best stocks ever made for the M14", he said. "They are stronger, lighter, and far more consistent in zero retention than any wood stock. It is an open secret that a lot of competition shooters insist on synthetic stocks. A lot of people get one of these as either a spare stock or a replacement stock. Another real advantage of these is that they can be easily repainted in any color scheme, from desert tan to woodland camo. These babies move like hotcakes." I looked closer. Most of the stocks appeared brand new.
Letting the lid fall shut, Fred turned and indicated the entire warehouse with a sweeping hand gesture. "It is such a shame", he said, "to think of all the fine M14s trashed by Uncle Sam. For every one of these stocks there once was a complete M14. Tax-payers and gun lovers should be up in arms about it."
"What can we do?"
"Get a hold of your Congressman - it's an Election Year - hammer him about an M14 program through the CMP - there's 300 million in deficit reduction alone - let him know - it's important to his re-election. If he won't listen, check out his opponent & work to get him elected."
"How, Fred?", I ask.
"The easiest way is to get a yard sign up in your yard - and pick up some extras for your gun-owning buddies. Maybe even donate a few bucks. And TALK - to your friends, family, relatives -ask them to vote for the guy."
"Doesn't sound too hard. But will it make a difference, Fred?"
"You're d----d right it will - and it beats losing your freedoms."
"Fred, you keep on talking, and you're going to get me fired up," I said.
"That's the idea. Anybody who thinks it's a waste of time has already forgotten Election '94, when we really creamed them. Look on that as the "1" in a 1-2 punch."
We returned to 'ground' level. Fred said "It's important not to lose sight of what IS important. Shooting is an American tradition, the only sport endorsed by the Founding Fathers. We need to protect it."
I had to agree. |
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