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Fred's
Articles
A Secret At Fred's
"What other secrets have you got to offer?" I smiled.
"My real secret is service." He smiled and pointed to a stack of used M14 stocks. "Those are what we call 'Grade IIs' - they are anything from a nice stock that just doesn't make it into our 'Grade I' 'nice stock' category down to the roughest stock you can imagine. We sell these for six bucks in lots of a dozen or more - and people were calling saying they couldn't believe we could sell stocks with buttplates that cheap, thought they would be getting real junk - and were surprised by what they did get.
"You need to understand two things about me. Number one, I am a shooter - highpower, but I've done my share of competitive pistol shooting also. Second, I'm still new to this business, and I still think as a consumer. When I get an order, I fill it with stocks that I would like to receive, if the order were coming to me.
"Take a look around around you - there is no shortage of stocks here - I can afford to select what a customer orders - and sell the rest cheap"
I had to admit, he had a point. I had already visited the 'high country' and seen the incredible sight. If stocks were wealth, Fred was a very wealthy man, indeed.
"All these stocks", he sighed. "Every last one of them contained an M14 at one time. What a waste.
"But I called you here about good news. As you know, if you take the full-auto parts off an M14, saw off a stud on the rear of the receiver, you have a rifle indistinguishable from the semi-auto civilian version. CMP is rumored to be working on a program to convert M14s and offer them through the program for purchase by qualified individuals. A very important government agency - the chief stumbling block - has signed off on the sample DCM semi-auto M14. An M14 sales program could be only months away. "Congress is the key - and this is an election year!
"We need to get the word to Congress to get going on such a program. It needs to be loud message - as loud as the one a few years ago that resulted in the DCM M1 Grand Purchase Program.
[Please note - this was written several years ago, before the Clintons sent the M14s overseas to the Baltic countries to keep them from being released to the public - and now the few remaining are being grabbed up by the military for use in Iraq and Afghanistan - Fred]
"By the way, see those?" We had been walking back through the warehouse. "Those" was a pile of GI nylon M14 slings.
The phone rang. "Fred's", answered Fred. "Yeah, we got one, but it'll be tomorrow before we can get it out. Sure!" While Fred took the order, I looked around. As soon as he hung up, he turned back to me.
"You asked about secrets - not many people realize that the nylon sling is not only greatly superior to the standard GI web sling - stronger, lighter, waterproof - but scarce. These slings were made only a short time during the Vietnam War - production ceased with the arrival of the M16 and the 'silent' black sling. Many people don't know that with a little break-in they are far more supple than web, and will not chaff when wet like web will. As an extra bonus, the metal is coated to resist rust.
"Ours come direct from US military stocks and are available in two colors - green or OD.
"There's a real secret for you."
I looked at the slings. Most appeared to be unused. A few appeared to have a white powder on the metal - a result of the coating - which easily wiped off. The slings were supple, and I could believe their strength. Nylon is so tough that it is no wonder the Army adopted it to replace the cotton web sling in Vietnam.
"But back to the M14 program -
[Since this was written, the Clintons have sent most of the remaining M14s to the Baltic countries, and the military is waking up over in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is issuing what M14s remain in government depots. There is even some talk of starting up production again! In short, there are no surplus M14s available.] |
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