Joining Cabela’s and other modern sporting rifle sellers, Smith & Wesson has notified Reed Exhibitions that they shan’t be attending the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show after the promoter instituted a no scary black rifle policy. Think of Smith’s pullout as exhibitus interruptus brought on by an acute case of Second Amendment support. Not to mention some hard-earned experience. S&W’s press release after the jump . . .
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 22, 2013) — Smith & Wesson, a U.S. based leader in firearm manufacturing and design, today announced that the Company will not attend nor will it support or participate in the 2013 Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The announcement comes after the decision of show management company, Reed Exhibitions, to prohibit the display of modern sporting rifles in this year’s event.
James Debney, President and CEO of Smith & Wesson, said, “As a market leader in the firearm industry and an iconic brand that spans 160 years of American history, we believe it is important to make our position perfectly clear: We support the Second Amendment and the rights of our law-abiding customers to purchase these and all legal firearms. Therefore, we are unable to support any organization or event that prohibits legal firearms, or otherwise restricts a citizen’s lawful and constitutional rights.”