By Bob Owens
April 20, 2012 – 12:30 pm

Bailout recipient Bank of America has severed relations with an American
company because of a reported bias against their industry.
McMillan Group
International released an extraordinary statement on Facebook regarding the
incident:

McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, McMillan Firearms Manufacturing, McMillan
Group International have been collectively banking with Bank of America for 12 years. Today Mr. Ray Fox, Senior Vice President, Market Manager, Business
Banking, Global Commercial Banking came to my office. He scheduled the
meeting as an “account analysis” meeting in order to evaluate the two lines
of credit we have with them. He spent five minutes talking about how
McMillan has changed in the last five years and have become more of a
firearms manufacturer than a supplier of accessories.

At this point I interrupted him and asked “Can I possible save you some
time so that you don’t waste your breath? What you are going to tell me is
that because we are in the firearms manufacturing business you no longer
what my business.”

“That is correct” he says.

I replied “That is okay, we will move our accounts as soon as possible.
We can find a Second Amendment friendly bank that will be glad to have our
business. You won’t mind if I tell the NRA, SCI and everyone  I know that
BofA is not firearms industry friendly?”

“You have to do what you must” he said.

“So you are telling me this is a politically motivated decision, is that
right?”

Mr Fox confirmed that it was. At which point I told him that the meeting
was over and there was nothing left for him to say.

McMillan is now refusing to accept Bank of America cards from customers for
payment.

McMillan is heavily involved with U.S. national security. McMillan rifle
stocks are the standard for the Marine Corps’ favored M40A3 sniper rifle.
McMillan products, from stocks and other accessories to complete rifles, are
used by U.S. regular and special forces and by American military allies
around the globe.

McMillan products are of particular import in Afghanistan and in Iraq, where
snipers and designated marksmen armed with long-range precision rifles
performed (and still perform) vital scouting and overwatch functions
protecting maneuver units. The extended range of these weapons allows forces
to engage with and destroy enemy forces before they are in range to
accurately fire against American soldiers and Marines.

Per McMillan’s statement, a politically partisan bank has severed the lines
of credit to a company important to our national security. This act has
likely added difficulty to the company’s ability to operate, to research
product improvements, and to deliver products on time. Bank of America’s
stance – especially if this signals a new policy regarding dealing with all
arms manufacturers – could potentially effect the readiness of American
soldiers in combat zones and the operational efficiency of some of America’s
most highly trained and effective units.

Bank of America was the recipient of well over 100 billion dollars in
federal money. They are also one of just two vendors processing payments for
Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign, employing a system that disables
safeguards against illegal foreign donations. Bank of America Stadium in
Charlotte, North Carolina, is the site of the Democratic Nation Convention
in September.

This is at least the third time Bank of America has implemented a
discriminatory policy against gun manufacturers. In early 2001, a scandal
erupted over the bank’s attempt to discriminate against another
Arizona-based company. The resulting public outrage forced a reversal of the
policy.

In 2010, Bank of America attempted a similar action, and was again forced to
“clarify” their position:
“Bank of America does not have a corporate-wide policy to deny banking
services solely on the applicant’s involvement in the firearms industry.”

No other gun manufacturer or gun rights group has reacted to the McMillan
Facebook post at this time.

Bob Owens blogs at Bob-Owens.com.

McMillan’s Facebook post:
https://www.facebook.com/McMillanGroupInternational/posts/10150946905673368

Bank of America

Seems Bank of America no longer wants the business of the firearms industry. It should come as no shock, but that’s the gist of a business meeting between a Senior VP of BoA and Kelly D. McMillan of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, McMillan Firearms Manufacturing and McMillan Group International.

McMillan didn’t publicize this story, but it has certainly spread throughout the firearms community in a very short order. We first heard about it on Friday evening, but didn’t really expect it to have gotten serious “legs” in such a short time.

 http://m.examiner.com/article/boa-drops-firearm-company-mcmillan-company-to-halt-accepting-boa-cards 

Leupold is issuing a customer alert to purchasers of products, particularly via Internet sales, in regards to bogus Leupold products that are apparently being illegally imported from the People’s Republic of China. These products bear many of the marks and trade dress of current Leupold & Stevens riflescopes making them very hard to distinguish externally from authentic Leupold products.

Click for more info: http://www.leupold.com/tactical/resourc … it-warning

Starting in April SMGC will host Black powder matches which will be held on the 2nd Saturday of the month.

Jim Crowe will be the match director and matches will start at noon following our .40 bore shoot.

All shooting will be done in the pistol pit at 25 yards.  Shot are to be fired offhand with 10 shots on steel and 10 shots on paper with a 30 minute time limit.  Patch and ball only with both primitive and modern rifle classifications.

All are welcome, please come and make this match a fun and successful adventure.