Begin Domestic Production of HK416 Rifles/Upper Receiver kits for U.S. civilian sales

To:  Heckler and Koch Defense Inc.

Heckler and Koch Defense Inc.,

As American firearms owners we are disheartened by the fact that your company has yet to allow the HK416 rifle or even upper receiver kits to be made available in this country for civilian sales. We realize that this weapon is currently being used by some elite U.S. military Special Forces units with great success in combat overseas in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. We also realize that due to overly constricting regulations forced upon your company and others by the BATFE (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) these weapons cannot be exported into this country for civilian sales from your factories overseas in Germany. However these regulations that ban the importation of non-sporting weapons/barrels for further sale to U.S. civilians could be easily by-passed by simply producing these weapons or upper receiver kits domestically at your Georgia facilities. While it goes without saying that setting up the machinery and tooling necessary for such a commercial venture would indeed be a somewhat expensive undertaking, the effort would not be without reward.

The AR-15/M-16/M-4 type firearm has become EXTREMELY popular over the past ten years and only continues to grow in popularity with American gun owners and shooters. This weapons platform has proven great versatility and reliability and has garnered quite a following among firearms owners here in the United States. This weapon system has become a run-away favorite amongst serious competition shooters, hunters, law enforcement, and in self-defense circles as well. To this end, the sales of AR-15/M-16/M-4 type weapons have skyrocketed in the past five years and have nearly taken over the domestic rifle market entirely. Preliminary manufacturing figures put the number of military-type rifles sold domestically in 2006 at around 750,000. With so many companies producing these types of weapons the field is ripe for the picking. However, until recently the number of companies producing short-stroke gas-piston driven AR-15/M-16/M-4 type weapons has been quite small. This is changing though, quite rapidly in fact. With companies such as Leitner-Wise Rifle Company, Patriot Ordnance Factory, ZM Weapons, ARES Defense, Robinson Arms, FN Herstal, Sig-Arms and Mag-Pul all producing a short-stroke gas-piston driven weapon system, this system is quickly taking the market by storm.

However, none of these weapons currently on the market has been combat tested and proven like the HK416 design has been by members of U.S. Special Operations Forces such as Delta Force and Navy Special Warfare units. Their use of and more importantly their trust in this weapon system lends great credence to the HK416's quality and durability under serious field conditions. Because of this quality and durability, both traits which HK has become synonymous with, it is a great disappointment that your company is not making this system available for sale to the general public here in the U.S. We would like to encourage your company to take advantage of the huge marketplace and willing buyers here in the United States who would gladly purchase this product if only it were made available to us. It would be great if these were made available to civilians in the U.S. in several barrel lengths including 14.5", 16", and even 10" barrels for those with NFA registered lowers. In the light of this petition and the encouragement of industry insiders such as HK consultant Larry Vickers (who was fundamental in the HK416's design) and others we urge your company to give serious and earnest consideration to beginning domestic production of the HK416 rifle in a semi-auto configuration or simply a HK416 upper receiver kit suitable for retro-fitting currently owned AR-15/M-16/M-4 lower receivers.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Begin Domestic Production of HK416 Rifles/Upper Receiver kits for U.S. civilian sales Petition to Heckler and Koch Defense Inc. was created by and written by Ryan Nash (rnash101@yahoo.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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