Not every part of the gun industry is self centered to the point of promoting violence.

https://www.thetrace.org/2016/08/top-gun-industry-group-nssf-suicide-prevention/


Since we can't get realistic enforceable restrictions on firearms it falls to the last contact point between gun and human; the guy at the counter in a gun store. Sad, but that's what it boils down to, asking a sales guy at the counter who makes a living on commission to forego income to prevent death and injury. The vast majority of gun dealers want to do the right thing and reduce the death, injury and pain caused by guns. The vast majority of counter sales people realize the weight of responsibility they bear when a customer uses a firearm they sold to commit suicide and take that burden damn seriously. Anecdotally, I read of one gun dealer who sold a gun to a man who killed himself with it an hour later. Upon hearing that the gun had been traced back to his personal sale he closed the doors of his store and sold it.

This is a good program, doesn't infringe anybody's rights and reduces gun violence. For those who don't think suicide by gun is a violent act I suggest they google images for gun + suicide and consider coming home to find a loved one that looks like that.

This isn't the first attempt the NSSF has made to reduce gun violence. Back in 2002 they began a program called 'Don't lie for the other guy' to prevent straw purchases. It's a best practices for detecting a straw purchase and reporting attempts to police. https://www.nssf.org/factsheets/PDF/strawPurchase.pdf Needless to say the gun manufacturers and NRA/ILA were not enthusiastic.

They also have published a best practices guide for tracking serial numbers on sales--required by law but there aren't any instructions on how to easily do so.

These are, needless to say, strictly voluntary and not supported by the NRA/ILA and most gun manufacturers. It kinda flies in the face of profiteering to suggest reducing sales for any reason. The business of business is business, nothing more.

The BATF&E says that 90% of crime guns traced to dealers come from 5% of the dealers. Of course that doesn't make a lot of difference when 40% of guns are sold by non dealers and 200,000 guns a year are "stolen".

We can do better and a small portion of gun industry is trying. Now if we can just get the legislature to help them out with realistic and enforceable restrictions . . .

ETA: AND REPEAL THE PLCCA!