Rather than give a detailed background, I invite you to visit the Federal Register to read the document on the reclassification of stabilizing braces. Below is my response:

December 21, 2020
RE: Comment regarding ATF 2020R-10

ATF Representative,

Thank you for seeking comment from the public regarding the matter of ATF 2020R-10, we appreciate your recognition of our voice in this matter.

As an avid sportsman, and gun shop owner, I have built my life and livelihood on the foundation that our Second Amendment provides. Throughout the years, technological advances have been made that make the shooting sports accessible to everyone, regardless of race, background, or physical ability. In fact, stabilizing braces were first designed to aid those with physical disabilities in the safe and exciting use of pistols they would not otherwise be able to enjoy. To create restrictions on these accessories would be both discriminatory and unfair. 

Merely do a Google search and you will find that there are countless accounts of disabled men and women, especially veterans of our armed forces, who use stabilizing braces to improve their accuracy and create an atmosphere of safety and cautiousness. To label these accessories as NFA items and impose a hefty tax serves one of only two purposes: First, would be to dissuade those who require or enjoy the sense of stability that comes with the use of stabilizing braces from purchasing these accessories, or from using firearms at all. Second, and perhaps more concerning, is to create an atmosphere of misinformation and fear that will fuel the flames of an already uniformed general public and lead to further unnecessary and ineffective regulations.

We have seen, time and again, that more regulation does not necessarily lead to the security and safety of the citizenry. As we have bartered our freedom for the bondage of a “protected” public, we have seen higher rates of criminal behavior and personal violation; leaving us to feel more vulnerable than if we had never sacrificed those freedoms in the first place. 

Will there be people who misuse stabilizing braces? Most likely, there will; indeed, many people misuse knives for the purpose of driving a screw rather than cutting steak, or utilize blankets as batting rather than as a means of warmth, they use duct tape to wrap presents and glue as a sealant rather than a binding agent. The fault lies not with the product or the producer, but with the patron who purchases the item and then uses it whatever way they see fit to meet their own ends. 

Reclassifying stabilizing braces and the firearms they are attached to shows a lack of faith on the part of the federal government in its law abiding community. As American citizens we are guaranteed an a priori trust that we, as productive and law-abiding members of society, will not seek to corrupt the social structures that maintain order and safety. The vast majority of us utilize firearms as a means of protection and enjoyment. To continue to infringe upon this right is to favor those who pervert the laws of this country and sacrifice the needs of the many due to the actions of the few. It is ill-advised to show the American public that their government does not trust them to properly use firearms and their accessories, for as Patrick Henry once questioned “Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?” Is this the message you want to send?

Please consider the above statements as earnestly and sincerely as is required by the gravity of the situation. The chipping away at the rock of our freedom should be taken neither lightly nor hastily, but rather with deep deliberation, profound thoughtfulness, and with the utmost consideration of the good of the commons.
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Respectfully,
Elizabeth P. Cates (in collaboration with Hiram Cates)
Owners
Oh, Shoot Gun Shop/Cates Firearms & MFG, LLC

​Because I am not sure of other shops motives for being open, I can only go by our own. We are open to provide quality firearms, supplies, and skilled gunsmithing services to our customers – and of course to make money – our passion is to make sure that every person who leaves the shop goes away happy with his or her purchase, repair, or (even if they don’t buy anything) their experience. Our customers come from all walks of life and we don’t care if they are men, women, fat, thin, rich, poor, country redneck, city slick, firearms novice or shooting expert – everyone is valuable to us. We feel honored that individuals from all backgrounds are interested enough in the products we offer and the services we provide to come through our shop door.  At our shop people come in as guests and, most often, leave as friends. It thrills us when a customer invites us to join them for a little target shooting, attend one of their gun club meetings, or tag along on a hunt (even if it is just for prairie dogs); these types of invitations mean that not only are we doing our job, we are creating relationships with our customers and THAT is what our business should be about!
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Why and where do so many gun shops go wrong when it comes to customer service?  After much contemplation I have narrowed it down to three of the things that gun sales people/shop owners do that make them look like total jerks and make customers head for the door.  Here they are – in no particular order (all are exceedingly annoying):

1. They are ARROGANT! Ugh, arrogance is simply repulsive in any situation but especially so in a customer service situation. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines arrogance as an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions. So many of the men (and even some women) who work in (or own) gun shops have that attitude of “let me share all the things you don’t know with you, make you feel as uniformed as possible, and remind you 9,000 times about why my experience is superior to yours (or anyone else’s for that matter)”.  This is not the way to sell guns or services people! It is such a turn-off and makes me want to turn right around and head back to the car. These employees need to remember that the folks who come in as novices are just as valuable (and possibly more likely to buy a gun) as those customers who come in and can have an arrogant B.S.-fest. Just because a customer is new to the world of guns doesn’t mean they haven’t done their research, spoken with those individuals they feel comfortable with as experts, and evaluated their own needs and uses for a firearm. Gun shop owners and employees can I make a suggestion?  Unless they are asked for keep your comments, experiences, and evaluations of the customers’ skills, wants, and needs to yourself.  Let your customer advocate for him/herself without having to listen to the trite, boring, or outlandish stories of your own awesomeness!

2. They IGNORE you! Yikes – this one is pretty bad too! No one likes to be ignored, especially when they make it a point to come to your shop hoping to spend their hard earned money.  I have seen shop employees do a onceover of a customer and decide immediately that they are not worth the time it takes to even say hello; it infuriates me! Don’t overlook me as a viable customer because I “look poor” – some of the richest people I know look scruffy and some of the poorest people I know will save for months to get a new firearm. Don’t disregard me as a valuable patron because I am not the “beautiful” woman – average looking women make just as much money as beautiful (scantily clad) women and are sometimes more interesting to talk to. Don’t devalue me as a consumer because I am “too young” – their presence in your store is valuable and though  they may not be at an age where they can purchase their own firearm, the time you spend with them could pay you back in large dividends when their “of age” birthday rolls around.

3.  They OVERWHELM you with information! This one is not as bad in terms of ick factor, but still drives me (and others I have spoken to) up a wall! Information overload is a great way to leave me confused, indecisive, and unable move forward with the plan I entered the shop with. Now this issue is not as intentional as the other two, it comes from a place of helping and service, but leads to a customer feeling confused and disoriented.  Many people can only absorb so much information at one time and then they shut down – by dropping a full-on seminar on your customer you may end up driving them away. It is so very important to give your customer information, but a ton of data, technical tidbits, and background may not be the right information. Ask open ended questions, find out what your customer wants to know, and then give them that information – along with any other information that would be crucial to operation or safety.

​Hopefully, if there are any gun shop employees or owners out there reading this blog they can reconsider some of the ways their customers feel about the service (or lack of it) they are getting. Our industry is full of awesome people with great experience who bring immeasurable value to the marketplace. I don’t want you to hide your light under a basket, but I also think you should try to avoid blinding people with it. Be there for your customer, answer the questions they have and make sure you are asking them the right questions, let them know that their value is not dependent on the dollar amount they are able to spend, the knowledge they come to the counter with, or their physical appearance. Don’t judge them based on first impressions – if they judged you like that (you guys know who you are – you come to work dressed like you are headed for a desert siege) they might make assumptions about you and avoid you and your shop.  I promise that if you put your customer at the center of your shop’s success by making sure they feel valued, comfortable, and respected your shop will build a faithful following!

Now, please let me make a disclaimer here and be perfectly up-front and honest with you; in case you didn’t know - or couldn’t tell from previous blog posts - I am a conservative Republican in most every way (except for environmental issues - where I am definitely more on the liberal side), but I have many many friends and relatives who are (what I would call) hyper-liberal and I love them just the same and get along with them just fine. ​

So, you have decided on what type of firearm you will need based on the questions covered in Part 1, you have gotten yourself trained as instructed in Part 2, and, as per the advice in Part 3, all the family members in your household are educated in firearms safety, the final thing you will want to consider is how and where you should store your new firearm.​
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Storage Solution 1: Locked Up Tight & Hidden Away:
If out of sight, out of mind is going to be the motto when it comes to firearms stored in your home then you will want to invest in a good safe.  Whether it be a full size gun safe, or just a lock box that only you can access, there are many options available in this department.  Let’s review just a few:

​The NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation) created the Project ChildSafe Program that helps parents understand their gun ownership responsibilities if there are children in the home. When a gun is brought into a home with children proper storage of the firearm is essential (for the safety and protection of your children, their friends, and yourself)  and some basic house rules need to be established. Project ChildSafe has a ton a great information on this very subject, but let me at least relay some quick information.  According to the NSSF:
“Children and teens are naturally curious about firearms and, as a result, may be tempted to "play" with a firearm they find. Make sure young people in your home are aware of and understand these safety guidelines:

1. Don't go snooping, or allow other kids to go snooping, for guns in the house.
2. If you find a gun in your house, or anywhere else, STOP! Do not touch it or allow anyone else to. Leave the area and be sure to immediately tell an adult.
3. Even if a gun looks like a toy, don't touch it. Some real guns look like toy guns, so don't take a chance. Leave the area and immediately tell an adult.”

The NSSF and Project ChildSafe also offer “a free Project ChildSafe Safety Kit, which includes a cable-style gun lock and safety instructions.”  It is a great deal and you would be crazy not to add it to your checklist of “accessories” to acquire along with your new firearm.  I would suggest you spend quite a bit of time on the Project ChildSafe website as the more you know, the better prepared and thus the safer, you are!