Dick’s Sporting Goods and gun companies part ways

Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) is losing allies over its new policies. Many large gun companies decided to end their association with the sports retail chain after the latter made strong efforts to push gun control. The latest gun manufacturer to end ties with Dick’s is O.F. Mossberg & Sons Inc., the owner of Mossberg guns.

Mossberg severed ties with Dick’s after it found out that the retailer had hired three lobbyists in Washington D.C. to push for gun control. Mossberg declared its staunch support for the Second Amendment and expressed its disagreement with Dick’s Sporting Goods’ actions, which it referred to as “anti-Second Amendment”. The gun maker also told customers to “visit one of the thousands of pro-Second Amendment firearm retailers.”

Mossberg joins gun manufacturers MKS Supply and Springfield Armory, both of whom have ended business with Dick’s. MKS Supply expressed its dissent on Dick’s age restrictions, its decision to stop rifle sales and its gun control lobbying efforts.

Earlier this year, following the Marjory Stoneman school tragedy, Dick’s Sporting Goods had decided to stop selling assault-style rifles and to only sell guns to people over the age of 21. The retailer also said it would destroy all the unsold gun inventory. The age limit policy led to the company being hit with two lawsuits that are currently underway.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) criticized Dick’s recent decisions while the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the largest gun trade association in the U.S., decided to cancel Dick’s membership and end its connections with the company. There are chances that other major gun companies like Ruger will also follow suit and sever ties with Dick’s, which is bound to have an impact on Dick’s sales.