(graphic originally posted HERE)

H-S Precision:
The Choice of Incompetent Murderers
By Carl Bussjaeger, November 30, 2008

H-S Precision has accepted and advertised an endorsement from Lon Horiuchi. Bankruptcy is imminent

More than likely, if you're reading this at my website, you already know why this is a big deal. For those who don't know, and are too rushed to click these links, here's the (very abbreviated) backstory of Ruby Ridge:

In the late '80s into the early the early '90s the Feds wanted Randy Weaver to act as an informant infiltrating the Aryan Nations. Not being suicidal, Weaver declined. The ATF then framed him on charges of illegally shortening the barrel of a shotgun (Weaver was acquitted of this charge, BTW) and offered not to prosecute if he cooperated. Weaver still declined. So the Feds decided to arrest him on a charge of failure to appear for a trial that Weaver was informed would occur a month later than the actual date.

Keeping it brief, the Weavers holed up in their home, along with a friend named Kevin Harris. US Marshals started a surveillance operation of the cabin. Some of the marshals tested the alertness of the Weaver's dog by throwing rocks at the cabin (real stealthy, guys). Sure enough, the dogs raised a ruckus. Harris and Weaver's 14 year old son Samuel came out and followed the dogs to see what was going on. The marshals panicked (that's the kindest explanation I can think of) and shot Samuel's dog. A firefight ensued. The marshals shot a fleeing Samuel in the back, killing him. A marshal was also killed. (I've heard a rumor about the bullet that killed him, but I can't document it right now.)

The FBI was called in and everyone settled in for a siege. Naturally, the FBI brought multiple sniper teams to defuse the situation. They adopted an unusual rule of engagement calling for any adult to be killed without asking for surrender.

On day two of the siege, FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi shot Randy Weaver in the arm as Weaver, accompanied by his 16 year old daughter and Harris, was raising a shed latch to visit his murdered son's body. (Good shooting, hot-shot; kinda missed center-mass, huh?)

The Weavers and Harris ran back to the cabin. Super-Sniper Horiuchi, God of Ballistics, by his own account took a shot at Harris as he tried to enter the cabin door. The shot grazed the intended target and blew away a large portion of Mrs. Weaver's head as she stood holding her 10 month old baby girl.

It's important to note that none of the other sniper teams took any shots in this fracas. Horiuchi was apparently the only psychopath on site that thought a mother needed killing. Only Horiuchi judged shooting was necessary. And both his shots were off-target, one lethally so.

Eventually, Bo Gritz, non-FBI, negotiated an end to the siege. Weaver and Harris were arrested and tried. Both were acquitted of all charges excepting Weaver's conviction for missing his original court date. In due time, the surviving Weavers won a wrongful death suit against the Feds. A Justice Department investigation found the rules of engagement to be "inexcusable". They blamed Horiuchi for the death of Mrs. Weaver. (Seems he violated a very basic rule recognized by responsible gun owners and shooters: Know your target, and what is beyond it. Horiuchi was indicted for manslaughter in state court, but the Feds moved the case to federal court where the charges were dismissed on the grounds that Horiuchi had sovereign immunity

Then-FBI Director Louis Freeh tried to give Horiuchi a medal, but backed off in the face of general outrage.

To make things even more interesting, Horiuchi was assigned to a sniper post during the Branch Davidian siege near Waco, TX. Branch Davidians suing the Feds say Horiuchi fired on them as they tried to leave the burning building at siege's end. He claims he never fired a shot. But the Texas Rangers found expended .308 Win brass (for which Horiuchi's rifle was chambered) at his post. And federal FLIR footage shows muzzle flashes from Horiuchi's position. The feds claimed the flashes were caused by reflections of the steady sun. Uh huh. They also claimed FLIR can't see muzzle flashes; apparently someone forgot to tell them that the "IR" in FLIR stands for InfraRed; you know, heat. Like hot muzzle flashes. The recovered brass can't be ballistically tied to Horiuchi's rifle because -- Surprise! -- it had been re-barrelled and the old barrel was nowhere to be found.

Really, I swear that's the short version.

Fast foward to now. H-S Precision, maker of fancy hunting, shooting, and sniper firearms, posted an endorsement on the back of their catalog:

Yep. Signed, "Lon Horiuchi". H-S Precision thinks an endorsement from a nationally despised, thoroughly incompetent, murderous sniper is a good thing.

I don't. And I, like many other people, contacted H-S Precision for their side of this. Response: Dead (how ironic) silence. Apparently they stand by Momma-Killer Horiuchi.

Anyone capable of making a mistake like that, and deliberately failing to correct it, is not someone I want to be building a gun I'm using. I don't think the firearm could counted on to be safe. So I won't buy anything built by H-S Precision. And call it a boycott or just plain common sense, I recommend everyone else avoid H-S Precision products.

You can contact H-S Precision by email at info@hsprecision.com.

Alternately, try snail mail or phone:

• H-S PRECISION, INC.
  1301 TURBINE DRIVE
  RAPID CITY, SD 57703
• (605) 341-3006 TEL
• (605) 342-8964 FAX

H-S Precision supplies several other companies, including Remington. Since H-S Precision appears to be dumping the commercial market to cater to government snipers, I also think we should advise these companies to start looking for alternate sources. My own email to Remington (info@remington.com) is pasted below as an example:

To whom it may concern,

I have been made aware that one of your suppliers, H-S Precision, is running an advertisement featuring an endorsement by FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi. An image of this ad is posted on the Internet at http://www.nationalgunrights.org/images/hs_precision.jpg .

I consider it outrageous that a firearms company would consider an admitted murderer of an unarmed woman, who dodged prosecution and conviction only because he was granted sovereign immunity, a suitable representative.

This lapse in judgement on the part of H-S Precision could be indicative of an overall management problem. I think it reasonable for Remington to consider the wisdom of a continued association with H-S Precision. They appear ready to abandon their civilian market to cater to the government sector; you should start looking for alternate suppliers.

There is also the public relations aspect to consider; many honorable gun owners might be uncomfortable with a company that continued to do business with a murderer-endorsed H-S Precision.

Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.

Sincerely,

Carl Bussjaeger
Responsible Firearms Owner, currently in the market for another fine arm