Duck Dynasty guns have already been produced and shipped to a number of retailers for purchase by the general public. The well-known gunmaker, Mossberg, together with the Duck Commander, owned by the Robertson family, have produced nine different shotguns, as well as two semi-automatic rifles and a pistol.
Despite the recent controversy surrounding comments made by Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson about African-American and gay people, commercially it’s ‘business as usual’ for him.
Having been suspended then reinstated by A&E, the network which runs the Duck Dynasty show, Roberson has upset a lot of people, yet garnered some considerable support from others following the inflammatory things he said.
A&E weren’t the only ones to do an about-turn on Phil Roberston, Cracker Barrel, which stocks Duck Commander merchandise in its restaurant’s gift stores, pulled the goods from their shelves, only to put them right back just days later.
Robertson can be seen along with his sons in four videos on the Mossberg website promoting the Duck Dynasty guns and talking about them. In one clip he says: “Do you know what makes me happy ladies and gentlemen? To blow a mallard drake’s head smooth off.”
The company making the guns, Mossberg , said the Duck Dynasty guns will come in a neat camouflage design and will bear the famous Duck Commander logo of a duck in flight. The pistols sport a more military look, and the rifles in the range have larger magazines which can hold about 25 rounds.
The question is, will the recent racist and homophobic comments made by Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson dissuade customers from purchasing the new guns or could they end up being reflected by a boost in sales?
Robertson’s comments were received with considerable shock by liberals when they were first said, but it seems that once the dust settled, a very real debate about the virtues of freedom of speech ensued. No matter on which side of the fence you sit, the new Duck Dynasty guns will no doubt be bringing plenty of controversy in their wake.