I must have missed something along the way, but I heard LaPierre (and many others) convincingly make the case that the cartels aren't buying the US guns and smuggling them across the border - instead, the cartels buy guns (much more cheaply) on the world black market and across the Mexico Southern border. Makes total sense to me.

In the interview, I thought I later heard him say the cartels were buying guns from the gun stores?? So who are these 22 year old straw buyers buying 2,000-3,000 guns for from the US stores? Criminals outside the cartels? US-based drug smugglers or human trafficers? Or someone else?

If the cartels can buy guns more cheaply from other sources, why would they go through the trouble of buying from US stores? That part doesn't make sense...

Singlestack