"The gun industry is the last unregulated manufacturer of a consumer product in America, with a level of secrecy that makes the tobacco industry look like a model of transparency. Making a Killing blows away the smoke and offers a provocative new take on gun violence in our society." "Former NRA member and "gun nut" Tom Diaz argues that despite endless rhetoric about the right to bear arms, the real story behind the steady rise in gun violence in America is the systematic increase in lethality by manufacturers. Diaz shows how over the last two decades the gun industry has sought to reverse declining profits by dramatically increasing killing power, rolling out new and more dangerous products as breezily as car companies introduced tailfins in the fifties - and thereby contributing to a public health and safety disaster of epidemic proportions."--Jacket.

Introduction: The mess -- I. The gun business. The manufacturers ; The dealers ; The promoters ; The market ; "A little money-making machine" -- II. The spiral of lethality. The deadly role of innovation ; A domestic arms race ; The Rambo factor ; Exploiting ties to law enforcement -- III. Nurturing a culture of fear. The self-defense mirage ; Playing soldier ; Targeting new markets -- Conclusion: Cleaning up the mess.