Gun Sales Through The Roof

[Evolution]

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/230008

By MADELYN PENNINO, Staff Writer

In the week since Barack Obama won the presidential election, Lancaster County gun dealers have seen a spike in business.
Gun shop owners and managers here attribute the surge in gun purchases to the election of Obama, who has said while he respects Americans' Second Amendment right to bear arms, he also favors "common sense" gun laws.
Joe Keffer, owner of The Sportman's Shop, 101 W. Main St., New Holland, said he's had a steady flow of customers since Nov. 4.
"There has been a very significant increase in business," Keffer said. "Even prior to the election, more people were buying guns. I believe it's because of the position of both candidates."
However, when Obama defeated Sen. John McCain in the election, Keffer said some people got nervous.
"They saw his track record of having an antigun position and reacted to it," Keefer said.
As a U.S. senator, Obama voted to leave gunmakers and dealers open to lawsuits; and as an Illinois state legislator, he supported a ban on semiautomatic weapons and tighter restrictions on all firearms.
Donald McClean, an employee at Layman's Gun Shop & Archery Center, 72 W. Maple St., East Prospect, said his shop also has been experiencing a rush.
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"It's the same sort of thing," McClean said. "People are afraid weapons might be banned."In the past week gun sales also have increased at Trop Gun Shop, 709 Cloverleaf Road, Elizabethtown.
Steve Bowers, an assistant manager at Trop Gun Shop, said business recently has risen by about 15 percent.
Bowers said that he's heard customers say they are afraid Obama will re-enact the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994.
"There's a little bit of everything being purchased," Bowers said, especially AR-15 assault rifles.
Bowers said he probably sold about five assault rifles in September. In the past week, he said 20 have been purchased.
"The wall of assault rifles is bare," Bowers said.

Gun enthusiasts nationwide are stocking up on firearms out of fears that the combination of an Obama administration and Democrat-dominated Congress will result in stricter gun laws.
Last month, there were 108,000 more background checks for gun purchases than in October 2007, a 15 percent increase, according to the FBI. Gun sales were about 8 percent for the year as of Oct. 26, according to the FBI.
While the outcome of the election is a reason why gun sales have soared in Lancaster County and across the country, Bowers said, it is not the only one.
"People are buying stuff for their home," Bowers said. "The way things are going with the economy people are on edge and want to stay safe. People are breaking into other people's houses and taking stuff."
Doug Williams, an assistant manager at Kinsey's Outdoors, 1658 Steel Way Drive, Mount Joy, said burgeoning gun sales are due to a combination of the election, the economy and because it's the beginning of hunting season.
"It's been a good year in general and sales have been up," Williams said. "It's been nice."
Williams said even though he can't pinpoint exactly why gun sales are going up, he said it is a trend.
"Our sales have been increasing steadily over the last couple of years," he said
While Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, attributes some of the sales boom to the tanking economy, he thinks the Democratic sweep on Election Day is the top reason why guns are suddenly a hot commodity.
"I don't think he'll be able to stand up to that anti-Second Amendment wing of the Democratic party that's just been spoiling for a chance to ban America's guns," LaPierre said of Obama.
During the campaign, the NRA warned that Obama would be the "most antigun president in American history."
And while Vice President-elect Joe Biden owns shotguns, he has supported a ban on assault weapons and has said private sellers at gun shows should be required to perform background checks.
But Mark Tushnet, a Harvard Law School professor who has written a book about the gun debate, said new firearms regulations will be a low priority for an Obama administration and Democratic Congress facing a global economic crisis and two wars.
"Maybe the gun-show loophole will be closed, but not much else," he said in an e-mail. "I'd be surprised, for example, if Congress enacted a new assault gun ban."
Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said his organization will continue to press for what he calls "sensible" restrictions — background checks at gun shows, a ban on military-style assault weapons and cracking down on illegal gun trade. He believes he has the backing of the new administration on those issues, but any fears of a broader crackdown are unfounded.
"The one thing that they agree strongly with us on is that it's too easy for dangerous people to get guns in this country," Helmke said. "I guess if you're a dangerous person you might want to run out there and buy some more, but otherwise you should be OK."
Whether gun sales will continue to increase or level off remains to be seen, Keffer said.
"A lot of people buying guns have never owned a gun before," Keffer said. "So I don't know if it's a case of here today and gone tomorrow."

[Mtbkski]

"It's the same sort of thing," McClean said. "People are afraid weapons might be banned."In the past week gun sales also have increased at Trop Gun Shop, 709 Cloverleaf Road, Elizabethtown.
Steve Bowers, an assistant manager at Trop Gun Shop, said business recently has risen by about 15 percent.
Bowers said that he's heard customers say they are afraid Obama will re-enact the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994.
"There's a little bit of everything being purchased," Bowers said, especially AR-15 assault rifles.
Bowers said he probably sold about five assault rifles in September. In the past week, he said 20 have been purchased.
"The wall of assault rifles is bare," Bowers said.

Yep, that is the kind of Gun Dealers we need representing us. Hope he didn't say this. But from their history on here. I bet they did.

[Evolution]

Originally Posted by Mtbkski

Yep, that is the kind of Gun Dealers we need representing us. Hope he didn't say this. But from their history on here. I bet they did.

Yeah. That quote kinda shook me the wrong way too.

[PBC Solutions]

Here's another one that burns me up:

Originally Posted by Evolution

"The one thing that they agree strongly with us on is that it's too easy for dangerous people to get guns in this country," Helmke said. "I guess if you're a dangerous person you might want to run out there and buy some more, but otherwise you should be OK."

So right there this snapperhead Helmke associated gun buyers with dangerous people. Last time I checked, his "dangerous people" didn't drop over a grand at a gun shop or submit to PICS checks to get their guns. I'm so sick of this guilt by association crap that these slicksters pull when they promote their agenda to the mass media or the uneducated public.