Obama win triggers run on guns

[phishtaper]

Obama win triggers run on guns

Nov 08, 2008 09:18 AM

Comments on this story (24)

Reuters

PHOENIX–Sales of rifles, pistols and ammo are surging in parts of the United States, as many gun owners fear President-elect Barack Obama's administration may seek to tighten ownership of certain weapons.

"The day after the election, I had many more calls than usual from people looking for semi-automatic rifles," said David Greenberg, the owner of the Second Amendment Family Gun Shop, in Bisbee, Arizona, who sold out of AR-15 rifles in recent days.

"There seems to be a fear they will be banned, and it's fairly likely," he added. "Obama and Biden are driven to eliminate firearms from the face of the country."

Gun stores and trade groups have reported a spike in firearms sales in the run-up to the Nov. 4 election victory of Democrat Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, who many perceive as strongly pro-gun control.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry, reported a 10 per cent jump in gun sales this year based on its analysis of an excise tax placed on firearms and ammunition, and a spokesman said the increase had grown dramatically ahead of the election.

"Gun owners are afraid of what Obama is going to do as far as guns," said spokesman Tony Aeschliman. "He has a clear record of being against us."

Obama stated his support for the right to bear arms during campaigning, although both he and Biden back a permanent ban on assault weapons – military-style semi-automatic rifles – and "common sense measures" to keep guns away from children and criminals, positions which spurred concern among some gun enthusiasts.

"It's always been the liberal or Democratic agenda to restrict gun ownership," said Jim Pruett, the owner of a gun store in a Houston-area strip mall, whose sales more than tripled on the Saturday before the election to $35,000.

In McPherson, Kansas, gun dealer Steve Sechler said demand at a gun show last weekend jumped by more than 50 per cent as buyers rushed to stock up on guns including Kalashnikov and AR-15 rifles.

"Most of the people there were cussing Obama and saying we need home defense," Sechler said.

Obama loyalists say gun owners need not fear curbs when he takes office in January. The Democratic governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland, told a rally last month he had spoken directly to Obama about the right to bear arms.

"If you are a sportsman, if you are a gun owner, if you are someone that honours and respects the Second Amendment, you have nothing to fear from Barack Obama," he told a crowd in Chillicothe.

The lobbying arm of the powerful National Rifle Association, however, stoked concerns during the campaign, calling Obama a "serious threat to Second Amendment liberties."

Among other complaints, they accused Obama of endorsing a 500-per cent increase in the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition – a comment he made as an Illinois state Senator in Illinois in 1999, but has not repeated.

The sentiments are so strong Wall Street is taking notice. BB&T Capital Markets analyst Frank Mitsch on Wednesday raised estimates for Olin Corp. due in part to expected increased sales from its Winchester firearms ammunition business.

But despite surging sales, not all gun dealers are celebrating.

Scottsdale, Arizona, gun shop owner Manuel Chee sold out of AR-15 type rifles in the days on either side of the election, but said he would prefer to have steady sales and no prospect of curbs – whether real or imagined – in the future.

"I'd rather that (Republican Sen. John) McCain got in and there's not a big scare and we just followed our normal sales," Chee told Reuters.

"Rather than say right now we are going to make a lot of money for a few months, and then in a few months, possibly, our business could be shut down," he added.

btw, this is the AR-15 rifle.

[bouche]

PHOENIX–Sales of rifles, pistols and ammo are surging in parts of the United States, as many gun owners fear President-elect Barack Obama's administration may seek to tighten ownership of certain weapons.

That's a horrific statement. The "fear" of regulation of guns makes people in the US buy more guns.

[shainhouse]

family gun shop?

[Thorgnor]

I have no problem with hunting and sport shooting but those things are fucked. I'm not only afraid of those weapons, I'm afraid of poeple who really want to carry them. Even police make me nervous.

I think it's strange that instead of supporting more funding for police and community services though people would rather shoot at their neighbors. I'm afraid of cops but I'm still really glad there are some good ones out there.

I also don't see why a range gun has to come home, why can't it stay at the range? Seems to me proliferation of weapons is a self-fulfilling prophecy...

[Birdy]

A quick google of police not doing their job turns up countless articles and forum discussions. This could have something do with their collective mindframe.

The whole 'right to bear arms' thing gets taken pretty literally over there.

The news they watch isn't like the CBC telling heart-warming stories of 12 year old kids skating down the Rideau canal on a Sunday morning, but rather's like watching street death toll 101.

Americans are really funny about their guns. I know a lot of 'em with guns under their pillows. That's fucked... and paranoid.

[backbacon]

I want the one in the middle!

[deranger]

the one on top top looks cooler. Those deers are fucked.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

i thiiiiink they're all the same gun, just dismantled as you go down

[boiler]

Did ya hear about those 2 Nazi kids that wanted to kill a bunch of blacks, then dress in white tuxedo's with white top hats and make a high speed run at Obama with guns blazing. Crazy.

Obama's got a lot of work to do.

[Freak By Night]

I heard one of those nazi kids wore eye make-up.

[Birdy]

tinted glasses!!

[phishtaper]

[SaggyBalls]

It's unfortunate that Canada doesn't have the right to bear arms in our society.

[phishtaper]

It's unfortunate that Canada doesn't have the right to bear arms in our society.

oh, but we do. and we have the right to the nose and the tummy and the little furry paws and ...

[mattm]

i thiiiiink they're all the same gun, just dismantled as you go down

Actually, according to my buddy (who plays the game hitman), the little trigger handle at the bottom is an upgrade to the gun above it. The top one just looks like the middle one with a scope and little legs to make damn sure that when you try to kill your neighbor, you do it.

I hate guns and I wish to god the states would stop being so stuck on death (look at movies, how often do movies depicting sex get banned, like shortbus, to have a movie about a guy that kills people in the most gruesome ways become a hit). Unless the americans get off the gun train, it won't happen here either. Granted, we're much better than they are, much, much, but people can still buy handguns here and there's absolutely no excuse anyone can give to have a handgun other than that they think they have the need to hurt or kill another human being. Some people say target practice but you know, life would go on without target practice and since I've read lots of stories of kids with guns that came from thefts of the target practice dudes, well, who knows but I'll stop now. Damn americans and their death and pain and suffering fetish.