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Gun Sales Are Booming In Wake Of Obama Win

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By CARL ORTH

The Suncoast News

Published: March 20, 2009

The November election produced an unintended stimulus package for one industry: gun sales.

About as soon as Democrats took control of both the White House and Congress last fall, people began lining up to buy guns at local shops. Ammunition has been flying off store shelves, merchants say.

"Yes, there was a big rush," Christopher W. Drum, owner of CRS Weaponry in Port Richey, said. Sales boomed as much as 60 percent since November, although sales seem to be leveling off of late.

"It was kind of wild for a while," Drum observed, with even grandmotherly types shopping for firearms. Costs of guns have been going up accordingly, with 21 manufacturers raising prices.

"Gun sales are going through the roof," said Bill Bunting, a Republican state committeeman, longtime leader of the Pasco Republican Party and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.

"Guns, guns and more guns!" proclaims an advertisement for the first Sportsmen's Dinner the Republican Party of Pasco will hold April 2. The dinner will feature auctions and drawings for guns.

Democratic liberals traditionally have sought gun controls opposed by Republican conservatives. During the presidential campaign, President Barack Obama declared that individuals have a constitutional right to own firearms that is subject to "commonsense regulation."

Obama's choice for attorney general, Eric Holder, however, did nothing to reassure gun-rights advocates, Bunting said. Holder, for example, has called on Congress to restore the federal ban on assault weapons, which was allowed to "sunset" in 2004.
Liberals and conservatives clash over the definition of assault rifle. For example, Bunting said, many people mistakenly believe the semiautomatic Colt AR-15 rifle, which resembles the M-16, is an assault weapon.

Neil Summers, who has owned Pasco Gun Sports on State Road 52 in Dade City since 1982, said the boom in gun sales is unprecedented, and he isn't happy about it.

"I've been in this business 50 years, and I've never seen anything like this," he said. "When there's a boom like this, you're going to have some idiot go out there and try to make a name for himself and best the guy at Columbine or whatever. Then, the media will get ahold out of it and make a hero out of him.

"Then, the legislators will come along and punish us all en masse. It happens every time."

Besides that, Summers said, many gun lovers are concerned by whatever "commonsense regulation" Obama's administration may push.

"Under the new administration, one of the higher-ups has proposed legislation that would make even most sporting handguns and rifles illegal, if the law is passed as presented," he said. "Everyone is uncertain and scared" about their gun rights.

Bunting said he was chatting recently with a gun show promoter who was fatigued after putting on 11 gun shows in 12 weeks. The promoter joked he might have considered voting for Obama if he had known his post-election business would be this brisk.

"We've never seen so many women" seeking the firearms training the Second Amendment Club offers, Bunting said. About 35 college students, mostly women, attended the most-recent class.

Classes at CRS Weaponry also have been well attended in recent months, Drum said. From 10 to 15 people typically are in each training class since laws require a minimum three hours of safety education before people can apply for concealed weapon permits.

People should get more politically involved with groups such as NRA to maintain the rights of individuals to own firearms, Drum said.

"I don't think the Democrats are going to be nuts" with gun-control legislation, Drum said. He thinks Democrats today realize they have a lot to lose over this issue.

The Democratic Party paid a high political price after passage of the "Brady bill" gun-control legislation in 1993, Drum said.

During a recent news conference House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said "we need to enforce the laws we have right now" rather than restore the assault rifle ban.

FOR INFORMATION: Call Bill Bunting at (727) 862-1063 or Republican Headquarters at (727) 863-5400

SPORTSMEN'S DINNER

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. April 2

WHERE: Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, San Antonio

COST: $35

Reporter Geoff Fox contributed to this story.

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