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Firearms sales increase in area
Dealers credit rise to Obama’s election, fear of weapons bans
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
Since Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States of America, firearms sales have increased significantly at some eastern North Carolina firearms dealers.
The most-popular firearms coming off the shelves are semi-automatic rifles and handguns, according to two area dealers.
Glen “Doc” Bowen, owner of Docs Gun & Pawn in Greenville, estimated that sales went up 400 percent at his store in November, adding sales have steadied at that rate since.
The store, which usually has about 3,000 firearms in stock, is sold out of handguns, he said Friday.
Charlie Hayes, owner of Mackey’s Landing Firearms in Jamesville, said Obama’s election has been great for sales.
“He was helpful, real helpful,” Hayes said.
The highest volume of sales at dealers in the region and across the nation have been in handguns and semi-automatics because the public is afraid that the Obama administration will push for such weapons to be banned, according to the dealers.
“When they think someone will do away with their rights, they go out and buy them then,” Bowen said.
The dealer said there was a similar increase in sales after Bill Clinton was elected president and before he took office.
During his 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton voiced his support for the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, or “Brady Bill,” which was stuck in Congress at the time.
Clinton won the 1992 election, and he signed the bill into law on Nov. 30, 1993.
The Brady Bill Act required a prospective handgun purchaser to wait up to five days for a background check before being allowed to buy a handgun.
Obama has been quoted as saying state and local governments have a right to place restrictions on an individual’s right to bear arms.
“As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can’t constrain the exercise of that right,” said Obama on the eve of the Democratic primary debate in Philadelphia, according to www.ontheissues.org.
Obama has also taken a stance against the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons, according to the Web site.
“Obama said he wouldn’t take away citizens’ rights,” said Bowen. “But he questions why people would want .45s and Glocks.”
All of the speculation, combined with Obama’s stance on gun control, have led to the increased sales, the dealers said.
Hayes and Bowen said the demand for handguns and semi-automatics far outweighs the supply.
“Suppliers are out of a lot of guns they (the American people) thought would be banned in 48 hours” off Obama becoming president, said Hayes.
Brian Welch, sales representative for CZ-USA Hunting & Sporting Firearms & Accessories, said area dealers were right on par with supply and demand.
“That is a most accurate statement. A good way to put it,” Welch said.
He said the manufacturer has back-orders on semi-automatics and handguns.
“There are several back-orders in the system,” he said. “It’s hard to keep up.”
CZ-USA is trying to scale up production on the firearms in demand, but “it’s still hard,” Welch said.
The company expected an increase in sales of handguns and semi-automatics would occur if Obama was elected, but the company underestimated the demand, Welch said.
“There was some anticipation, but we didn’t know we would need to prepare as much as we should have,” Welch said.
He believes that other firearms manufacturers are having similar problems with production.
Welch offered an apology from the company to dealers.
“Some dealers are losing sales because they don’t have them (semi-automatics and handguns) in stock,” he said. “They’re probably missing out on customers.”
Hayes confirmed that his store, which usually has between 4,000 and 4,500 firearms on display, has turned customers away.
“A lot of customers said they want something to buy in the near future,” he said.
Capt. Kenneth Watson with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said the increase in handgun sales are reflected in the increase in requests for pistol-purchase permits.
Watson said the sheriff’s office has issued more applications for pistol-purchase permits to “all sorts of people” during the past two months than before.
Bowen said his firearms store has been selling handguns “to a lot of real old women.”
Although Hayes’ store is short on stock, he isn’t complaining about the limited supply.
“If he (Obama) could go back and get re-elected again, that’d be great,” Hayes said.
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
Since Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States of America, firearms sales have increased significantly at some eastern North Carolina firearms dealers.
The most-popular firearms coming off the shelves are semi-automatic rifles and handguns, according to two area dealers.
Glen “Doc” Bowen, owner of Docs Gun & Pawn in Greenville, estimated that sales went up 400 percent at his store in November, adding sales have steadied at that rate since.
The store, which usually has about 3,000 firearms in stock, is sold out of handguns, he said Friday.
Charlie Hayes, owner of Mackey’s Landing Firearms in Jamesville, said Obama’s election has been great for sales.
“He was helpful, real helpful,” Hayes said.
The highest volume of sales at dealers in the region and across the nation have been in handguns and semi-automatics because the public is afraid that the Obama administration will push for such weapons to be banned, according to the dealers.
“When they think someone will do away with their rights, they go out and buy them then,” Bowen said.
The dealer said there was a similar increase in sales after Bill Clinton was elected president and before he took office.
During his 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton voiced his support for the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, or “Brady Bill,” which was stuck in Congress at the time.
Clinton won the 1992 election, and he signed the bill into law on Nov. 30, 1993.
The Brady Bill Act required a prospective handgun purchaser to wait up to five days for a background check before being allowed to buy a handgun.
Obama has been quoted as saying state and local governments have a right to place restrictions on an individual’s right to bear arms.
“As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms. But just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can’t constrain the exercise of that right,” said Obama on the eve of the Democratic primary debate in Philadelphia, according to www.ontheissues.org.
Obama has also taken a stance against the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons, according to the Web site.
“Obama said he wouldn’t take away citizens’ rights,” said Bowen. “But he questions why people would want .45s and Glocks.”
All of the speculation, combined with Obama’s stance on gun control, have led to the increased sales, the dealers said.
Hayes and Bowen said the demand for handguns and semi-automatics far outweighs the supply.
“Suppliers are out of a lot of guns they (the American people) thought would be banned in 48 hours” off Obama becoming president, said Hayes.
Brian Welch, sales representative for CZ-USA Hunting & Sporting Firearms & Accessories, said area dealers were right on par with supply and demand.
“That is a most accurate statement. A good way to put it,” Welch said.
He said the manufacturer has back-orders on semi-automatics and handguns.
“There are several back-orders in the system,” he said. “It’s hard to keep up.”
CZ-USA is trying to scale up production on the firearms in demand, but “it’s still hard,” Welch said.
The company expected an increase in sales of handguns and semi-automatics would occur if Obama was elected, but the company underestimated the demand, Welch said.
“There was some anticipation, but we didn’t know we would need to prepare as much as we should have,” Welch said.
He believes that other firearms manufacturers are having similar problems with production.
Welch offered an apology from the company to dealers.
“Some dealers are losing sales because they don’t have them (semi-automatics and handguns) in stock,” he said. “They’re probably missing out on customers.”
Hayes confirmed that his store, which usually has between 4,000 and 4,500 firearms on display, has turned customers away.
“A lot of customers said they want something to buy in the near future,” he said.
Capt. Kenneth Watson with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said the increase in handgun sales are reflected in the increase in requests for pistol-purchase permits.
Watson said the sheriff’s office has issued more applications for pistol-purchase permits to “all sorts of people” during the past two months than before.
Bowen said his firearms store has been selling handguns “to a lot of real old women.”
Although Hayes’ store is short on stock, he isn’t complaining about the limited supply.
“If he (Obama) could go back and get re-elected again, that’d be great,” Hayes said.
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