Gun Sales are Booming
By GABE WELLSArticle Photos
WHEELING - Barack Obama's win in the November presidential election boosted sales for Shooters Inc., said owner Bill Monahan. But Monahan now has a problem - he's having troubling restocking his shelves.
Gun sales at several local businesses have increased since Obama was elected. Monahan said Wednesday that sales surged at his Bridgeport-area business following Obama's win, as gun enthusiasts who fear Congress and the incoming administration will limit gun ownership flooded U.S. gunshops and cleared the shelves with purchases. Now, Monahan said he's short on inventory, and the shelves aren't being replenished quickly enough to suit his needs.
"You can see mirrors in here where the guns used to be," Monahan said. Sales "went through the roof of every gunshop in the land. ... But the pipelines are dry."
Monahan said, following the election, the hottest items in gunshops were semi-automatic weapons and handguns. He said, however, that demand exceeded supply by such a great margin he is having trouble restocking his shelves.
"You can't sell from an empty apple cart," Monahan said. Supplies "are dribbling in, though ever so slowly. They sucked it dry - without a doubt. No one has the answer."
Monahan said there are a number of reasons for the spike in guns sales, and those reasons all relate to gun buyers' fears about the Obama administration. He said some gun owners purchased certain weapons believing they will be outlawed after Obama takes office.
Anthony Borkoski is the owner of Hidden Valley Outdoors in St. Clairsville, and he said his gun sales are up about 50 percent since Obama's election.
Like Monahan, Borkoski said he has had at least some trouble in restocking his shelves, and his customers also were concerned with bans and restrictions the Obama administration may hope to implement.
Borkoski said he believes gun issues should not top Obama's list of priorities. He said Obama's election initially was good for business, but he has concerns for the future.
"In the short term, it's been excellent," Borkoski said. "The long term is not looking too promising. It may just slow business down if he bans automatics and high-capacity (weapons). ... I think he has a lot more problems to worry about than guns."
Monahan said others are buying weapons as investments. The business owner said those gun buyers believe there will be a decreasing supply of certain firearms and an increasing demand. Therefore, those weapons can later be sold at a great profit.
Like his customers, Monahan believes there will be tighter gun restrictions or even the banning of certain weapons when Obama takes office. He said he is sure of it.
"I'd be willing to bet you my house against 50 bucks," Monahan said.
He believes semi-automatic guns that have roots in the military will soon face tighter restrictions.
"You can look forward to them curtailing the import of them, semi-automatics and magazine capacities," he said.
Gary Littleton, the manager of the Outdoor Store in Wheeling, said there has not been a spike in sales at that business since the election. He noted, though, that there was a spike in gun sales for this year's hunting season.
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WVJeep
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12-17-08 9:35 PM
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Here's the ban: Semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines and two or more of the following: Folding stock Conspicuous pistol grip Bayonet mount Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one Grenade launcher (more precisely, a muzzle device which enables the launching or firing of rifle grenades) Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following: Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or silencer Barrel shroud that can be used as a hand-hold Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm Semi-automatic shotguns with two or more of the following: Folding or telescoping stock Pistol grip Fixed capacity of more than 5 rounds Detachable magazine
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wonderwhy
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12-17-08 4:17 PM
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wvjeep- who did he ban from buying a gun? a criminal?
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WVJeep
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12-17-08 2:46 PM
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Wonder, Clinton didn't take guns but he banned you from buying them..Why do they think a magazine that holds 15 rounds is a danger but 10 is fine. It's all about control. Obama wants complete control. He is the most antigun President ever elected and no that's not from the NRA.
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wonderwhy
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12-15-08 2:37 PM
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wvjeep- i would venture to say that bush /cheny are criminals. what do you think we could do about them?
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wonderwhy
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12-15-08 1:29 PM
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wv jeep- clinton didn't take your guns, so why are you claiming that Obama will?
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WVJeep
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12-15-08 10:42 AM
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If you think Obama will leave our guns alone you are a fool. He will reinstate the Clinton Ban. Just look at his change website. Buy them now. It's not about confiscation it's about not being able to buy one of the most popular guns in the country. Maybe he should go after the criminals? Oh that's right, his buddies are criminals...
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wonderwhy
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12-13-08 8:53 AM
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ellis- you get on here and spread your opinion and if anyone disagrees with you , it's none of their business. so , since you don't want anyone to know your biz, why don't you climb back in your hole and leave the rest of us alone
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navyvet
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12-13-08 2:20 AM
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LTRRTL: It's called CYA.
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navyvet
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12-13-08 2:15 AM
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LTRRTL: Perhaps you are right as to my being uninformed about the various gun laws of the 50 states. I base my opinion on my own experience when I purchased a firearm from a gun shop within my state. After filling out papers, the gun shop called the FBI and reported the sale. As for giving a firearm to another person, as a gift, or otherwise, I guess that if it's not reqistered it would be O"K. but if it is, I would have the transaction recorded through a gun shop, no telling what, or if that weapon would be used unlawfully.
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navyvet
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12-13-08 2:04 AM
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jeffww: Good question! I would think that so long as the weapons stay within the family. no reqistering would be necessary; but if they are sold outside of the family, they would have to be reqistered through a gun shop who would report the sale to the FBI.
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EllisWyatt
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12-12-08 6:16 PM
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LTRRTL I agree. The Constitution does not give rights to citizens. It merely LISTS our inherent rights. The government does not have unlimited rights. The Constitution DOES have specific restraints on the power of government. The 10th Amendment has been the most ignored part of the Constitution. In fact, if you support public education, foreign aid, welfare and a bailout, you OPPOSE the Constitution. The US government's rights are SPECIFICALLY listed in the Constitution. As the 10th says, any rights not SPECIFICALLY granted to the federal government becomes a right of the states or the individual people. Boxerboy-Actually, I am. Wonderwhy-No, it is NONE of anyone's business whether or not I own a gun or several guns. NONE. I don't care if you own a gun or a poodle or a mint condition WWII Japanese Zero fighter. THAT is your business. My property is MY business.
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boxerboy
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12-12-08 8:15 AM
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Ellis, clearly you are not a constitutional scholar.
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wonderwhy
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12-12-08 6:55 AM
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ellis- who is the fool? you get on here and rant and rave, someone responds to you, and your reply is 'its none of your business' then why are you on here spouting off? \
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EllisWyatt
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12-12-08 6:33 AM
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jeffww You are a fool. I never said there are no consequences to crime. I said that the Constitution does not grant rights to individuals, nor do our rights come from government. Our rights are inherent, meaning they can never be sold, borrowed, taken, stolen, given or voted away. My right to own a gun does not come from government or the Constitution. I have a right to own a gun and shoot people and yell "fire" in a crowded theater. Government DOES have the right to punish me for the consequences of my actions. But they have no right to punish me for saying whatever I want to say and owning 1 million guns. It is not their place to dictate gun rights. Our Founders were very clear on this. Why is it that liberals feel that the First Amendment is absolute while the Second Amendment is a limited right? Your rights only end when they infringe upon the rights of another. My ownership of guns has ZERO affect on you so it is really none of your business.
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navyvet
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12-12-08 3:16 AM
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LTRRTL: When purchasing a gun, whether at a gun show or gun shop, the sale is reported to the FBI who registers the person who purchased the weapon. It's a federal requirement. If you own unregistered guns, I wouldn't go around bragging about it.
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wvhoopie
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12-11-08 9:51 PM
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What a great capitalistic opportunity for the gun industry. Paranoia is good for capitalism. Go buy a gun out of fear. The great big gov't is going to come and take me away and take my gun. Maybe I should buy two, or an automatic one, just in cast a bunch of those Gov't dudes come to take me away!!!! Gotta love this area.
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WVtoDC
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12-11-08 8:40 PM
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This is sooo ridiculous. Obama is not going to prevent anyone who wants to hunt or lawfully carry a gun do so.
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doctor
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12-11-08 7:18 PM
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Better head for them thar hills. Obama's a comin.LOL I keep thinking of various songs when I read posts on here. Now, it's "Paranoia Will Destroy Ya".LOL
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Destroyallmonsters
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12-11-08 7:04 PM
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"A CHICAGO THUG? " Got any proof of that accusation? Oh and you forgot.... STAB!!!
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beach1
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12-11-08 6:02 PM
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NANCY,DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE A CHICAGO THUG?
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jbowsher
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12-11-08 5:41 PM
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What? I can't say red necks?
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jbowsher
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12-11-08 5:40 PM
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What idiocy this is. Stupid ********.
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wonderwhy
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12-11-08 5:13 PM
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LT- i disagree for this hypothetical analysis. someone has a gun, throws it in a garbage can after they commit murder. if there is a way to register that gun and follow the history of it, crime is solved. not so much if no registration. i like guns. just want them in safe hands and with safe rules for them
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wonderwhy
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12-11-08 4:52 PM
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LT- I own one gun, for prob 25 years now. when i bought it i filled a bunch of paperwork out and never gave it much thought. i live in wv. not really sure of the state laws on guns. ha, maybe that would be something to educate myself on. i really think that if the laws on the books right now are enforced then it would be enough. like buy a gun and have to register some info in the event that you decide to sell it. or report missing guns, etc.
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wonderwhy
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12-11-08 2:28 PM
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kt- don't they register guns at gun shows?
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