Just two articles but the increased gun sales is a national phenomenon.
Gun sales surge as presidential election nears Gun sales are on the rise in the Albuquerque area and gun shop owners say one big reason is this year's presidential election.
Eyewitness News 4 called gun shops all over Albuquerque and some said their sales are up as much as 25 percent from last year. One reason they say, gun owners are worried about their Second Amendment rights if a certain Democrat is elected president.
One of the gun shops seeing gun sales soar is the Albuquerque Pawn Shop.
"Probably 20 to 25 percent, but inquiries are probably up 50 to 60 percent," said owner Jay Johnston.
Johnston says there are a few reasons for the rise in gun sales. He says one reason is the bad economy. Johnston says more people are buying guns to protect themselves.
But he says he is hearing another reason even more.
"If one particular candidate is elected, then rumor has it that there's gonna be a serious gun ban and I think people want to get the guns while they can,” Johnston said.
Johnston would not say which candidate he was talking about, but he didn’t have to. The writing was on the wall -- literally. A poster that shows the face of Barack Obama and says “some changes we could do without” was posted in the shop. The poster also says Obama has supported a total ban on handguns.
But the Obama campaign says the presidential candidate supports the Second Amendment. The American Hunter’s and Shooting Association, that’s endorsing Obama, says the senator has pledged that gun owners have nothing to fear from an Obama administration.
“The National Rifle Association has gone and taken up their usual tactics of creating this hysteria. Gun shops for example are very much in line with the NRA because they're afraid of them, they're afraid of a boycott," said Bob Ricker, Executive Director of the American Hunter’s and Shooting Association.
The owner of Albuquerque Pawn Shop says he's seen the highest surge in the sales of assault weapons because he says buyers fear stricter rules when it comes to purchasing them.
Gun sales up with tough economy and presidential electionBy Candice Nelson
WSLS10 Reporter
Published: October 28, 2008
A combination of the presidential election and the economic crisis has gun sales thriving. According to the Washington Post, firearms and ammunition sales have gone up eight to 10% this year.
Also, a coordinator with the Roanoke Valley Gun Show that was in town last weekend told Ten On Your Side that attendance was up 10 to 20 percent in all the cities they’ve visited recently.
From rifles to handguns, the Town Gun Shop in Collinsville is seeing its own boom in business.
“I got a lot of firearm power if I needed it. I hope I never have to have it, but it’s good to have,” said Tom Moore who just bought a Beretta.
It’s what many people are saying – buying guns days before the election. Mark Tosh is president of the gun shop company and says it’s no coincidence.
“Whether it be law enforcement or sportsmen, with the upcoming election, a lot of people are feeling they need to go out and buy their guns now,” Tosh said.
Many gun owners said they worry about their right to bear arms if Barack Obama becomes President. An ad from the National Rifle Association was taped to the counter with many claims on his gun control stances.
“They are definitely against any A.R., as some people call assault-type weapon. But believe it or not, most of our sales have been traditional handguns people just want to have in their house,” Tosh said.
Tosh said people are worried that walking in, going through background checks, and buying a gun may not be as easy at is now.
Moore thinks the economy has more to do with the spike in sales than politics.
“As times are getting worse, you need to protect yourself. People are getting desperate these days,” Moore said.
Either way, it’s a controversial issue that will continue well after the election.
The Obama campaign claims the NRA has given a lot of false information on Obama’s gun control stance. Obama says he believes in the Second Amendment but with “commonsense measures.” He wants assault rifles off the streets, believing they believe on foreign battlegrounds.
John McCain opposes restrictions on assault weapons. Furthermore, McCain introduced legislation that would require instant criminal background checks for all sales at gun shows.
