Gun Sales Rise After Obama's Re-Election

The two gun shop owners quoted in the story downplay Obama’s ability to enact any new gun control legislation. But they’re pretty happy to see a 20-to-1 increase in people buying what they’re selling since Zero was re-installed.

The FBI reported an 18 percent spike in firearm background checks increasing in the months leading up the election, several media outlets reported. Officials say background checks are the leading indicator of sales growth.

Since 1998, 11.5 million firearm background checks have been conducted in Texas and 154.6 million nationwide, federal statistics show. The Associated Press reported a jump when Obama was first elected in 2008. A total of 12.7 million background checks were conducted nationwide, up from 11.2 million the year before. The number has continued to rise since.

Texas Department of Public Safety records show that between 2008 and 2009, applications granted for concealed handgun licenses spiked and have been steadily increasing. No data was immediately available for 2012.

Gun control advocates called for stricter regulations after the mass shooting in Aurora, Colo., where a man with an assault rifle opened fire in the midnight premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises.” The July 20 attack left 12 people dead and 58 wounded.

Pruett and other gun owners across the country attribute the sales spike to Obama’s reference to renewing an assault rifle ban.

Gander Mountain’s Swan said he does not think gun laws will change.

“If a politician comes in and says anything about firearms, people freak out,” Swan said. “There is a lot of fear and ignorance about what is really going on.”

Obama will work around Congress if he wants to impose some new gun law, so there’s that. He has said as much and now has four years to come up with something even more devious than Fast and Furious. But there’s also this. This president has increased dependency on government to levels not seen since the Great Depression. Millions are unemployed, and millions more are on some form of government support. We cannot long sustain the Obama spending spree. What happens when those benefits get cut? What happens if the dollar keeps getting devalued? What happens if municipal budgets continue down the path to insolvency that they’re on?

Mostly bad things. It’s perfectly logical to be ready to defend yourself and your family.