The Christian Science Monitor talks to a few gun shop owners, and concludes that it’s largely fear of gun control that drives the spikes in sales after mass shootings, and not people rushing to gun shops with a desire to protect themselves. Clayton Cramer pins this increase in sales on the gun control crowd, and notes:
So gun control advocates, when you keep talking about gun control, remember that when at least some of these reactionary purchasers do something stupid or tragic, it is because you panicked them into it.
What makes us evangelize firearms so much, other than the fact that as people who enjoy a hobby and lifestyle, we want to share it with other people, is that we need more political allies to defeat the likes of Brady, CSGV, MAIG, and VPC. Sometimes I think the gun control groups have done more to create new shooters than the NRA has.
Another thought is, if these post-massacre spikes are being driven by people worried about new gun control, it goes to show that rational political ignorance is alive and well among gun owners too. Even in a hostile political environment, it’s rare that legislation pass so quickly one needs to run out the next day. I wish some of them would get seriously engaged with the political fight, rather than engage in panic buying.
I don’t think that explaination explains for the spike in CHP apps and for CHP classes being full.
Sebastian: “Even in a hostile political environment, it’s rare that legislation pass so quickly one needs to run out the next day.â€
Yeah, but perhaps they are trying to beat a price spike, which can happen quite quickly. The 08/09 buying frenzy I thought was fairly justified- this time, not so much. In 08, you had an anti-gun president about to be sworn in at a time the Democrats controlled both houses of congress (and Pelosi as Speaker). And Obama said he wanted to ban “assault weaponsâ€. CSM seems to forget this when they say:
Before his election in 2008, gun sales spiked in anticipation that he would promote a gun-control agenda – even though he did not campaign on the issue…
I think the news reports act as a trigger (to coin a phrase!) for those who were hovering on the edge of the buying decision. Mixed with some concern about sales restrictions, perhaps, plus possibly price increases.
Sounds like me. At the time of the Loughner shooting I was planning to buy a few AK mags, but after McCarthy starts crowing about assault clips and high capacity ammunition (what? lol), I decided to just get a whole box while I was at it.
The more people who buy guns – especially first time purchasers – for whatever reason – the happier I am.
I remember when the AWB was passed. My dad went out and bought an SKS when all he owned were a few handguns. Why? Because 2 days later it was worth $200 more than when he bought it. I don’t recall the total amount, but he made a pretty penny on it when he sold it.
So, there’s something to be said about people purchasing items that will suddenly hop up in price.
I remember the riots in Miami in the late 1970’s and a friend said, after almost getting caught in the riot, that the next day the line at the downtown store for ammo and guns was two blocks long. That was not fear on gun control. That was fear of getting caught without a functioning weapon.
Politics is the root of gun owners’ problems and not a valid solution. Those who practice politics are criminals, and those who participate in voting are merely helping to perpetrate the lie that is American freedom.