Today's talker
Bad economy, Obama trigger gun sales rise
Fredrick Kunkle / Washington Post
Americans have cut back on buying cars, furniture and clothes in a tough economy, but there's one consumer item that's still enjoying healthy sales: guns. Purchases of firearms and ammunition have risen 8 percent to 10 percent this year, according to state and federal data.
Several variables drive sales, but many dealers, buyers and experts attribute the increase in part to concerns about the economy and fears that if Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wins the presidency, he will join with fellow Democrats in Congress to enact gun controls. Obama has said he believes in an individual right to bear arms but that he also supports "common-sense safety measures."
"Even though (Obama) has a lot going for him, he's not very pro-gun," said Paul Pluff, a spokesman for Smith & Wesson, which has reported higher sales.
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Gun owners haven't been especially thrilled about the prospect of Sen. John McCain in the White House, either. Still, they see the Arizona Republican as less of a threat than Obama.
Gun purchases have also been climbing because of the worsening economy, which fuels fears of crime and civil disorder, industry sources and specialists said.
"Generally, we know that hard economic times always result in firearm sales," said James M. Purtilo, who publishes the Tripwire Newsletter.
Law enforcement reports show that guns are selling well this year. In 2008, there were 8.4 million background checks from Jan. 1 to Sept. 28, compared with 7.7 million in the same period last year, a 9 percent increase, according to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
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