Gun owners stocking up before election, shops say

[Mrs. Sharon B. Hodge]

Gun owners stocking up before election, shops say


Turns out Pennsylvanians might not cling to their guns after all.

While Americans in many states are buying firearms at record levels, weapon sales in the Keystone State are lagging.

Still, despite the shaky economy, gun shop owners are predicting sales in the state may yet beat last year's totals: because of the traditional spike during hunting season and the holidays, but also because gun owners may fear that if Democrat Barack Obama is elected, he'll push for tighter restrictions on weapons.

"I'll bet money that if Obama gets in, after the election we're going to be busy," said Buddy Savage, who owns Braverman Arms Co. in Wilkinsburg. "That's going to open the floodgates. We'll be busy."

In Pennsylvania, gun shops sold nearly 270,000 firearms in the first nine months. They would need to sell more than half that in the last three months of the year to exceed last year's total of 404,528 firearms sold.

Gun owners and gun rights advocates think that's not out of the question, saying they believe Obama will push to ban many firearms if he is elected president. Some people are buying guns before it's too late, they said.

"He is an avowed enemy of gun owners," said Kim Stolfer, chairman of Firearms Owners Against Crime. "It's in his records, and it's what he believes. This is not conjecture. ... I encourage everyone to think what's at stake in the elections."

According to his campaign staff, Obama supports a ban on assault weapons, and he supports state and local efforts to ban citizens from carrying concealed weapons, with exceptions for retired police officers and military personnel. The Illinois senator does not support the creation of a national gun registry "at this time," a campaign spokeswoman said.

Republican John McCain does not support a ban on assault weapons or concealed weapons, his campaign staff said. The Arizona senator wants to ensure "the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens are not constrained by additional gun control measures," a campaign spokeswoman said.

Nationally, background checks for gun sales totaled 11.2 million in 2007 -- the highest since the FBI began keeping track in 1998. The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System shows that so far this year background checks for gun purchases are up 8 percent -- 8.5 million from January to Sept. 30, compared to 7.8 million in the same period last year.

Americans traditionally stock up on arms during times of uncertainty, said Gregory Rogers, director of the Intelligence and National Security Program at Point Park University.

Such purchases are fueled by fear, he said.

"What you're looking at is paranoia," he said. "Paranoia of a Democrat (getting elected) will have people buying more guns. They're afraid Democrats will pass something outlawing guns."

Rogers said the likelihood of an Obama presidency enacting widespread gun bans is low because new laws would have to pass the Senate.

"People work for their constituents," he said. "Could you imagine a senator from Pa. saying no guns? It wouldn't happen."

Still, gun owners and advocates say they're taking no chances.

The National Rifle Association of America's Political Victory Fund has released ads urging gun owners to "Defend Freedom, Defeat Obama."

"No politician is going to take away my guns and ammo," a man says in one of the Internet ads.

John Ciesielski, owner of Jolar's gun shop in New Kensington, said business is booming.

"We're probably having our biggest day ever today," he said.

"As we speak," Ciesielski said, "I'm selling a 50-caliber BMG Barrett (Browning Machine Gun) rifle for $9,000, and he's paying in cash."

Savage said his sales are up 20 percent this year. "And people are still waiting to see," he said. "If (Obama) gets in, that'll open the floodgates."

Bruce Taucher, owner of Federal Firearms Co. Inc. in Oakdale, said sales of assault rifles are up about 25 percent, and growing stronger as the election nears.

"It's just like anything else: When you tell Americans they can't have something, they want it," Taucher said. "If (Obama) gets elected ... business will boom."

A.J. Lescinsky, a salesman at Anthony Arms & Accessories in West Mifflin, said an Obama presidency is all his clients are talking about these days.

In a poll released Wednesday, Obama leads McCain by 13 points among likely voters in Pennsylvania, a state that McCain has said he must win. The Franklin & Marshall College Poll conducted between Oct. 21 and Sunday for the Tribune-Review, WTAE-TV and other news outlets has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points among likely voters.

"Once he gets in, everyone fully expects that he is going to do what he can to take away at least some of the firearms," Lescinsky said. "They think that we're not going to be allowed to have them, so 'I better get them now.'

"But it's a slippery slope," he said. "First you take away the tanks, then the flame throwers ... then the assault rifles. It all makes sense until you go, 'Whoa, wait a minute.' ... Everyone is afraid of that."

[James and Terry Hamilton]

whoa Wait a Minute,........... OPPPPPS then it is way toooooo late folks