Gun sales boom 'definitely because of Obama'
Some gun owners fear he'll ban weapons
Suburban gun shops report that sales are up since Barack Obama was elected president, because gun buyers are afraid Obama will push to ban ownership of some weapons.
"Of course they're up -- 25 to 30 percent over last year," said a salesman at Midwest Guns & Pistol Range in Lyons. "It's across the board -- sales are up on everything."
(AP)
"Definitely, it's because of Obama," said a saleswoman at Freddie Bear Sports in Tinley Park. The saleswoman, who declined to give her name, said that the boost is more for the "long guns," like AK-47s and assault rifles.
A spokesman for the Illinois State Police confirmed that the agency conducted 24,076 background checks for gun purchases in November, 39 percent more than the 17,363 during the same month a year ago. There were 17,249 background checks in November 2006.
"Illinois gun owners aren't stupid. They see the handwriting on the wall," Illinois Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson said.
On the campaign trail, Obama said he respects the right to bear arms, but favors "common sense" gun laws. Many gun advocates believe that translates to reinstating the federal assault weapons ban. As an Illinois state senator, Obama supported prohibitions on semiautomatic weapons.
John Sikorski, a salesman at JR Shooting Sports in Aurora, said it's hard to tell how much sales are up because of guns, and how much is due to this being hunting season. But Sikorski said customers are telling him they're fearful of a gun ban under Obama.
"I'm afraid of it myself," he said.
At Elmwood Park's Illinois Gun Works, sales started going up even before the election -- as soon as it became apparent Obama would win, owner Dan Mastrianni told Channel 2.
Jennifer Bishop of the Illinois chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said the National Rifle Association spent $10 million trying to defeat Obama and has only "fear and panic amongst their members" to show for it.
"President-elect Obama has always been frustratingly pro-Second Amendment," Bishop said.
Contributing: AP