From Texas:
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Some Houstonians are stocking up. They are concerned some gun laws are going to tighten up now that President-elect Obama is on his way to the White House.
In the last few months, firearms and ammunition have been hard to keep in stock at Jim Pruett's gun store. In the eight years his store has been open, last Saturday he hit an all-time sales record. The colorful tickets reveal 31 gun sales in his modest store.
"The only other day we can compare it to is 9-11, when sales where astronomical," Pruett said.
So in a tough economy, where consumers are cutting back, what's driving gun sales? Many fear that President-elect Obama could tighten gun laws.
...
Gun owners also worry that what's not banned will be heavily taxed.
"Tax them so much that they will be impractical to buy, or the ammunition to buy them," said gun owner John Butts.
"Obama has advocated previously a 500% tax on ammunition, so if he can't right out outlaw ammunition, he is going to tax it to a point where the people can't afford it," Pruett explained.
And another:
FORT WORTH, Texas — While watching Republican presidential candidate John McCain's concession speech, gun owner AJ Sullivan had a sinking feeling.
"Liberals like to ban guns. That's what it comes down to," said Sullivan, 25, a Texas Christian University student.
Sullivan was among hundreds scrambling to buy a weapon Thursday at the gun store Cheaper Than Dirt! — which sold $101,000 in merchandise the day after the election, shattering its single-day sales record, said store owner DeWayne Irwin.
And another:
Some Texans are flocking to gun shops, stocking up on ammo and firearms. In fact, sales at many stores in the state are up significantly among fears that President-elect Obama may tighten some gun bans. KLTV 7's Courtney Lane took a look at that trend here in East Texas.
Oscar Davila was out today, shopping for his first gun.
"Little bit of a fear, I guess, of what may be to come. You know, you hear all these rumors of what Obama may do. You never know, plus I don't have one and I feel it may be necessary just for home protection more than anything else," said Davila.
At Mack Wood's gun and knife shop, sales are shooting through the roof.
"Doing the taxes for September that I did in October seemed to indicate certainly the best sales of the year and possibly the best sales I've had in 22 years of being in business," said Woods.
For Davila, it's a race to buy before the future Obama administration could tighten up gun laws.
"All the different rumors about possible higher taxes on guns and ammunition and who knows what else, so it may be harder to get one as well," said Davila.
From Colorado:
DENVER — Sales of handguns, rifles and ammunition have surged in the last week, according to gun store owners around the nation who describe a wave of buyers concerned that an Obama administration will curtail their right to bear arms.
“He’s a gun-snatcher,” said Jim Pruett, owner of Jim Pruett’s Guns and Ammo in northwest Houston, which was packed with shoppers on Thursday.
“He wants to take our guns from us and create a socialist society policed by his own police force,” added Mr. Pruett, a former radio personality, of President-elect Barack Obama.
Mr. Pruett said that sales last Saturday, just before Election Day, ran about seven times higher than a typical good Saturday.
A spot check by reporters in four other states easily found Mr. Pruett’s comments echoed from both sides of the counter.
David Nelson, a co-owner of Montana Ordnance & Supply in Missoula, Mont., said his buyers were “awake and aware and see a dangerous trend.”
Mr. Nelson said sales at his store had risen about 30 percent since Mr. Obama declared his candidacy. “People are concerned about overreaching legislation from Washington,” he said. “They are educating themselves on the Internet.”
In Colorado, would-be gun buyers set a one-day record last Saturday with the highest number of background check requests in a 24-hour period, according to figures from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. [emphasis added]
Another Colorado story:
With the election of Barack Obama, gun owners are flocking to stores, boosting sales because of concerns the Democrat will raise taxes on guns, ammunition and accessories or even ban some guns outright.
“We’re seeing a huge increase in sales, more than 100 percent,” said Bob Jensen, owner of Jensen Arms, 285 E. 29th St. “Barack Obama running has terrified our republic. He’s a Marxist and a socialist, and he’s extremely anti-firearm and anti-gun freedom.”
And another:
GRAND JUNCTION — John Faulkner and his wife, Brenda, thought Wednesday was a good day to buy a handgun.
"I'm 37 years old, and this is the first time in my life that I am really scared for our future," said Faulkner, an oil field worker, as he perused the collection of weaponry in A Pawn Shop here.
At Aurora's Firing Line gun shop, Steve Wickham was also purchasing. "Anything I can get my hands on," he said as he cradled a $699 9mm handgun.
Same thing in Lakewood: "I was selling guns before I even opened the door," said George Horne, owner of The Gun Room. "It's gone completely mad. Everyone is buying everything I've got on the shelves. Sales have been crazy."
From Maryland:
WILLIAMSPORT, MD - Gun stores are reporting a spike in gun sales, and they say the trend is driven by customers who are afraid Barack Obama will crack down on gun sales as president.
At the Downsville Gun Shop, Tim Hafer is already seeing change. He says he’s almost tripled his sales in the past few days.
From Virginia:
MIDLOTHIAN, Va. (AP) — When 10-year-old Austin Smith heard Barack Obama had been elected president, he had one question: Does this mean I won't get a new gun for Christmas?
That brought his mother, the camouflage-clad Rachel Smith, to Bob Moates Sports Shop on Thursday, where she was picking out that special 20-gauge shotgun — one of at least five weapons she plans to buy before Obama takes office in January.
From Connecticut:
The surge in gun sales sprawling across the country started in Connecticut a couple of weeks ago.
One store owner said people are buying guns now while they can.
Many customers said they’re stocking up on guns because they think the new administration will move quickly to restrict sales.
They said Democrats now control all three branches of the government and they feel the Democrats don’t want the average American to have the right to defend themselves with guns.
From North Carolina:
Fuquay-Varina, N.C. — North Carolinians are among gun enthusiasts nationwide stocking up on firearms out of worries that President-elect Obama and a Democrat-majority Congress will create tough, new gun laws.
"Virtually every customer coming in right now is in fear of that," said Clay Ausley, owner of Fuquay-Varina Gun and Gold. "'I gotta get it before Obama gets in,' we hear all day."
Over the past two days, sales have jumped roughly 60 percent, primarily for high-capacity firearms, Ausley said. Customers have come from Virginia, South Carolina and across North Carolina and signed up for waiting lists as demand exceeded manufacturers' supplies.
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