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Is surge in firearms sales linked to election results?

Ken Perrotte's outdoor column

Date published: 12/4/2008

NUMEROUS MEDIA reports and data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation revealed that firearm sales increased nearly 10 percent this year and were up 15 percent in October.

The trend continued into November. During election week (Nov. 3-9), the FBI received 374,000 background requests, "a nearly 49 percent increase over the same period in 2007," CNN.com reported.

The suspected reason sportsmen, gun-owners and collectors, and some new gun-owners are purchasing now is concern about a gun control agenda within the incoming Obama administration, NSSF leaders said. Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane, said, "It's clear from President-elect Obama's voting record, and the prom-ises he continues to make, that gun control will be coming back to the White House."

As evidence of concern over a potential gun control agenda, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Executive Vice President Rick Story points out that anyone vying for one of the approximately 7,000 political appointee jobs with a new administration must complete a detailed questionnaire.

Question 59 asks applicants: "Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage."

The references to ownership and registration issues implies some type of ongoing and recurring registration required beyond the background check required before the gun's purchase.

"The new Administration should immediately clarify how answers to this question will factor into its hiring process," Story said. "No one should be discriminated against because they avail themselves of their Second Amendment rights.

"If you want to assure sportsmen that you don't want to take away their rights, the first thing you do should not be making it look like 'Big Brother' is getting ready to watch their every move. Unfortunately, that is exactly what this question implies."

One concern is that anything that is a semi-automatic variant of a military rifle, or even looks like a military rifle, will again get tarred and feathered as a "semi-automatic assault rifle." Many in the media like to gush in wide-eyed fear when they report on sales of these firearms.

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Date published: 12/4/2008