Skyrocketing Gun Sales in Texas Reflect Nationwide Trend
OutdoorHub Reporters 04.16.12
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) says 11 million guns were sold in 2011. That same year, the FBI conducted 16.5 million firearm background checks, that’s more than double the amount sold in 2001, and 2 million more than in 2010, the previous year. According to available information, gun sales continue to rise at an unprecedented rate.
In Texas, gun sales have increased so drastically that some manufacturers cannot keep up with the orders and are backlogged by about a year. Sportsman’s Finest, a gun supplier in Bee Cave, says their guns sales are up by 30 percent compared to this time last year, according to KVUE.com. The news station also said that Smith & Wesson and Ruger claim they have even stopped taking orders because they have so many back orders to fill.
Normally, firearms do not see such an uptick in sales at this time of year, but an increase in sales could be attributed to the upcoming political election. Gun sales tend to increase just prior to and during political election years.
The elevated increase in demand for guns may be attributed to more than a Democrat potentially taking office. Firearms General Manager at Sportsman’s Finest August Crocker gave a few reasons for why sales may have increased all over the country.
Some consumers may be buying into the fear of cataclysmic events occurring in 2012. Gun stores are increasingly carrying zombie bullets and targets. In an interview with KVUE, Crocker said the fear of economic collapse and the use of guns as valuable commodities in any post-collapse society is also alluring.
