NBC Washington /

News

A Call To Arms Local gun owners stocking up before Obama takes office

By  KAREN ARAIZA

Updated 12:22 AM EDT, Sun, Nov 23, 2008

Jim Webb

Gun sales have surged since the election and gun show promoters say more women are buying.

 

You could find enough guns and ammo to supply an army at the annual gun show at the Dulles Expo Center on Saturday. And a lot more people are stocking up.

Why all the enthusiasm? Gun enthusiasts and owners like Jack McClure said the deck is stacked against them with President-elect Barack Obama, and they want to be prepared.

"There's gonna be a real strong attempt to roll back some of the progress we've made in the last eight years in terms of just access and 2nd Amendment rights and that sort of thing," said McClure.

People on the gun show circuit say there has been a 50 percent increase in legal gun sales since the election. There are new gun owners; women among them.

Gun show promoter, Annette Elliott, said the President-elect's position on guns, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's anti-gun stance and knowing that Vice President-Elect Joe Biden authored the ban on assault weapons,  "All these things combined are scaring people and they're buying in droves."

The economy was a factor for some, who saw investment opportunities in collecting.

Promoters also attribute the lifting of DC's gun ban to this year's larger crowds.

Comments (8)

Sort by: Most Recent | Oldest
  • Toddrico Monday, Nov 24 at 6:36 AM FLAG COMMENT Usually all you see in these gun story comments are comments from the anti-gunners about how crazy and paranoid we are... It's good to see the pro-gun voice and its very nice to know there's a few americans out there that will stand up and protect our nation if the need if the $h1t hits the fan...
  • Ethan Sunday, Nov 23 at 8:15 PM FLAG COMMENT make sure you stock up on ammo folks! Time to lock and load! has been for a while.
  • Maria Sunday, Nov 23 at 6:13 PM FLAG COMMENT I attended the Dulles Gun Show this week-end, as described in the article. I personally bought a new firearm (a rifle) as well as the associated supplies for it. The crowd, as I witnessed it, was exercising their freedoms. I did not witness negative or hysterical attitudes but rather a practical focus on the real world. Pragmatically, we protect ourselves (especially women). People saw what happened last time and they are p ... MORE >
  • ive seen this before Sunday, Nov 23 at 5:21 PM FLAG COMMENT happened during clinton's assault weapons ban. back then we had an AG that didn't think the 2nd amendment applied to the individual... amazing. all indications are that the incoming admin is stacking up the same way (clinton part3) so people are buying now before the legislation without a brain starts coming. unfortunately inflated pricing happens during these conditions.
  • cool head Sunday, Nov 23 at 3:28 PM FLAG COMMENT You will never change the law about people protecting themselves no matter how hard you try. We will find a way Americans are tough folks. The way the crime has gone up in DC Metro area I don't blame people for "stocking up" I believe that is the reason not the Obama in office thing. You try to break into my house and you are in for a rude awakening no one has a key but myself and my husband there will be no mistakes in the ... MORE >

Post a Comment

Name


Comment - You have 2000 characters left

Enter both words below, separated by a space, in the field located to the lower right. Can't read the words below? Try different words or an audio captcha. What's this?