Gun sales on the rise after President Obama's reelection
Driven by fears of tighter gun control laws during the president's second term, gun sales have increased
Reporter: Justin Schecker
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - It's only been a week since President Obama was reelected, but one business is already feeling the impact. Driven by fears of tighter gun control laws during the president's second term, gun sales are on the rise.
Background checks are the best way to follow gun sales and they went up 29 percent nationally in the three months after President Obama was first elected in 2008.
Tommy Rompel opened up Black Weapons Armory in Tucson five years ago.
"When he first got elected, we were pretty new in business," Rompel said. "We did see a spike in sales and the industry was picking up regardless."
Since the president was reelected, Rompel said he has seen an increase in business, but not as much as last time.
"The industry -- because of the last four years -- is already (being) ramped up a little bit to deal with the demand," Rompel told 9 On Your Side.
The president of the Gun Owners of Arizona, Ken Rineer, said other reasons help explain the increase in demand.
"There's a lot more people interested in their self-defense," Rineer said. "The city of Tucson -- they cut back on police and fire because of their budgetary woes."
While it wasn't a major issue during the campaign, many Jan. 8 survivors have been outspoken in their call for gun control.
"My quest is to make sensible gun laws," Jan. 8 survivor Patricia Maisch said last week after Jared Loughner's sentencing. "It's not the gun, it's the person, that's true -- but it becomes an intimate act and you can't have one without the other."
But opponents to reform, such as Rineer, said changes to the laws won't prevent future massacres.
"The people who by nature don't obey laws could care less whether Congress enacts a ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds," Rineer said.
Even though customers are loading up at Black Weapons Armory, Rompel said he's still worried.
"Right now we're busy, but I can't tell you what's going to happen in the future," Rompel said. "What he's going to do to our country, our laws and our freedoms."
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