Proposed ban of firearms spikes local sales

A growing, nationwide call for a ban on the sale of certain firearms has spiked a rise in handgun and rifle sales at local businesses.

“The government keeps trying to ban them,” said Nancy Dyke, owner of Sierra Sportsman Guns and Ammo. “The second amendment says we have the right to bear arms. But, they keep trying. They’ve even tried taking ammunition away. But, I don’t think it will happen.”

The attempts have done one thing, she said — increased the sale of firearms.

At Porterville’s Big Five Sporting Goods, associates are also reporting an increase in sales, including the selling of 20 guns in the week leading to Christmas alone. All of it coming on the tail end of a Dec. 17 announcement by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), author of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban that expired in 2004, that she is currently gathering support from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to introduce updated legislation early next year.

“On the first day of the new Congress, I intend to introduce a bill stopping the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of assault weapons, as well as large ammunition magazines, strips and drums that hold more than 10 rounds,” Feinstein said in a press release.

Feinstein’s proposal came in response to the fatal shooting of 26 people at a Connecticut elementary school, 20 of those kindergartners.

According to the press release, a Justice Department study found the Assault Weapons Ban was responsible for a 6.7% decline in total gun murders. However, since the 2004 expiration of the bill, assault weapons have been used in at least 459 incidents, resulting in 385 deaths and 455 injuries.

In the meantime, Dyke said, adults of all ages are purchasing firearms. And, they aren’t just hunters.

“There is also a lot of people who simply want something for self defense. They’re scared,” she said. “It’s everybody. Women, too. Lots of ladies, especially older ladies who live alone and want some home protection, are coming in to buy a weapon. There is no [upper] age limit. I had an 82-year-old lady come in last week for a gun.”

The spike has been evident since President Barack Obama was first elected, Dyke said, and joked about a framed photo of the president she has at the counter — the words ‘Gun Salesman of the Year’ written beneath it.

Dyke, who offers shotguns, rifles and handguns, ranging in price from $200 to $3,000, said some customers are willing to wait two to three years for special-ordered items.

“Handguns are hard to get a hold of,” Dyke said. “They have been selling like crazy all over the United States. Manufacturers are not making them fast enough. The Springfield XD is very popular, and a lot of people like Glocks. We carry anything we can get a hold of. We don’t stock a lot because it goes off the shelves as fast as we can get it.”

To own a rifle, a person must be at least 18 years of age, for a handgun, the age is 21. But, once they are purchased, there is a waiting period.

“They can’t just take it home. Once they pick it out, they must fill out paperwork for the Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Department of Justice,” she said and added that there is a $25 DOJ fee and a $10 dealer fee or a $35 private party transfer fee involved.

“Once they do that, they must leave the gun here for 10 days. During that time, a background check is done on the person. If everything is good, they can pick up their gun after 10 days. But, it must be done within 30 days. If they do not, they have to start the process all over again.”

The 10-day waiting period is also referred to as a “cooling off” period, Dyke said, preventing an angry person from purchasing a firearm with the intention to use it immediately to hurt or kill someone. In addition, people purchasing a handgun must obtain a handgun-safety certificate, she said.

“The test is given here. It costs $25 and includes 30 questions,” she said.

For those wishing to take a class, as a courtesy, Dyke provides customers with information on “The Gun School” — training ranging in length from four to 16 hours offered by a private citizen locally.

“The training has nothing todowithus,”shesaid. “I simply post the classes offered by a private citizen as a courtesy.”

In addition to the firearms, Dyke also sells knives, archery supplies and a large array of accessories, ranging from ammunition and scopes to holsters, including custom made ones.

On Thursday, numerous customers were in and out of the store, browsing through the accessories and firearms.

Todd Osborn was among them. He offered some comments on what he thought of the proposed ban. “It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ve hunted and owned guns all my life. My family owned guns all their lives,” Osborn said. “I love hunting, I love shooting; but I would give every single gun I had if it would prevent something — like the recent [Connecticut] school shooting from happening. But, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.”

Osborn, who received his first shotgun 32 years ago at age 7, provided his daughter her first BB gun when she was only 7 years old, he said, and added that a ban will only punish good people.

“I have no criminal record. Zero. So why take away my gun and my right to protect my family? It’s absolutely ludicrous to me,” Osborn said. “If there was not one gun anywhere, if all guns were melted down and didn’t exist, [criminals] would find ways to do what they were going to do. Guns don’t kill. It’s the mentally-disturbed people who kill.”

 Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045. Follow her on Twitter @ Avila_recorder.

Summary of key provisions in updated bill:

° Stops the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of more than 100 specifically-named firearms as well as certain semiautomatic rifles, handguns and shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine and semiautomatic rifles and handguns with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds.

° Stops the sale, transfer, importation and manufacturing of large-capacity ammunition feeding devices (magazines, strips and drums) capable of accepting more than 10 rounds.

° Protects legitimate hunters and the rights of existing gun owners by grandfathering weapons legally possessed on the date of enactment; exempting more than 900 specifically-named weapons used for hunting and sporting purposes; and exempt antique, manually-operated, and permanently disabled weapons.