Gun sales have increased despite the economy in New Hampshire as people flock to retailers. Owners and dealers fear the Obama administration will reinstate stricter gun control legislation similar to the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
"There has been a lot of talk on the street about gun laws recently," said Program Assistant to Permits and Licensing for the State of New Hampshire Tiffany Foss.
According to Foss, state records have shown a 17 percent increase in approvals for concealed handgun licenses between 2007 and 2008. Denials for these licenses have increased 12 percent during the same period.
"The numbers remained steady for most of the year," Foss said, "but things really took off around November."
The 1994 ban prohibited the sale of paramilitary semi-automatic firearms capable of accepting a detachable magazine, bayonet lug, flash suppressor or pistol grip. During the ban's 10-year span, 19 guns made the ban list and became illegal to manufacture. Some of the guns that the list included were TEC-9s, Colt AR-15s, Beretta AR-70s, Uzis and all semi-automatic AK-47s.
"I had wanted to buy one for a while but didn't want to spend the money. The whole Obama thing pushed me to get it," said UNH junior and Political Science major Michael Palleo, who ordered an AR-15 type rifle at Country Pond Fish and Game gun range in Newton.
"Prices have been going up," explained Palleo, who has seen the prices increase $300 in some cases.
Demand on manufacturers has also increased. Palleo explained that he ordered his rifle in January and has still not received it.
"I emailed the dealer this week and he said they were just getting orders out from December now," he said.
Since the ban's expiration in September 2004 there has been much debate on its return, which only intensified with Obama's campaign promise to bring it back permanently. Local gun stores have reaped the benefits of such talk.
"I've seen a 600 percent increase in sales," said Bob Lee of Lee's Gun Shop in Londonderry. According to Lee, sales increase has been on all types of firearms, including handguns, shotguns, revolvers and AR-15s.
"People are buying everything," said Lee, who is not alone in this booming business.
"There was a fair increase before election," said Denver Woodcock of Reilly's Gun Shop in Hooksett. "But since [then] my sales have at least doubled."
Clientele has also taken a change. According to Woodcock, there have been many people purchasing guns who never before owned or cared for them.
"They figure they might need protection and not be able to get it," said Woodcock.
At State Line Gun Shop in Mason, employee Chris Gauffin has also seen a steady increase in sales.
"I believe it is happening for a bunch of different reasons," explained Gauffin. "There is the impending doom of more legislation along with the decrease in value of U.S. currency. Firearms have and will probably always have resale value."
Not all talk has been positive surrounding this issue. Derek Price, a UNH senior and member of the Peace and Justice League, found the news unfortunate.
According to Price, the group has taken no official stance on the gun control issue, but thought the public should take a look at other countries, such as the United Kingdom, who have implemented strict gun control laws.
"I'm discouraged that people are buying more guns out of fear of the ban and stress on the economy," said Price, who saw the increase as a sign of the times.
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