Gun sales rise sharply in wake of Arizona shooting

[cali]

While the killing of six people and the wounding of 14 others in Tucson, Arizona, last Saturday has led to nationwide soul-searching about the nature of the political debate in the US, one group of Americans have profited from the shooting rampage: gun dealers.

In the days since the tragedy, gun sales have increased dramatically. According to figures obtained from the FBI by Bloomberg, some 263 handguns were sold in Arizona the day after the killings, a rise of 60% on a year ago. Handgun sales were up 65% to 395 in Ohio and nationally increased by about 5% to 7,906.

The spike in sales has been particularly pronounced for precisely the model of gun and ammunition deployed by the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, on Saturday: the Austrian-made Glock 19. The handgun is used by many law enforcement agencies in the US, including the NYPD.

It is light, powerful, accurate and easy to shoot at high speed. Since a ban on assault weapons was allowed to lapse in 2004, it can legally be equipped with an extended magazine that holds 33 bullets.

<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/12/gun-sales-rise-arizona-shooting

[CreekDog]

1. i feel safer already

:eyes:

[flvegan]

2. Dear Lord.

I hope that sales of shooting lessons and gun range memberships have gone up exponentially as well. Nothing against guns, lots against ignorant piss-poor shot gun owners.

[Forkboy]

3. What could go wrong?

[thaddeus_flowe]

4. to quote arrested development

"i'd rather be dead in california, than alive in arizona"
oof...

[GreenStormCloud]

5. They are afraid of new gun control laws.

With an NRA dominated House, there won't be any new gun control.

[GreenStormCloud]

6. 9mm is NOT a high powered cartridge. N/T

[samrock]

7. Have ya ever noticed.. that when ever

A nasty shooting event happens and any mention of gun control legislation comes forward.. there is very shortly a story like this... You would think after a while all the peeps who would be scared enough by a story like this to buy guns would have all they need.. I mean ya can't eat guns or drive them or use then for shelter..

[slackmaster]

8. More people become legally eligible to own guns every day

The minimum age is 21 for handguns and 18 for rifles and shotguns.

People in the 40s and 50s buy the most guns per capita, because they're at a stage of life where they have the most disposable income.

You are correct samrock. All it takes to trigger an avalanche of gun sales is Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy saying she's going to introduce a bill to ban that shoulder thing that goes up, or whatever. The fact that no gun control bill has a snowball's chance in Hell makes no difference.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. This should surprise no one

As I posted yesterday, my favorite arms merchant was out of 19s, as were his normal distributors. Other similar pistols were moving briskly and non-standard high capacity magazines were just gone.

That high capacity magazines were once banned is a blatant falsehood

[Kingofalldems]

10. I want my guns!

You dirty gun grabbers!

[socialist_n_TN]

11. Unfortunately, I'll probably buy another one for myself...........

I own 2 handguns now, but I feel the need for a 12 gauge. When they come for me, I want to make sure they pay for the it.

[Name removed]

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