Gary Hughes, GA Gun Trader owner, holds an AR15. The rifle has been popular in recent months for its versatility as a predator weapon and home defense. (Catoosa News photo/Natasha Colbaugh)
Chattanooga resident Brent Severs was one of many customers at the GA Gun Trader on Dec. 20. (Catoosa News photo/Natasha Colbaugh)
GA Gun Trader in Ringgold carries a large selection of guns and ammunition. Recently, a wave of gun purchases has caused the gun shop to sell out of automatic rifles. (Catoosa News photo/Natasha Colbaugh)
“Everybody is swamped since the day after the election,” said Hughes, who has been with the gun shop for 26 years. “It's the whole industry across the United States.”
Certain styles of rifles are being sold quicker than the distributors can produce, particularly the assault rifle (AR). The possibility of stricter regulations or confiscations has people investing in the versatile hunting and protection weapon, Hughes said.
“The AR-style sporting rifles have almost taken the place of shotguns as home defense,” said Hughes.
Before the election the Gun Trader was operating in low gear. The national election caused sales to spike in November. The recent wave of gun purchases followed the president's announcement for a gun control task force. The majority of gun enthusiasts are grey-haired older professionals, leading Hughes to believe many of these purchases are politically motivated.
“The number one buyers are retired people looking for hunting rifles and home defense, not young people,” said Hughes.
The high cost of sporting rifles means most purchases are made by experienced gun owners prepared to make an investment. Hughes compared these popular guns to gold or silver, saying assault rifles may rise in value as they become harder to find. The Gun Traders’ entire stock of AR sold out before Christmas. Even the common .22-caliber ammunition was out of stock at most retailers.
“I have been to every gun store and can't get into the door,” customer Jan Brown said. A Ruger 10-22 brought Brown to the shop on Thursday, Dec. 20, but those too were sold out due to popularity as a easy operating game gun.
On Dec. 14, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, 26 people were killed, including 20 small children. The event has shaken the nation and caused many lawmakers to consider stricter gun control legislation.
“To categorize this incident with responsible gun owners is inaccurate,” said Brent Severs, a customer at the Gun Trader.
Severs, a border patrol agent for nine years, believes experienced gun owners are the safest people out there.
“Law enforcement wants good people to have guns,” said Severs. “Most people making legislative decisions are not gun owners. A rock is an assault weapon if you assault someone with it.”
I would say the government is a little more cautious with an armed populace, so maybe a little more respect is given. And just what the hell is with this notion of fighting the government anyway? Sure, there are statues for some of the traitors on the confederacy, so maybe you dream of one of yourself in 100 years for your valiant week of fighting before your entire family was removed from the ranks of the living.
Don't let me discourage you, or give you the idea that I or any other sensible person is a sheep or we just roll over for big brother. But prepping for violent overthow because you can get health insurance even with pre existing conditions is a tad looney.
Ok, so most of that wasn't meant specifically for Snarky in particular. But is was meant for a whole lot of you in general.
right
noun
Definition of RIGHT
1
: qualities (as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval
2
: something to which one has a just claim: as
a : the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled
b (1) : the interest that one has in a piece of property —often used in plural (2) plural : the property interest possessed under law or custom and agreement in an intangible thing especially of a literary and artistic nature
3
: something that one may properly claim as due
4
: the cause of truth or justice
This is a right. The founding fathers knew that people would demagogue this issue for short term political gain. That's why they put it in a form that could not be bartered away in the heat of the moment.read that amendment up there. It doesn't say a thing about size of magazine or rate of ire. it mad the ownership and possession of firearms a basic part of citizenship.I hate the tragic deaths of those kids as much as anyone reading this,but their deaths are being used to make the US a police state
I may not have the answer here on this message board, but as a society, surely we can find it.
Not much more needs to be said. Goodbye sweet babies.
It wouldn't take much to install security doors that block access to the hallways leading to the areas of the building where the students are. It might seem prison like but I'd rather my kids be behind steel locked doors than have gun toting teachers. Daycares already do this. The office would have a button to open the door for authorized parents/volunteers. The office staff could be behind a wall with a window that has bullet proof glass that would limit access to them. The rest of the entrances should be protected by security doors as well.