MONROE - Almost two weeks after President Barack Obama tearfully announced an executive action to increase background checks on gun sales, business is booming for local gun merchants.
Both Martin's Sport Shop and CT's Firearms & Archery have reported a substantial uptick in gun sales since the president's announcement, even though the action in no way impedes the sale of guns from licensed vendors.
"It's targeted more towards gun shows than to us," said Connor Thompson, owner of CT's Firearms & Archery. "It's not going to affect us."
The executive action will require all gun sellers to conduct background checks on buyers, regardless of whether the weapon is sold online, in person or at a gun show. This would close the famous "gun show loophole" that allows people to buy firearms at gun shows without a background check, but would do little to affect the sales processes of licensed vendors.
Even so, Don Martin, owner of Martin's Sport Shop, said his store has been "a lot busier than usual" since the announcement.
"I think it's definitely made people more aware," Martin said. "Handgun sales especially have been very brisk lately."
Thompson agreed that handguns and concealed weapons have seen the greatest sales increase in the last week, but added that the increase could also have been a reaction to the mass shooting in San Bernardino or the non-fatal shooting in a Madison mall last month.
Thompson also said that his business' concealed weapons course has also seen a significant increase in attendees concerned about self-defense.
Fears of gun violence often generates a boost in gun sales, as do fears of increased gun regulation. Gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson's stock value increased by 20 percent in the 10 days following the San Bernardino mass shooting. The day of Obama's announcement saw the company's stock reach its highest value of the last five years.
Both Martin's Sport Shop and CT's Firearms & Archery have reported a substantial uptick in gun sales since the president's announcement, even though the action in no way impedes the sale of guns from licensed vendors.
"It's targeted more towards gun shows than to us," said Connor Thompson, owner of CT's Firearms & Archery. "It's not going to affect us."
The executive action will require all gun sellers to conduct background checks on buyers, regardless of whether the weapon is sold online, in person or at a gun show. This would close the famous "gun show loophole" that allows people to buy firearms at gun shows without a background check, but would do little to affect the sales processes of licensed vendors.
Even so, Don Martin, owner of Martin's Sport Shop, said his store has been "a lot busier than usual" since the announcement.
"I think it's definitely made people more aware," Martin said. "Handgun sales especially have been very brisk lately."
Thompson agreed that handguns and concealed weapons have seen the greatest sales increase in the last week, but added that the increase could also have been a reaction to the mass shooting in San Bernardino or the non-fatal shooting in a Madison mall last month.
Thompson also said that his business' concealed weapons course has also seen a significant increase in attendees concerned about self-defense.
Fears of gun violence often generates a boost in gun sales, as do fears of increased gun regulation. Gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson's stock value increased by 20 percent in the 10 days following the San Bernardino mass shooting. The day of Obama's announcement saw the company's stock reach its highest value of the last five years.