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Subscribe to RSSPresident Barack Obama made gun control one of the biggest priorities in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. CNBC's Hampton Pearson reports that the political debate is driving sales at a shop in Chantilly, Va.
A special weeklong examination of gun violence, gun ownership and gun legislation. NBC News journalists will report across "NBC Nightly News," "TODAY," MSNBC, CNBC, NBCNews.com, and more. The conversation will also extend across NBC News and MSNBC's social media platforms using the hashtag #GunsInUSA.
Earl Curtis, Blue Ridge's president and owner, said law abiding gun owners are buying weapons that they fear might be banned; at the top of the list the AR-15 rifle and the Glock 22 handgun.
However, he's having trouble getting guns to sell.
"Usually we would get anywhere from 10 to 20 guns a week as far as ARs," he said. "Now we get about one or probably one a week if we're lucky."
The phenomenon of busy gun shops is born out by record FBI data on background checks required for gun purchases, the best barometer of gun sales which increased to record levels over the last two months.
Leading up to and after the Dec. 14 tragedy in Newtown, Conn., checks were hitting all-time highs. Background checks inDecember topped 2.78 million, an all-time record, and January came in at just under 2.5 million—-the second highest month ever and a million more than any previous January.
Complete coverage of 'Flashpoint: Guns in America,' an NBC News special report
Last fall, before the Newtown tragedy, Smith & Wesson reported a record $136 million in sales, a 48 percent increase from a year ago. Sturm Ruger's sales topped $118 million, a 50 percent increase.
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Obama is definitely getting the "NRA's Salesman of the Year" award.
I know he caused me to purchase 3 AR-15 style plastic covered rifles... LMAO
I will purchase a regular AR-15 as soon as possible, too.
Until Obama came along, I did not know I could (& did) purchase AK-47 pistols & rifles.
Mental screening and education. Then for the nut job killers who fall through the cracks , a penal system [not including a death penalty] that would make the north Korean prison camps look like club med. Hell , let the CIA practice water-boarding on them and broadcast it all on a 24/7 MTV type TV station.Maybe even include the cops who shoot innocent people due to not identifying their suspect.
Shows that a large part of this country distrusts our government enough to buy arms to defend themselves against tyranny. Count me in on that total.
Barack Hussein is the best gun salesman EVAR!!!
The American masses are obviously "voting", and they deserve it "as well".
The State of the Union Speech looked like a bunch of Puppets jumping up and down Wow how many people are clueless and followers of no return. Higher national debt and there still hopeful to spend more time listening to more smooth talking Bull@!$%#. What I gather is were all in the red in this country and the only way out is to downsize the dead beats in the house and not worry about taxing the so called Millionaires, and giving to the lazy
Many corporations fire and hire each week maybe this could be a new law enacted into congress
It is my hope that guns will not be the instruments used to continue the slaughter of our innocent citizenry. The framers of our constitution did not intend for the second amendment to foresee weapons of mass destruction to be freely accessible by any person in our country to do what it pleases them. Can't anyone see that these military style weapons don't have a place in our hands? Too many have died needlessly at the hands of killers with superior armaments. Let us stop the bloodshed. Background checks on everyone; limit access to assault weapons; limit large capacity magazines.
What is an assault weapon except one that is used in an assault. You can't buy or own Military weapons today except a few by permits only, and those are very few.
These laws only pertain to citizens that legally own a firearm, and not to the punks, druggies and gang bangers who have them illegally. What is needed is to enforce the laws against them that are on the books now.
I hear that. see #1.1 above...
How do you know what the framers of the constitution had in mind? You don't!!! Your just regurgitating the same crap these gun grabbing politicians spew. Guess what you don't get to tell me what I do and don't need. Freely accessible??? Really??? Guess what... to buy a gun you have to go through a background check. I swear this crap about assault weapons from people who have no clue what an assault weapon is laughable. Get a clue!!! Use your brain and lay of emotions.
Since the government seems to buy ballots (votes), I've invested in bullets.
That's how government is kept in check.
Never, ever, give up on any amendment!
Lee Harvey Oswald probably felt the same way.