America is arming!
The economic crisis and the illiterate policies of President Barack Obama led to another alarming trend: Americans began to buy firearms in droves weapon. In the first seven months of 2011, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted almost 9 million checks on potential weapons buyers. This is almost two times more than the same period eight years ago.
According to the Professional Gun Retailers Association (PGRA), the demand for pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles has been growing in some states for the sixth year in a row. From this tendency it can be concluded that the numerous attempts of democrats to limit anti-weapon laws have come to nothing.
“People fear political and economic chaos in the country,” said Andrew Molchan, head of PGRA. “Besides, many Americans are afraid that the current government will completely ban arms sales.”
Jim Irwin, the head of the Ohio Gunsmiths Association (Buckeye Firearms Association - BFA), is confident that the Americans were forced to “stock up on pistols” with riots and civil wars that have swept the world over the past six months.
“People want to protect themselves if a riot, uprising or mayhem occurs,” Irwin said. - The situation in the world is extremely unstable. No one can predict the development of events. ”
Ohio is today considered the most armed state of America. Since the beginning of the year, 250 thousands of local residents have tried to obtain licenses for firearms.
To some extent, this demand is due to the new law, which allows you to go with a gun in institutions where alcohol is sold (bars, taverns, restaurants).
“I don’t even leave my home without a weapon,” says 30-year-old local resident Travis Kongard. “I have a miniature chrome Ruger on my right shin, and a good old Smith & Wesson in my bosom. These two friends are always with me. "
Another resident, 68-year-old Bill McGill, began collecting weapons after retirement:
“Every time after watching national News I want to go to the store and replenish the arsenal. To date, I have 28 rifles, 6 pistols and 2 assault rifles at my disposal. This good is enough to arm a platoon of militias if a war starts. ”
37-year-old Kayla Shields bought her first weapon when unemployment in her hometown began to rise:
“There are more and more homeless people on the streets, beggars and drug addicts. I seriously fear for my life, so now a miniature revolver has been added to the contents of my purse. ”
Weapon manufacturers, meanwhile, are gradually regaining positions lost during the economic crisis. Hundreds of millions of dollars spent on the development of new models, produced "anniversary series" pistols, revolvers and assault rifles.
“Our customers represent different categories of people,” says Sean Gale, an arms dealer from Kansas. - We have guns for the elderly, young, women, disabled. There are weapons for people with poor eyesight. We never pass by collectors and fans of Hollywood films, which also make up the majority of clients. ”
By the way, Hollywood filmmakers are longtime friends of the defenders of the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Roughly 5% of gun owners buy pistols influenced by Hollywood movies. Some want a Smith & Wesson 29 revolver like a Dirty Harry, some dream of an M60 machine gun like a Rambo, others see themselves as John McClain from Die Hard, who was armed with a Beretta 92F pistol.
A whole Internet resource, imfdb, works on the weapon’s defenders, where you can find unmistakable information about the weapons that a particular movie character used.
It is especially worth noting that the cost of weapons in the United States is one of the lowest in the world. For example, a Ruger semi-automatic pistol (7-round) costs around $ 320. The latest Remington shotgun can be purchased for $ 600. A Smith & Wesson automatic rifle with tons of advanced features will cost $ 1,500.
Prices for secondary weapons in 3 – 4 times less. For example, in the flea markets of the south, you can buy a revolver half a century ago for $ 25 - $ 30. Thousands of southerners left without work are traded in such a business. Moreover, in small towns the merchants are not controlled by either the sheriffs or the weapons inspectors.
According to official data from the Violence Policy Center (VPC), at least one family of firearms is kept in every third family. The greatest lovers of revolvers, pistols and rifles - residents of the south, center and north of the United States. Least of all legal weapons are in the hands of residents of megacities (New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, etc.).
I will finish the material with an unusual study that was conducted by defenders of weapons in Texas. They calculated that about a billion "trunks" had accumulated in America over the past two centuries. The vast majority of them are in working condition.
Consequently, even if the federal authorities find a way to ban arms sales in the country, the underground secondary market will exist for many more years.
“Do not forget that already in 1850, many revolvers were given a lifetime warranty,” says one researcher. - Weapons - one of the most reliable products in the US stories. It existed, exists, and will exist. "
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