What Does an Obama Win Mean for Gun Sales? A Brisk Business

A Romney win, on the other hand, could mean big sales for lanterns, boots...

Gun retailers are anticipating a big spike in sales should President Obama be re-elected. Why? Because come a second term, the POTUS has every incentive to crack down on firearms.

That's the word from The Wall Street Journal, which describes through both anecdote and data the way gun stores are preparing for the November election. The nation's largest seller of firearms, Wal-Mart, apparently declined to comment to the paper on the issue, but smaller outlets were only too eager to chime in.

"If Mitt Romney is elected and there's no perceived threat on the freedom to own guns, people might decide to spend disposable income on things like outerwear," said a spokesman for Cabela's, a Nebraska-based guns-and-ammo store. Cabela's plan: stock the walls with guns if Obama wins, just about everything else if he loses. The store saw a 25% increase in first-time gun buyers following the 2008 election, and anticipates a similar scenario in the fall if Romney fails to take the White House.

According to the Obama campaign, however, any anxiety over access to guns is misplaced. "President Obama's record makes clear that he supports and respects the Second Amendment and the tradition of gun ownership in this country," said campaign spokesman Adam Fetcher.

Via The Wall Street Journal.

Will the fate of this election mean important changes for gun owners?

[artjeb]

Dissarming of the citizens is snubbing the constitution.
We then will have a anarchy , dictator government.

[anok]

I agree that disarming citizens is always a cause of alarm. But an anarchy dictator? You use these words, but I do not think they mean what you think they mean.

[AlexanderKM]

@anok Inconceivable!!

[Scargill84]

Tighter gun controls also might lead to less tragics killings, where deranged individuals have access to military grade weapons.

[artjeb]

@Scargill84 Tighter gun controls is a myth.. There will always be nuts doing killing even if its with military or civilian style guns.

[artjeb]

@anok just what do you think they mean ? ANARCHY means NO government.

[GunPolitics]

Looks like another case of folks not doing their research - As hostile as Obama's record is toward gun ownership Romney is less than a saint himself - just look to Mass...

[Decent-Dissent]

Your avitar says, you are probably right.

[GunPolitics]

@Decent-Dissent been following both of them for awhile

[Decent-Dissent]

You cant touch the second amendment. You cant even stop the sale of full auto. There is NO SUCH THING as gun control in this country. I think you need no more than 3 guns, does that mean i think it should be law? No! At least guns and booze survive a ressesion.

[seedtick]

I want you to explain how we can buy fully automatic weapon in the USA without a special waiver from the federal government...which requires special licensing and background check in addition to a special reason to have them.

[Decent-Dissent]

@seedtick
So youve never been to knobb creek huh? Suffice to say money talks.

[dances-weebles]

@Decent-Dissent the next question is,'why would anybody want one?'

[Decent-Dissent]

@dances-weebles
Because its there? Scwartzenegar movies? Small reproductive units? Sometimes a 4 foot lifted truck doesnt make you feel redneck enough? Paranoia about inner city gangs? Ummmmm zombies? Russians? Skynet? Competition to have a bigger gun than your brother? Thats all i could think of.^_^

[seedtick]

@Decent-Dissent Well, as we legit gun owners say, you can regulate us but criminals do not follow regulations...and that includes Eric Holder....ie..Fast and Furious. In any case though, it is illegal to buy or own automatic weapons in the USA without special licensing from the federal government.

[Jackie312gm]

You can have my guns when you remove my cold dead fingers from around the trigger. JACK JACKAL, U.S.M.C.

[mimi57]

You said !!! SEMPER FI , Jack Jackal ,U.S. M. C. God Bless America

[seedtick]

Semper Fi, Jack

[marine1]

He supports and respects it like his chicago mentors. He would melt them all if he thought he could get away with it.

[DARSB]

I am continually fascinated by the gullibility of gun owners when it comes to fear-mongering by the NRA. We saw the same shameless exploitation in 2008 - and yet everyone still has arms who wants and legally can have them.

[Jackie312gm]

I rather be safe with my sweeper on me.

[MongoAPillager]

NRA,one of Gun Controls most Useful "TOOLS" www.dailypaul.com/89550/yes-the-nra-is-a-frau...

[DARSB]

@Jackie312gm Let me know how that works out when the Abrams is in your driveway. Or your next of kin can tell me.

[Jackie312gm]

@DARSB Mr.DARSB my training is second to none. Protection for family and AMERICANS in need or police needing assistance. In case of emergency only will i act to bring down an aggressor.....I will!

[dances-weebles]

@Jackie312gm safe from what, exactly.

[tomincali]

gun sales here in ca are going up all the time. anyone who was watching before fast and furious got exposed for what it was and how it was being used against folks here has every reason to be prepared for an obama second term.

i cannot say if his supporters remember or just block out what he was trying to do and who he was pointing his finger at,one thing for sure it changed in a heartbeat after getting caught all the finger pointing fell silent over night.

[Capt_Morgan02]

I would expect nothing less than the reenactment of the previous ban and it would likely not include the sunseting provision this time.

[Lasvegas711]

Absolutely, without question.

[Registre56]

No chance for a revolution.

[TenFeet2Hands]

I see no change in gun ownership coming from a 2nd term for POTUS 44. I wish that all guns were restricted to the military and police. Hunters can rent guns and ammunition, farmers can show cause for exemption or possibly move to stun guns not bullets. All the victims of the Stand your ground laws have been unarmed, now they are dead.

[Capt_Morgan02]

You clearly have absolutely no idea what the second amendment is intended to do.

[TenFeet2Hands]

@Capt_Morgan02 Oh, contraire...I absolutely do and my opinion is as I stated. I have the right to voice a different and MODERN view of how to implement the 2nd. amendment and I did and will continue to support my view regardless of the adverse and or opposite opinions voiced here or on any chat board. The 1st. amendment has conditions and no amendment has unconditional absolutes. Evolve or perish.

[Capt_Morgan02]

@TenFeet2Hands The second amendment, as with all the others, is an absolute. They do not give you rights, they simply recognize and restrain the govt from diminishing them. The second amendment in particular is one of, if not the most important because it is the teeth in the Bill of Rights. It is not about hunting or target shooting or any of the other crap people try to pretend it is about. It is to allow the citizens of this country to defend themselves from tyranny. Plain and simple. The idea of tyranny doesnt go away with time. I wouldn't try to censor you or restrain your freedom of expression. I simply feel you should equally respect my right to keep and bear arms.

[TenFeet2Hands]

@Capt_Morgan02

I have never considered YOU to be an authority on anything, especially the Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and all accompanying documents as well as the functions of Government. Evolve with or drop out...’We The People’ are more compassionate than the 40% who enjoy blood above reason.

This is my last word; any further contact from you will be considered harassment. My right to an opinion is as valid as anyone's and that includes yours. So, there shall be no further replies to you on this or any matter here, or in other comment threads. I reserve the right to communicate with rational and reasonable individuals who respect the rights of those with opposing views.

[dances-weebles]

who really cares. nobody in the u.s. needs a gun anymore. the old west is dead and gone, the indians have all been contained on there reservations, and everyone can buy their meat at the butcher, or the supermarket.

[Thunderchicken]

A few points:
I carry a snake gun on the ranch and when hiking.
I carry a self defense gun in certain neighborhoods.
I keep a .22 loaded by the front door for one pesky groundhog.
And lastly, my butcher doesn't sell game.
Oh yeah, I keep a machine pistol by my bed just in case the zombies attack.:-)

[Granny_Grey]

You do not live in a rural area do you? We have a guns for predators; both kinds -- two legged and four legged.

[dances-weebles]

@Thunderchicken yeah... i had a 410 double barreled snake charmer when i lived in w.va, and tok it with me when i often traveled to louisana, but gave it away when i moved north. my favorite rifle was my 22 single shot target gun, and i also had an antique easton arms 410 that i used for small game. my only large game rifle was a 30/30 savage with a 3 shot clip. it was big enough for dear, black bear and moose.

one day i figured out that it was a whole lot easier to just go buy meat than to wander around in the woods pretending i was jeremiah johnson or somebody like him.(and bear meat tastes like shit)

the folks who taught me to shoot (my dad and my uncle) always said that if you need more than one shot to kill your target, they you've got no business being out there in the first place. that philosophy stood me in good stead through 3 1/2 years of war, so i guess it's okay.

[dances-weebles]

@Granny_Grey i lived in the country for most of my life, and now live in a metropolitan area of over 25 million people and still haven't seen any predators since i left w.va. we had wildcats there that were pretty scary for a little kid but the biggest problem was the snakes.

[dances-weebles]

@dances-weebles oh, no... i'm sorry. we do have predators... we've got mosquitoes galore.

[lockboy]

When the goverment wants to disarm its people, its usually not a good sign. All the more reason to vote out obama in November. Cant wait!

[justsayin]

Democrats have been soft peddling gun control for the same reason that Republicans have been soft peddling abortion. They both tend to fire up the opposition, getting single issue voters to the voting booths. They both try to feed their bases red meat on these issues, but avoid confrontations in the broader discussions. The economy is a safer battle ground for both parties.

[ucancallmemom]

While I disagree with the interpretation of the second amendment that it applies to individuals, gun proponents have nothing to fear from Obama. He said himself he has no intention of changing(tightening) gun laws/restrictions. Much ado about nothing. We have real problems to worry about.

[Granny_Grey]

Gun ownership and the right to bear arms is one of our most precious rights in the Constitution. It is always a worry if government wants to take away that right. We should always be diligent about those that wish to take away our freedoms regardless of the "other problems" we may encounter in our nation.

[ucancallmemom]

@Granny_Grey I see your concern about due diligence. People on both sides tend to get fearful during campaign times especially that someone's rights will be taken away. There seem to be several issues being brought into discussion that are not particularly at risk, while we do have major issues that these guys in D.C. should be addressing and aggressively. On one side may be guns and whatever their 'likes' are, the other side women's issues or whatever they feel are at stake. I just don't buy it. These issues aren't even on the table in a major way nor should they be.

[Granny_Grey]

@ucancallmemom
Interesting. What are the issues that you see that should be on the table?

[Keyjo]

Oh good, a second round of over reaction to Obama's (re)election.
The only "crackdown" was Under Bush when we couldn't buy ammo in the earlier days of the war. I own guns. I don't feel threatened by Obama.
More Tea Party propaganda.

[Eswizzleart]

It's the same as the last election. Obama won't be changing gun laws to the extent that many Americans fear. I think it's a ploy to increase gun sales.

[anok]

Fear sells. Besides, who has the highest foreign arms sales? Which country is the most armed in the world? I tend to forget.

[Eswizzleart]

@anok America is heavily armed & yet we are stockpiling more & why? I guess it is fear that drives us.

[Hurricane74]

Obama has shown no sign at all that he has any intentions to make any kind of move towards gun control.

[Kellso]

Once again, ANY regulations on guns of ANYKIND will onlly burdon the innocent. NO criminals that desire guns or ANY KIND of weapon can and will get what they want and in doing so, wont fear reprocusions from the civil citizen.

[Thunderchicken]

The only thing I'm thinking is price. If Obama is reelected, prices will continue to rise. If it's Romney, prices may stabilize and I'll probably buy again.