Talk Of Gun Control Spurs Brisk Sales At Bay Area Gun Stores
MOUNTAIN VIEW (KCBS) - The prospect of an assault rifle ban has meant nothing but pure profit at gun stores throughout Northern California. Assault-style rifles are in such demand that the supply is nearly gone.
Business has been brisk at the Bay Area Gun Vault in Mountain View, where store owner Gary Colander had stocked up months ago as President Barack Obama campaigned for election.
"I figured if he didn't get elected, I'd have enough guns to last me for the year. If he did get elected, I'd have enough guns to last me a month. Turns out, it's a couple weeks," Colander said.
KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:
Talk Of Gun Control Spurs Brisk Sales At Mountain View Gun Store
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama announced the formation of a task force to provide immediate recommendations of how to reduce gun violence.
A common belief among many pro-gun rights enthusiasts is that Obama wants to take away all guns. The President made a point of saying that he believes in the Second Amendment's right to bear arms and pointed to a "tradition of gun ownership" in the U.S.
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However, the president repeated a statement he said initially after the Newtown tragedy, that he would "use all the powers of this office" to prevent similar incidents.
The president indicated that a ban on assault weapons, which he called "weapons of war," is something he supports as well as a limit on high-capacity clips and more stringent background checks.
But he cautioned that "no law or set of laws" can prevent all violence. He noted that a culture that "glorifies guns and violence" must be examined and access to mental health care must increase.
Mike, a San Jose resident who asked that his full name not be published, stopped at the Gun Vault on Wednesday to purchase four high capacity rifle magazines after a long drive to Sacramento for what he calls a machine pistol.
"I've been kind of looking at it and thinking about how badly I want it and watching YouTube videos of people shooting it and things they do to alter it a little bit," he said.
"I realized that there's almost none of them left."
Other customers picked up converted high capacity military magazines they anticipated would soon be illegal.
Jordan, a former Marine who lives in Fremont, grabbed one of the last assault rifles available. He said he was not surprised to find so many others also flocking to gun stores.
"They want to be able to preserve their right to own and buy these things. So that's what they're doing," he said.
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