Business

Guns sales increase amid suggestions of restrictions

William Godkin, 13, fires the Walther PPX 9mm handgun that belongs to his father, Jeff Godkin.

William Godkin, 13, fires the Walther PPX 9mm handgun that belongs to his father, Jeff Godkin.

By Marty Price. Following the terrorist attack in California, President Obama addressed the country, calling for stricter gun control.  Those two events, along with targeted violence in the US, have led to a national increase in gun sales.

According to the FBI, there were 2.3 million background checks—the most reliable measure of legal gun sales—in December of 2015, compared to 2 million for the same period in 2013. Some people are opting to buy guns for their own protection, before ownership is restricted.

01-16--16 Cornelius, NC. Principle owners Brian and Tricia Sisson pose for a portrait in the gun store area of The Range at Lake Norman on Saturday, Jan. 16.

Principle owners Brian and Tricia Sisson pose for a portrait in the gun store area of The Range at Lake Norman.

Tricia and Brian Sisson are the principle owners of The Range at Lake Norman, a Cornelius gun store and shooting range that opened in 2011.  Tricia said that the gun sales industry is a “very up and down, politically motivated industry.” Over the last four years they have seen historical highs—and lows.

“In December of 2015 we saw about a 40 percent increase in sales over the same period in 2014,”  Tricia Sisson said. In addition to selling guns, the business houses a state of the art, indoor shooting range with 15 lanes and teaches classes in gun safety.

The Sissons encourage those who don’t yet own a firearm to not go out and get one, until they have had time to try several different ones, to ensure they are making a knowledgeable purchase.

Some customers who buy hand guns go on to take their Concealed Carry Class so that they can apply for a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  The class, which includes classroom and range instruction, takes approximately eight hours and can be done in a single day or two night sessions.

Brian added that the class also comes with a one month membership to the range, so that the gun owners can practice what they have learned, to be ready for the day that they may need to use their gun.

“If you aren’t practicing, carrying (a gun) can be more detrimental than not carrying one,” he said.

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