Local Gun Sales Soar

DAYTON - The largest gun dealer in the Touchet Valley has seen a huge in- crease in demand in the last few weeks. And local gun registrations are on the rise as well.

"The rush this time is four times what it was four years ago," said manager Brad Hatfield of Dayton's City Lumber and Coal Yard. He was referring to the sale of guns and ammunition since mid-December, compared to the level of sales after the 2008 elections. Hatfield said the 2008 rush was nearly four times the typical sales volume in previous years.

Hatfield said he is cur- rently sold out of handguns and many types of ammuni- tion. "Going into the winter season, I thought I was over- stocked," he said, referring to his handgun and ammunition inventory. "But in the last six weeks, we got wiped out."

Hatfield said that many firearm customers are wor- ried that federal laws will change, making some weapons unavailable to purchase in the future. He described one encounter with a female customer:

"I asked her why she wanted a handgun and she said she thought she ought to have one for protection," Hatfield said. "Then she said, 'and I'm afraid something will happen and I won't be able to get one.'" The customer bought a small handgun.

Hatfield said that the wholesalers he deals with are out of stock of most handguns and many types of ammunition, and that the waiting time is several weeks. When asked about prices, he said that so far he has not seen significant price increases for guns or am- munition. "I know some gun dealers are jacking them up," he said, "but we're not."

The Columbia County Sheriff's office reports that it has also seen a dramatic increase in concealed weapons permits. A statement from Dian McClurg, public information officer for the Sheriff's Office, said the office issued 54 concealed pistol licenses, or CPLs, in January, compared to ten in a typical month. "We issued 21 in December (most after Dec. 14) and just nine in November," McClurg said. December 14 was the date of the mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

According to McClurg, many buyers apply for a CPL prior to purchasing a handgun. "These applicants pay a fee and must pass criminal and mental health background checks, including the submission of fin- gerprints to the FBI, prior to receiving a CPL," she said.