Arizona's new gun law spurs sales, new classes

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Walk into Scottsdale Gun Club on any given night, and you’ll find a bustling business. Target shooters pack the climate-controlled indoor shooting range, and firearms of every variety line the display counters and the walls.

In fact, since Arizona eased restrictions on concealing and carrying firearms, a number of firearms dealers report sales are on the rise.

“I think it’s a heightened awareness in general of firearm laws and the rights and privileges we have here in Arizona,” said Katie Perrine of SGC.

While the club didn’t provide exact numbers, it does attribute the increase directly to the new law. Perrine said sales began to increase almost immediately after the law took effect.

One of those new customers is Julie Simek, who said her husband bought a firearm just a few weeks ago. She is taking a “Ladies of Liberty” class, designed specifically for women who want to understand how to handle a gun.

“If we’re going to have one in the house, I want to understand the safety aspects,” Simek said. “So there’s no accidents that happen.”

Simek said she had no intention of carrying the weapon around with her, even though she’s no longer required to have a permit.

“I wouldn't personally want to do it, no. I think it makes it a little tougher on law enforcement, not having the permits that you need to carry around,” she said.

In April, Governor Jan Brewer signed SB 1108 into law, joining only Vermont and Alaska in allowing anyone over the age of 21 to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. The law allows a police officer to temporarily confiscate a weapon during a traffic stop. It took effect July 29.

Prior to its passage, Arizonans were required to obtain a permit, which was issued after a gun owner passed a certified CCW class. Prior to passage of the law, Arizona had more than 150,000 permit holders.

In fact, the CCW permit had become somewhat of a cottage industry for instructors, shooting ranges and gun dealers. Almost immediately after the passage of the bill, enrollment in classes dropped dramatically.

Three weeks after the law took effect, however, instructors report the phones are ringing again. Enrollment in classes is rising again.

“They not only have the ability to carry a firearm, but they also understand it's their right and responsibility to understand how to carry that firearm,” said SGC’s Perrine.

While Scottsdale Gun Club doesn’t monitor what a customer does with a weapon after it’s purchased, the club offers a variety of courses and urges experienced gun owners and beginners alike to undergo training to stay safe.