Valley gun stores having a hard time keeping shelves stocked
Photographer: KNXV
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 12/22/2012
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By: Monica Lempert
While the gun control debate continues to get heated, gun sales in the Valley are on the rise.
API Sporting Goods in Apache Junction could hardly keep their shelves stocked on Saturday. On average during the holidays, they sell 15 to 20 guns per day. Over the past week they have been selling 50 to 60 guns a day.
“This is busier than 1994, busier than 2008 when Obama got elected, busier than Y2K, busier than September 11th. All of those were panic buys that probably weren’t justified. This time it probably is justified because legislation is coming,” said Jeff Serdy of API Sporting Goods.
The influx of customers put a major delay on FBI background checks for the day. Serdy said on average it takes about five to ten minutes for a check to come back.
“Today it’s taking an average of 40 minutes per customer, so I’m sure everyone around the country trying to buy has created this wait,” said Serdy.
API along with a handful of other gun stores in the Valley, have had an overwhelming number of calls from customers asking about shipments of merchandise that have been sold out since last week.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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