Gun shows across the country saw an increase in business on Saturday as people turned out to purchase assault weapons ahead of a possible ban.
As talk of stricter gun laws grows louder by the day, many people flocked to area gun shows in an attempt to stock up on weapons that may soon be illegal to purchase. Reuters reports that lines outside of shows in Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Texas extended outside of the venues.
“Everybody wants assault weapons. I’m sold out,” said one dealer at a gun show in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She added that over 100 such guns had been purchased that day.
Slate reports that gun prices have been on the rise since the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut . However, the increased cost hasn’t stopped people from dropping significant amounts of money to own weapons they believe will soon be unavailable.
Some people who attended a gun show in Texas on Saturday likened the crowds to those found at retailers on Black Friday. A large number of people who attended the show flocked to tables selling assault weapons and ammunition.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said lines at a gun show in Marietta, Georgia were filled with people looking to purchase some guns and ammo. Weapons such as the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle were particularly popular with buyers.
“This is awesome. We knew it was going to be like this. People want to protect their rights,” one gun enthusiast in attendance told the newspaper.
Although many licensed gun dealers are required to perform background checks on those looking to purchase firearms, people get can get around these regulations by picking up weapons at gun shows. A loophole allows unlicensed collectors to conduct private sales without performing such checks. Gun control advocates are hoping to put laws in place that would restrict such transactions.
