Gun sales on the rise as Hoosiers worry about gun law changes

Business has never been better at Don’s Guns. Like most gun stores in Indiana, sales have been skyrocketing.

Most customers are fearful about their personal safety, but there’s something else that’s fueling this rush to arms: they’re afraid the law is about to change.


“Everybody is trying to buy a gun before they say you can’t buy anymore or stipulate how you can buy them,” said one customer.

Ever since President Obama won reelection, gun sales have risen. The president’s comments in the campaign about reintroducing an assault weapons ban has raised fears among gun owners, causing an unprecedented run on rifles and ammunition.

"Already we're seeing guys come in and say, you got 10 clips for an AR, you got 10 clips for SKS, guys into guns are watching that," said Don Davis, owner of Don’s Guns.

In fact, gun sales have been going up for months. They reached a peak on Black Friday when the FBI got more than 154,000 calls for background checks. It was so many, call centers briefly shut down.

"The government just wasn't ready...which isn't unusual for the government," Davis said.

The latest statistics for Indiana show more than 38,000 calls for background checks on gun purchases in October of this year. That’s up from almost 29,000 in October last year.

"If you take the freedom away to protect yourself, you're asking for problems,” said another customer.

With the president’s new term just about to begin, gun dealers don’t expect the rush to bear arms to end anytime soon.