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Gun sales on increase in Coachella Valley
Local dealers notice trend for quarter
By Nancy Yang
The Desert Sun
April 3, 2003
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Firearms sales last year in the Coachella Valley remained steady while in the state there was a slight drop in sales, the attorney general’s office reported.
Attorney General Bill Lockyer said statewide sales in 2002 dropped 0.5 percent, down from 354,202 in 2001 to 352,425.
Coachella Valley dealers reported that in addition to steady sales last year they have seen an increase in sales during the first three months of this year.
At Condor Gun Shop in Desert Hot Springs, sales have been up by about 10 percent to 15 percent since the beginning of the year, owner Craig Kastl said.
On average, Condor sells about two firearms a day, Kastl said.
At R&R Gun Shop in Palm Springs, manager Chuck Menley said he noticed an increase in sales at about the same time the war in Iraq began.
"That was the excuse we got from a lot of people," he said. "Saying they were buying (guns) because of the war."
At the Wal-Mart outlet in Cathedral City -- where only hunting rifles and shotguns are sold -- sporting goods manager Dave Pfotenhauer said sales have been holding steady, as they were last year.
Pfotenhauer estimates he sells about three to five hunting rifles a week.
Dealers are also reporting a 50-50 split of men and women buying guns, indicating that firearms sales are no longer the province of just men. "Women are the fastest growing (segment of) owners of handguns," Menley said.
Lockyer said that in the state, the sales of handguns last year were somewhat higher than that of 2001, while the sales of rifles and shotguns dropped slightly.
R&R Gun Shop reported the same trend. "We’re selling more handguns (than rifles and shotguns)," Menley said. He did not have figures available.
Last year, there were 169,469 handguns sold in California and 182,956 rifles and shotguns. In 2001, those figures were at 155,203 handguns -- the lowest ever since record-keeping began in 1972 -- and 198,999 rifles and shotguns.
In Riverside County last year there were 7,033 handguns sold, said Mike Van Winkle, public information officer for the state Department of Justice.
Statewide, statistics reflect only those who successfully purchased a weapon, or about 93 percent to 97 percent of people who tried to buy guns, said Van Winkle. The rest either failed background checks or decided not to go through with the purchase at the end of the 10-day waiting period.
Van Winkle said statistics for each county reflect where the dealers are located not where the buyers are from.
Total gun sales last year were also below average, Lockyer said.
"With the exception of 1999, gun purchases in California have averaged about 357,000 a year for the past seven years," he said. But Lockyer maintained that sales are remaining stable.
Coachella Valley firearms dealers said that should remain true for the rest of the year.
"It’s probably going to stay fairly strong," Menley said.
But Kastl said it will be hard to say for sure. "It’s pretty unpredictable," Kastl said. "We’ve lost a lot of dealers (in California) because of tighter restrictions, so it’s hard to say it will remain stable."
Last year also saw an increase in the number of people denied gun sales. Last year, the California Department of Justice made 3,833 denials, up 6.3 percent from 3,607 of 2001. But those numbers are significantly lower than the record-high 6,426 denials of 1994, a period when violent crimes in the state were at a peak.
Figures released by Lockyer also reveal that of the 3,833 denials, more than 2,000 sales were rejected based on criminal convictions, including 11 for homicide, 22 for sex crimes, 26 for robbery and 1,240 for assault. Others who were denied sales included individuals who had restraining orders against them and those who had mental conditions.
State law limits the purchase of handguns to only one every 30 days per person, but does not restrict the number of rifles and shotguns that can be bought at the same time. But when more than one gun is purchased, it is reflected only as one sale.
State and county sales last year might have also been affected by illegal gun traffic. Last summer, the Los Angeles division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrested 13 members of the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang for firearms and drug charges.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/business/1049328248.shtml
Local dealers notice trend for quarter
By Nancy Yang
The Desert Sun
April 3, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Firearms sales last year in the Coachella Valley remained steady while in the state there was a slight drop in sales, the attorney general’s office reported.
Attorney General Bill Lockyer said statewide sales in 2002 dropped 0.5 percent, down from 354,202 in 2001 to 352,425.
Coachella Valley dealers reported that in addition to steady sales last year they have seen an increase in sales during the first three months of this year.
At Condor Gun Shop in Desert Hot Springs, sales have been up by about 10 percent to 15 percent since the beginning of the year, owner Craig Kastl said.
On average, Condor sells about two firearms a day, Kastl said.
At R&R Gun Shop in Palm Springs, manager Chuck Menley said he noticed an increase in sales at about the same time the war in Iraq began.
"That was the excuse we got from a lot of people," he said. "Saying they were buying (guns) because of the war."
At the Wal-Mart outlet in Cathedral City -- where only hunting rifles and shotguns are sold -- sporting goods manager Dave Pfotenhauer said sales have been holding steady, as they were last year.
Pfotenhauer estimates he sells about three to five hunting rifles a week.
Dealers are also reporting a 50-50 split of men and women buying guns, indicating that firearms sales are no longer the province of just men. "Women are the fastest growing (segment of) owners of handguns," Menley said.
Lockyer said that in the state, the sales of handguns last year were somewhat higher than that of 2001, while the sales of rifles and shotguns dropped slightly.
R&R Gun Shop reported the same trend. "We’re selling more handguns (than rifles and shotguns)," Menley said. He did not have figures available.
Last year, there were 169,469 handguns sold in California and 182,956 rifles and shotguns. In 2001, those figures were at 155,203 handguns -- the lowest ever since record-keeping began in 1972 -- and 198,999 rifles and shotguns.
In Riverside County last year there were 7,033 handguns sold, said Mike Van Winkle, public information officer for the state Department of Justice.
Statewide, statistics reflect only those who successfully purchased a weapon, or about 93 percent to 97 percent of people who tried to buy guns, said Van Winkle. The rest either failed background checks or decided not to go through with the purchase at the end of the 10-day waiting period.
Van Winkle said statistics for each county reflect where the dealers are located not where the buyers are from.
Total gun sales last year were also below average, Lockyer said.
"With the exception of 1999, gun purchases in California have averaged about 357,000 a year for the past seven years," he said. But Lockyer maintained that sales are remaining stable.
Coachella Valley firearms dealers said that should remain true for the rest of the year.
"It’s probably going to stay fairly strong," Menley said.
But Kastl said it will be hard to say for sure. "It’s pretty unpredictable," Kastl said. "We’ve lost a lot of dealers (in California) because of tighter restrictions, so it’s hard to say it will remain stable."
Last year also saw an increase in the number of people denied gun sales. Last year, the California Department of Justice made 3,833 denials, up 6.3 percent from 3,607 of 2001. But those numbers are significantly lower than the record-high 6,426 denials of 1994, a period when violent crimes in the state were at a peak.
Figures released by Lockyer also reveal that of the 3,833 denials, more than 2,000 sales were rejected based on criminal convictions, including 11 for homicide, 22 for sex crimes, 26 for robbery and 1,240 for assault. Others who were denied sales included individuals who had restraining orders against them and those who had mental conditions.
State law limits the purchase of handguns to only one every 30 days per person, but does not restrict the number of rifles and shotguns that can be bought at the same time. But when more than one gun is purchased, it is reflected only as one sale.
State and county sales last year might have also been affected by illegal gun traffic. Last summer, the Los Angeles division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrested 13 members of the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang for firearms and drug charges.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/business/1049328248.shtml