Who Bought All Those ’08 Election Guns?

[kimbershot]

i've bought and sold and bought again during the "panic". found a deal for a used, unfired colt match target--out the door for 850. parted it out for 1500--yes i am a pig but took proceeds and purchased 2 used 1911's--colt and valor--mint. have since built out another black rifle for about 600 that does everything that they all do.

regarding the big o. the only for the push for gun control is that the global financial system is melting down. this has been coming for a long time . there are and will be riots, social unrest and many many protests--violence. these governments know it--they caused it--can't control it unless they can control you.

no, i am not an anarchist or a revolutionary--i am a 60 year old pragmatic white guy. i consider myself a futurist--essentially a private think tank--kinda like a self version of the rand corporation.

play what if scenarios out and consider the facts and alternatives--critical thinking. what if the food supply is diminished? what if water is tainted or unavailable? what if we don't have enough power generation to sustain basic living needs let alone production. what if i don't have any $$ cause the banks are broke, money is worthless?? push comes to shove and push back--but you can't push back to lethal force.

 

[wally]

they realize they may actually need it in the future if not now

And like with generators and fuel after the hurricane, you won't likely be able to buy one when you need it!

Make sure you have ammo for it, amazed me after hurricane Ike how many people had generators but no fuel after the first day and only one gas can!

 

[SaxonPig]

An anecdotal observation I made was that during the first 12 months after the 2008 presidential election I noted about a 400%-500% increase in the number of black shoppers I saw at local gun shows. After that first year the number of black gun and ammo buyers I saw fell back to the usual percentages.

No idea what that meant.

 

[we are not amused]

What Obama may or may not want with regards to gun control doesn't matter a hill of beans if Republicans control one or both branches of Congress and refuse to pass it.

You are right in the sense that He can't pass legislation, but he does have control of the Bureaucracy, he can do a lot with out legislation. Look at the illegal gun reporting he has imposed on the border states. Or his destruction of used military brass.
Considering the wacko's at the EPA, I fully expect a concerted effort to ban lead bullets despite legislation against it.
And don't forget his attempt to use "Fast and Furious" to blame gun shops and gun shows for arming the Mexican drug lords.

 

[we are not amused]

I think a lot of people bought a lot of guns at the beginning of this administration, because they believed that the Liberal politicians , with few exceptions, who are the leaders of the Democrat party were pushing further gun restrictions. They bought guns they wanted to have, but feared they would no longer be able to get.
I know I was greatly surprised when the Democrat controlled house and Senate reinstated Bush's new rules on concealed carry in the National Parks, and even made them more liberal. And they carefully attached it to a Bill he wouldn't veto.
I generally despise Harry Reid, but I will gladly acknowledge his support of 2nd Amendment rights.
This was very unexpected, and showed that the Democrat leadership which push gun control, that they faced a ground floor rebellion if they tried to pass meaningful gun control measures. Too many Democrats remember which issue Bill Clinton blamed for the Republican control of Congress in '94.
Even with the victories in the Supreme Court, I don't think we can let our guard down, Obama promised the gun control groups "back door" action to effect gun control. Perhaps he was lying, but I don't want to take the chance.

A lot of people on this site will be upset by my assumption that only Liberals want to ban guns. Not all of them by any means, but Harry Reid and John Dingle are the only two Nationally prominent Liberals that I know of who don't. There are many lesser known Democrats who are gun friendly, and not all Republicans are all that friendly toward guns either. But I will point out that the Liberal Democrats are the spearhead of the attempt to ban or restrict gun ownership. Liberals who support RKBA should focus their outrage on their leaders who want to restrict guns, and not on Conservative Organisations or Republicans who are gun friendly.

 

[Neverwinter]

You are right in the sense that He can't pass legislation, but he does have control of the Bureaucracy, he can do a lot with out legislation. Look at the illegal gun reporting he has imposed on the border states. Or his destruction of used military brass.

The destruction of used military brass was instituted in 2008, before Obama was inaugurated in 2009. http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/casings.asp

It looks like the paranoia is going to set the scene for another panic in 2012. There are selection bias issues with trying to use to use THR threads as a basis for statistics, but acting like the posts are not remotely representative of the general gun owning public would also be unreasonable. There are people out there afraid of riots caused by no confidence in the election system, in spite of the fact that no one was afraid of riots if the incumbent lost against a similar not-the-current-guy campaign with unfavorable odds. The efforts of Fox and talk radio have worked their magic in turning the inability to regulate corporations from destructive practices into a government program to grab power. We're making our own bed for 2012.

 

[scndactive]

Here in Alabama we recently had some very bad tornados. I was not affected but only by luck. If where I live we had been hit as bad as other places I would now have it out and loaded to protect myself and my neighbors like others have had to elsewhere.

Which would lead one to ask, What caliber for tornadoes?

Seriously though, I Bought a WASR 10 and AR-15 During the craze and got ripped pretty bad, and because of that I will never sell them .......I'd lose too much!

 

[Nanook]

I bought a couple during that period, but I buy more than that most years. It had nothing to do with that election.

I entertained the idea, because of his history, but I didn't join the panic.

 

[JTHunter]

It was when "Slick Willie" was pushing the AWB that I bought an AK.
I did stock up on more ammo for my various weapons before ZERO got in office.

Some comments have been made about the possibility of ZERO trying to get something started in Feb. 2013 if he's re-elected (God FORBID!!), BUT CONSIDER THIS: how effective have "lame duck" presidents been to get major, life-changing legislation like that pushed through??

 

[X-Rap]

What ever the reason there are more gun owners and shooters today than at any time in history. Many have seen and heard the stories of waiting periods during the riots in LA or the confiscations by police after Katrina or simply seen that there is potential for major disaster and when the SHTF they will be on their own. I know of a number of people who were hunters but never thought of EBR's or handguns for a minute and now have them as well as ammo stashes.
A good segment of the population is believing in some preparedness as they should, we live in times when every first world country is spending in the red at levels never seen and there is no end in site. People better be prepared.

 

[MistWolf]

Most firearms don't take up too much room...

HAH! Maybe the firearms don't but all their friends do, like ammo, cleaning gear, cases, safes and reloading gear, just to name a few

 

[we are not amused]

The destruction of used military brass was instituted in 2008, before Obama was inaugurated in 2009.

Do you even bother to read your own links?
It clearly states that the suspension of sales occurred in March 2009, when a review of an earlier policy directive, caused the reclassification of the cartridges. The suspension of sales did not originate with the original policy directive, only with it's review in 2009 after Obama was elected.

 

[we are not amused]

I bought a couple during that period, but I buy more than that most years. It had nothing to do with that election.

I entertained the idea, because of his history, but I didn't join the panic.

The same here, I already had most of the guns I currently own, the only exceptions being the .380 daily carry gun and a .45-70 trap door rifle I bought at an auction.

I bought the .380 pistol used at a gun store for about 3/4's of it's new price and spent the difference on additional magazines. I wanted something other than a full size 1911 for summer carry. The 45-70, I just lucked on to, every body else was paying top dollar for the estates modern firearms, and nobody seemed to want the poor, lonely Springfield, so I took it home at a very decent price.

I have been keeping a larger supply of ammunition on hand, not buying huge amounts, just significantly more than I used to.

 

[cemjr]

I was motivated to buy my first firearms by the election of the BIG O. First I bought a pistol then I got my CPL. Next I bought a compact for carry. I chose high quality pieces because that's just what I do. Not long after came the black rifle. When I realize buying ammo retail was going to land me in the poor house, you guest it, a reloading system. SOMEBODY STOP ME, I'm having more fun than a human being should be alowed to have

 

[alsaqr]

QUOTE]The gun industry IMHO played up the fear that a gun grab was going to happen and those who did not know any better belived it and paid dearly for buying into the hype. So many dealers fed the flames so they could make a profit from the fear and panic it was almost preditory. Selling cheap ARs at Colt prices. [/QUOTE]

This.
Panic buying was driven by the gun rights organizations, the ammo retailers, gunshow promoters and gun makers. Mom and pop gun store owners did their part too. In the end it wasn't such a bad thing, i've picked up two AR-15s; one is a Colt, very cheap.

 

[HoosierQ]

I bought exactly nothing. Gun control is just simply not one of the current administration's platform planks. I mean had we elected Bloomberg or somebody that would be a different story...but we didn't. Gun control is a bad deal for either party because the majority of Americans are against restricting firearms.

While there is some correllation between being Dem or Rep and getting an F or A rating by the NRA...one sees a lot of "cross aisle" Fs and As (Dems with As, Reps with Fs).

All that said, vigilence is always called for here...always. Remember...Brady and his wife were (and may still be) Republicans.

 

[Fishslayer]

'08 just kinda reawakened an old enthusiasm. I was a "gun nut" at an early age. Hadn't really given it much thought for many years.

Bought a Ruger P90 in '08 and reloading gear in early '09.

Then I caught the S&W revolver bug...

 

[Gordon_Freeman]

Someone above said this:

Gun control is just simply not one of the current administration's platform planks.

I specifically remember watching a video of the Attorney General in February or March of 2009 saying something like "we would like to bring the Assault Weapon Ban back."
Those kinds of statements from the administration did cause panic buying. If that is not gun control, I don't know what is.

 

[Neverwinter]

Do you even bother to read your own links?
It clearly states that the suspension of sales occurred in March 2009, when a review of an earlier policy directive, caused the reclassification of the cartridges. The suspension of sales did not originate with the original policy directive, only with it's review in 2009 after Obama was elected.

It placed them into a category of equipment to be destroyed. The 2008 policy change set the foundation, although that hasn't prevented people from pointing to the administrative error as an Obama offensive against guns.

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[BHP FAN]

the gun panic of 2008 won't be a pimple on the posterior portions of the gun panic of 2012!

 

[Dr.Rob]

I was guilty of buying my first AR in early 2009, but I've been shooting it a LOT.

Prices have dropped on the one I bought a bunch too. :|

Oh well, if I had waited I wouldn't have a couple-three seasons of monthly matches under my belt.

 

[Cryogaijin]

I bought my s.308 in 2008, but I got it for a very good price due to helping my LGS with a tech support issue on his website.

And I've shot it a LOT. I'm considering getting a second one just in case I wear out my first!

 

[pockets]

I confess, I bought a WASR just before the election. It was on my list of 'toys-I-want' and my wife wanted to get me one for Christmas that year. I figured I'd buy it BEFORE the price went up. The price jumped nearly $100 two weeks after I bought mine.
I bought a few handguns in late '08 and over '09 as well. None of those purchases had anything to do with the election. Most were pre-owned guns I had been wanting and they turned up in the local shops at good prices.
I actually got better deals on used guns during 2009/2010 than I can find today....go figure?

 

[Ky Larry]

When the first time buyers actually brought their firearms home, they discovered some facts about ownership.

1. They didn't go crazy and murder their families and neighbors.

2. Having a weapon in their home didn't turn them into knuckle dragging idiots or backwoods rednecks.

3. The weapons didn't jump out of the closet, spin around in the air and start going off by themselves.

4. These weapons didn't turn their children into gangsta's or gang bangers.

5. They actually slept a little better at night knowing they had a means to defend thier homes and families.

6. They realized they had been lied to for years by the Brady Bunch.

Therefore, there's no reason to sell their weapons and go back to being unarmed.

 

[TIMC]

I bought a couple in 2010 frome people who bought them then no longer wanted them and I bought a couple more recently. Seems right now there are some good deals to be had at the gun show from people bringing them in to sell.

Personally I didn't do any panic buying but I have been having fun buying from the ones that did at greatly reduced prices.