[cuchulainn]

From the New Castle News

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1286&dept_id=215468&newsid=7476178&PAG=461&rfi=9

Gun sales up, but not because of war
By: Rick Elia, New Castle News March 22, 2003

The war with Iraq has not sent local residents scurrying for firearms, according to three local business owners who deal in handguns.

Wes Morosky, co-owner of Duke's Sport Shop in New Castle, said his business has been busy, but not from people buying weapons because of the war or the threat of terrorism.

"We really haven't had any due to that," he said. "The income tax checks are coming in."


Morosky said that, in contrast, after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, "people were buying cases of ammunition and stocking up like that."

Ray Ciampoli, who owns a gun shop in Neshannock Township, said, "We have seen an increase. Not as dramatic as people say it is, but we have seen an increase. This has been for the last two months."

He said the increase is "partially related" to concerns over the war and terrorism.

"There's no mad rush," he said. "Maybe there's a 10 percent increase in the sale of handguns.

"There are people buying firearms who have not bought them before, especially handguns. Firearms to women has picked up enormously."

Betty Newton, co-owner of Newton Guns in Wampum, said the bulk of her business is repairing guns. She said that has increased, but there has been "no big rush" and no indication it is due to the war or terrorism.

©New Castle News 2003

[cuchulainn]

from Go Erie

http://goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Site=GE&Date=20030324&Category=NEWS30&ArtNo=103240343&Ref=AR

Terrorism, war spark sales at area gun shops

By Jim Martin
jim.martin@timesnews.com

With the nation at war, some gunshop owners say sales are rising along with terror alert levels.

"To be truthful with you, I am selling guns and ammo faster than I can get them in," said Darrell Sivik, owner of Sivik's Gunsmithing in Meadville. "It's been in the last three or four weeks, ever since the time factor with Iraq has gotten closer."

Sivik, who normally sells about a dozen guns a month, said he's sold more than 30 so far this month. About half were handguns, and most of the rest have been military-style guns, some of them semiautomatics.

That increase in sales comes at a normally slow time of year and when the local economy is struggling.

Still, the buying pattern makes sense to Sivik, who has seen similar sales spikes leading up to Y2K and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"You have to remember one thing," he said. "When Sept. 11 happened, it demonstrated to me that no matter how good our military is, our government cannot protect us internally. The only way to do that is put a policeman on every piece of property."

One of Sivik's customers, who asked that his name not be used, said he bought a new shotgun Friday with the heightened threat of terrorism in mind.

"Things aren't too secure for anybody," he said.

The trend hasn't been so apparent at Gander Mountain and the Erie Sport Store, where employees said sales of both firearms and ammunition are typical for this time of year.

At Uncle Sam's Trading Post in Edinboro, salesman Eric Skoczlas said changes have been subtle.

"Maybe we're selling an extra case of ammo here or there, but nothing drastic," he said.

While sales have been brisk at Grice Gun Shop in Clearfield, one of the largest gun shops in the region, Gander Mountain employee Shari Klausman said she hasn't noticed any changes.

"I have worked this whole week and I haven't seen any piqued interest, just our usual customers buying their usual things," she said.

All the same, Sivik isn't alone in his observations. The Harrisburg Patriot-News is one of several newspapers to report growing gun sales in recent weeks.

According to the newsaper, one gun shop owner warned his customers with a sign that read: "Al Qaida is coming. Are you prepared?"

Bob McDowell, owner of Bob's Gun Shop and Indoor Shooting Range in McKean, said he's seen modest improvements in gun sales and dramatic gains in the sale of ammunition.

For the most part, McDowell said, bullet buyers are scared — not of terrorists, but of the potential for a short supply.

"If this incursion into Iraq continues, the military will start to buy up larger and larger quantities, and the military gets top priority," he said.

Others, he said, have voiced concern that the government can't be counted on to protect them.

McDowell said terror attacks can never be ruled out, but he doesn't see cause for panic.

"The government can't take care of us, but I don't see the Taliban coming over the hill either."

JIM MARTIN can be reached at (814) 724-6397, 870-1668 or by e-mail.

Last changed: March 24. 2003 5:25AM
Copyright (c) 2003 CyberInk LP.

[SodaPop]

Pennsylvania has over 1 Million hunters.

My friends and I were thinking about liberating New Jersey. Operation "Jersey Freedom." There are enough armed people in Pennsylvania to take most tyranical governments.