Gun store owner says Yumans concerned about possibility of stricter gun laws

Sales of semi-automatic rifles, handguns and ammunition have increased the past two weeks, according to a Yuma gun store owner who says the surge in buying is due to worries people have over losing their right to own guns when a new president and Congress take office.

Richard Sprague, the owner of Sprague's Sports, said now that Barack Obama has been elected as the next president of the United States and the Democratic Party controls both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, gun owners are aware there is a political possibility that stricter gun laws could be enacted.

"People seem to be wanting to hedge their bets right now and are buying guns ahead of time," Sprague said. "There is a real concern gun regulations that have only been talked about the past few years could now get passed."

Sprague said the worry of any new regulations being passed has translated into a huge increase in gun sales, especially in specialty rifles, sometimes called "assault rifles," such as the AR-15-style or AK-47-style semi-automatic rifles.

"We are out of some models, but we have them on order and have been quoted a delivery time," Sprague said. "So we know we will be getting them, it is just a matter of when."

A concern gun owners have, Sprague said, is that the assault weapon ban enacted in 1994 and expired in 2004 could be re-enacted pretty quickly.

"The ban could also be expanded if re-enacted," Sprague said.

Obama has said he supports the Second Amendment although he supports "common sense" gun regulations.

Charlene Fernandez, chairwoman of the Yuma County Democratic Party, says she doesn't understand why people have always associated the Democratic Party with the loss of gun rights

"It is basically a fear people have always had," Fernandez said. "(Democrats) believe in people's rights, including their right to own guns."

Fernandez went on to say while she has no problem with people owning handguns and rifles, she is against the sale of assault weapons.

Gun owner Dan Farar, who was in Sprague's Sports on Monday buying gun cleaner, says he shares the concerns of many gun owners.

"Everyone I know who owns a gun is concerned about more regulations, including me," Farar said. "Guns are a part of anyone's heritage who grew up here. Guns have been in my family all my life."

Farar said while gun ownership is protected under the U.S. Constitution, the debate is whether ammunition is. He said there is a concern ammunition could be taxed to the point that no one can afford to buy it anymore.

"What good is a gun if you don't have any ammunition" Farar said. "If new regulations are passed on ammunition or it is taxed, you won't be able to fire the guns you already own."

Yuman Bill Cummings was also at Sprague's Sports on Monday and he added that not only does Second Amendment guarantee Americans the right to bear arms, but the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a legal challenge to it that you don't have to be in a militia to own one.

"I think the Second Amendment is quite clear," Cummings said. "You can't misinterpret it, so what is the discussion"

Sprague said gun owners learned their lesson under former Democratic President Bill Clinton, who enacted new gun regulations and suspect it may happen again.

"We have enjoyed a lot of freedoms in this country for a long time," Sprague said. "I'm personally hopeful that a Democratic Congress will remember that an anti-gun platform cost them their seats before."

Foothills Firearms was unavailable for comment.


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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.