By Fred Riehl
Manasquan, NJ –-(Ammoland.com)- Could the re-election of President Obama be the biggest windfall in history for the American firearms and ammunition industry’s?
Could top industry leaders be secretly wishing that he pulls his shizel together and gets four more years?
Answer: Yes & No
No, in that no self respecting proponent for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms would ever wish for four more years of President Obama. Especially in a second term where he would be completely unaccountable to voters and could unleash his pent up distaste for the most basic of American values, the Second Amendment.
If, in his words to the Brady Campaign, his under the radar gun control efforts in his first term resulted in Fast and Furious, Banning the Repatriation of a million-plus M-1 Garand Rifles, the Reporting of Long Gun Sales to the ATF, the Administration’s support for the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, and the appointment of Supreme Court Judges that have no use for the second amendment… then we can only speculate what horrors a newly re-elected Obama Administration, with the presumed reappointment of Eric Holder, would bring down on the American public in a second term.
If we look back at the reaction of gun owners, and Americans in general to his first election win, then you will recall that after the 2008 election the mad rush on gun buying started right after the election on Black Friday of 2008 and with a few exceptions has not let up.
At last count America has experienced 21 straight months in which gun purchase figures have increased when compared to the same period from previous years.
Avid shooters will recall “The Great Ammunition Shortage Of 2009” when retailer’s shelves were swept bare of any kind on Ammunition from 22 short to 50 BMG on fears of Ammunition bans by the EPA and the gusher of new gun owners out to shoot their newly purchased weapons.
Yes – A Flood of New Gun Owners?
So could the re-election of President Obama make the current Gun Sales Man Of The Year Award holder into the Gun Sales Man Of The Decade?
It is possible. Even though the U.S. people already hold between 35 percent and 50 percent of the world’ s civilian-owned guns, with every 100 people having 90 guns, only 47 percent of American adults reported that they are included in that number.
That leaves 52% of the American adult population facing the threat of new restrictions on a right they have held off exercising, all faced with their right to own a gun suddenly put at risk, and all on high alert, they would be compelled to act!
Industry Production At All-Time Highs
The shooting sports industry and firearms manufacturing in specific has been one of the few bright spots in the current economy with firearms production at all-time highs.
O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. one of the oldest family-owned firearms manufacturers in America has been experiencing record demand for it products.
According to Mossberg VP Sales & Marketing, Tom Taylor, “Mossberg began to plan for increased demand [in general]. We ramped up purchase of raw materials, manufacturing equipment and staffing to meet demand in 2012 driven by the market condition and a robust line of new products at Mossberg.”
“However, even with those measures, we are in a position where it is difficult to keep up. We are currently pushed out to about 120 days (end of September) before we can deliver a new order and further in some instances. There are a handful of select items we might be inside of that timeline but not many. ”
“I suspect as we come out of the typical summer ordering slowdown and go into the fall retail season, election fervor, preparedness and overall increased participation in shooting sports/firearm training, that demand will continue to grow well into next year.”
And this quote, by Mr Taylor, does not even address the re-election of President Obama and is just a reaction to current market conditions, but what about the industry overall could they handle a flood of new gun owners and super-sized demand?
Steve Sanetti, President & CEO of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry had this to say.
“Firearms and ammunition sales are already at record levels, and it is hard to see how any significant additional demand could reasonably be met.”
“Historically, firearms sales always increase during Presidential election years, but that assumes that supply can keep up with demand. In previous years this has resulted in increased sales. This year may be different, as consumer demand for many different types of firearms is [already] unprecedented.”
“And with all the uncertainty that accompanies Presidential elections, many manufacturers are understandably unwilling to gamble on sustained post-election demand and ramp up their production capacity, which in many cases is at their maximum output levels. Nobody wants post-election layoffs. So the future is at best a guess at this point.”
What any Administration can do is of course limited to a great extent by Congress, but we must always remember that voters will be choosing the entire Executive branch, not just the President, when they vote. The winner will pick Cabinet posts, Agency heads, and likely at least one Supreme Court nominee.”
“A great deal of our future as shooting sports enthusiasts therefore will be dependent on the outcome of the election.”
So, both insiders are of the feeling that the industry could not, or at least in a fiscally responsible way should not, gear up for this potential onslaught of demand that would be set off by the current president’s re-election win in November. That could leave the industry unable to benefit from an explosive increased in demand for more guns ammo. If they have no way to expand production capacity, that leaves consumers standing in long lines for products that are not even available for purchase in the first place.
What does all this mean for shooters?
Well, a win for Mitt Romney could mean status quo for gun and ammunition sales, not great news for consumers but at least we seem to be at a sustainable level of supply versus demand.
However if history is any indicator, a win for President Obama could trigger a massive flood of even more new and first time gun purchasers, not to mention active shooters that would be reacting to the fear of more Gun Controls by hoarding. Gun sales could reach levels never imagined by gun banners. Ammunition would suffer as well as most ammunition manufactures are already producing 24/7 to keep up with the current demand.
While we would love to see the mass normalization of guns across all parts of America, a beacon of freedom in the world, the re-election of President Obama could undermine all that is great about the USA, if he is finally emboldened to implement the same gun control measures he has longed for as president and that he voted for over and over for while in the US Senate.
Are you All In In 2012? We are! Register to vote and hang on for the ride.
