BEND â While Guntraders in Redmond sells mostly collectible guns, owner Jerry Koch said that isnât stopping customers from flocking to his shop in search of a firearm. Theyâre coming out of fear, Koch said. Customers are fearful of the protests theyâve seen on television, in Portland and across the country.
âI pray for America,â Koch said. âAt the start of the pandemic, they came in and we were busy. They were scared then, too. But once the riots started, they started climbing again.â
The pandemic and protests have made 2020 a banner year for gun sales in Oregon, according to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which tracks criminal background checks of gun applicants.
Gun Sales Skyrocket In January After Huge Sales In 2020 – PJ Media pjmedia.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pjmedia.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Gun Sales Skyrocket in Oregon Amid Riots, Pandemic
Gun sales significantly increased in Oregon last year and in January, amid riots in Portland and the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 516,696 background checks were done in the state in 2020, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
That’s a jump from the 357,700 background checks in 2019 and 359,682 background checks in the state in 2018.
The figures are from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, where requests for background checks are lodged. The checks are made to make sure a prospective buyer doesn’t have a criminal record or isn’t otherwise ineligible to purchase or own a firearm.
Gun sales are shooting up at record-breaking levels in Oregon, with shop owners citing upticks in violence and riots as the biggest motivator for people to arm themselves.
Gun sales in Oregon shoot up during COVID-19 pandemic, ‘all the riots’
Updated Feb 24, 2021;
Posted Feb 24, 2021
Scott Wyke, owner of Hammer Down Firearms in Bend, works on straightening a case of guns Friday while working at his store on Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin
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By Suzanne Roig, The Bulletin
While Guntraders in Redmond sells mostly collectible guns, owner Jerry Koch said that isn’t stopping customers from flocking to his shop in search of a firearm. They’re coming out of fear, Koch said. Customers are fearful of the protests they’ve seen on television, in Portland and across the country.