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 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.