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Guns and dollars

Gun store owner sees ‘a storm’ of sales

Kai Ryssdal Jan 17, 2013
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Guns and dollars

Gun store owner sees ‘a storm’ of sales

Kai Ryssdal Jan 17, 2013
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Now that the White House has rolled out its gun control proposals and gun rights groups have started pushing back against them, there is a certain amount of waiting around that’s going to happen. Congressional hearings, lobbying, ads and counter-ads.

But for some people, this is an everyday issue.

Just after Christmas, we talked to gun dealer Frank Gerstenkorn in Cheyenne, Wy., about how he sees things. We dialed him back up on this day after the president’s proposals.

Gerstenkorn says business was brisk before the announcement — but now it’s a storm. He had a long line of customers this morning. His main problem now is keeping the guns his customers want to buy in-stock.

“Some of the guns that we have had come in the store never even got on the shelves. They were sold as they came through the door.” But he says despite the demand, he’s not going to raise his prices.

At the end of the day, Gerstenkorn says he’s concerned about what the future will bring for his business but doesn’t think he’ll have to close his doors.

“Have we downsized in anticipation of this? Yeah, we have downsized staffing,” he says. “We have the equivalent of two full-time positions that are no longer here.”

Even though the last month has been busy, he expects business to slow soon, especially once he runs out of product.

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