Gun stores in Texas and across the country are experiencing a high demand for guns and ammunition fueled by fears of stricter gun-control laws under President Barack Obama and crime related to the recession.
The number of applications for concealed handguns jumped to 12,587 in February, up from 7,626 in the same month last year, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
"They're worried about their security. The day after the election, gun sales exploded. We ran out of everything," said Rob Corson, managing partner at Memorial Shooting Center, in an online story Thursday in the Houston Chronicle.
He said traffic has increased four times compared to last year and more staff has been hired since November. They have also asked customers looking for pistols to call ahead to make sure they're in stock. The 9mm Glock, which retails for more than $500, is the most popular at the gun store.
Corson said sales of ammunition are more than double what they were last year.
Nationally, the number of FBI background checks, which are required whenever someone buys a firearm from a federally licensed retailer, jumped 29.2 percent in March, compared to the same month last year.
Some gun control advocates think the run-up is due to unwarranted fears created by gun enthusiasts.
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"The NRA has been trying to push this fear that Obama is going to start small and take away people's gun rights, which we all know is not going to happen," said Marsha McCartney, a volunteer with the North Texas Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence.
But gun lobbyists worry about the Obama administration passing legislation that could make it harder to buy guns.
They point to Obama's campaign promises to resurrect an expired ban on the civilian sales of some assault weapons, but it has not happened.
