Gun Sellers See Spike in Sales in Light of Obama’s Proposal

SIOUX FALLS, SD – Sheriff’s offices aren’t the only places where President Obama’s announcement on gun control is having a direct impact. One Sioux Falls business is also experiencing a surge in demand.

The Silencer Central owner says the business has sold $50,000 worth of products online and in-stores in one day. But with Obama’s plan on gun control, he fears those sales may begin to fall. As a licensed gun dealer, Silencer Central Owner Brandon Maddox says he’s not directly affected by Obama’s plan to tighten the reigns on private gun sellers. However, he still says he’s against it. “To me it’s another way of the government trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” Maddox said.

The president is proposing to reduce gun violence and close the “gun show” loophole by requiring private sellers to run background checks on customers. But Maddox doesn’t believe people buy guns from gun shows to kill people. “There’s no data that I’ve seen that says, ‘Most crimes in America are created by hand guns purchased at gun shows; we need to fix that problem.’ The data doesn’t support that,” Maddox said.

Senator John Thune also opposes the plan. In a statement, he says, “Our nation’s response to the recent tragedies should focus on a careful review of the root causes of these violent behaviors and how to stop them from happening in the future.” Silencer sales have skyrocketed in the past few weeks. Maddox says people are rushing to buy guns before Obama’s proposal takes effect. Maddox says it’s unusual to see sales this high after holidays.

While business is great right now, he says the president’s plan could hurt sales pretty soon. “A lot of people will buy them through a corporation or a trust, but this new executive action will make it harder to go through that process,” Maddox said. Maddox says he’s hoping people don’t stop buying from his business, even if it is a longer process in the future. He also says if there’s any benefit to Obama’s proposal, it’s that licensed gun dealers and private sellers will compete on a leveled playing field. Right now, he says private sellers have the advantage of not requiring customers to fill out extra paperwork.