Firearms Sales Ring in 2012 With a Bang – US  Business News – CNBC

By: Peter Suciu,
Special to CNBC.com

Uncertainty in a presidential election year. Warriors returning from the battlefields. The comeback of the hunter. These are just some of the reasons that gun experts and advocates cite as reasons why firearms makers are ringing in 2012 like gangbusters. According to the FBI, more than 1.5 million instant criminal background checks were conducted in December for firearms purchases, topping November’s record.

“The firearms industry is one that hasn’t suffered in this economy,” says Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. “Everyone else is hurting, but not firearms.”

With another presidential election cycle under way, Pratt says 2012 could be a replay of the last election cycle. “I think the same dynamics that we saw in 2008 will come up again.”

Pratt points to the fact that gun sales increased strongly after the election of President Barack Obama in 2008, continuing throughout 2009 and into 2010. After a slight dip, sales have been picking up, notably with a record day on Black Friday, which saw the largest single day of FBI background checks.

There were 129,166 checks, up from the record 97,848 set on Black Friday 2008. The second busiest day on record was two days before this past Christmas, with 102,222 checks. The FBI checks are required by all licensed firearms dealers to ensure that a customer does not have a criminal record or isn’t otherwise ineligible to make a purchase. Click Link Below For Full Story!

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