Gun shop sees increase in gun, ammunition sales
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TEXARKANA, Texas (KTBS) — As the coronavirus pandemic grows, gun and ammunition sales are also increasing in many states.
Steve Shatto, the owner of the Texarkana Gun Barn and Range and the Alpha Pistol Training Center on County Road 1214, said both businesses are continuing to serve customers during this crisis.
Shatto said sales are up on the purchase of firearms, ammunition, and training classes.
The business is still serving customers, but he said they’re taking more precautions when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in the store.
Right now, they have plenty of guns, but with more people buying ammunition, there’s been a shortage in the supply chain.
“The wholesalers we buy from are currently three or six weeks behind shipping. So what was order three weeks ago, is just now starting to ship. Orders are just sitting stagnant, you don’t see any movement in that,” said Shatto.
Shatto says his gun range business and classes are booked until May.
While there are no national statistics on gun sales, Congress has prohibited that, there are signs that more people are stocking up.
The FBI reported $2.8 million background checks for firearms sales in February.
That’s up from just over $2 million the same time last year.
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