Gun and ammunition sellers have benefited from huge sales spikes in the wake of the terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida and a subsequent push for new gun control measures.
Dealers across the country have experienced unusually brisk business since an ISIS sympathizer killed 49 people at a gay nightclub on June 12, and since Monday's failed gun control push in the Senate. Some sellers have seen sales increase by five times their normal rate.
AR-15s and compatible ammunition have benefited from the greatest increase in interest as political ire has been directed on the firearm, according to sellers.
Bud's Gun Shop, one of the largest online gun dealers, said AR-15s are flying off their shelves. "Same results as we have seen for the past 8-plus years when the media and politics focuses on a particular event or type of gun used in that event," said Rex McClanahan, president of Bud's.
"So, this time, it is AR and AK-style rifles as well as higher capacity handguns. Back in January it was all about 9mm pocket guns as the focus at that time was the right to conceal and carry," he said.
McClanahan said the store had doubled its sales.
Hunter’s Warehouse, a Pennsylvania gun store with a large online presence, has also seen an uptick in sales. The store sold 30,000 AR-15s in the five days after the Orlando attack.
Ammunition sellers are reporting similar boosts in sales. Major online dealers Lucky Gunner and Ammunition Depot told the Washington Free Beacon demand for certain types of ammunition, specifically for calibers of ammunition used in AR-15s, has increased dramatically.
"Yes, we have seen a dramatic spike in sales volume (around five times normal levels) especially in the .223/5.56 caliber and to a lesser extent 9mm, .45 ACP, and .308 but the increase is definitely across the board," said Scott Blick, managing partner at Ammunition Depot, said.
"We’ve definitely seen an uptick in demand," said Anthony Welsch, a spokesperson for Lucky Gunner.