HOUSTON (AP) _ 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 Houston Chronicle reports the Texas Department of Public Safety says the number of applications for concealed handguns jumped to almost 13,000 in February. That’s up from almost 8,000 in the same month last year.
A Houston gun store managing partner, Rob Corson, says people are worried about their security. He says the day after the election, gun sales exploded and they ran out of everything.
Nationally, the number of FBI background checks jumped a little more than 29 percent in March, compared to the same month last year.
The background checks are required whenever someone buys a firearm from a federally licensed retailer,
Some gun control advocates think the run-up is due to unwarranted fears created by gun enthusiasts.
But gun lobbyists worry about the Obama administration passing legislation that could make it harder to buy guns.