KAIT-Jonesboro, AR-News, weather, sports, classifieds-Hardy gun show highlights troubles for gun sales
Member Center:
by Stan Morris e-mail | Twitter
HARDY, AR (KAIT) - The Annual Hardy Gun & Knife Show happened Saturday and Sunday, the 7th and 8th, in the historic Sharp County town. The event was filled with traders, buyers and sellers but was not necessarily filled with sales, according to those involved.
While many showed up, gun sellers say they're seeing sales in a bit of a slump after a large boost earlier this year and late last year.
"They were pretty good, especially right after the election," enthusiast Dwain Welch. "Gun sales went way up. People were scared and didn't know what was going to happen. A little bit of paranoia set in."
"Around here, the economy is still real tight. A lot of people don't have a lot of money to spend and a lot of them are holding on to the money they do have so they don't have a lot to spend on something that's not a necessity," added Welch.
He says he has seen an increase in sales to women, especially for self-defense guns such as small caliber, small-in-size firearms that could be carried in a pocket or purse.
Knife salesman Dennis Crawford told a different tale, though. He said his sales have been doing very well. One possible reason Crawford speculates is that at a gun show, where firearms routinely cost multiple hundreds of dollars, most knives sell for under $50, while many sell for near $10.
And while gun sales seem to be in a temporary slump, all of the salesmen Region 8 News spoke with say they expect it to soon end, with some already seeing small gains.
©2009 KAIT All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
