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Fear of law changes keep gun sales soaring in Pennsylvania
Updated 5:45 PM;
Today 5:13 PM
Andrea Schry, right, fills out the buyer part of legal forms to buy a handgun as shop worker Missy Morosky fills out the vendors parts at Dukes Sport Shop in New Castle, Pa. last year. Interest in guns, as measured by backgrounds checks, continues to set records in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)AP
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In the first quarter of 2021, the Pennsylvania Instant Check System completed 427,450 background checks. That’s up 40.2 percent from January through March 2020. State Police said previous records for PICS activity were 420,581 background checks, set from October through December of 2020; and 406,151 checks from July through September last year.
A right delayed is a right denied, and residents of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania have had their rights violated for nearly a year now, thanks to the ever-growing delays in processing concealed carry license applications by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. The backups began last March when the sheriff’s office space was closed to the general public, including those wanting to drop off their carry applications, and while the sheriff soon began scheduling appointments for those wishing to apply, the office simply couldn’t keep up with the demands of residents with the system they had put in place.
But thatâs not been true lately, he said.
âThey are not totally bare, but they are as thin as theyâve ever been,â said Weimann, who operates Backwoods Outfitters in West Hempfield Township.
The product shortage isnât his fault. Itâs driven by consumer demand that began spiking last spring, drastically outstripping supply. In Weimannâs mind, there is a clear reason customersâ growing interest in personal protection.
âPeople are scared,â he said, recalling conversations with customers who cited the ongoing pandemic, widespread protest against law enforcement practices and fear and anger over the 2020 election results.
Taken together, those concerns were good for business, Weimann said. In 2020, his 26-year-old gun shop saw twice as much business as in a normal year.
Pennsylvania Experiences Record Firearm Background Checks in Fourth Quarter 2020 mychesco.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mychesco.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.