Handgun purchases in Wisconsin skyrocketed 82% in the days before and after Barack Obama's election as president compared with the same 13 days in November last year, figures on state background checks show.
Most of the early November background checks took place after the Nov. 4 presidential election, a sign that gun owners anticipate new restrictions with Democrats taking control of the federal government.
Calls for background checks that are required for the purchase of handguns have flooded the state agency. In the first 13 days of the month, 2,642 background checks were requested. During the same 13 days last November, the number was 1,453, state Justice Department spokesman Bill Cosh said.
Tom Smith of Eagle said Friday that he purchased two handguns, a .22-caliber snub nose and a .45-caliber semiautomatic, in the days before the election when it became clear Obama would win.
"I bought them because I was afraid they were going to be outlawed . . . ," said Smith, who was at the McMiller Sports Center shooting range near Eagle in western Waukesha County.
Gun owners also are worried that Obama might push for tax increases on ammunition and gun accessories, what they described as a back-door way to bring about gun control.
"I went out and stocked up on ammo. I bought 20 cases of rifle ammunition," Kyle Troeger of Muskego said.
I know Gordon and his Redville redneck buddies are still in the market for guns.
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