BATON ROUGE, La. -- Gun sales across the South boomed after the first reports surfaced of armed looters roaming the streets of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. And images of shots being fired at relief workers only elevated fears in some communities.

Now, as hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes are being resettled, gun store owners say they're being flooded by a demand for guns--particularly in Southern states and others where many of the hurricane victims are being relocated.

Mostly, they say, the demand is being fueled by "good people" wanting to protect their families and property. That includes some who might not otherwise purchase such weapons, they add.

Frank Pirie says his Baton Rouge store, Bowie Outfitters, is being inundated by people seeking handguns and shotguns in the storm's aftermath. "It's probably as many as we'd sell in almost a year," he said.

On Wednesday morning he sold handguns to three nurses who were working in downtown New Orleans. Pirie also gave them shooting lessons, he said.

The nurses told Pirie they were "going back into a war zone," he said. "They weren't going back without protection."

But sales are particularly brisk among men and women in Baton Rouge who are growing concerned about a wave of newcomers into their community--most of whom arrive with little more than the clothes on their back.

"They're saying this is racist, ma'am, but that's not true," said Pirie, adding that in recent days he has sold guns to both whites and blacks.

"People are just nervous. There is a certain element that was down in New Orleans that has been displaced." Among the good people, he and others fear, is a criminal element that includes drug dealers who have lost their jobs and people who steal for a living.

The FBI, which conducts criminal background checks on those wanting to buy guns, says it's too early to tell whether a surge in gun sales is taking place in Louisiana or anyplace else. In any case, there is no shortage of homeowners putting up signs that read "Looters will be shot on sight."

On the ground, there is mounting evidence to suggest firearms are a hot commodity. Take the neighborhood surrounding the Astrodome in Houston, where gun stores say they're selling at a brisk pace.

"Basically, what we are seeing is people who are just afraid," said Valde Garcia, manager of Bailey's House of Guns near the Astrodome, where thousands of Katrina's victims have been housed temporarily.

Fear has sparked a demand for firearms among those who might not otherwise want guns, Garcia said, adding that he has sold a dozen guns--mostly handguns--to Houston homeowners who did not know what else to do to ease their fears.

"What we offer is a way for people to protect themselves," he said. "Keep in mind nobody knows who these folks coming into the community are."

Sales up 30%

In Mobile, at the southern Alabama chain of seven pawnshops called Eddie's Wholesale Jewelry, gun sales are up 30 percent in the wake of Katrina because area residents say they want protection from "looters and gang members" who are arriving from New Orleans, according to a chain owner and store clerks.

"Things are crazy," said Josh Collins, 25, a clerk at the Eddie's in Mobile's Critchon neighborhood. "It's just people in time of need.

"There's a lot of gang people from New Orleans. Didn't you hear they're shooting at police [in New Orleans]? The people are coming here. You've just got to be ready, you know," he said.

A favorite handgun is the .38, sold mostly to women, he said. The gun takes five rounds, is easy to load and costs less than $300, he explained.

"It's just for protection. People are trying to steal everything," Collins said.

Race is hot topic

The hot topic of conversation in Eddie's pawnshop Wednesday was the race issue--whether the images of black looters in New Orleans were unfairly casting evacuees from New Orleans as potential criminals in their newly adopted communities.

An owner of the Eddie's chain, Sandra Gillespie, 45, who is white, struck up a conversation with customer Henrietta Brown, 51, who is black, when she entered the store to cash a check. About 55 percent to 60 percent of handgun buyers at the pawnshop are African-American, according to Gillespie and Collins.

"Let me ask you if it's a race issue," Gillespie asked Brown as she walked into the shop.

"No," Brown replied. "They say people are coming over here [from New Orleans] and beating people. I'm scared. It's just a bunch of sorry . . . thugs.

"It's mixed," Brown added. "No, it ain't all black. Don't put it on that," Brown told a reporter visiting the shop.

Brown, a van driver at a day-care center call Kidds Klub Academy, said she already owns a handgun.

"I got it. I'm ready," Brown said. "I'm trying to be nice, but if they come over, it's pow-pow," she said, gesturing as if she were holding a shotgun.

A 20-year-old African-American man, who declined to give his name, walked into a Mobile pawnshop and asked to look at two handguns. The man, who said he was thinking of buying a handgun for his 21st birthday in December, said he believed five evacuees from New Orleans were trying to take over portions of a public housing project and waved guns at him and his friends.

A scuffle ensued, according to the man, who said he and more than a dozen friends overpowered the group from New Orleans.

Larry Anderson, 50, who has run the largest gun store in central Florida for more than 15 years, said he's not surprised by the surge in gun sales across Louisiana and other parts of the South in the last few days.

"Whenever people feel their way of life is being threatened, they are going to go out and buy guns for protection," said Anderson, whose store has an inventory of about 1,500 firearms.

"It happened during 9/11, and it happens just about every time there's a hurricane on the way in Florida too."

When last year's hurricane season was over, he said, gun stores reported sales increases of 20 to 25 percent. That's a banner year by any measure, Anderson said.

From the
Chicago Tribune

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Fuckin' A!

I sure hope that they all take the time to learn how to use them.

Quoted: I sure hope that they all take the time to learn how to use them.

Shotguns: The original point and click interface!

Keep them away from my ammo!  I want it all.  

Folks are buying them.


Cops are taking them away.



IBTSHTF

WTF, "Torrid Pace"?

Asshats!

Quoted: At least I planned ahead and beat the rush at the stores.

But, they'll all be available used (but unfired) in six months!

I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal.

If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate.

What ya expect?

Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal. If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate.

You left out the unused $12.95 cleaning kit.

Quoted: Fuckin' A!

+1000

HH

I'll be looking for FTS steals of a deal on 38s and 12ga in the next six months.

Libs have a short memory span. Me, I'm still fumin' about the War of States' Rights.

Quoted: I sure hope that they all take the time to learn how to use them.

Are you a yankee? This is the SOUTH son, our children use guns to teethe on!


GR

Quoted: I'll be looking for FTS steals of a deal on 38s and 12ga in the next six months. Libs have a short memory span. Me, I'm still fumin' about the War of States' Rights.

My thoughts exactly - maybe we can get them to buy high dollar guns and have them sell them real cheap...

Spooky

Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal. If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate.

Saw one of those the other day in the "uppity" local gun shop. Bought some kind of pistol and said "I guess i should get a box of shells!" I was thinking "yeah, buy at least 500 or a thousand to break it in right, then about 5,000 to keep on hand in case TSHTF.


GR

Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal. If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate.

Shhhhhhhhhhh,

Fuck, CH. Dont tell.

Hey, I know Larry...

He is a good guy.


Bigfeet

Quoted: Quoted: I sure hope that they all take the time to learn how to use them. Are you a yankee? This is the SOUTH son, our children use guns to teethe on! GR

If I go much further south, I'm in the Gulf of Mexico.

My wife is an out-and-out southerner and I have to drag her to the range.

Quoted: Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal. If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate. Saw one of those the other day in the "uppity" local gun shop. Bought some kind of pistol and said "I guess i should get a box of shells!" I was thinking "yeah, buy at least 500 or a thousand to break it in right, then about 5,000 to keep on hand in case TSHTF. GR

This reminds me, I am getting low on ammo.

Quoted: I'll be looking for FTS steals of a deal on 38s and 12ga in the next six months. Libs have a short memory span. Me, I'm still fumin' about the War of States' Rights Northern Aggression.

Fixed it for ya!

Quoted: Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal. If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate. Shhhhhhhhhhh, Fuck, CH. Dont tell.

Most of them probably don't break a sweat when they have to move their ammo around

Instead of FEARFUL, how about using the word ENLIGHTENED or INTELLIGENT ?

this is a HUGE opportunity for the nra to step up, be visible, and support these folks. offer publications and shooting courses at a discount, issue a press release on how the nra understands the situation has created many first time gun owners, so please practice gun safety and learn to shoot properly, etc.

this situation is EXACTLY why many of us own guns. if these people are genuinely concerned enough to buy a gun, they need access to info, resources, supplies. i would guess a couple million hardcore gun owners could come out of this if they are given a reason to appreciate gun ownership and enjoy shooting.

is anyone doing anything? or hearing of any efforts to get the word out?

Spotted a guy at the gunshop on the north side of town the other day buying a handgun for himself. He was even dumb enough to ask the guy behind the counter what he recommended, and of course the clerk immediately walked down to the Kimber case, and pointed at the gun that cost nearly a grand (way overpriced).  I caught the guy when the clerk wasn't paying attention and gave a quick and dirty "how to" on self defense firearms, and urged him to hit the CCW class before buying, since they would tell him all he wanted to know about buying a good firearm. You should have seen his eyes when I suggested 500-1000 rounds before he trusted his life to a weapon. I bet he's never fired that much ammo in his life.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I sure hope that they all take the time to learn how to use them. Are you a yankee? This is the SOUTH son, our children use guns to teethe on! GR If I go much further south, I'm in the Gulf of Mexico. My wife is an out-and-out southerner and I have to drag her to the range.

Yeah, but she's a WOMAN, she don't count!


GR

Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal.....

Everybody was a noob at one time.  And compared to what they were when they walked in, well, now they have taken the first baby step toward throwing off the mantle of sheepleness....One box of ammo at at time.  

Well, my 'I don't like guns, won't have them, you're a gun nut' neighbor knocked on my door monday. It seems they were moving 500 to 1000 NO refugees(need a better term) into the city convention center 7 blocks from our homes. Now he wants a revolver.

I said 'Looks like you are SOL.'

as a side note

I met a family of 4 americans of african decent from New Orleans. They were walking the neighborhood looking at the homes for sell while they try to get on their feet. The father was a carpenter and mother was a waitress. Nice people, At the time I was BBQing steaks and threw 4 more on the grill. Best spent steaks ever. Made new friends.

I can't wait for the gunshows 6 months from now. Lots of used unfired guns.

Quoted: Quoted: I'll be looking for FTS steals of a deal on 38s and 12ga in the next six months. Libs have a short memory span. Me, I'm still fumin' about the War of States' Rights Northern Aggression. Fixed it for ya!

If we gotta come down there ONE MORE TIME. this place is a fucking parking lot!!!


Oops, I guess that's "down HERE"! Although a transplant of almost 10 years, I love Tennessee! Guns are "cool" down here, so I fit right in with my learned drawl. My family, who does not live in Tennessee, chuckles at my way of talking now!      

Better than "turgid pace".  

Quoted: WTF, "Torrid Pace"?

hell yea...the south is restocking arms...will she rise again??  [><]

I've only got 2500 or so rounds of 5.56, 1000 rounds of .22lr, 100 of.45 ACP, a couple hundred 9mm, 100 in 12 gua, and ZERO .308!  WTF is the matter with me?  I'm slackin'.

I still have a thousand rounds of that Southern Ammo 5.56 that I have to sort through. I am running low on .45 and 9MM, though.

Switching gears, I wonder if they're gonna be any S&W 625's for sale in the coming months.

Quoted:  What kind of VA member are you?

 Kicked in the nuts, by the staff!  Ouch.  Unfortunately my ammo will continue to deplete since Uncle Sam is sending me away soon and providing the ammo.  Gotta shoot it all out, can't store it.

Quoted: I doubt you'll have to worry about them hogging ammo. Most of the people who rush out and buy guns in reaction to events probably buy no more than one box of ammo per weapon. LOL. You know the ones. One pistol, one magazine and one 20 rd box of ammo. Then they walk out feeling like they now have an arsenal. If only they knew what folks like us bought to go along with each weapon, they'd feel very inadequate.

LOL

I heard on the radio one day this week that some stores were moving as many as a thousand guns a day. Unreal.

Quoted: IBTSHTF

+1