Upcoming Gun Regulations in California Trigger Sales Bonanza
California gun shops are seeing a surge in ammo purchases ahead of a new gun law that goes into effect on July 1 that will require individuals to show ID and also undergo a background check when purchasing ammunition.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom made Proposition 63 a cornerstone of his campaign, and voters approved it in 2016, Fox News reported.
“From San Bernardino to Ventura to Poway, too many Californians have already died from gun violence,” Newsom said last week. “I championed Prop. 63 because it is beyond time that we take common sense actions such as these to keep deadly ammo out of the wrong hands and protect our communities.”
Proposition 63 also requires buyers to buy face-to-face from licensed dealers rather than the internet, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Now, gun shops are reporting a surge in sales as gun owners stockpile ammo ahead of the law’s effective date.
OC Guns store owner Scott Bodkin told the Los Angeles Times sales have doubled recently at his store.
“People are gearing up for it,” Bodkin said of the new law. “They are buying a lot. They don’t like it. It’s just another typical California deterrent to make things tougher for gun owners.”
Mike Hein of Ade’s Gun Shop said ammunition sales jumped by more than 10 percent in recent months. He also said some customers were making bulk purchases.
“People are starting to stock up. We stocked up on ammunition,” Hein told the Los Angeles Times. “Most people know about the deadline. They are running scared. They are pissed off.”
The ammo law was one of several bills approved in the state in 2016 after several mass shootings, including the San Bernardino terror attack that left 14 dead.
California voters approve gun-control measure Proposition 63 https://t.co/vKe03IgROo pic.twitter.com/9On1jCNE5c
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 9, 2016
Proposition 63 was overwhelmingly approved by California voters, with 63 percent voting in favor and 37 percent voting against the measure.
The National Rifle Association and Olympic medal-winning shooter Kim Rhode filed a lawsuit over Prop 63, saying it violates the Second Amendment.
The lawsuit, filed in April of 2018, states that the new law will “ban millions of constitutionally protected ammunition transfers and heavily burden countless millions more.”
The lawsuit also states that the law will implement a “costly vendor-licensing system” and subject “countless of ammunition purchases to a burdensome registration scheme.”
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