Is Obama's call for more gun control spiking gun sales?
Obama's call for more gun control has accelerated the recent surge in gun sales that began last month with the mass shooting in San Bernardino that claimed 14 lives. "Tremendous, literally tremendous," said Bob Irwin, owner of The Gun Store in Las Vegas, shortly after Obama delivered a speech on expanding background checks.
What's new in Obama's new gun control measures?
Read Barack Obama's Speech on New Gun Control Measures. President Barack Obama unveiled a new set of executive actions aimed at limiting gun violence in a press conference Tuesday from the White House. The efforts largely center on more stringent background checks.
What did Obama do on gun control during his first term?
In his first term, Obama did not push for gun control measures after the fatal mass shootings at Fort Hood, Texas; an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater; and the Tucson, Arizona supermarket that cut short Rep. Gabby Giffords' congressional career. He continued to keep quiet on gun control in the 2012 presidential campaign as well.
Did Obama sign any laws that expand gun rights?
In fact, Obama signed only two major laws that address how guns are carried in America, and both actually expand the rights of gun owners.
When did gun stocks go up?
Shares in two publicly traded gun companies were up on December 7, the day after President Barack Obama delivered a speech in which he mentioned gun control. Above, an exhibit booth for firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago October 26, Jim Young/Reuters
Why are handgun sales rising?
In addition, handgun sales are rising "due to increased popularity of smaller concealable pistols and revolvers used for personal protection purposes as well as higher ownership by women," Scott Stember, an analyst with C.L. King and Associates, wrote in a research note obtained by CNBC.
AMMO RUSH
America’s leading ammunition maker, Vista Outdoor Inc VSTO.N, has drawn investments from 319 funds in its first year of public trading and now has a market value of $2.9 billion. Its bonds are owned by a who's-who of U.S. investment and insurance companies.
SMALL STAKES, BIG IMPACT
Obama and his tiny stake are typical of most Americans with holdings in firearms investments: They are invested in funds that buy shares of the relatively small part of the firearms industry that is publicly traded. But collectively, their investments are a boon to the gun industry and amount to a sizable stake in major gun and ammo makers.
GUN INVESTMENTS IN CONGRESS
Obama isn’t the only gun-regulation advocate with gun-industry holdings.
