Is a ‘Trump Slump’ the Reason Gun Sales Plummeted 48.5% YoY?
OutdoorHub Reporters 09.12.17
American Outdoor Brands (AOB), parent company of Smith & Wesson, reportedly experienced a huge decrease in firearms sales this quarter, $100 Million, – compared to last year’s numbers at this time – and some say a “Trump slump” is to blame.
It’s no secret that firearms sales have a reflection on the current political climate, but does it paint the entire picture?
When worried hunters and shooters thought that Hillary Clinton, the outspoken pro-gun-control candidate, could potentially take office, guns flew off of shelves at an unprecedented rate. With Trump sitting in the oval office, The Guardian reports AOB noticed a 48.5% decrease in firearms revenue.
Think about it: When people fear that guns will be taken away . . . they go out and buy more guns. Tragedies such as the Orlando nightclub shooting can even cause a massive spike in gun sales.
Despite the gloomy sales report for this quarter, Mike Bazinet, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said, “We are on track to see the second or third highest year since the [background check] system began.”
