Gun sales surge locally amid protests and politics
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Following a year of social unrest and an incoming president, gun shops are having trouble keeping fire arms on their shelves.
"I'm just doing my best to invest in security and safety and how I do that is using my second amendment right." said first time gun owner Manetertep El Dey.
El Dey is one of a slew of New Yorkers who've purchased their first gun this past year. Because of the increase in demand, county sheriff's departments are inundated with permit requests.
"Owning a fire arm is not like owning a pair of sneakers. It's not like owning your car. You know, it's a great responsibility and you have to carry that with integrity," El Dey said.
Owner of Upstate Guns and Ammo, Craig Serafini, said his sales are up 500 percent.
"I've seen people who have never been interested in guns, maybe people who have even been anti-gun, now buying guns," Serafini said.
Serafini said people are purchasing guns for various reasons. There are people like El Dey who are looking for security, but also people looking for a recreational stress relief.
"It's an amazing thing to see the number of people who have embraced this and are truly enjoying what they're experiencing," Serafini said.
Pistol permits in Saratoga County are booked up until July. And despite being closed for four months, Rensselaer County saw gun permits in 2020 exceeding 2019 by more than 100.
"Pistol permits from '19 to '20 we're up and so far they will exceed that in 2021 if this continues," said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple.
Apple said there's normally an uptick in gun sales after an election. But following a historic year, there's even more demand.
"You saw the riots down at the Capitol. There's been an uptick in violence even locally. So I think people are nervous in general and they want to arm themselves," Apple said.
Following the surge in gun sales, Apple hopes people keep up with their training and education.
"You need to carry it pretty much like you're a gun fighter. You need to know how to use that gun, you need to know how to handle that gun. You need to know how to store that gun," Apple said.
With the rise in fire arm purchases, the National Rifle Association announced on Friday it's moving out of New York State to Texas. In a statement the NRA wrote impart:
"The NRA plan, which involves utilizing the protection of the bankruptcy court, has the Association dumping New York and organizing its legal and regulatory matters in an efficient forum. The move comes at a time when the NRA is in its strongest financial condition in years."