Montana News

Flathead gun dealer: Customers fear more gun control

Posted: Dec 19, 2012 9:45 PM by Tara Oster - KAJ News

KALISPELL - A Flathead gun and ammo dealer says he's hearing from customers who are afraid of stricter gun control laws.

Junior Szklarz owns Brass and Bullets, which focuses mainly on reloading and sells relatively fewer firearms compared to other gun stores in the Flathead.

But Szklarz says people are constantly calling the shop looking especially for semi-automatic AR-15s.

"They got my phone number because the other distributors they normally deal with are out," he said. "The walls are bare at the other distributors."

Szklarz says he thinks it's fair to believe there will be some sort of change in gun ownership laws, especially after President Barack Obama's speech Wednesday morning.

"The standard fear is that they will just regulate the law abiding," Szklarz said.

Special permits aren't required for handguns, shotguns and semi-automatic weapons, but if you want to carry a concealed handgun, a permit is required through the Sheriff's Office.

While people may be buying up AR-15s across the Flathead, there hasn't been a huge increase in people seeking to get their concealed weapons permit, but Sheriff Chuck Curry says time will tell.

"I think certainly there's been concern among a certain segment of our community about future availability and what may wind up happening in the future, but so far it's business as usual for us," Curry said.

Szklarz says no responsible, law-abiding gun owner would condone the type of behavior shown last week.

"This is a tragedy of unthinkable scale. It really is, but the controls and bans they have in thought at this moment are definitely not going to help."

Current gun laws in Montana allow anyone over the age of 21 to purchase handguns. Anyone over 18 can buy shotguns and rifles. That includes AR-15 rifles.