Tone

I was at one of the larger gun store/ranges yesterday buying some .38 Super.

It was quite a different tone than in 2008.

In 2008 there were plenty of rifles on the wall and while ammo was scarce, there was some.  The people buying evol black rifles were talking about how the prices of such had spiked during the Clinton ban.  They were investing.

Yesterday, though, the mood was grim.  The only black rifles on the wall were ones that crossed the $2k line.  They had an FAL and a couple of SCARS.

Even the wall of unwanted bolt actions was dented.

No scopes for under $500 left.  No .223 unless you were buying a gun.

These people weren't buying expecting the prices to rise and thus sell at a sweet profit.  These sales were to people who have the grim look of folks expecting to NEED such a weapon.

I've seen this look and behavior before.  When we're expecting a hurricane around here, people do this.  Except with a hurricane there aren't near so MANY.

The people buying are not hunters or gunnies but everyday folks.  Many of them were buying their first gun.  Many were very shocked to discover that Hillsborough County had decided to add the optional three day waiting period for long gun sales.  I they pick up their guns on Friday.

The waiting period was the fun part of people watching.  More than once I overheard something to the effect of, "for something with no laws restricting it, there sure are a lot of legal boxes to check before you can own one."