Oregon gun sales spike after deadly shootings
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TUALATIN, Ore. – Gun sales are up in Oregon.
Oregon State Police reported more than 32,000 background checks on potential gun owners from Dec. 14 through Jan. 3. That’s more than double the number from the same period a year ago.
Many of those new gun owners are signing up for safety classes.
Ryan Tuttle, owner of Threat Dynamics in Tualatin, Ore., said so many people called after the shootings at the Clackamas Town Center and in Newtown, Conn., he doubled the number of safety classes at his business.
“That’s definitely unheard of,” Tuttle said. “It’s certainly the first time we’ve had that influx.”
Kelly Holdiman used Facebook to get some of his friends together to take a gun safety class at Threat Dynamics on Saturday.
“A lot of people were saying we want to get a gun to help protect my family and my friends,” said Holdiman. “Well, do it responsibly. This is a way to do it responsibly.”
Holdiman, who owns a magazine about off-roading, said he noticed the trend after the deadly shootings.
“Instead of everybody running amok with guns, it’s a way to show how to treat guns with respect and properly carry them in your community,” said Holdiman.
Tuttle said his gun shop is almost sold out of weapons, and all January classes are full.
“I was concerned they weren’t going to take it to the next level and get the training necessary. That’s why we ramped up and structured our class training,” said Tuttle.
The weather held out long enough for my friends and I to go up into the hills and exercise our 2nd amendment rights today. It was refreshing to know that we still live in a land where law abiding citizens can still enjoy the fun of a good, safe target shoot.
The biased bought and paid for propoganda outlets (kval included) just love saying "deadly shooting", "deadly shooting" again" deadly shooting"... SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED...MOLON LABE.
What is scary is guns in the hands of people who can't control their emotions. This seems to be more common these days, shorter fuses, road rage, political divisiveness, and a host of other ills that seem to have inflicted our society. As a life long gun owner one must alway keep in the front of the mind that a gun is a tool. Tools used properly will harm no one. Please leave your guns at home under lock and key until you are ready to use them responsibly. I personally do not like the idea of every short fused tom dick and harry carrying a concealed weapon. I did not even carry an off duty weapon when I was a law man because I was always with my family and the last thing I wanted to do was get in a shoot out with my family present. I love hunting, have for over 50 years, I love target shooting, all my life. Please, please people use your tools responsibly. For home protection fine, but leave your guns at home, unless you are hunting or target shooting for enjoyment. They really aren't harmful unless they are in the hands of an irresponsible person.
 @souptonuts If there was a situation that would require a "shoot out" with your family present, is it really preferable to be unarmed? Home protection? Nonsense! My guns are to protect ME and my family and we leave home. We carry everywhere... to the dog park, to the grocery store, to run out for some late night ice cream, to the vet's office today, grabbing dinner, and to school in the morning. And we are NOT irresponsible for doing so. There is nothing wrong with publicly carrying and there is nothing to fear with guns in the hands of capable, responsible individuals.
@PleaseBeSmart You apparently did not read my post accurately. I am a gun owner, got my first when I was eleven years old. I totally believe in home protection, my sanctuary, and don't trespass on it unless invited. I am totally for "responsible people" owning firearms. What I do not want to see is a whole bunch of short fused people packing guns around. Short fused people generally don't react rationally. They are unpredictable and dangerous to everyone in their proximity. Do you see road rage?, Do you see people bumping into people at the grocery store? Do you see people ranting on this post page? Those people if they are carrying a gun, are potentially dangerous to you and I. We have to do a better job of keeping guns out of the hands of irresponsible, dangerous people that do not control their emotions.  We have gone so far off the scale of confidentiality regarding what the employer can ask a potential employee and a hundred other examples that we have no common sense way of identifying potentially dangerous people. Continue to be responsible and enjoy your firearms. I pray that you will not have to use one, especially if your family is present.
@souptonuts And:Â ORS 166.250 is the statute that prohibits carrying a concealed firearm on your person or readily accessible within a vehicle. ORS 166.260 sets forth the exceptions: (1) ORS 166.250 does not apply to or affect: * * * (h) A person who is licensed under ORS 166.291 and 166.292 to carry a concealed handgun. * * * (2) [Except for convicted felons], ORS 166.250 does not apply to or affect: (a) Members of any club or organization, for the purpose of practicing shooting at targets upon the established target ranges, whether public or private, while such members are using any of the firearms referred to in ORS 166.250 upon such target ranges, or while going to and from such ranges. (b) Licensed hunters or fishermen while engaged in hunting or fishing, or while going to or returning from a hunting or fishing expedition.
@hewhoo That's a good refresher, hewhoo. We always travel with the guns in the trunk when going to and from the range unless we take the truck at which time we all exercise a triple redundancy to insure the weapons are cleared before loading them in the rig.Â
 @OregonOrator You can open carry in your vehicle.
It only proves there are a lot of paranoid people around.
 @Baldr Odinson It's called gambling/commerce. Many of the (so called) "gun grabbers," right now, are people that are betting on weather or not a gun they buy today may be outlawed by there government tomorrow. That would make said gun very valuable if production and distribution were interfered with. In a time when economic growth is terrible and gainful employment is even worse, people are looking to seize on the opportunity to a profit in the next 6-12 months.  "Paranoid," what a simply minded term in effort to twist a much larger and more serious issue stressing this country.
@Twistthewrist @Baldr Odinson You cant explain fact to the baldtroll... She knows only one thing... hate for America and hate for the constitution.
 @Twistthewrist Okay, either paranoid themselves or ready to sell (legally or, if banned, illegally) to paranoid people.  Like I said, there are a lot of them around.
It sounds more like you're paranoid of the people you're around. So basically you're the paranoid person that you're writing about.
 @Baldr Odinson Actually, people are preparing for the gun-grabbers.
 Don't get caught unprepared and become a victim. Without protection from our state and local government we need to start taking care of ourselves.