Lock And Load: Gunmaker Enjoying Boom Times

James Sutton's primary business is the manufacturing of automatic weapons for law enforcement.

He also has a permit to sell firearms to members of the public. Since the middle of 2008, business has been booming.

"It's definitely a noticeable increase," Sutton said, adding that he does not have any exact figures. "A lot of them are actually first-time buyers."

First-time gun owners have also been a big part of 27 Pawn manager Clint Carroll's business since December, although regular collectors of firearms have also been buying more.

"It's a mixed bag, Carroll said on the specific type of gun that's being bought.

Sutton has been selling more smaller handguns to customers than rifles or other types of weapons.

"You sense that they're not a serious sportsman," Sutton said about some of his first-time gun owners. "They're buying it for home protection."

Carroll said his first-timers are not going into detail about why they've decided to invest in a gun. State officials, however, think it has to do with the country's present economic downturn.

"People are getting scared," said Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson. "The economy is scaring them. They don't want their houses broken into."

The Florida state office that issues concealed weapons permits has a backlog of 95,000 applications. Bronson's Cabinet agency includes the Division of Licensing and figures from his office show that it issued 75,679 permits in 2007 and 86,269 in 2008.

Between July 1, 2008 and Jan. 31, 2009, in Highlands County, 222 new applications for a weapons carry license were received and 206 initial licenses were issued, according to statistics from Bronson's office.

Jim Morris, co-owner of Sebring's Jim's Pistolarrow shooting range, was used to getting between 15 and 20 people per month to take his permit course. That number has been growing steadily and he now has between 30 and 35, which represents the maximum number he will accept.

"I'm getting a lot more people that are wanting to take the concealed permit class," Morris said. "They all want to be as legal as they possibly can be."

Morris also sells guns and ammunition at his establishment. Sales for both as of late have picked up, especially for the latter.

"Everybody is panicking and buying ammo," he said.

Morris believes the increase in sales could also be based on a belief that President Barack Obama is going to place tighter restrictions on firearms.

"It's really hard to purchase handguns right now because, all over the country, everybody is buying them up as fast as they can," Morris said.

Sandra Dunn, manager of Avon Park's William's Pawn and Gun, saw a jump in firearm sales one month before the presidential election. Handguns have been the popular weapon of choice.

"We've been swamped," she said.

Like Morris, Dunn thinks both the current financial situation and concerns over the Obama administration are the reasons for her business boom.

"I think it has to do with that and being scared about Obama, if he's going to take the guns away," she said.