National gun debate raises gun sales

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Gun sales are up throughout the area as people stock up, not knowing the outcome of the firearm debates in Washington D.C.

Jeff Stone owns Stone Arms. He said given the debates, this peak in sales could be temporary at best.

"If they do an all-out ban, I will probably go out of business," Stone said.  "All they're going to do if they totally ban firearms in any kind of capacity is take the firearms out of the hands of law-abiding citizens and put them in the bad guys' hands. If anything, they need to regulate it a little, but an all out ban is definitely not the answer."

Shelves which would normally hold M-4 rifles are barren at Stone Arms.  Stone said that's due to the political climate.

"I'm not being profitable, because it's harder and harder to get the product in," Stone said.  "So let's just say I used to sell 10 rifles a week, I can only sell two rifles a week now because that's all I can get. I'm literally having to beg my distributors to get anything in stock. And when it comes in, it's usually gone within hours."

Stone hopes the National Rifle Association can fight for him in Washington. But he said so far they're approaching their arguments the wrong way when it comes to things like high-capacity clips.

"I don't know why they can't just tell them the truth when they're debating in Washington, and they're supposed to be representing guys like me and everyday people who just like to shoot. It's about the sport of shooting. I don't know why they have to lie. 'Oh, we're just hunting deer with them.' It's just not true," Stone said.

To start, Stone said the NRA needs to pull the trigger and fire some impassioned arguments back at lawmakers so honest gun dealers can continue to make a living.