Several big things started happening right after the Orlando shooting. First of all, the call for more restrictive gun legislation started before the bodies were even cold. Then, politicians started taking advantage of the opportunity to win popularity contests with their constituents by delivering mostly the same melodramatic overture to the media about how devastated they are and how they won’t stand for modern semi-auto rifles to be sold like they are now.
But then, something even crazier happened, and it has to do with the companies who manufacture the guns in question.
All this talk of new gun regulation and possibly outlawing AR-style rifles spooked an awful lot of people, and they started making a run on gun stores. Investors reacted by pouring oodles of money into gun stocks like Smith & Wesson or Ruger. And the gun manufacturing sector’s stock pricing started skyrocketing across the board.
Here’s more on the story from Fox Business:
Traders rushed to buy into gun makers Monday, as lawmakers reignited calls for new gun-control regulations in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Orlando.
Smith & Wesson (SWHC) and Sturm, Ruger & Co. (RGR), two of the largest gun manufacturers in America, both rallied to kick off a new week of trading. Smith & Wesson rallied 6.9% to $22.88, and Ruger jumped 7.9% to $61.93. Vista Outdoor (VSTO), which owns Savage Arms and Federal Premium ammunition, rose 2.3% to $48.11.
Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is pushing for a reinstatement of a ban on “assault weapons” following the terrorist attack. Law enforcement officials say a gunman, who reportedly pledged his allegiance to ISIS, killed at least 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando early Sunday morning.
“This is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States and it reminds us once more that weapons of war have no place on our streets,” Clinton said in a statement.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has promised to protect gun rights. In a speech Friday, Trump said Hillary Clinton wants to “abolish the Second Amendment.”
Former President Bill Clinton signed a 10-year federal ban on AR-15 rifles in 1994. The ban had a 10-year sunset provision, so it expired under President George W. Bush in 2004. The AR-15, a semi-automatic rifle design purchased by Colt in the early 1960s, was later adopted by the U.S. military as the M16. After the 1994 ban was lifted, the AR-15 became a popular firearm on the consumer market. AR-15 models—also known as modern sporting rifles—are manufactured by multiple companies, including Smith & Wesson and Ruger.
Gun stocks have widely outperformed the broader market during President Barack Obama’s time in office. Since Jan. 23, 2009, Smith & Wesson has gained 737%, and Ruger is up 822% as of the closing bell Friday. The S&P 500 has increased 135% over the same period.
According to the FBI, background checks for gun purchases and permits hit a record 23.1 million in 2015. So far this year, background checks are up 31% at 11.7 million through May.
Maybe now is a good time to invest in gun stocks. The outlook certainly isn’t great in terms of the likelihood of new regulation, so chances are people will continue to stock up.
Give us your reaction in the comments.
I know this last idiot orlando did buy his weapons a few days before he killed all those people in florida. But what the media does not seem to realize is that most criminals steal from people to get their weapons, they dont go and buy them from some gun store. There is a burglary in this country every few minutes and thats how real bad guys get their guns. Even if they dont do the burglary they know each other and who does what and who to buy from. How in the hell will anything the liberals try to push down our throats do anything to stop that.
Jim,
This has happened every time this kind of crime is committed. The Democrats can rant all they like. But common sense says that the greater the threat the more folks will buy an equalizer. As long as the Dems insist on gun free zones the more this crap will happen.
Jim
You Are Exactly Right and nothing any of these Goofy Politicians try to do now will not effect the Race for people to buy guns and all the Ammo they want, The president is Trying his best to Get all of the guns he Can out of the Homes of Every American that owns one. One thing that these people aren’t paying attention to is ” if there is a Will there is a Way ” ,the Illegal Gun market with thrive and there isn’t any legislation the can be written to Stop it . By taking away our 2 nd Amendment Right to own and Bear Arms is just going to cause more american deaths ,how will they ( the President and the Congress ) Explain their way out of the outrage of the American People when another Orlando happens because they felt that it would be best to Take our Guns away .
EXACTLY,ALL THEY ARE DOING IS MAKING THE GUN PRICES GO THROUGH THE ROOF. A PERSON LIKE MYSELF I CAN`T AFFORD TO GO OUT AND BUY UP A BUNCH OF GUNS . WHAT SUCKS IS I AM A C.C.W.PERMIT HOLDER AND CAN`T AFFORD TO INVEST IN ANY OTHER GUNS LIKE A HANDGUN OR THE AR-15`S
NOT at all surprising,Today’s CORRUPT politicians have proven to TRUE LAW ABIDING AMERICAN CITIZENS,that OUR only chance for survival,is SELF PROTECTION !!
If you have been payng attention these last 8 years every time its gun control time 30 days prior a shooting takes place. Sandy hook was a fake you had to sign in to get in. And those supposedly dead are found alive. Gun control.
Hell i have mine in the corner loaded and i have yet to see it jump up and start shooting or assault anyone. Democrats are so stupid they dont know where the trigger is. They see a rifle, crap their pants and call it a assault automatic weapon.
Maybe they should all have a requisite that all democrats go through the REAL basic training so they know how to dig a 1x
I find it very difficult to understand why these politicians (supposedly educated) can’t see what we all are saying, it’s not rocket science. I, a CCW permit holder, also have an AR-15 and read the history of the AR which began in the early 50’s. The reason these idiots can’t make a law to ban assault rifles is they can really define what one is. I’m you all know there are hundreds of rifles out there with same functions as the AR. This whole thing is really making me tired!
If I am not mistaken weren’t all the mass shooters registered democrats, and working for the government? Maybe the problem is that demonrats would not be able to pass a background check because of mental and emotional problems, drug use, volatile belief systems, criminal background…ect.. And finally, all weapons are assault weapons….no such thing of banning anything…it isn’t necessary…but perhaps banning demonrats from owning a gun would be practical, and since we are at war, no muslim should have access to any gun. Of course, that won’t stop them from bomb making, but a citizen with a gun could take a terrorist out before they caused damage. Police are great as is the FBI, but they don’t prevent crime…they arrive too late, and provide clean up! The defense of the country, and our communities come from us, AND NO ONE NEEDS PERMISSION FROM PAMPERED, POLITICIANS BEHIND SECURE GATES!
[…] Anti gun folks are not happy. What do they expect when they try to take away our rights, with all this misguided anti gun garbage. Orlando Shooting Prompted Gun Stocks To Do This ? Liberals Are NOT Happy | Prepared Gun Owners […]
Has anyone seen the dumpcrats on the literately on the House Floor. They want a vote on the NO FLY-NO BUY bill. These bills were voted down in the Senate and that’s- that. But the dumpocrats don’t evidently know that. So these morons are holding a sit in, they should go on a hunger strike,but they wouldn’t last past supper. Some of the stuff they are saying is blaming the Repubs for this . If Hillary Clinton should happen to, well i ain’t going there. It disgusting.
It is easy to know why they don’t care about how many gets killed in those shootings, take a look who is in them that gets killed, mostly AMERICANS and who is Obama bringing in TERRORIST and placing them in different parts of the country the more AMERICANS get killed that is that many that the terrorist don’t have to worry about and if they can get our guns then they don’t have to worry about us either. How can they say to their kids and grand kids I LOVE YOU and all of the time wanting to destroy their very existence guns don’t kill it is people that hate and don’t have the knowledge to under stand just like some of the people in our government. Is the LAW and the MILITARY GOING TO STAND for us and tell Obama to go fly a kite. When our guns are gone theirs will be next. Just hang on greasy we may have a long ways to slide.
Marty zach,if you had a way to contact me I would give you a new AR 15
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