Since Barack Obama was re-elected, demand for firearms edged up.
The Obama administration goes against legal trade in small arms and light weapons. It is planning to restrict sales of guns, which caused a shortage of ammunition at gun shops. Americans rushed to buy into 22 calibre “big game” cartridges fearful of potential gun control legislation. As a result, some retailers had to limit sales to one gun per person only. The plans of the US government also drove the cost of weapons up. In fact, the price of a gun doubled during the year.
The issue of unregulated trade in firearms has been extensively debated. The debates were fuelled by the shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut on December 14, 2012, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza killed 27 people, including 20 schoolchildren.
Mr Obama called for a ban on assault weapons and large magazines; he also insists on stiffer penalties for the illegal trade in firearms. The US President is determined to pass new laws regulating gun retailers.
Such announcements of Barack Obama were unwelcome to the US National Rifle Association and American gun owners.