Pawnshops see more gun sales, shortages
Local pawnshop operators say they, too, have seen a shortage of ammunition and firearms since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that they have also seen more first-time gun buyers than ever before.
Last week, local gun store operators told The Sentinel-Record that the pandemic had slowed firearm and ammunition production, coupled with riots across the nation that spiked demand, leading to shortages. They said ammunition production had slowed due to a lack of raw materials, specifically lead and copper, because of mine closures.
Quality Pawn Shop manager Jared Guthrie and Integrity Pawn Shop owner Grayson Goff said that since the start of the pandemic in mid-March they have both no
ticed a dramatic increase in both handgun and long gun sales, but primarily handguns, with most of their buyers being local.
Both shops also reported they have experienced a decrease in guns being pawned to them, even noting that when many people got their stimulus checks they used them to retrieve guns, along with other items, they had put into pawn.
With no guns coming in through pawning, Goff said he has to call firearm sales representatives daily to try to get them to sell him just a few guns, noting that he sells anywhere from five to 10 a day. As for ammunition, he said it’s “next to impossible” to acquire, and currently he has none in stock.
“Now the real issue lies in shortage of ammo,” he said. “I’m not joking, the same day we get it, it’s gone. … I think the gun sales will slow down a little bit until people can regularly source ammo.”
Additionally, this increase in firearm sales from Goff’s shop comes strictly from in-state, since his shop does not sell firearms to out of state residents.
“We have a lot of people from Hot Springs as well as commuters from (surrounding towns),” he said. “It’s just crazy, you can’t really keep up. And it’s hard for distributors to source; you pretty much just buy what you can get, and things that normally wouldn’t sell that hot are selling, like .22 handguns and stuff like that.”
Guthrie said the decrease in pawned guns has resulted in his shop only carrying new firearms at the moment simply because they can’t get any used ones, but even with the new ones, they are “very hard” to acquire because his distributors are sold-out.
“We have about nine pistols out right now,” Guthrie said. “Usually have between 10 to 20.”
He also noted he is selling the firearms he can get on a daily basis.
“Our gun sales have probably doubled, at least,” Guthrie said.