National unrest spikes Lincoln County gun sales
Davenport Sporting Goods thin on inventory
Last updated 7/1/2020 at 9:36pm
DAVENPORT – As the country continues to experience unrest due to the Corona virus and recent riots by the Black Lives Matter and Antifa movements, locals in Eastern Washington are clearing the shelves of local gun stores.
Davenport Sporting Goods co-owner Jonn Chapman said that the store that features handguns, hunting rifles, ammo and accessories has been growing in business since it opened in 2016.
"Our sales have grown every year but this year has blown last year out of the water," Chapman said. "I've had two people come in for guns just this morning. If it wasn't for the handguns I currently have on consignment, I'd be sold out."
When Davenport Sporting Goods is fully stocked they carry around 100 guns, Chapman said. Handguns currently average $400 in price, with rifles costing around $500 each.
While demand for guns may be high, buyers are not able to walk out of the store with a gun the same day due to new Washington State gun regulations.
Over the last three years, a series of gun laws that increase waiting times have been passed in the state with I-1639 being adopted in 2018. Initiative 1639 requires all buyers in Washington to undergo a background check through their local law enforcement department. That department, which may be a police department or a sheriff's office, must then consult with the Washington State Healthcare Authority to run a mental health background check. State and federal criminal background checks must also be completed.
What is difficult about the mental health mandate, according to Chapman, is the vagueness in the wording.
"The law doesn't say you need to be flagged or marked in some way as not being able to own a gun due to mental health issues, so we end up with arbitrary approvals and denials," Chapman said. "Locally, we feel a bit more confident on this issue because our sheriff's office knows which members of the community are their frequent customers.
"We also have the ability as the licensed gun dealer to make an over the counter determination regarding the buyer. If we feel something is off or we don't feel safe about selling the gun, we don't have to," he added.
The mandatory background and mental health checks mean purchasing a gun can take up to a week for a handgun in Lincoln County. Semi-automatic rifles have a mandatory 10 day waiting period and the buyer must be over 21.
Although demand is growing, Chapman said Davenport Sporting Goods is committed to keeping prices affordable.
"We aren't interested in price gouging and try to get the best deals on the guns and ammo we offer," he said.
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