Getting the Bang for Your Buck

This past holiday season retailers posted some of their worst sales numbers on record. That is, except for one trigger happy industry.

According to AdAge.com firearms enthusiasts are single handedly keeping the gun industry on fire.

Cabala’s Outdoor Adventure stores turned in strong fourth quarter sales in its firearm and ammunition departments. Smith and Wesson reports pistol sales up 40 percent. And Strum Ruger and Company says firearm revenue has increased 81 percent.

After the November election of President Obama, background checks for firearms jumped 42 percent to a record 1.5 million based in part on people’s fear that President Obama would tighten gun laws. That trend is continuing with background checks increasing through December, January and February.

But fear of stricter gun laws under a democratic administration may not be the only reason. Spokesman Ted Novin at the National Shooting Sports Foundation says in tough economic times more people become concerned about security. Novin says folks down on their luck also turn to hunting to find safe, high protein food at a much lower price.

Maybe that extra ammunition is just what we need to fire up this weak economy.

(Brian Banmiller is a national Business Correspondent for CBS News Radio, free lance writer and public speaker. The former television business news anchor in San Francisco can be reached at brian@banmilleronbusiness.com .)