‘Ammunition is getting scarce’: Local gun stores slammed due to COVID-19, protests

BEAVER CO., Pa. — As protests continue across the country and coronavirus cases begin to increase again, many Americans are taking up arms.

Local gun shops are seeing record sales as they’re getting slammed with customers. One Beaver County shop owner told Channel 11 he sold a year’s supply of ammo in just three weeks.

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“People are buying like crazy. I can’t keep my inventory up -- ammunition is getting scarce,” Bryon Barker, manager of John Brown’s Amory, said. “Last time it was like this, it was (after the) Sandy Hook (school shooting), but I think this is worse.”

Barker told Channel 11 his store has been open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic because it’s considered an essential business.

In a week, they sold hundreds of home defensive shotguns. Small handguns are now in short supply, and AR-15s are difficult to keep on the shelves.

“We were probably doing record sales. We were selling 70-80 guns a day,” Barker said. “You know, people are scared. They’re afraid.”

The combination of the pandemic and recent protests sparked another spike in sales in the last few weeks as well.

During these unprecedented times, Barker said there are a lot of first-time gun owners. Some of them are getting concealed carry permits, joining gun clubs and signing up for NRA training courses.

Because John Brown’s Armory is running low on ammunition, it is limiting ammo sales for customers for the time being.

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