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Newly elected President, Barack Obama, is being dubbed by some as the gun salesman of the year. Since elected, gun sales have skyrocketed nationwide including here in Eastern Carolina. Some firearm stores have had their sales jump in the high double digits in some cases up to 70% since Obama took office.

Many gun shop owners in the Northeast North Carolina area are enjoying very brisk sales now that President Barack Obama took office. Sources show that these store customers are buying everything they can, in fear gun laws could change.

During the first three months of 2009, statistics report that four million background checks were requested nationwide, that’s up 27% from the same period of time in 2008. According to a recent WITN News report, Beaufort County Sheriff’s say over the past three months they’ve issued about 165 purchasing permits each month, an increase over previous months as well.

It appears the most challenging problem with purchasing a gun in north-eastern North Carolina and elsewhere, is getting ammunition for those guns. Many customers and store owners just can’t get their hands on bullets and ammunition for the new purchase. "We could probably sell 1,000 cases of 380’s right now, if we had 1,000 cases" says one gun store manager to WITN News. Gun shop owners are getting some customers from Florida and Texas, just to buy certain items that are completely out of stock in other parts of the country.

Whether you believe in gun ownership or not, gun safety is an absolute requirement when it comes to securing, handling, and using a firearm. Here are some great safety tips that we have researched and found to be a good start to stay safe if you are compelled to own a firearm:

Gun safety training seeks to instill a certain mindset and appropriate habits, or rules. The mindset is that firearms are inherently dangerous and must always be handled with care. Handlers are taught to treat firearms with respect for their destructive capabilities, and strongly discouraged from playing or toying with firearms, a common cause of accidents.

The rules of gun safety follow from this mindset. While there are many variations, the rules introduced by Colonel Jeff Cooper are those most commonly taught during gun safety training:

1."All guns are always loaded".
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Always be sure of your target.

Jeff Cooper

The NRA provides a similar set of rules:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

The National Rifle Association, The fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling

The Canadian Firearms Program uses the concept of The Four Firearm ACTS:

1. Assume every firearm is loaded.
2. Control the muzzle direction at all times.
3. Trigger finger off trigger and out of trigger guard.
4. See that the firearm is unloaded. PROVE it safe.

Canadian Firearms Centre, The Four ACTS of Firearm Safety

About the Editors Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY, who handle car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more.

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