DEL CITY, Oklahoma -
Talk of a ban has
gun makers and retailers struggling to meet constant demands. People are
worried their options may soon be limited, which means gunsmiths are now
working overtime to meet the needs.
Gun shops can
barely keep firearms on the shelves. Local rifle maker, Retired Colonel Steve
Russell says while business is good, many of his suppliers are under the same
strain trying to provide the public with fire arms.
At Russell's gun
shop in Del City, the goal is to make as many 1,200 Iraqi style rifles.
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"These are made to
a high standard and very high quality," said Russell. "And we are the only ones
that make an Iraqi version of this rifle, and we have the patents on the rifle
also."
Russell and his
crew of four have been busy making the rifles now for about two years. War
Veterans, collectors and area professionals are their biggest customers. But he says, in
the last two months, the already growing demand for these fire arms has
skyrocketed.
"We have flown
through our parts, we have flown through our rifles, and now we're trying to
get ahead of that," said Russell."
"It's one
executive order way from being a closed business, so people are trying to press
us for time," said one of Russell's employees, Caleb Hader. "We're trying to
press on as hard as we can."
Russell, also a
former state senator, says there's enough regulations on firearms. He says the
rifles represent less than .2 percent of crime across the country.
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"We need to
enforce the laws that are currently on the books," said Russell.
In the meantime
though, Russell says he and his crew will continue working to meet the needs of
his customers.
Vice President Joe
Biden met with Senate Democrats Thursday urging them to support the gun
restrictions the president has proposed. They include bans on assault weapons
and on high-capacity magazines for ammunition, and requiring all gun buyers to
undergo background checks.
Biden says lives can be saved by curbing firearms,
without restricting the right to bear arms.
At Russell's gun shop in Del City, the goal is to make as many 1,200 Iraqi style rifles.
