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| Who's buying guns at Christmas? | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| FBI statistics suggest that December is the busiest month for gun sales - why? | FBI statistics suggest that December is the busiest month for gun sales - why? |
| It's a cold Tuesday morning in Chantilly, Virginia, but Blue Ridge Arsenal buzzes like any busy store in December. | It's a cold Tuesday morning in Chantilly, Virginia, but Blue Ridge Arsenal buzzes like any busy store in December. |
| Music plays. The tree sparkles. Customers wish each other Happy Christmas. | Music plays. The tree sparkles. Customers wish each other Happy Christmas. |
| There are some differences, though. | There are some differences, though. |
| Firstly, Bing Crosby is drowned out by the bang-bang from the firing range, out back. | Firstly, Bing Crosby is drowned out by the bang-bang from the firing range, out back. |
| Secondly, the lights on the tree are made from shotgun shells. | Secondly, the lights on the tree are made from shotgun shells. |
| It's Christmas at the gun store - come on in... | It's Christmas at the gun store - come on in... |
| When buying from a licensed dealer in the US, customers must pass an FBI background check. | When buying from a licensed dealer in the US, customers must pass an FBI background check. |
| Since 1998, when the system began, December has been the busiest month in all but two years (2008 and 2013). | Since 1998, when the system began, December has been the busiest month in all but two years (2008 and 2013). |
| For Mark Warner, the sales rep, the reason is obvious. "It's holiday giving," he says. | For Mark Warner, the sales rep, the reason is obvious. "It's holiday giving," he says. |
| Giving someone a gun for Christmas may seem strange to non-Americans. But here, it's the equivalent of…? | Giving someone a gun for Christmas may seem strange to non-Americans. But here, it's the equivalent of…? |
| "Diamonds," interjects Mark. | "Diamonds," interjects Mark. |
| "I got customers who are husband and wife. She gets Louis Vuitton bags, he gets firearms. | "I got customers who are husband and wife. She gets Louis Vuitton bags, he gets firearms. |
| "That's their gift giving to each other." | "That's their gift giving to each other." |
| Patrick Hudgens is planning to buy his 16-year-old son a hunting rifle for Christmas. | Patrick Hudgens is planning to buy his 16-year-old son a hunting rifle for Christmas. |
| He's looking at a lever-action 357, price $525. If he goes ahead, it will be the "fourth or fifth" time he has bought his son a gun at Christmas or birthday time. | He's looking at a lever-action 357, price $525. If he goes ahead, it will be the "fourth or fifth" time he has bought his son a gun at Christmas or birthday time. |
| Patrick taught his son to shoot with a BB gun, aged six. After "really drilling the fundamentals of safe shooting", he progressed to more powerful weapons, preaching caution all the way. | Patrick taught his son to shoot with a BB gun, aged six. After "really drilling the fundamentals of safe shooting", he progressed to more powerful weapons, preaching caution all the way. |
| "It's crawl, walk, run," he says. | "It's crawl, walk, run," he says. |
| Now, he goes shooting "all the time" with his son, both competitions (the International Defensive Pistol Association) and hunting, usually deer. | Now, he goes shooting "all the time" with his son, both competitions (the International Defensive Pistol Association) and hunting, usually deer. |
| For Patrick, originally from northern Michigan, it's a classic father-and-son activity. | For Patrick, originally from northern Michigan, it's a classic father-and-son activity. |
| "It was for me growing up, and for my father, and for his father," he says. "It's tradition in our family. It's great fun, a great bonding experience." | "It was for me growing up, and for my father, and for his father," he says. "It's tradition in our family. It's great fun, a great bonding experience." |
| For him, and many other Americans, handing over a gun is no different to, say, handing over a football season ticket. Did he himself get guns for Christmas? | For him, and many other Americans, handing over a gun is no different to, say, handing over a football season ticket. Did he himself get guns for Christmas? |
| "Oh yes," he says. "And when you turned 11, my dad made a really big deal about your first shotgun. | "Oh yes," he says. "And when you turned 11, my dad made a really big deal about your first shotgun. |
| "He would not buy a piece of junk - it was something that would be an heirloom, that you could hand down to your son someday." | "He would not buy a piece of junk - it was something that would be an heirloom, that you could hand down to your son someday." |
| Like Patrick, Mark is happy for his children - twin 17-year-old girls - to shoot. They don't hunt, but they're allowed on the range if their school grades are good. | Like Patrick, Mark is happy for his children - twin 17-year-old girls - to shoot. They don't hunt, but they're allowed on the range if their school grades are good. |
| "To me, shooting is a thing I grew up with," says Mark. | "To me, shooting is a thing I grew up with," says Mark. |
| "Rather than sitting in a house playing video games, my mother said get out of the house, be home before dark, and don't get too dirty. | "Rather than sitting in a house playing video games, my mother said get out of the house, be home before dark, and don't get too dirty. |
| "That meant fishing, swimming, target shooting, a little bit of hunting. Guns were a very important part of me growing up. | "That meant fishing, swimming, target shooting, a little bit of hunting. Guns were a very important part of me growing up. |
| "My high school, student parking lot, there were trucks with guns in them. People were going hunting after school. | "My high school, student parking lot, there were trucks with guns in them. People were going hunting after school. |
| "But we didn't shoot each other. We didn't have gun violence at school. We respected guns and we respected each other." | "But we didn't shoot each other. We didn't have gun violence at school. We respected guns and we respected each other." |
| Mark says when parents buy their child a gun for Christmas, it's usually a rifle. | Mark says when parents buy their child a gun for Christmas, it's usually a rifle. |
| "Primarily 22 caliber (small ammunition), low recoil, cheap to shoot, fun to shoot," he says. | "Primarily 22 caliber (small ammunition), low recoil, cheap to shoot, fun to shoot," he says. |
| "Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's for target practice. It's a thrill to see a young child hit a bull's-eye over and over again and see that gleam on their face." | "Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's for target practice. It's a thrill to see a young child hit a bull's-eye over and over again and see that gleam on their face." |
| So there's nothing strange about wrapping up a gun and leaving it under the tree? | So there's nothing strange about wrapping up a gun and leaving it under the tree? |
| "I hope they get me one for Christmas," he says, laughing. "That way I ain't got to buy my own." | "I hope they get me one for Christmas," he says, laughing. "That way I ain't got to buy my own." |
| Background checks | Background checks |
| In America, it is legal to give guns to other people. But there are laws to follow. | In America, it is legal to give guns to other people. But there are laws to follow. |
| Firstly, it's a crime to buy a gun for someone who isn't allowed to have one - that is, someone who would fail the background check. | Firstly, it's a crime to buy a gun for someone who isn't allowed to have one - that is, someone who would fail the background check. |
| If you want to give a gun to someone in a different state, you must do it through a licensed dealer, so the recipient is checked. In some states, you need a dealer no matter what. | If you want to give a gun to someone in a different state, you must do it through a licensed dealer, so the recipient is checked. In some states, you need a dealer no matter what. |
| In Virginia, you can give a gun to family or friends without them being checked. But the store is careful. | In Virginia, you can give a gun to family or friends without them being checked. But the store is careful. |
| "Say John Doe wants to buy his wife a gun - he can buy it, go home, and give it to her," says Mark. | "Say John Doe wants to buy his wife a gun - he can buy it, go home, and give it to her," says Mark. |
| "We push them to paying for the gun, leaving it here, and have her come and pick it up. That way we can background check the person receiving the firearm." | "We push them to paying for the gun, leaving it here, and have her come and pick it up. That way we can background check the person receiving the firearm." |
| It's not uncommon for Mark to turn down a sale, if he's not happy. "We ask a lot of questions," he says. | It's not uncommon for Mark to turn down a sale, if he's not happy. "We ask a lot of questions," he says. |
| "If they slip up, or say something that doesn't make me feel comfortable, they're not getting it. | "If they slip up, or say something that doesn't make me feel comfortable, they're not getting it. |
| "People have the right to buy guns. But I have the right to refuse to sell to someone, based on how they make me feel." | "People have the right to buy guns. But I have the right to refuse to sell to someone, based on how they make me feel." |
| Does that happen a lot? | Does that happen a lot? |
| "Oh, quite a bit," says Mark, who has worked at the store for almost 20 years. "The owners here will back us up 100%." | "Oh, quite a bit," says Mark, who has worked at the store for almost 20 years. "The owners here will back us up 100%." |
| You need a car to reach Blue Ridge Arsenal - it's on the edge of a business park - but footfall is high. | You need a car to reach Blue Ridge Arsenal - it's on the edge of a business park - but footfall is high. |
| One customer asks about gift vouchers (they're popular). Another wants to buy shooting lessons for his 19-year-old daughter. | One customer asks about gift vouchers (they're popular). Another wants to buy shooting lessons for his 19-year-old daughter. |
| At the back of the store, there are 20 lanes where people can practise, shoot for fun, or both. On different days, different groups get discounts. | At the back of the store, there are 20 lanes where people can practise, shoot for fun, or both. On different days, different groups get discounts. |
| Today it's law enforcement and military. Monday is ladies' day. Once a month, the local church comes here to shoot. | Today it's law enforcement and military. Monday is ladies' day. Once a month, the local church comes here to shoot. |
| "It's kind of like bowling," says Mark. | "It's kind of like bowling," says Mark. |
| In between dealing with customers, he tries to explain the Christmas sales spike. | In between dealing with customers, he tries to explain the Christmas sales spike. |
| "The husband says 'Hey honey, I want this new rifle for Christmas'. | "The husband says 'Hey honey, I want this new rifle for Christmas'. |
| "He's more likely to get it for Christmas, then during January, February, March, April whatever. Putting the word gift to it, he's more likely to get that firearm." | "He's more likely to get it for Christmas, then during January, February, March, April whatever. Putting the word gift to it, he's more likely to get that firearm." |