AIKEN --- Gun Rack owner Chuck Scott said his phone lines have been busy the past few days with calls about rifles, handguns and other firearms that will be sold tax-free this weekend.
For the sake of his small business, Mr. Scott said he hopes the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday will go as well as the first one did last year.
"They were selling like gangbusters," he said. "I think there was a fear after the election last year, and we've been fighting to keep supply this whole year."
Those purchasing new or used firearms between 12:01 a.m. Friday and midnight Saturday will pay no taxes, according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue. Ammunition, carrying cases and other accessories are not included in the tax-free sale.
On Tuesday, Ginger Davis, of Edgefield, and her 13-year-old son, Brock, began window shopping for a light-weight handgun she plans to purchase this weekend. She said her family patronized Aiken County gun stores during last year's tax-free holiday.
"We saved between $50 and $150 on a .22 rifle and a 12-gauge (shotgun)," she said while browsing at the Gun Rack. "I have a family of avid hunters, so every little bit of money we can save helps."
The two-day tax holiday gave up less than $10,000 in taxes last year, said General Comptroller Richard Eckstrom. Though customers and gun merchants benefit from the weekend, the holiday was not created to boost the economy, Mr. Eckstrom said
"It's not to encourage gun sales," he said. "It's more a statement of principle. Legislators were trying to make the statement that they support the Second Amendment."
That statement of principle was struck down by the state Supreme Court earlier this year when legislators wanted to couple the weekend with the monthlong sales-tax holiday on energy efficient appliances. The high court deemed the original legislation unconstitutional because the two tax-free holidays were unrelated.
The state legislature reinstated the holiday as a one-time budget provision for this year.
David Byers, owner of Guns and Things in North Augusta, said he hopes the Legislature will approve the holiday for next year. Most gun merchants are small-business owners that can use the help.
"These are the types of place people buy their guns from," he said. "Last year, I saw about an 80 percent increase in business. It's going to be good for all of us on those two days."
Reach Stephanie Toone at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.
SECOND AMENDMENT HOLIDAY
Items that can be purchased without tax between 12 a.m. Friday and 12 a.m. Sunday:
- Handguns
- Rifles
- Shotguns
Items not included:
- handguns generally recognized or classified as antique, curiosity, or collector's items
- handguns that do not fire fixed cartridges
- ammunition
- archery supplies
- black powder
- books
- carrying cases
- cleaning supplies
- gun barrels
- gun safes
- holsters
- hunting clothes
- knives
- lasers
- lights
- locks
- magazines
- range gear
- reloading supplies
- safety vests
- sights
- sporting clays
- stocks
- targets
- toy guns
FOR MORE information about the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday, visit www.sctax.org.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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The boost in gun sales and ammunition has little to do with Obama and his gun laws. People can sense something bad is about to happen. Like a storm over the horizon, out of sight, people can sense something bad is approaching and it does not bode well.
Open borders, sky high unemployment, no food reserves; all are fuses for an explosion. Suppose the interstate highways were closed because of a deadly outbreak of disease? No food on the shelves and people starving.
Since America has no food reserves, suppose the crops here failed and we could not buy food from out of country? When people are hungry they will do what they must to survive. Guns determine who will survive.
The economy is not improving and in fact is getting worse. Unemployment is closer to 20%, twice the official number. People are losing their homes and transportation. America is fast becoming a third world country.
The arming of law abiding citizens is a natural reaction to the approaching storm. Buying weapons is a sign of intelligence and foresight. There is no need call the fire department after the house has burned down.
Every law abiding citizen should own at least one handgun and one rifle.
I really feel sorry for the owner of Gun and Things in North Augusta, He really need the help alright. Just take a gun or guns in there for trade and he will hurt you feelings for what he will alow you for your item. Slim and nothing and then put it on the rack sky high in price. All must watch pawn shops and gun dealers this week-in. You will be taken. Buy a firarms book that tell the prices of guns so you will know.
john taurus-well said,my family and a few other families have joined together and we are prepairing for what is to come.i see more and more every day what is coming people better wake up.
Sure, JohnTaurus, and when you run out of ammunition, then what are you going to do?
corgimon-ever heard of stock piling its a lot more to it than just guns and ammo
Watch for car breakins in county parks,,we have had a rash of them in last 4 months..I wonder if it will get to the point that we will have to carry a gun everywhere we go??Fewer jobs, more poverty & more crime..Tried to buy USA yesterday on household goods,, but when I opened package & could read hidden labels I had things made in Turkey & India..Change congress in next election & let these folks feel the pain of JOB GONE BYE BYE..
Corgimom I had the following conversation with 2 friends. The conversation had turned to the state of the country and where it was headed. We all agreed that things were going to get very contenious as the extremes of this country, both Liberal and Conservative, try to force the moderate middle to their view. One contended that it would be a war of words fought in the courts. The second saw things devolving into a situation like you see in Serbia or Somalia today, and wanted guns lots of BIG guns. The third thought things would not get quite THAT bad, but wanted ammo and bullets LOTS of bullets. Hopefully the second two are wrong and the coming conflict WILL only be fought in the courts, but the intelligent hedge there bets by hoping for the best while planning for the worse. When you run out of bullets, you make more. When the stores close you grow your own. The ability and willingness to take care of one's self is paramount to survival.Thanks for the reminder,time to load up some more ammo ...
Confederateamerican, if it makes you feel better to stockpile, go ahead. Do you also have a bunker in your back yard, because all you have to do to get somebody out of a house is set it on fire. And then advertise publically that you stockpile. The really sensible ones don't advertise what they do. This site is always good to make me laugh.
"Sure, JohnTaurus, and when you run out of ammunition, then what are you going to do? "
Corgimom, by the time I run out of ammo, there won't be enough people left to matter! Those that are unprepared will starve to death in a matter of months. Those like myself who have the foresight to prepare, will unite with others with equal intelligence and ready themselves to make the next stand.
Henry Kissazzinger said there were, "...too many useless feeders." The Zionist masters have decided there needs to be a population reduction. This economic collapse and the coming wars are planned to reduce the "useless feeders" through disease, war, starvation and outright murder. To many people, not enough resources. 9 million people died in WWI. That's a lot of people.
The next world war will start with the strike on Iran. Those who survive will be made into slaves to serve the Zionists who are intent on conquering the world and already have a good start as they control all of North America and Europe. Iran is merely the last Arab country standing in the way of Zionist control of the Middle-East.That is why Iran has been targeted.
Some people need serious help, the paranoia and hate and obsessions are really strong today. Thank God I don't live my life the way some of you do.
And, BTW, I heard all this nonsense from my father, who was truly mentally ill. He hoarded everything, "in preparation for the war that was coming". He was a veteran who needed help desperately and who truly suffered from PTSD. He was suspicious of everything and everybody. His house fell apart around him and he dressed in rags "saving money for when the war happens", He lived in his community for 38 years. He wouldn't let people into his house "because they would see his preparations and steal from him". We weren't allowed to have friends over. He made my mother's life hell on earth with his crazy nutty ideas. The older he got, the worse he got. He would save useless things "in case he needed it later". Sad, sad, sad. A total of 6 people came to his funeral, five of whom were his kids and one was his former daughter in law. It took us literally months to clean all of the junk out of his house when he died. Whenever I went to his house, I would upset him because I threw out all of the spoiled and moldy food and I wouldn't let him go places in rags. As I said, Thank God I don't live my life like that.
Corgiemom some people prepare for events whether they manmade or natural ... NewOrleans is a good example,Serbia another of the suffering that can happen ... Civilization is fragile and dosen't last long after the lights go out . Some folks are comfortable with the notion that others will be there to save them ... Enjoy the Super Dome .
Corgimom, there are a lot of people that are informed about the current events going on today in the world . There are some nasty things happening that you obviously don't know about or don't care to know about, the geneocide of the Palestinians by the Israelis for one. What makes you think these people care any more for you and your family than they do the Palestinians? To them, you and your family are equivalent to insects, to be squashed or used in any way they see fit. Everyone thought WWI would be the final war. They were wrong. You trust in God if that is what you wish. When the devil crosses my threshold, I will trust Smith and Wesson. I hope things do get better but current gun sales show that there are a lot of people out there who sense the darkness overtaking the land.
Corgimom I usually agree w/most of your comments,,, but I hope you can see we are having MORE CRIME,BREAKINS,,BANK HOLDUPS & etc. The paper shows this everyday..Wish we had the life we had in the 60s,, at least back then kids could walk to the store & the only thing you worried about was traffic..We live in a decent neighborhood but recently had 20-30 car breakins..They came from other places to do their dirty work,,You can't get away from crime..
Seenit, it is actually safer for a child to walk around now than in the 60's. The odds of stranger abductions have declined to 1.5 million to one, in 1940 it was 1 million to one. We just didn't have the 24 hour news stations and the Internet to tell us about it. John Walsh did a great PR job, now parents think there's a child abductor lurking behind every tree.
JohnTaurus, if it makes you happy to lie awake at night worrying about the Israelis and the Palestinians, that's great. Considering the population of Israel is about 7 million, and the US is about 305 million, I'm not too worried.
Corgi I agree the news media does a great job is giving the bad news everyday.. but I base my comments on my OWN experience w/crime in MY life,, not the medias constant dribble..
It's not any more dangerous than it was. It's not about the kids roaming that you have to worry about, it's the friends and the relatives that you let the child be around. That's the real danger.
Just thinking of all the crime in my family in ast 3 years,,, sister's business on telfair has ha 6 breakins,,same sister had purse taken at kroger on wash. rd,,daughter had home breakin,,neighbors had cars breakins,,friend had money taken form robber near baker ave, near richmond,,friends sister had expensive equip. & luggage taken from rental car,,, friends husband had laptop taken from hiden place in locked car,,should I go on?? These people are intelligent, careful humans..Some now have guns nearby..
Also daughter had plasma tv taken from backyard near wheeler rd,, if I really take my time I can come up with more but I think you can see my point..
Also friend had equipment taken on willis foreman rd,,,her daughter had a breakin at business at hy 25 & winsor spring rd.. on & on & on,,,
JohnTaurus, Just a question, I have heard rumors about limited life ammo and primers, have you any info on that.
Cobalt I just looked on google to see what you meant.. I had no idea they were planning to make ammo with limited life span,,I guess that explains why so many people are buying ammo now..
That is the reason I reload my own shells.
seenit, the only time I have been the victim of a crime is when I was careless, and it was my fault. Car break ins? I go all over Charlotte- which is way worse than Augusta- and I don't leave anything of value and I purposely don't have a top of the line sound system or GPS. My car doesn't get broken into. My purse doesn't get taken because I keep a close watch on it, and I never carry a lot of cash. I've never had anything taken from a rental car, because I don't leave anything of value in it either. I'm not a paranoid person, but I'm careful, and a whole lot of the crime you talk about is due to carelessness on the part of the victims. Hide a laptop in a car. Guess that didn't work, did it? I always ask myself, "If this gets taken, will it cause me problems? Will it get me upset?" and I act accordingly.
You don't make a very good case blaming the victims... It is the criminals who should modify their lifestyles ... Your example of choosing possessions and where you secure them tells the tale about who is imprisoned ... The choice of buying a GPS shouldn't make me a target of thief's and if it does that's the problem ... He had too much so its all right to steal it besides he didn't secure it with a big lock will never excuse criminal actions in my book ...If its a good excuse for you, your a victim already
I think I will go buy another gun.
Corgi These people are not careless.. They are responsibe folks,, just doing their job..You can't carry a laptop with you 24 hours a day,, this man works out of town,, has to have it with him..My sister ran after the man with her purse & got enough info. to catch him,,(risking her life),,The breakin on hy25 & windsor spring was caught on cameras & guy lost his job..CRAP HAPPENS ..We all feel like it won't happen to us because we are careful,,, it is a different world..
Colbalt George, I have not heard that. I have heard that ammunition will be made that is traceable back to the purchaser should it be used in a crime and that all ammo not of that sort will be outlawed, meaning stockpiled ammo will have to be dumped or used. Corgimom, you don't realize how little you know about world affairs. I guess you are typical of most Americans and that is why America is in the trouble it is in. You don't have a clue that you don't have a clue.
If you leave anything of value in a car, expect it to be stolen. Door locks on a car are meaningless. In a perfect world, nobody would steal, but this isn't a perfect world.