CINCINNATI – Can gun sales predict the presidential election?
Gun control is a hot-button issue as Nov. 8 approaches. And political experts think those afraid of stricter guns laws might rush to the stores now to buy weapons.
We checked and found a gun store owner with a prediction.
"I didn't realize how tied to politics it was when I first got into it," says Kyle Hufford, owner of Kyle's Gunshop in Finneytown. "It is very politically driven."
Hufford started his gun business five years ago after being an IT guy. But his gun shop might have as much insight into the presidential race as any computer poll.
Here's how it works.
Hillary Clinton says she wants more restrictions on gun sales if she's elected president. If people think she's going to win the election, the theory is gun sales will go up before Nov. 8.
But if people think Donald Trump will win, gun store owners shouldn't see much of an impact.
What have sales been like in recent week's at Kyle's Gunshop?
"This has been our slowest year since we started the business," Hufford said. "But in the last few weeks things have upticked a little bit.
That would seem to favor Clinton, but not necessarily, he said.
"Our normal busy season is October through April or so, so this may be our normal seasonal pickup," he said.
"I think people are waiting to see what happens," Hufford said.
So, when it comes to the gun poll, you can read into what you want. But Hufford was willing to predict this:
"I know right after the election, especially if Hillary wins, things are going to be off the hook."
