Gun sales are spiking across Virginia as new limitations are set to start at the beginning of next month.
Background checks for firearm purchases are more than double what they were at this time last year. This comes as a new ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines is set to begin on July the 1st. Phillip Van Cleve at the Virginia Citizens Defense League says firearms dealers are doing record business right now.
"Some are saying they just cannot keep a lot of things in stock. They're being cleaned out. Every time they bring get some stock in, it's gone," Van Cleve says. "So, interestingly, you know, the whole idea here was the Democrats wanted to reduce the number of quote-unquote assault firearms in Virginia, and all they've done is massively increase the number."
Justin Davis at the National Rifle Association says the new limitations will hurt small businesses.
"They're losing their ability to sell their top-selling products, and that's incredibly difficult for mom-and-pop gun stores throughout the Commonwealth,” Davis says.
The new law, which is being challenged in court, makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase or transfer an assault-style weapon or large-capacity magazine.
