SHERMAN, TX-The New Year started out with the bang as gun sales soared all across the nation, with over a million background checks for gun ownership conducted by the FBI nationwide in December alone. Victoria Maranan spoke with a local firearms dealer, as well as gun owners, about why people are buying guns.

Over 9 million guns were sold in the U.S. last year, according to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. From that total, a million of those guns were sold in Texas, making it the 2nd state to sell the most guns just behind Kentucky.
Red River Firearms owner Jason Webb said more and more people have been coming into his store to buy guns and take Concealed Handgun License classes and he's not surprised.

"The increase of the promoting of the sales or the T.V. shows that are on and also going into another election year and also the up and down of the economy," he said.

"The trend you're seeing a little bit younger crowd, say mid to late 20s to the early 30s, compared to an older group so it's turning to a younger group," he said.According to the FBI, an all-time high of 9-million guns were sold last year in the U.S. Webb said Red River Firearms sold about 1,500 guns last year, more than years past. He also saw a new group of people coming in to buy guns.

Gun owner, Tom Clark, brought his daughter Jennifer to the range. Clark has owned several guns since the 1950s and he said it's the current political situation that's driving more people to buy firearms.

"Lack of faith we currently have in our leadership in Washington D.C. and the concern that that existing, current leadership may have some laws that will come about and be introduced to reduce our ability to own guns," he said.

He also thinks more people are buying guns for personal security.

"I believe that those folks in the desperate category that do not have are probably creating an environment that those that have want to protect what they have," said Clark.

Webb said gun sales are also expected to go up in 2012 because it's election year.