[PAULYPOKER]

US gun maker makes record profits


U.S. firearms maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. had record sales for the fiscal year that ended April 30 while reports of gun violence in the U.S. were rampant last year.

The company’s preliminary data showed sales for fiscal 2013 were $588 million, up 43 percent from 2012. That's a record for the company, CNN reported.

The gun manufacturer said fiscal fourth-quarter sales were up 38 percent compared to the previous year, to $179 million, based on preliminary results.

Each year, about 4 to 7 million new firearms are manufactured for sale in the United States. An estimated 2 million secondhand firearms are sold each year as well, according to bradycampaign.org

Since 2005, gun manufacturers have contributed up to $38.9 million to the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful gun lobby organization that promotes firearms ownership.

The NRA itself spent between $1.5 million and $2.7 million on federal-level lobbying efforts between 2001 and 2010, and an additional $7.2 million supporting certain candidates during the 2010 election cycle, according to Policymic.

FBI figures show that 8,583 people were killed by guns in the United States in 2011 (the last year for which data is available), which amounts to 24 people a day.

AHT/ISH

[NrmlCurvSurfr]

tell them im still waiting for my 627, dont want to buy used(people are jacking up the price)...i knew i should have bought before owning a gun was "cool"