Gun shop gets creative to meet demands

LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) - Gun owners are buying assault rifles at record pace with fears that they will be banned n ext year, and now a local gun shop, known for a controversial coyote hunt , is doing something else unusual to try to solve their inventory problems.

Gunhawks Firearms the shop in Los Lunas is willing to pay top dollar for high powered assault rifles.

Demand for the firearms is through the roof.

"It's overwhelming is what it is!" said employee Joshua Waters.

Following the devastating school shooting in Newtown Connecticut, congress could consider a possible ban on high powered assault rifles and high capacity magazines. Customers are scrambling to buy them while they can.

A similar gun ban was in place from 1994-2004, but Gunhawk claims this time demands are different.

"There wasn't this many gun owners," Waters explained. "There wasn't this many assault weapons out there, so it's been amazing it's been crazy."

Gunhawk is closed for then next few days. Meanwhile they're remodeling, upgrading their systems and waiting for national distributors to restock their inventory, but even those orders aren't being filled.

"There's nothing left at suppliers. Most national distributors are dry," Waters said.

Companies have also stopped taking back orders and canceled online sales, so Gunhawk decided to get creative. They will pay top dollar for new or used assault weapons and ammunition.

"We'll buy guns at anytime," Waters said. "We've always had that policy. We've always bought used guns, especially at this point. If you want to get rid of it, we'll buy it."

Owners also hope the program will give customers a straight shot at finally getting to buy what they can't find anywhere else in the state.

The store re-opens at 9 a.m. Thursday. Employees expect long lines, and remind customers inventory is limited. They say get there early.

Anyone selling a gun will have to submit to the same background checks as someone who wants to buy one. The guns are also run through a database to make sure they're not stolen.