Business at gun shops as buyers try to beat new gun laws

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- There is a last minute rush at local gun shops.

"They are buying ammunition, they are buying parts, they are buying everything," said Barry Bauer, Herb Bauer Sporting Goods.

Bauer said business is booming, thanks to another round of restrictive gun laws taking effect at the first of the year.

"Every year for the past 20 years when they've had gun legislation, December is a great month for us gun retailers because everybody wants to get in before they can't have it anymore."

The latest forbidden item is this AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. The state of California considers it an assault rifle because it looks like a military rifle.

Gun collector Richard Van Roseboom disagrees with the designation.

"It's ridiculous because these aren't really assault weapons."

These guns fire one round each time the trigger is pulled. True assault rifles are like machine guns that can fire a continuous stream of bullets with one pull of the trigger.

Whatever the definition, it won't be possible to buy an AR-15 after December 31st. Because of the 10 day waiting period, that means they must be purchased by December 21st.

These rifles cost from $500 to $1,500, but you can technically own one for much less. One hundred dollars buys the heart of the weapon, the frame.

"We have sold hundreds and hundreds of things this week, I mean this month, the month of December," said Bauer.

They are so hot Bauers has limited sales of the frames to just two per customer.

The frame is key because it is stamped with the serial number, and is in effect the gun. Buy it now and there are no restrictions on buying the rest of the gun, lock stock and barrel, and assembling it later.

"You see how stupid these laws are, and what the public does to get around them because they want one of these toys," said Bauer.