Guns sales in Virginia dip during Trump’s first year

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gun dealers in Virginia say firearms sales have fallen during President Donald Trump’s first year in office.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Friday that fewer people are afraid the Republican administration will restrict gun sales.
Firearms purchases dropped 3.5 percent last year, falling below the record half-million mark set in 2016. Gun shops described the decline as a “hangover” following the panicked buying during the Democratic Obama administration.
The state also failed to see spikes in gun sales following last year’s mass shootings. In years past, Virginia firearms sales increased after such shootings because of the political demands for more gun control as well as public safety concerns.
In 2017, gun sales totaled 487,846. In 2016, that number was 505,722.