LEE COUNTY, GA (WALB) -
With gun control debates raging, following last week's Connecticut school shooting, finding an assault weapon for sale in South Georgia isn't easy.
Albany area gun retailers say customers bought every assault weapon they had Monday.
They're still getting dozens of calls daily from people still looking to buy.
The tragedy of the 26 deaths at Sandy Hook Elementary School has people concerned that assault type weapons with large capacity magazines could be banned.
Many South Georgians reacted to the tragedy, rushing to buy the same type weapons used in the school attack.
Many of the gun racks at Backwoods Outdoors are empty. The only A.R. 15 left in the store is owner Jackie Sizemore's own personal rifle. This is the type of gun used in the tragic Connecticut school shooting and within hours of the shooting it was the most sought item in South Georgia gun stores.
"We had 6 on the shelf and within two hours they were gone. The next two hours you couldn't find a 223 bullet in here," said Jackie Sizemore, Backwoods Outdoors Owner
Across town at Dawson Road Jewelry and Pawn it was the same rush.
"We sold out of every assault weapon we had. Including A.R. 15's, A.K. 47's, Mini 14's. Pretty well any kind of assault weapon," said Jason Sheffield, Dawson Road Jewelry & Pawn Owner.
And the demand has not let up since. Sizemore says he gets dozens of customers coming in and calls on the phone every hour, looking for assault weapons.
"If it looks like an assault rifle, they want it. Primarily they are going after anything that they think will be banned. High capacity magazines, bulk ammunition. Assault shotguns," said Sizemore.
Sheffield says the only way to describe the demand now for these kind of assault weapons is "crazy."
"It didn't matter which one it was. How much it was. Just give it to me. That's pretty well how in demand they are right now," said Sheffield.
Sizemore said this is the best gun sales season he has ever had, but he is not enjoying it. He says the tragedy of the Connecticut school children deaths has taken the joy from this business. Sheffield says his phone still rings hourly with people searching for the guns they fear will soon be outlawed.
Both Sheffield and Sizemore say they have contacted manufacturers about getting more of these highly demanded rifles, but were told that was not going to happen.
Those A-K 15's sell for between $1,500 - $2,200 each.
We're told on E-bay the price for them is skyrocketing as the demand grows.
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