Pandagon relays a Media Matters report:
(T)he right wing-driven gun bubble has burst. Basically, there was a feeding frenzy after Obama was elected, and paranoid white men around the country had to buy some bigger and louder phallic symbols to stave off anxieties caused by the scary new President. (snip)
What was especially interesting in the post was how the gun manufacturers were completely upfront in their reports on diminished sales on what their main sales tactic is, which is to gin up irrational fears to sell guns. Take this quote from Smith and Wesson’s report:
The consumer environment with the fire arms industry appears to have returned to levels no longer driven by fear of increased gun control or political uncertainty. This is supported by our recent research which shows that consumer purchasing today is driven primarily by personal protection and shooting sports. Political concerns are now a distant fourth. This is reflected in our current sales in most firearms categories, which are lower than the record sales last year for both the industry and our company.