In a town that retains a Western flair and a reverence for the
Second Amendment, two new guns shops are spicing up the retail
scene in Woodland Park. A visit to each offers a peek into a
culture that attracts a cross section of area residents, one that
thrusts guns into the realm of investing, perhaps better than a
traditional 401(k) in these lean times.
“Guns are probably the most recession-proof, inflation-proof
thing there is,” said Jon DeVaux, of Alpine Firearms. “I’d rather
have a gun than make 1 percent interest at the bank. Guns are
always liquid, not going to go down in value.”
At Craig Chatto’s Custom Gunbuilding and Gunsmithing shop, guns
are viewed as collectors’ items as well as investments. “People
have been buying guns as an investment for as long as they’ve been
making guns,” said Bob Brown, who works at the shop. “I had a guy
come in here with a Winchester from the 1700 or 1800s. Guns are a
smart investment if you know what’s you’re doing.”
Yet the image of isolationists stocking up and heading out for
the hills is distinctly American, true or not. “The idea of people
loading up on guns and ammunition is gone,” Brown said. “Now people
are looking at guns in a completely different way; they can make an
investment in a weapon, turn around and make money on it.”
Guns as portfolio is only one aspect of the lure of the weapon
admired for its craftsmanship as well as its efficacy as a
neutralizer. Guns have a certain fascination, for hunters, target
shooters and collectors. “There are a lot of gun collectors in
Woodland Park,” he said. “I have two or three gentlemen who buy 10
to 40 guns a month.”
Who’s Buying Guns?
On a recent Monday in December, a steady stream of men kept
Chatto’s shop hopping with potential customers who came in to look
over the selection, shoot the breeze, or ask questions. “The foot
traffic in here is phenomenal,” Chatto said.
Women, too, come in to the shop. “There’s a huge increase in
women purchasing guns for themselves,” Brown said. “It’s just a
show of the times, not a fear thing, but some women just feel the
need to carry a weapon.”
Experience counts in the gun business and lends credence to the
staff’s recommendations, too. “The shop is based on our military as
well as our law-enforcement experience,” Brown said. “I know the
ins and outs of what someone is looking for.”
At Alpine, DeVaux offers a bottomless cup of high-caliber coffee
to anyone who walks through the door. “The average guy who comes in
here is a family man who enjoys guns, likes to swap and trade,”
DeVaux said. “Some people come in just to have a cup of
coffee.”
As DeVaux sells or trades, Chatto taps into the market for
custom-made guns. Certified as a gunsmith by Colorado School of
Trades in Denver, Chatto is currently building a Mauser 30.06 rifle
with an American maple stock. “It’ll take me a year to complete a
custom gun,” he said. Chatto, along with his staff, also repairs
guns.
As the Internet invades the retail industry, Chatto goes with
the flow. “Everyone looks online before they come in here, usually
know what they want,” he said. “We show them the options available
and let them make the decision.”
Concealed-Carry A Marketing Tool For Shops
When it comes to the gun market, there’s no doubt that
Colorado’s conceal-carry legislation has enhanced sales around the
state.
Conceal-carry permits are issued to any Colorado citizen who
passes the eligibility requirements to obtain a hunting
license.
“The number of women who have conceal-carry permits to protect
themselves is constantly going up,” DeVaux said. “This is a good
area to be in this kind of business.”
At the gunsmith shop, handguns are among the most popular
purchases, Brown added.
Second Amendment Is Here To Stay
When it comes to the Second Amendment, the shopkeepers
constantly hear concerns that the right to bear arms could be taken
away.
“I think it’s a valid concern all across the county. That’s why
you have political action groups like the NRA (National Rifle
Association) always trying to preserve our Second Amendment
rights,” DeVaux said. “But even people who are left of center
support gun ownership, even Obama supports gun ownership.”
Chatto and Brown have no worries on the issue. “First of all, I
don’t think that’s ever going to happen; there are too many people
who fought and died for this country,” Brown said. “While you can’t
get five people to agree on anything but, if it comes down to
somebody saying they’re going to take your rights away, I think
you’ll find more resistance than anyone can stand.”
Along the same lines, DeVaux says that states with the least
restrictive gun laws have the lowest crime rates.
Brown goes one up on the statistics. “Guns don’t kill people;
people kill people,” he said, laying a gun on the case and
demanding that it kill. “It’s the person who picks it up who can
kill.”
For law-abiding citizens, guns serve many needs and purposes.
“Colorado has a Western-type attitude; there are a lot of people
here who hunt. We have animals out here that could kill you,
mountain lions, bears, animals that people in other parts of the
country don’t have,” DeVaux said.