Measure 114 Threat Driving Up Oregon Gun Sales

As I sit here at my computer, typing this, there are a ton of things I kind of want to buy. That includes a lot of guns and accessories. I don’t really have the money for it right now, but I’ve got plenty of time in the future to get them.

But what happens when a law comes along to try and ban something that’s on that list?

Well, that item moves up on my priority list, and I’m more likely to stretch myself to get it here and now, that way I have it when it’s gone.

We saw this happen in 1994 with the assault weapon ban. A lot of people who never really were likely to get an AR-15 went out and bought one right away, before they were gone, and it became the most popular rifle model in the country.

Now, it’s playing out in Oregon on a slightly different scale.

The potential for new Oregon firearm restrictions is driving residents to gun stores.

The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld Measure 114 under the state constitution last month. In 2022, voters approved the gun control law, which bans the sale of magazines able to hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition and requires a permit to purchase a gun.

The rollout of Measure 114, though, is still on hold as the Oregon Supreme Court decides whether to hear a challenge.

Matt Sutterfield, manager of Black Flag Armory in Medford, said he’s seen an increase in demand following the recent court ruling, as Rogue Valley residents look to pick up guns before any restrictions are in place.

“Most of the past month has been just a madhouse of customers in the store, waiting in line for for help and service,” Sutterfield said.

He said high-capacity magazines are especially flying off the shelves. And customers aren’t only inquiring about products, said Sutterfield, but about the law.

“We have not only customers calling on the phone, but emailing us, coming in the store,” he said. “I’ve even had local police officers coming in to ask us about updates because it’s so unclear.”

So, folks are buying up things now so they don’t have to navigate the law later.

The thing is, a lot of those people probably wouldn’t have gotten anything without the threat of Measure 114 hanging over their heads. They’d probably make do with the magazines they already have and might decide that it’s never really the right time for that new gun they’ve been eyeing. They’d never pull the trigger, so to speak, on any of those purchases.

But people make decisions differently when there’s a limited time in which to do something. 

For the same reason a lot of people like in New York City for years and never visit the Statue of Liberty, people who sort of want a new gun or some more magazines don’t really worry about it because it’s always there for them when they’re ready.

When the law rolls in to take away that, they respond like a tourist in the Big Apple looking for the ferry to Liberty Island.

As a result, a law meant to reduce standard capacity magazines and gun sales has prompted a lot of people to start buying things they probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

Brilliant job, you absolute mushrooms in Oregon’s legislature.

Especially since I’m still pretty sure the law will eventually be overturned by the courts.