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Business has been brisk at a North Okanagan gun shop of late.

The reason? Coronavirus concerns, according to the owner.

In an interview with Global News on Friday, Dave Brown of Eagle Industries Ltd. In Vernon said people who are watching the news see the panic buying that’s going on at grocery stores.

As a result, he said whether the grocery store shortages are real or imagined, gun owners are looking to potentially defend their families and food stores from others who aren’t stocked.

“I wouldn’t say [this is a] fear, but it’s a concern,” said Brown, who owns Eagle Industries.

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Brown also noted that those coming to buy firearms and ammo at his business are regular residents, and that he has yet to see someone buy a stockpile of items from him.

“Nobody’s buying large-quantity purchases,” he said.

“What we’re dealing with is people who say they have a .22, a shotgun, a hunting rifle, so they’re buying one or two or three boxes of each round for each firearm that they legally own.”

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Brown says Eagle Industries is a multi-faceted business that also performs aluminum fabrication and provides bee-keeping supplies. However, the firearms aspect has “taken off pretty good.”

However, in saying that, Brown says because of this week’s upswing, he’s projecting a downturn — one that could last a while.

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“Unfortunately, as a business owner, my sales will probably drop right off for six months,” he said. “Once people are stocked up, obviously they’re not going to need any more, or not feel the need to go out and purchase volume.”

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He did, say, though, that summer is nearing and that gun owners generally head out to shooting ranges once warmer weather hits.

“Shooting is a good sport,” he said, “and it’s quite popular in this area.”

Global News has contacted other gun shops but has yet to hear back from them.