ROCHESTER — Hagan’s Motor Pool of Rochester is inviting people to start the new year with a bang.

The car dealership is offering customers a free Glock 19 handgun with a purchase of most of its vehicles. Owner Mike Hagan hopes to give away 15 handguns by the end of the month.

He said the Glock 19 promotion began on Jan. 2. It comes after a successful initiative last summer, when the dealership was offering a free AR-15 rifle with the purchase of certain vehicles.

With the AR-15 promotion, Hagan’s Motor Pool was able to give away about 20 rifles to its customers, through a partnership with Renaissance Firearms, said Hagan’s wife, Amie, who is the office manager at Hagan’s Motor Pool.

The AR-15 promotion offering semiautomatic rifles with the purchase of a vehicle made national news last summer. The offer began in May, but didn't come to widespread public attention until June after the deadly attack in an Orlando nightclub in which the shooter used a semiautomatic rifle.

The Hagans say they have seen a great deal of support for their gun promotion.

“There seems to be a lot of Second Amendment supporters, and laws in New Hampshire allow us to have those guns,” said Amie.

According to Hagan, all but one of the AR-15 rifles had gone to veterans during the previous promotion. Hagan, a veteran himself, served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2012. He served as a combat medic during his tour in Afghanistan during 2010.

Both Hagan and Amie are gun enthusiasts and big supporters of the Second Amendment. Being fans of the Glock 19, “We thought it would be a fun gun to provide,” said Amie.

As part of the process, customers are able to get a free Glock 19 after purchasing a vehicle and passing a background check at Renaissance Firearms. For those who do not wish to receive the handgun, Hagan’s Motor Pool will offer a discounted price on the vehicle instead.

According to Amie, Hagan’s Motor Pool saw an increase in vehicle purchases during the AR-15 promotion. Some of the increased business came from Second Amendment supporters who opted out of the free rifle, but had chosen Hagan’s Motor Pool because they supported the initiative, she said.

Lauren Jones, business manager at Renaissance Firearms located in Barrington, said the Glock 19 is one of the most popular guns sought by customers.

“Beginners love it and even the experienced users, because they know they can rely on it,” said Jon Edger, sales associate at Renaissance Firearms. “It’s definitely a fan favorite.”

The Glock 19 is a semiautomatic handgun that has a capacity for 15 rounds in the magazine. Renaissance Firearms typically sells the handgun for $595. Jones said that the gun is easy to shoot, and has a simple design.

The rules surrounding the Glock 19 promotion are slightly different than the AR-15 promotion. While the minimum age for buying a rifle is 18, a customer has to be at least 21 years old to buy a handgun, said Amie. In addition, there are different rules for buying handguns across state lines.

As part of the background check, customers who purchase a vehicle from Hagan’s Motor Pool, have to visit Renaissance Firearms in person. The background check takes about 20 to 30 minutes, said Edger.

Increased business

Renaissance Firearms, previously located in Gonic, has relocated to 55 Calef Highway in Barrington last summer after a fire in Gonic that damaged several properties. Since relocating, the gun shop has seen a notable increase in business, said Jones.

She attributes at least some of the increased business to the new location — located off Route 125, the shop now has more visibility amid an increased number of cars that drive past the shop each day.

“Right away we started seeing new faces,” said Edger, adding that returning customers were coming in as well.

In addition, area residents’ interest in firearms seemed to have increased overall. Jones said that more women are coming in to purchase a firearm, such as for self- or home-protection. Even older residents who have never shot a firearm before are also coming in asking about firearms classes or wanting to purchase a gun to protect their homes and families, said Jones.