Gun company boss says Democratic presidential win will boost sales

• Sturm Ruger CEO Michael Fifer expects big jump if Clinton or Sanders wins
• Fears of gun control and supreme court changes would drive sales

Rupert Neate
Thursday 25 February 2016 22.04 GMT

The chief executive of gun company Sturm, Ruger & Co expects a big jump in already heightened demand for firearms if a Democrat wins the presidential election in November.

Michael Fifer told investors on Thursday the company made $172m profit in 2015 and could expect more in 2016 if Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders becomes positioned to appoint future supreme court justices.

Fifer said fear that a Democrat will get to replace the conservative justice Antonin Scalia, who died earlier this month, would send consumers rushing out to buy more guns because of concerns that gun control laws might be tightened.

“I think we’ll see a step up in demand if a Democrat wins the election, particularly so if they win the Senate,” Fifer said on a conference call with investors.

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