Possible expansion to firearm background checks coming

Rumor has it President Barack Obama will be issuing an executive action soon to expand firearm background checks to private sales as well.

Right now, only those with federal firearm licenses need to perform a background check when someone buys a firearm. Those who sell privately or at gun shows aren’t required to.

Davy Crockett has been selling guns he’s collected for 60 years. He recently lost his federal firearms license, which means he’ll only be able to privately sell guns for money.

“(Selling guns is) the only way I’m going to eat,” Crockett said.

If Obama’s executive action comes to fruition, Crockett is worried about the extra hoops he’d have to jump through.

“If I want to give a gun to a grandson I don’t want (to have perform) a background check or anything like that,” he said. “The more government (involvement) we have the worse off we are.”

Crockett assures he isn’t against background checks, he just doesn’t see the need to expand it to private sales.

Joe Morrell, owner of Gunslinger’s in Old Town Pocatello, isn’t too worried since he already has to perform background checks. What does worry him is the potential bans to follow, specifically on tactical style firearms he sells.

Morrell foresees an immediate change in the gun business.

“What’s in stores is already here, so those are just going to get sold off quick. Then the prices are going to jump really high,” he said.

Morrell also says people can have gun shops facilitate sales to help run background checks.

Obama is expected to issue this executive action by mid-January.