What is being called the Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday will take place Nov. 27-28 to coincide with the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season. The first sale in 2008 was so popular the General Assembly authorized another for 2009.

Annie, get your gun this week and save the sales tax.

Chan Holman, owner of Woody’s Pawn & Jewelry in Orangeburg, says last year’s sales tax holiday “was the biggest retail firearms sale ever in the history of our store.”

“Last year I got here late and the customers were lined up on both sides of the store and the parking lot was full,” Holman said. “I’m even thinking about tearing down a building next to the store (this week) and using it for parking.

“We’ll be open an hour early and staying open later depending on the crush of business. We have a lot of inventory to get rid of.”

South Carolina Department of Revenue spokesman Adrienne Fairwell says the state sales and use tax is waived on handguns, rifles and shotguns purchased Friday and Saturday. The tax holiday also applies to the collection of local-option and capital improvements sales tax.

In an e-mailed statement, Fairwell said DOR does not have figures for the 2008 gun sales tax holiday.

A list of non-exempt items can be found at the DOR Web site, www.sctax.org, under the “What’s New” section.

Depending on who you talk to, local gun sales are generally good despite the economy. But gun merchants say outside factors adversely affecting recent sales have them eagerly anticipating this week’s event.

Frank Wise, owner of Chief’s Guns in St. Matthews, says this has been an unusual year for gun sales.

“After the last election, the demand for guns and ammo went off the charts,” Wise said. “For the last few months of 2008 and first 5-6 months of this year, the demand was really high, but it’s fallen off in recent months.”

“I think folks are not buying any more because the demand has been satisfied,” he said. “I’m a very small dealer, but last year the sales tax holiday did increase sales by 100 percent for the month of November.”

Holman says he normally sells about 10-15 guns daily and 1,500 annually. During the first day of last year’s gun sales tax holiday, Woody’s sold 110. Even though gun accessories are not covered by the sales tax exemption, Holman says the tax holiday drives increased sales of those items.

“People are still worried their guns may be taken away from them by the Obama administration,” Holman said. “Right now ammo is extremely difficult to locate and so are guns. I belong to a buying group that allows me to purchase guns direct from the manufacturer rather than through the distribution process.

“Unfortunately, it takes a high volume of gun sales to make up for the low profit margin. I never imagined 7 percent (savings) would make that much difference to people, but they already have us setting guns aside for the sale.”

A random questioning of customers surveying the gun display cases at Woody’s Friday showed they support the gun sales tax holiday.

Mike Sullivan of Blackville says the taxpayer should receive any kind of break possible in a soft economy.

“It’s a good thing for gun owners,” Sullivan said. “I’m for the tax free sales for school supplies too.”

Dan Hutto of Holly Hill doesn’t have a problem with the sales tax holiday.

“I think it’s good for sportsmen if they want to buy another gun or people that are active gun owners,” Hutto said. “I know there has been a lot of talk but I’m not worried about (the government) taking away Second Amendment rights.

“But you never know.”

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5540.

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