Local gun show expects big turnout

President Barack Obama’s new measures aimed to limit gun violence by restricting certain types of firearm sales likely won’t have much impact on a gun show this weekend in Kalispell — other than perhaps boosting sales.

Part of Obama’s 10-point initiative, unveiled Tuesday, includes clarifications narrowing the types of gun show sales that don’t require the seller to have a license, and as a result conduct a background check.

“Court cases in the last few years have expanded the types of dealers that would require a license,” Lisa Meiman, a spokeswoman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Tuesday. “This is really just closing off another loophole, so they can’t just go to the hobbyist down the street or go to a gun show and skip that requirement that most Americans follow.”

She said the clarified language requires a license for those who “repeatedly buy and sell firearms with the principal motive of making a profit.”

A firearms license takes about 60 days to obtain and costs $200. Ammunition sales require another $150 license. Licenses must be renewed every three years for $90.

Selling guns without a license is punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both.

Brian Kjensmo owns Sports Connection Inc., a Billings-based promotion company that organizes gun shows in Montana, Idaho and Washington.

His company is holding a two-day gun show at the Flathead County Fairgrounds beginning Friday.

While he noted that his company complies with all federal, state and local gun laws, he characterized the new requirements on small gun dealers as burdensome and doesn’t expect they will cut down on criminals’ access to firearms.

“That would be like having a yard sale and being told that you need a retail license because you’re in the business of selling,” he said. “You just got tired of your hunting rifle and just decided to trade it in for a different rifle. Are you a dealer? No. You’re just an average sportsman doing a trade-out.”

He said that most firearm violence is committed with illegal guns and cracking down on gun shows is unlikely to change that.

“A person with criminal intent is going to find a way to get a firearm,” he said. “Case closed. Criminals don’t go to the gun shop to buy a gun — they steal them.”

Meiman acknowledged that the data linking gun deaths to legal, undocumented gun sales are poor, but she said increased scrutiny at gun shows is just one part of a larger strategy to make it more difficult for criminals to get guns.

“What we hope to accomplish is preventing violent criminals from getting guns,” she said. “That is our primary objective.”

Kjensmo, however, insisted background checks are not working.

“If it could be proven that all these criminals were getting guns from gun shows, I’d say it needs to be addressed,” he said. “I don’t really believe there’s any solution to the problem at all. If someone has criminal intent, they’re going to get the job done.”

Aside from possibly forcing a few vendors to obtain licenses, he added that he thinks the new rule would have little impact on his upcoming show’s success.

“I think the gun show this weekend in Kalispell will have record attendance.”

The gun show is Friday from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. at the fairgrounds.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.