Firearm sales have increased 350% in Austria in what experts explain as ‘unease’ over the influx of migrants.
In the final quarter of 2015, statistics show increases for gun permit applications, gun dealers further reported a huge demand for self defence weapons including tasers, blank firing guns and pepper spray.
This comes months after shotguns sold out across the country as residents became increasingly worried about migrant numbers crossing the country.
Styrian police said: ‘Most people said they wanted a weapon because they didn’t feel safe’.
In October, shotguns were reported to have almost sold out across the entire country.
‘We cannot complain about a lack of demand,’ said Stephan Mayer, a gun merchant. ‘People want to protect themselves.
‘Virtually all shotguns are currently sold out, because you need no permit for them’, said Thomas Ortner, spokesman for an arms dealer in Upper Austria.
A central weapon register was introduced in June 2014 to record all legal firearm sales and this year more than 14,000 new weapons were purchased.
Read More: Boom in demand for self-defence weapons
