Gun industry sees jobs increase 73%, overall economic impact up 158%, since Obama took office

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More than 7 years later, and as we (thankfully) near the end of the Obama presidency, there are many areas of the economy that are still waiting for a post-recession rebound. But Crain's Cleveland Business is reporting that one industry in which Obama has promoted growth - albeit against his will - is the firearms industry.

From the article, entitled "Americans are sticking to their guns, leading to big job growth in the industry":

An “unprecedented surge in gun sales created tens of thousands of jobs last year,” CNNMoneyreports, and Ohio is one of the biggest beneficiaries.

The website says the gun industry added 24,763 jobs in 2015 for a nationwide total of 287,986, according to data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, or NSSF. That's an increase of nearly 10% from the year before in manufacturing and retail jobs for guns, ammunition and related supplies, like hunting gear.

Job growth in the last few years has been "nothing short of remarkable," according to the NSSF, which reported a job increase of 73% since 2008.

The NSSF says the jobs average $50,180 in annual wages and benefits.

According to the article, when it comes to firearms industry jobs, Ohio ranks sixth nationwide, with an estimated 11,124 jobs tied to the gun industry.

According to the NSSF, the "economic impact" from revenue, wages, benefits and taxes totaled $49.3 billion last year, an increase of nearly 15% from 2014. In Ohio, that impact is about $1.51 billion.

President Obama has always wanted to blow up the gun industry, but we're certain this isn't what he had in mind.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.