State Gun Bill Sponsor Doesn't Believe it's Controversial - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

State Gun Bill Sponsor Doesn't Believe it's Controversial

When the 62nd Wyoming Legislature beings next week, one of the bills being discussed is House Bill 73.

If successful, the bill would make Wyoming the fourth state with an official state gun.

State Representative Richard Cannady of Glenrock is the sponsor for the bill. He was first approached about the idea of a state gun in May of last year by the Platte County Shooting Association.

"They took a survey of all their members and people down there and they thought this .454 Casull would be a good gun for here," Cannady said.

The model 83 .454-caliber Casull is a hunting gun made by Freedom Arms in western Wyoming.

Utah became the first to name a state gun in 2011. Two other states have followed suit since then.

"After Utah had theirs, I thought it was a good idea. Kind of emphasize that we're one of the western states and it's a hunting heritage here," Cannady said.

Cannady has been in the gun ammo and supply business for more than 25 years and over the past three weeks he's seen business increase significantly since the school shooting in Connecticut.

"Up till the last two or three days, the cold weather has slowed things down, but you couldn't even walk in this door. People packing everything they could out," Cannady said.

Customers are coming from all over the region to get their hands on his ammunition.

"Yesterday morning, we had people from Denver, he had people from Billings, people from Salt Lake City," Cannady said.

Cannady's store, Glenrock Components Inc., does not sell ammunition for assault weapons and despite the nationwide debate over gun control, Cannady doesn't see his bill as controversial.

"China had a guy that went crazy in a school over there and knifed a whole bunch of kids. It just don't make any difference what you have. The crazy people, if they want to do something, they're going to do it," Cannady said.

Early response to the bill has been positive. Representative Cannady says he believes Wyoming will officially have a state gun on July 1, 2013.

"I don't see any resistance in it. We've got several of the House Representatives and several of the Senators that have co-signed it, so I don't think it'll be any problem. It won't cost the state any money. It's just a symbol," Cannady said.