There were 2,642 background checks requested in the first 13 days of the month, up from 1,453 in the same period in 2007, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The newspaper interviewed buyers who said they feared President-elect Barack Obama, a Democrat who said during the campaign that he supports "sensible" restrictions on gun ownership, would try to have some varieties of guns outlawed. Some also said they feared the Democrats might increase taxes on weapons and ammunition.

"I went out and stocked up on ammo. I bought 20 cases of rifle ammunition," Kyle Troeger of Muskego said.

Sam Eaton, who owns Fletcher Arms in Waukesha, said his sales have been 30 percent to 40 percent above normal. He said he began noticing an increase in business in the last few days before the election and said it has continued.