Are The Rise Of Zombies Causing Rising Gun Sales?

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - Pittsburgh can be said to be the birth place of the zombie phenomenon  thanks to George Romero's "Night of the living Dead," which came out in 1968.

Since that film, there have been countless movies, books, comics, and TV shows surrounding the undead, and their popularity has increased exponentially in the last few years. As zombie presence rises in pop culture, real life gun sales are rising as well, and research shows the two are related.

George Hill, former Army Ranger, gun expert, and tactical firearm instructor, says he's seen it with his own eyes.

"I sell guns professionally, and it's amazing how many people are picking up an AR-15 or tactical shotgun and saying 'Oh yeah, this will be great for the zombies.'"

But Hill says that while there are a few serious zombie preppers, most of the people citing zombie repellent when buying a gun are using it as an analogy. It's all about being prepared to defend yourself if a real disaster happens, like a major storm, riot, or even war.

KDKA-AM's Larry and John talk to Hill about the realities of why so many guns are being sold, and what real disasters you should have a gun for.

"It's not so much for the storm, but for other people," says Hill. "It's for protecting your stuff, and security for your preparations."

And while Hill may not necessarily believe a zombie outbreak could happen, it's always good to be prepared.

"Even the CDC has an entry on zombies."