Shares of U.S. gun makers have surged in the wake of the massacre of 14 people in California last week, following a pattern that has grown more common in recent years when high-profile mass shootings have spurred firearms sales as well as calls for gun control measures.
Since last Thursday's shooting in San Bernardino, California, the deadliest burst of U.S. gun violence in three years, Smith & Wesson shares have surged about 17 percent, compared to the S&P 500's 1 percent loss. Sturm Ruger shares have gained about 10 percent.
Shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. have soared 126 percent this year while Sturm Ruger & Co. shares have surged 67 percent.