Racially charged protests in Ferguson are fueling an exponential increase in gun sales among mainly white customers at one of the country's premier shooting ranges.

The Ultimate Defense Firing Range and Training Center in St Peters, outside St Louis, Missouri typically sells three to five guns a day, but in recent weeks the number has risen to 20 or 30.

"We've seen a tremendous run on handguns, specifically, because people have an element of fear with what's going on in Ferguson," said owner and active duty police officer Paul Bastean.

"Some of them that live in that area definitively are here because they are afraid. Especially two nights ago when there were gunshots all over," Bastean said.

Ultimate Defense sold 33 guns and shooters fired 18,000 rounds on the practice range on Tuesday, the day after the protests 32 kilometers away degenerated into arson, looting and live gunfire.

After a second night of protests saw a police car torched and shops attacked in Ferguson, Bastean said he sold 21 firearms in the first three hours of business.

AFP