Rioting in Multiple Cities Drives Massive Surge in Gun Sales
Rise in sales began with Coronavirus pandemic and keeps growing.
Months ago, when the country shut down and you couldn’t buy a roll of toilet paper anywhere, people began arming themselves at an increasing rate.
Now that roving mobs of looters and rioters are preying on American cities, gun sales are reaching historic highs.
All over the country, people are rediscovering the Second Amendment. If there is any silver lining to what is currently unfolding, it is that gun control, as an issue, is dead for now.
Stephanie Pagones reports at the FOX Business Network:
Gun sales break May record amid coronavirus pandemic, riots
Gun sales spiked more than 80 percent year over year in May as consumers responded to safety concerns and civil unrest prompted, in part, by the novel coronavirus pandemic, experts said.
Approximately 1,726,053 guns were sold in May – a record-breaking 80.2 percent increase from last year, according to data released late Monday by Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting, which examines the raw data obtained from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS.
Of the firearms sold, 1,052,723 were handguns and 535,014 were long-guns, the SAAF estimated.
Similar increases were previously recorded through the months of April, when data showed a 71.3 percent increase from April 2019, and March, when an 85.3 percent increase was reported year over year, according to information previously released by the SAAF.
The FBI is swamped with background check requests.
Paul Bedard reports at the Washington Examiner:
‘Massive spike’ in gun and ammunition sales as FBI background checks break May record
Gun sales and FBI background checks on purchasers soared in May, which recorded the third-highest level of checks ever in the 22-year history of the federal system.
According to the FBI, there have already been more than 15 million background checks this year, used mostly for legal sales, putting the country on a pace to break last year’s all-time high of 28 million checks in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
May’s 3,091,455 background checks was the highest for any May recorded. March was the highest month on record, at 3,740,688.
Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting told Secrets that there was an 80% jump in gun sales in May 2020 over May 2019. That included a 94% surge in handguns.
This is not just happening in red states. The photo in the tweet below is from New York:
Line up for a gun shop in Long Island right now. +50 people and over a 2 hour wait. pic.twitter.com/SOVAfoc3Gk
— Clarion Project (@clarionproject) June 2, 2020
Update: the wait line is up to four hours ⏰
— Clarion Project (@clarionproject) June 2, 2020
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Comments
A little late now isn’t it?
“Never buy for need, only buy for wants”
You should have bought for need way back when….
Better late than never. Besides, until a bunch of those scum bags end up shot, they are encouraged to continue or repeat their nonsense.
Not yet, mr./ms 2smart. Just like Snohomish, Washington yesterday, today the thugs/racists/antifa from Portland are arriving in St. Helens, Oregon for a “protest.” The stores are closing early. The U.S. Post office is fully boarded up. My lovely wife and I spoke to several local police officers at the local Walmart. Their total available forces; City, County and the five State troopers (a total of less than 2 dozen) admitted that they are totally outnumbered. They are relying on, and have coordinated with local citizens, to provide a large group of armed residents to protect stores and shops.
The local motels are full with outsiders. Groups of outsiders have been seen walking through residential areas, taking videos of homes. The whole town is tense and hoping for no problems. We shall see. The antifa thugs from Portland are not used to being confronted by an armed citizenry.
Good luck and stay frosty.
Remember the Kelties worn on boots as noted in another story on LI for Antifa members. They will have something to differentiate themselves during a conflict.
Put Trump bumper stickers on all their cars. Maybe they’ll be so enraged they’ll destroy their own property.
I think their MO is to overwhelm LEO so they can commit mayhem.
Depends on the stomach of the prosecutor of whether this goes well or badly. If locals look out for locals and make a strong point against lawlessness, they won’t return. If the prosecutor lets them all out and kneels with them… well bend over kiss your butts goodbye. …though it’s been a while, St Helens doesn’t strike me as a community that will put up with the latter.
If the prosecutor wimps out, or is on the other side, tell them to be sure to wear plenty of blaze orange, otherwise they may have a hunting accident.
it is, so i have been told, never too late to come to Jesus.
or, in this case, to John Moses Browning (PBUH) and the First Church of 1911. 😎
YMMV
It’s not too late if you buy before you need to use it. Not optimal, but not too late.
I know it’s snarky and fun to assume the increase in gun sales is from new fans of the 2nd amendment, but there’s no reason to assume that’s true. There are plenty of supporters of the 2nd amendment who haven’t personally felt the need to own a gun before.
It would be interesting to know how many first time gun owners are in these numbers; from the intro to guns course at my local range, I suspect there are many. Whether they are hypocrites or not, the troubling implication is that many people feel a need to be armed now that they didn’t feel a few months ago..
Anecdotal reports are the dealers see ~40% of sales are ‘new’ people and ~40% of those are women.
YMMV
The wife was watching me strap on my trusty little S&W 642 (yeah, I am a FUDD. But at 70 I get to be one) and stated “I want to get a pistol and learn how to carry”. I suppose I should not have been surprised but I was very much so.
I am not stupid—I will get her to a range with some good instructors and go along for my own shooting. They will help her with everything. I will keep my mouth tightly shut.
look for an NRA sponsored “Women On Target” event in your area. you can start by searching the NRA website, who should have all said events in your area.
staffed by women, for women, it is an entry level introduction to all things firearm related.
the morning is classroom, going over the basics, safety, and demystifying the language.
the afternoon is on the range, primarily with 22 pistols. if there are men involved, they leave the macho behind.
it’s great training, and i agree: let someone else teach your partner: it prevents stress on your partner, and, in my case, she didn’t get any of my bad habits, so she is generally a better shot than i am, except for instinctual, non-thinking targeting.
My husband and I are both instructors. When we have couples in our classes, we separate them on the range. We don’t allow boyfriends/husbands to offer suggestions or interfere in instruction. They can compare notes afterwards. Our first time women shooters usually do very well. They don’t feel they need to prove anything and they take instruction very well.
Now there’s a guy who has been married a while 😉
I’m conducting transfers for people who just last year, argued with me about the need for stricter gun control.
I know it’s snarky and fun to assume the increase in gun sales is from new fans of the 2nd amendment, but there’s no reason to assume that’s true. There are plenty of supporters of the 2nd amendment who haven’t personally felt the need to own a gun before.
It would be interesting to know how many first time gun owners are in these numbers; from the intro to guns course at my local range, I suspect there are many. Whether they are hypocrites or not, the troubling implication is that many people feel a need to be armed now that they didn’t feel a few months ago..
Here’s one estimate on number of first time buyers:
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/retailers-40-of-2020-gun-buyers-are-first-timers-and-40-of-those-are-female/
How accurate this estimate is anyones guess.
I’d say about a quarter of the transfers I’m doing are for first time firearms owners. About the same for women. It’s the first time owners that worry me. They know absolutely nothing about guns. I try and walk them through the functions of their firearms when they come pick them up but they need actual experience. I’ve got several of them meeting me at the range this weekend so I can at least get them through the basics, at no cost to them. I’ll probably get them later this summer for concealed carry classes so it’s not really a loss to me but it really worries me to know they haven’t even mastered loading a magazine.
My husband and I fall into the strong supporters of 2A but we have never felt a need to own a gun until now. Shockingly we have never even held a gun in our hands….so needless to say we will be taking classes before we make our purchase.
might i politely suggest that you check out the NRA website for a “women On Target” event near you.
it’s by women, for women, and focuses on the basics in a one day course, morning in the classroom going over safety and demystifying the language, lunch, then over to the range for familiarization fire, usually with just 22’s.
the idea is to be encouraging, supportive and non-macho, so as to encourage continued participation. if there are men present ( i was at one) they won’t be out to prove anything, other than that you can fire Weapon X. the ladies i was helping were reassured when i told them everything i offered them a chance to fire belonged to my wife, who i would point out.
i had some of them firing 44 Magnums, and loving it.
Thanks….I appreciate your advice.
ASP and ASP extra on youtube… must watch.
In my experience I found it very tough as a civilian with no military experience and was not raised by gun owners to go from joe civilian to competent gun owner / shooter. Training can be really expensive and you’ll be hundreds in to it to hear the basic rules of fire arms. I credit the breakdowns and training tips on those channels for getting me going. I’ve since started competing in IDPA- and that REALLY is fun and will make you get better. Plus- your spending a Saturday with the coolest people on the planet for the cost of 20 bucks.
The inability or desire of cities and states to NOT intervene to save businesses and private property has reaffirmed that these governments have no will to maintain civil order. The insecurity that people have and mistrust of those governing is driving this. Punishing all with lockdowns and curfews only to leave the streets wide open to rioters and looters is a gut punch. Appeasing those that cannot be appeased only makes it worse. It’s all about whitey this and whitey that when so many minorities have seen their lives, futures and dreams ruined. The truth is that the far Left is armed to the teeth. The police are limited in number and can’t be everywhere. Virginia ignoring Trump to help secure DC and now even those that would rather burn it down than have military save the towns just shows how detached these people are from the citizenry. The vacuum is now being filled. People are armed to save their world while the Left has empowered those who want to take it away and destroy it either with funds and coordination a with the long term goal of disarming citizens.
Sharp and strong dealing with the looters and rioters over the years would have prevented this.
In SoCal, a bunch of Antifa got beat up and kicked out of a town. So there are glimmers of hope.
“In SoCal, a bunch of Antifa got beat up and kicked out of a town. So there are glimmers of hope.”
Good news, but just running a few out of town is unlikely to leave them with the proper impression. Under justifiable conditions, some need to be shipped home for burial.
I am wondering if the murders I heard about were Antifa’s work, or that of blacks?
In light of repeated examples of black rioting, looting, etc, over the past 50 years, and their general propensity for breaking law, I am not inclined to believe current conduct is another groups fault. Other groups are no doubt involved, but they were not around in the majority of past riots as cover to loot.
these governments have no will to maintain civil order
They will maintain order, all right. They just don’t care if it’s civil. The order they desire is to keep you under their thumb, and that requires occasionally letting the barbarians over the walls – so you stay properly grateful for the bread and circuses.
The Rural King near my house has a large Gun Department – it is completely sold out. Not one gun left to buy. Most ammo is gone. I talked to the manager, he told me that they have no idea when they will be restocked.
Going to a gun show this weekend, it’s the first one in the area in months. Imagine it will be like canned sardines unless they limit tickets. I don’t go to shows a lot, usually to look at old stuff, sometimes I might buy something. I know it will be ridiculous in there this weekend.
I have never seen this much Out Of Stock in my life. Across the board – handguns, long guns, ammo.
Imagine it will be like canned sardines
Egregious social distancing violations will then be the excuse to close it down.
So, the argument that people do not need a high capacity, semi-automatic weapon, aka “assault rifle”, to protect themselves sank when masses of people began roaming the streets looting and assaulting other citizens. It may be too late, for those who did not purchase such a firearm, several high capacity magazines and a large amount of ammunition, years ago, to find one now.
Also, have more than one firearm. Have several and leave several secured at home or in a safe place. If, by some chance you HAVE to shoot someone, you are going to lose the firearm, which you used as well as any others in your immediate possession, as evidence, until the case is resolved.
Count this as a second upvote
Guns in democrat areas will be useless: soros psychos in charge will isolate the area, and calmly go door to door confiscating them. They are registered, after all.There aren’t many non-crimonal fighters in democrat areas.
3D printed guns are the way to go.
Yep, and I’ll hand them over one bullet at a time
Well, none of my guns are “registered” because Texas is a free state, not a slave state. I would love to hear the conversation in a New York or California gun store when the previously anti-gun liberal shows up to buy some protection and finds out that you can’t “buy a gun faster than you can get a big Mack”. NY, CA and other slave states take 6-9 months to “approve” your Second Amendment right. And of course the slave states shut down their “permitting” offices because of the “pandemic” since they were not “essential”. So no guns for you subject.
I wonder how many – above and beyond that number – 80% lower receivers were sold? What’s the increase there?