Gun Ownership Growing in U.S. | Eastern NC Now

Stephen Gutowski of the Washington Free Beacon details Americans’ growing interest in owning guns.

ENCNow
Publisher's note: The author of this post is Mitch Kokai for the John Locke Foundation.

    Stephen Gutowski of the Washington Free Beacon details Americans' growing interest in owning guns.

  • Nearly five million Americans became first-time gun owners in 2020, according to a new report.
  • The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the gun industry's trade group, estimates that 17.1 million guns have been sold between January and August with 4.84 million Americans purchasing their first guns. The sales — especially to new owners — represent a significant shift in American attitudes on gun ownership.
  • "This is a tectonic shift in the firearm and ammunition industry marketplace and complete transformation of today's gun-owning community," Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel, said in a statement.
  • Wex Gunworks in Delray Beach, Fla., has been "slammed" with demand from first-time buyers, according to owner Brandon Wexler. Wexler attributed the surge — which threatened to cause supply shortages — to uncertainty fostered by the coronavirus pandemic and rioting in cities across the country.
  • "Since the eruption of Covid-19 and the age of protests new gun owners have flocked to the shop to buy firearms, accessories, and get firearms training," Wexler told the Washington Free Beacon. "We were slammed up through about six weeks ago, then inventory dried up from a manufacturing standpoint."
  • New buyers could represent a political boon for gun-rights groups and pro-gun politicians in the coming months or years. Some gun-rights groups have already seen memberships spike. The NRA, which is supporting President Trump's reelection, claims to have added 1,000 new members per day through the months of June and July. Another recent NSSF survey indicated that black Americans and women were among the fastest-growing demographics for new buyers. If gun-rights activists are able to make inroads with groups of Americans who have traditionally favored more gun control, the effect on November's election could be especially significant.
  • "These first-time buyers represent a group of people who, until now, were agnostic regarding firearm ownership," Keane said. "That's rapidly changing." ...

Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published )
Enter Your Comment ( text only please )




Agonizing: Cooper’s Response To Pandemic Inconsistent, Clumsy, Hurtful John Locke Foundation Guest Editorial, Editorials, Op-Ed & Politics Good Message Needed To Help Replace Chaos With Order


HbAD0

Latest Op-Ed & Politics

ruling leaves congressional districts intact = huge blow to Spanberger
illegal alien "asylum seeker" migrants are a crime wave on both sides of the Atlantic
If you are covering Roy Cooper in Greensboro today, please consider the following statement from the Republican National Committee:

HbAD1

Obama and Biden judges abuse power for political reasons to try to stop Haitian deportations
teachers union rally held on major socialist / communist May Day holiday
Democrats foment climate of violence against Trump and GOP
Cheryl Hines. Dennis Quaid. Nicki Minaj. All became associated with the Trump administration. What happened next?

HbAD2

A federal grand jury in North Carolina has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two charges related to making threats against President Donald Trump.
Their goal was simple: to put a Planned Parenthood in every mailbox in America.
Treasury officials allege these groups pose as humanitarian entities while covertly siphoning donations to Hamas.
President Donald Trump has publicly floated regime change and other aggressive actions toward Cuba.
With a new roadside plaque unveiled in Ellerbe on April 23, legendary wrestler and local resident André René Roussimoff is finally getting the formal recognition fans believe he deserves.
Following a string of attacks, critics are calling for denaturalizations. It's not that simple.

HbAD3

 
 
Back to Top