COVID-19 Gun Sales Outpace Post 9/11 Surge, Hurricanes

[livingston]

Now, it looks like the surge in gun sales has outstripped the response to other disasters.

Gun shop owners have never seen such a surge in sales —not after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, not in reaction to mass shootings, not even when Category 5 hurricanes threatened to flatten South Florida.
Fear and uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic are motivating people to buy guns and ammunition as they seek protection from possible doomsday disintegration into lawlessness, with home invasions, looting, runs on banks, and fights over food, medicine, hospital beds and shelter across the land.
“Our sales are up 80 percent, with a huge increase in first-time buyers who are worried about martial law, economic collapse, unemployment, shortages, delinquents roaming the streets,” said Alex Elenberg, manager of Charlie’s Armory on West Flagler Street. “If you can’t defend your house and your family, what good are you?”
The United States is the home of the world’s largest gun-owning population per capita, where 40 percent of Americans say they own a gun or live in a household with guns. Even so, concern about the accelerating spread of COVID-19 is causing a spike in sales, according to sellers and data from gun-tracking agencies, such as the FBI’s National Instant Crime Background Check System, which saw a doubling of checks on applicant buyers last week.
In Florida, the number of background checks posted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which closely correlates with the number of gun sales statewide, has risen to unprecedented levels, up nearly 500 percent on Friday alone, with 13,192 checks recorded compared to 2,646 on the same date last year.

For many, this is shocking. How is this triggering more gun sales than 9/11 or many other natural disasters?

COVID-19 Gun Sales Outpace Post 9/11 Surge, Hurricanes

As the media began beating the drums of severity over COVID-19, a lot of people started buying guns

bearingarms.com

 

[IrishMick]

The difference is that so many are first time gun owners. During the previous natural disasters they are usually isolated to a region i.e.. Katrina was the gulf. I didn't feel the need to increase my inventory for an event 1400 miles away. Something like the Safe Act only effected NYS and most of the buyers were buying up things that were going to be verboten when it kicked in. Also most of the buyers were already gun owners. (Kind of makes you wonder that tons of people were buying guns that would soon be illegal. Ah, Im sure that they all made them compliant or registered them!). This Corona shitshow is Nationwide and a slowly spiraling downward event. With the massive panic buying people are also purchasing whatever they can get right now. As opposed to Obama and Safe type panics where nobody was in a rush to grab up an 870, Savage 10, or Winchester 94. Folks who have never heard the terms, are scared that this could become SHTF or TEOTWAWKI.

 

[BDinPutnam]

I'm drooling thinking of all the shit thats going to hit the used racks right around Christmas.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

I've noticed prices going up on everything from guns, rifle kits, ammo etc...

The panic buying is outpacing the inventory replenishment right now and prices are going up.

All is not lost if enough of these buyers are first time buyers, they get into guns, change their outlook and our side now has a larger political voice.

Ugh

 

[Calculon]

@IrishMick hits nail on head. Nationwide vs local impact. People finally realizing it won’t take much for their neighbors to turn on them over supplies.

Edit: 9/11 was different. Americans put differences aside for a while and focused on a common external enemy.

 

[Criticalt]

I've noticed prices going up on everything from guns, rifle kits, ammo etc...

The panic buying is outpacing the inventory replenishment right now and prices are going up.

All is not lost if enough of these buyers are first time buyers, they get into guns, change their outlook and our side now has a larger political voice.

Ugh

Ive been seeing videos and reading articles about the liberals in California waking up to their horrible gun laws.
Several online gun vendors are not even opening emails from California because most are people asking about the "online loophole" to buy guns.....this is after they realize how hard it is to buy a gun locally in Cali.
Liberals cannot believe they cant just buy a shotgun without a BGC and a 10-30 day waiting period.
Ive heard them saying things like, "im not a sicko school shooter! Why cant I buy a gun??"
Well, this is what you voted for idiots.

 

[Chevusa]

NEWS: 2.5 MILLION GUNS WERE SOLD IN MARCH – the highest sales volume in recorded history. -NRA

 

[BDinPutnam]

NEWS: 2.5 MILLION GUNS WERE SOLD IN MARCH – the highest sales volume in recorded history. -NRA

Followed in April by... zero.

 

[Chevusa]

Followed in April by... zero.

Probably not much left to buy at this point.