Even before the Paris terrorist attacks – and attacks by Islamic fundamentalists around the globe – U.S. gun sales were increasing. Call it the “Hillary effect.” In the run-up to the presumptive Democratic nominee’s coronation, a woman who never abandoned her call for a new “assault weapons” ban, American gun owners were beginning to open their wallets. Again. Still. What’s new? . . .

New gun owners. As you’d expect given the heightened awareness of a terrorist threat and the use of firearms in the most recent atrocities, citizens who weren’t tooled-up are now doing so. We won’t see the exact numbers until the National Shooting Sports Foundation releases its adjusted monthly NICS stats. But it’s clear gun control advocates’ call for more gun control is falling on deaf ears. Again. Still.

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48 COMMENTS

    • Me too. Call it an early Christmas present to myself, PTR91 A3S from Atlantic Firearms. Load up on mag fed semi auto anything in the next 12 months. Full capacity mags too, while they’re available.

      • I’m buying AK kits and parts to finish them right now. I also need a few more AR lowers to consider myself ready for the stupidity of next years election. I still need more pistol mags in regular capacity. The FR-8 was on my want list, so I had to snatch it up.

      • I have an M44 also. I call it my range clearing device. Shoot 5 rounds from it and watch everyone around you start to leave.

        • Some 44’s shoot just fine with the bayonet folded. It’s really cool to have one that needs the bayonet in the fixed position to shoot well. People on both sides of you at the range step back when you unfold that pig sticker.

        • hehehe, i have a m38 so no pig sticker. when I picked it up after my 10day waiting period, first stop was the local range on forest service land, about 9 guys where up shooting 9mm and 5.56 without ear pro. Me and my cousin insert plugs and both put 5 downrange (he has a m44) and poof! In 5 minutes, they all disappeared, all cept the middle aged guy with muffs, he was just fine.

        • thats true ! my friend got me into them ,,hes got a real rare one, looks like a horse mounted cossack rifle ,, slimmer stock ,it looks like some litte .22 training rifle ,, this guy at the range said “thats cute ” till he touched one off ,,lol

    • Me, too! I was inspired by Sarah’s AR build here on TTAG to get one of Spike Tactical’s “The Jack” lowers. Now the fun begins…

  2. Human nature is a bit bizarre. Take Britain after WW2, once the danger was perceived to be ended the brits in a stampede to reinforce the mental illusion of peace and safety threw the greatest leader they ever had out and began panicked disarmament. When danger is perceived to be near, everyone arms up and shouts for more police, bigger army. Once the news quiets down those same people want gun control and budget cuts, more than slightly motivated by their obsessive need to once again reinforce their personal illusion of safety.

  3. The statistic I’d like to see is how many new “hunters” and “target shooters” get licenses in France, Belgium, Germany and UK (shotgun certificates for them as they are easier to obtain) after this latest wave of attacks. I have a sneaking suspicion that gun ownership in Western Europe is not declining as perhaps some of those in power would like.

  4. We are on track to reach 400 million privately owned firearms in the USA by the time President Hope and Change scurries out of the White House and back to Chiraq. I wonder, how long it will be before we hit 500 million? Do the morons in the civilian disarmament complex have long term plans or talking points or even a hashtag for that?

    • Best news is, probably half of all firearms are owned by veterans, they ain’t gonna give them up to some wanna be NWO government or the Unfriendly Nations. Yeah, I read an article about I think Belgium, you couldn’t find a shotgun for sale anywhere in the country, gun stores and warehouses cleaned out.

    • The numbers alone make the antis pause. A friend of mine who leaned left wanted to ban all semi-autos until I told her there were 350 million privately-owned firearms in this nation. She had a drink and gave up after that.

  5. Great news…but remember that RT is a propaganda arm of the Russian government, so they have an agenda even when they’re reporting information that is truthful and favorable for us.

    • They had to get in that last crack, didn’t they.

      “When America is scared, America buys guns.”

      I’ll add, that’s why America isn’t scared.

      • A state trooper pulls an old guy over for a ‘Failure to Signal Lane Change’ violation.
        “Before you do anything else,” the old guy announces, “I want to tell you that I’m armed.”
        The trooper asks, “What do you have?”
        Old guy says, “A .45 in my shoulder holster, a 9mm on my hip, and a .357 in the glove compartment.”
        Trooper asks, “That it?”
        Old guy says, “Well, no, there’s a 12 Ga. on the back floor boards, a couple of 30.06s in the trunk, and a .380 in an ankle holster.”
        Trooper exclaims, “Good God, man; what are you afraid of?!?”
        Old guy says, “Not a damn thing, son; not a damn thing.”

        🙂

      • I don’t really consider that a crack. Consider that when the rest of the “free” world is scared, they huddle in the fetal position, wail for mommy government, and throw their human rights under the bus as quick as they can, buying guns is the logical choice.

        It’s like saying if you’re scared of a house fire, you buy a fire extinguisher. And?

  6. Got a friend who never shot a gun before or showed any interest (would come with us to range but never wanted to shoot). Paris was his tipping point. We are going to get him a AR this week.

    • Who would go to a gun range and not shoot? I can see not wanting to go to the range, but to go and just stand around while other people shoot? That’s insanity. I’m glad he’s finally seen the light.

  7. Just in time for Christmas deals! The dumbocrats will ride this dead horse(or hag) ’till we have bulletproof majorities in congress/senate. Trying to add to the #’s…

  9. If anyone is looking for a great SHTF gun, I have a recommendation for you. I bought a Canik Tp9sa purely for shits and giggles. I have 1500 rounds out of it, every brand of ammo I have, jhp and fmj, strong hand, weak hand, sideways, etc. NO failures of any kind!! I got it from J&G sales for $290. Plus you can get 20 round mags for $25. The only thing I have noticed is a little finish wear on the barrel hood. If you want a new gun but don’t have a lot of disposable income, this is a good one. P.s. I bought the Tp9v2 and it is as solid as its sibling.

  10. Yeah, just acquired my second AR…a frankengun I built earlier this month. BTW, I’ve noticed that 5.56 ammo is starting to creep up in price lately too…which make sense.

  11. Of course we all know that the 300 million guns in the USA are owned by 10 NRA members. All other Americans are crying and yearning for more reasonable and sensible gun control…for the children!

  12. I would say that people are concerned and buying guns because of the terrorists who are also known as Donkeycraps.

  13. Oh yeah, when the terrorists strike you’re going to be just fine because you concealed carried a Savage Axis that day.

    Please. I want to know how many of these sales have been handguns because those are the only guns that you’re going to have with you if you’re caught in an attack.

    Handguns=peace time, rifles=wartime/SHTF

    • Believe it or not, there are places where people carry long guns on their property or in their vehicles.

      I would much, much rather have a .30-06 Savage or a 8mm Mauser or any rifle over ANY pistol for any situation where I need to squeeze the trigger.

      • But you’re not going to get attacked on your property in the woods by terrorists. They strike densely populated areas and nightclubs. Those are the places you need to be packing a slimline .380

    • Well, truth tellers, you said it yourself. “rifles= War/SHTF.”

      Ferguson riots, L.A. Riots, New Orleans after Katrina. Or an hours long terrorist attack that gives you time to go to your vehicle for a long gun.

      Need I continue?

  14. Another vital news article from Pravda.
    Still say people are more scared of the Donkeycraps than ISIS.

  15. Already got all the guns I’ll ever need and a few spares. And a few loaners. And a few “stash guns”. And a few trainers for newbs. And a few……gawddamn, I got a few guns.

  16. I helped the numbers this month with my first 1911. However, it had nothing to do with what is going on. It was simply because I wanted one.

  17. I have enough guns for the time being unless a good O/U comes along. I am replenishing the ammo reserves I shot up this summer though. Not because of the terrorist thing, simply because I’ve run low.
    Chances of a terrorist attack out here in rural squirrel country are basically nil.

  18. View from the ground: I was at my favorite indoor range yesterday (Sunday), and people were lined up with their new pistols still in the boxes. Wait time was 1.5-2 hours for a lane, when I’ve always just walked in before.

    Counter in the sales section was packed. And yes, from the questions some were asking, they seemed to be noobies.

    So, while I was disappointed that I couldn’t get in my range time (didn’t have time to wait around) I left with the warm glow of knowing the percentage of gun owners is ticking up. Had to wait quite a while just to get some ammo to go, but I was still happy I went.

  21. My two November purchases were both in .22lr: a Henry AR-7 survival rifle, and a North American Arms 5 shot mini-revolver with the built-in hand grip/holster.

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