America’s anti-gunners insist that U.S. gun ownership is in decline. They attribute the huge surge in firearms sales—as indicated by the rising number of mandatory FBI NICS background checks—to existing owners buying more guns. I doubt it, but then maybe so. It seems ’13 NICS checks are following historical patterns, only more so. [Year-on-year comparo chart after the jump]. If it is true, if the number of American gun owners is shrinking, well then think of the potential! As we’ve said before, it’s past time gunmakers marketed HARD to non-gun owners. Smith & Wesson J-frame sales (for example) would go ballistic if S&W reached out to newbies through non-gun internet media. Anyway, Smith et. al are still selling everything they make so there’s no real incentive to break down barriers. But there will be. Oh yes, there will . . .
How would an anti-gunner know who is buying guns? They would never go into a LGS and see for themselves.
They don’t, but they will spin almost any piece of info they can to push the gun control they want, and ignore all the info that doesn’t help them push gun control.
You mean inconvenient info like The Right to Keep and Bear Arms Shall not be Infringed?
According to the anti-gunners only Ted Nugent buys guns, the rest of us just spread them around illegally.
It’s like everything else progressives say and do: If they wish AS HARD AS THEY CAN (squinting and mimicking straining on the toilet), the desired results will be obtained.
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What exactly are NSSF-adjusted NICS checks?
I think that it only includes NICS checks that are used for gun purchases and not those used to for carry licenses, permit renewals, etc.
Guns are certainly back on the shelf and allegedly in a few months ammo will be as well. Then all these factories that have expanded and are running 24/7 will need to find new customers.
That said I’m in MA, gun control central and our PD’s are getting permit requests like crazy, Basic pistol courses are filling up fast and clubs are experiencing tremendous growth. My club’s membership went up almost 50% from April 2012 to this April, other club’s members have reported similar growth, and every meeting we’ve added women and yes even school teachers to the rosters. So, there’s definitely increased interst in the shooting sports.
based on NICS something like 15-20k firearms were sold in april in MA. judging by the gun control peoples comments, they all went to one guy’s trunk, headed to the Bronx. lol
dwb, what source did you get that from? Would like to see it.
The gun control people in MA like to blame NH and VT for allowing our gangbangers to get illegal guns. Thing is the violent crime and murder rates are half of MA in VT and NH (both tied for 2nd lowest homicide rates in the nation after HI). So yeah, let’s make them more like us because they’re obviously doing something wrong.
On the FBI website, they bust out NICS checks by state. MA, for apr were 22,616. VT: 3608.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/nics-firearm-background-checks-1998_2013_state_monthly_totals-033113.pdf
what would be *really* interesting is to see state data on permits. That would be a good indicators of new shooters.
Great info dwb, thanks! You said something about commenters though was that for a specific site?
State info on permits would give good data for the bad states, but not so much the others. NH allows open carry, you don’t need a permit to buy handguns or long arms, only to carry concealed. VT is Constitutional carry, no permits for anything. Same goes for other states, at least with long arms most don’t need any permit, many don’t need one to purchase handguns, just to carry concealed. So that wouldn’t give you any data. I’m sure Obama would be happy to “fix” that though 😉
Wow, that table illustrates in no uncertain terms that the lack of Federal Firearms Licensees and all the other red tape that applies to the District of Columbia has a huge chilling effect on firearms acquisition. Case in point: Guam has 160,000 residents who queried NICS 532 times this year … versus the District of Columbia with 632,000 residents who queried NICS just 261 times this year. So D.C. has about 4 times more residents than Guam but queried NICS only half as many times.
“judging by the gun control peoples comments, they all went to one guy’s trunk, headed to the Bronx. lol”
That was a caricature of the typical gun control zealot comment i get (e.g. on the NYT). God forbid, you should ask why people go to all this trouble to traffic in black market firearms, who is buying it, or where criminals get several hundred dollars for a nice handgun in these poor neighborhoods like the Bronx or South/West Chicago. Look! over there! a bloody shirt!
Barack Obama – Gun salesman of the year 4 years running. I bet this year wont be any different either.
Perhaps an industry presentation of a Gold Plated AR (with all the nasty “Asslt Weapon” options)?
Give Feinstein the runners up trophy: a gold spray painted AK with a shoulder thing that goes up and a cop killer high capacity assault bullet magazine clip thingy.
Let’s not forget slow joe. A double biden shotgun with the breech welded shut so he can’t shut thru doors and endanger innocents.
Obama definitely gets top honors in the gun selling department for being a black guy with a D after his name who had the absolute gall to go and get himself elected President twice, which scares the piss out of certain people, but I think the Gun Salesman Of The Year award has to go to Adam Lanza, without whom Dianne Feinstein would still be a little known Senator with an axe to grind that we laughed at occasionally.
“Obama definitely gets top honors in the gun selling department for being a
black guylame duck president with a D after his name” There, fixed that for ya.I’m more concerned with his lack of competence, than his “gall.”
Yup it’s certainly not like Obama has made anti-gun comments in the past or attempted to degrade congress after M-T went down in flames. Nor did he fly the families of the Newtown atrocity down to the capital to lobby for M-T. And he’s an NRA life member, why me worry?
I can add that I had never owned a firearm, and at 35 years old have purchased two in the last 8 months. Three things precipitated my purchases:
1) Possible regulations that might prevent me in the future.
2) My concern over the direction of the country, and thus a need to be prepared if things keep heading in a negative direction.
3) Having gun issues featured so prominently in the media caused me to research gun culture in order to understand both sides. (Since I never trust what Washington and the mainstream has to say) I found a fun and interesting hobby.
Cool. Good for you. I got into the hobby late as well. 23 for me. I dove in face first for most of the reasons you listed, as well as having a desire to be able to protect myself with appropriate force if need be.
same here, i grew up around rifles and shooting but besides a shotgun that i bought with my house 6 years ago i didn’t buy any other firearms until this year (I’m 28). I’ve now got C&R license, a 1921 Mosin 91/30, a 1903 Steyr m95, a 1938 Swiss K31, all the reloading equipment and dies i currently need, 5 AR-15’s being built, 1 AR-10, and a 1911 (started them all on 80% receivers)
If my local indoor range is any example, women and new owners are buying and practicing. Memorial Day at Ultimate Defense in St. Peters, MO had all 18 stalls filled (all with at least two per lane) and there was a long waiting list to get assigned a lane. And this was with an ammo shortage!
If gun ownership was actually in decline, the gungrabbers wouldn’t be trying to hard to ban them.
Somewhat like Andrew I got started late. After the service, I didn’t touch a gun for thirty years. Then my son and a nephew got me started again. I now own four pistols and two rifles and have bought & sold two other pistols. I feel like I’m just getting started. I have to agree with other posters that my decision to get involved again stems from concern over the direction the country is taking. Given that CONTROL, not of guns, but of Us seems to be the new direction I cannot sit idly & watch this fiasco continue without taking some step to protect my self & my family.
I’ve been taking new shooters out about once a month hoping to turn some to the “dark side”.
IF its only the same owners buying more guns… then why is Illinois seeing record numbers of FOID applications?
A FOID is needed to buy and possess guns and ammo.
“Currently the Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau is experiencing a record number of Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) card applications each month.”
http://www.isp.state.il.us/images/foidapp_chart.png
Some interesting numbers in that state by state breakdown.
For 2013 Kentucky shows 793,484 checks.
For 2013 Texas shows 783,773 checks.
For 2012 Kentucky shows 2,589, 358 checks.
For 2012 Texas shows 1,436,132 checks.
US Census (2012 estimate) says Kentucky has a population of just over 4,380,000, and Texas has a population of over 26 million people.
According to BATFE, as of May Kentucky has 1025 Type 01 Licensee’s ( Dealer in Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices (Includes Gunsmiths).
Texas has 4,356 Type 01 licensee’s-
https://www.atf.gov/sites/default/files/assets/inside-atf/2013/0513-ffl-by-state.pdf
I have a hard time thinking that more background checks for guns are being conducted in Kentucky than in Texas.
Hmmmmm
Jeff
i keep hearing the rumor that Texas is all hat and no cattle. Just sayin’.
1.The number of Firearms sales shank way down in Gun Sales is 0.75 % too. The number of F.F.L.s license’s were cancelled out too. State License is canceled out too. the Rentals F.F.L.s & State Licenses is cut off too. By 126 Stores of Gander Mountain c. By chapter 11 is the reason is number of Stores are closing up is up too. it True!!! Some Stores Remain open for business too. it True!!!
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