(courtesy The Truth About Guns)

U.S. Sees Highest Black Friday Gun Sales in Recorded History newsweek,com’s headline proclaims. “According to the FBI, there were more than 175,000 background checks on Friday, making it the busiest Black Friday in recorded history.” Normally, a gun buying surge preceeds or accompanies the threat of government regulation. This Black Friday ballistic blowout came after pro-gun Republicans stomped anti-gun Democrats at the polls. OK, there was the Washington State universal background check fiasco. But generally speaking, gun times are good. So what gives? Was Ferguson a factor? What did you buy and why do you think so many people bought firearms last weekend?

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126 COMMENTS

  2. Big brownell’s order. Premium roll pin set, ultimate pro magna tip set, leather vise jaws, some other stuff.

    • Jonathan: “Ummm….Kobashi? What are you rebelling against?”

      Kobashi: “……Whattayagot?”

    • Strap them all to your body and you will have become Neo.

      I hope the 1911’s were all different models, or at least purchased as gifts if not.

      I like them as much as the next guy, but having six identical 1911’s seems kind of boring.

      Also, why 8 Glock 42’s? Are you going to give them different sights at least? Are you aiming for the ultimate EDC New York reload?

  5. I actually bought a gun. I made an unexpectedly profitable sale at my shop on Friday, and the local Academy had a one-day sale on those Heritage Arms .22 SA revolvers–$70 off of a $170 dollar gun. Been wanting one for a long time, so I impulsively held out a C-note from my sale proceeds and bought one. Now I can get a .22 magnum cylinder from Heritage for another $30, and I’ll have a $200+ gun-and-a-half for $130. Obviously had nothing to do with anything other than “one-day sale meets extra money in hand”.

    • I bought one of those a couple months ago with the .22 mag cylinder. One of my favorites now. The magnum is a blast when you can find it. Best part is since it takes longer to fire and reload, you conserve that precious .22. Some advice though, since it’s a rimfire, it will mar the chambers if you try to shoot it with the traditional SA 5 round load. If you’re going to shoot it that way use an empty case in the sixth chamber or buy some dummy rounds in case you lose count. Not saying you can’t count, just that well I can’t.

      • Hadn’t thought of that–they are careful to tell you not to dry-fire it, but also tell you to only put “5 beans in the wheel”. Guess I could use that empty case that came in the box… 😉

  7. a feed ramp polish and a barrel re- crown from the sig shop. i didn’t get my original barrel back, but it cycles rounds by hand like butter now. easy enough to do, but they warned me of warranty violation, so off it went.
    and a stainless trigger from tillamook. sig says it will not violate the warranty.

  9. Lots of .410 shells in target loads and 000 buck, to feed the new Mossberg she doesn’t know is sleeping under the tree. One brick of .22lr. And from the nrastore, a pair of ladies boxers and jammies in pink with a pistol print. So cute.

    The shottie itself and my Henry lever were actually pre-Black Friday, so those don’t count.

  10. Nothing this year. I’m saving up for car parts. Once I get the new exhaust and wheels for the car, I’ll probably pick something up.

    As for why they racked up so much in sales? I’d say it’s the same reason everyone else spends buttloads of cash–because it’s all cheap. Every major gun retailer was offering deals on just about everything, many almost too good to pass up.

    • Makes sense. Probably a lot of pent up demand as people waited for ammo availability and pricing to turn around. Add in a full GOP Congress and a lame duck, lame ass Prez, and folks may figure happy days are here again (or on their way), so go ahead and spend on what you want.

  11. Hogue overmolded stock with a full bed block for the Howa 1500 .308 Varmint Barreled action that I purchased.

    The rig will eventually have a Timney trigger and be topped off with a Burris scope.

  12. Didn’t buy anything, but I did check out the two new ranges opening here soon (both were doing tours).

  13. I picked up a 64 gun safe for about half off, it came with a pistol safe, too.

    I ordered a 450XVR the day before Thanksgiving and picked it up yesterday so I guess its not a Black Friday buy. Neither were the brass, projectiles, dies, scope mounts, rings, and scope 🙂

  14. I grabbed the two academy pistols. 1 heritage and 1 Taurus pt111. I wanted 2 heritage pistols, but they only let you buy 1 of each. So my big boy gets a 9 this year instead of a .22

  15. two boxes of bulk .22lr
    Heritage Rough Rider Single Action revolver for $99 at Academy
    Magpul AFG
    Magpul AR grip
    B.A.D. lever
    AR PMAG 30 for $7
    HL Impact Sport ear pro
    .308 poly lower pre-order from TNARMS
    UTG bipod

    …good times were had.

  17. Stormfront has lost its village idiot…

    or

    More likely a troll, faking it – one of the wannabe anarko-jihadi-bezerkly trust fund kids who can’t get a job at Starbucks with their five years degree in post modern social justice diversity theory…
    probably got their cell phone stolen in Ferguson, and is now back to mom’s basement, to troll here, hoping to get paid for clicks by OFA, or change the narrative for the Nudge Team.

    • Uh, that was weird. I was replying to the troll typing in caps about racial blah blah blah- after Noish and about 4 others… I guess the troll deleted the post, and or mods did, and that deleted all the replys, and reset my post in the regular queue?

      The reason I say that is just after pushing the button to post, I went back to check, as I usually do, and noticed the earllier posts were gone… and btw, tried to go back and edit it, but timed out…shorter than normal…

      any feedback there mods? is it something I am doing- running Palemoon v25.1, now out and finally completely unchained from Firefox,
      paired with AdBlocker Latitude and Ghostery…

      Ahhhh…no popups, autorun, or annoying ads…

      Maybe absence of cookies is freaking out your WordPress editor?

      • I did see the racist rant, in CAPS and misspelled. I wondered how long it would take to get it off the thread, as it had nothing to do with the question asked. There are some weird people out there… making a good case for not allowing the crazies to own guns.

  18. As for why folks are in a buying mood, there are probably several factors: lots of discounts this weekend; the panic of 2012/2013 made hundreds of thousands of new gun owners, and at least some of them are probably now buying a second (or third, or tenth…) gun while prices are low; gas prices are down, putting a little extra money in people’s pockets; pent-up demand from some buyers who had been refusing to pay panic prices; etc, etc…

  20. I bought a Hi-Point carbine (995TS) because I traded mine for a Glock last year.

    Honestly, I missed the Hi-Point. It’s extremely reliable and a soft shooter. Found it only for $229 and I couldn’t pass with that price.

  22. SWFA SS HD 1-6x24mm scope, Pretty good deal at 25% off. Going on an SPR style AR-15 for now. But will be mounting in in a LaRue QD mount to swap onto other guns as desired, maybe AR-10 partner in the future.

  23. A primos rifle rest that fits a new tripod.
    I put a couple of scratches on my Sako while hunting and kind of cried.
    Good stable rest at any height.

    I think new buyers from last year got hooked on the joys of shooting and they are just expanding their collections.
    And now they’re going to be buying more ammo. Get ready for ammo shortage #2 in a few weeks….

  24. I bought sanity and reason — enough for the whole country. It was cheap because no one wanted it.

  26. Nada, I played golf in 40 degree weather. Then I was forced to go to Tysons Corner mall but it was 8PM and the crush was over.

  27. Nothing. $challenged. And yeah I think Ferguson Missouri had a bit to do with it. Some staggering online deals too.

  28. Kel Tec P-32 and ammo to feed it
    Ruger 10/22 stainless
    2 boxes of .50 AE. At $26 a box, I couldn’t pass it up.

    I’m hoping Santy Claws bought me a progressive press.

    • If you would be so kind, where do you acquire N4 lowers? Been looking for a while, just haven’t found any.

  31. I purchased a Plano All Weather Tactical case at Academy and a pair of Swank’s soft sided pistol cases from Amazon. Right now I’m eyeballing the Midway USA Range bag

  32. A beautiful new Ruger SP 101, and a 22/45 Lite, and I also started the paperwork for a Gemtech surpressor. Also got alot of .22 LR. and 38 special and 357 magnum ammo…. really wish shooting the bull would do snub nose 38/357 magnum test. Wink wink…

    • Agreed 100%! There is no need for STB410 to keep doing tests on the calibers that there are tons of good choices for and tons of videos about them. He needs to do a video for .38s out of a snub nose. Out of snub nose revolvers I have seen tons of videos with ballistic fails from even the best such as Hornady, Gold Dots, etc. in .38.

      • STB is very appreciative of ammo donations, you know…

        Send him some and you may get your .38 snubbie post…

  33. Got a good deal on a couple of pepper sprays. Couldn’t afford anything big because I also picked up a new suit from alterations I’d bought Veteran’s Day.

  39. I think Ferguson, Missouri was a factor.

    I didn’t buy anything.

    I think a lot of people purchased firearms last weekend for the simple fact that firearms are a handy tool to have — and a vital tool to have when someone breaks into your home or threatens to burn down your business. More and more people are waking up to the reality that they can only depend on themselves to protect themselves. And those people have acted upon that realization with their purchases.

    • I won 2 axis’ in both 308 and .270 last christmas.. topped the 270 with a redfield 4×12 and the 308 with a Nikon 3×9.. switch out the stock to a boyds stock after shooting it..it makes a world of difference.

  41. I didn’t spend any cash, but I made out with ~50 pieces of brass and a pound of powder for my 30-06 from my father-in-law.

    It was a little depressing as the powder still has the price tag on it, $1.39. If only I had started reloading sooner.

  42. I just ordered a new glock 19! What motivated me? I thought is was for a good price, if i was worried about Ferguson type protests here(which I’m not) I’d have bought some AK drums.

  43. Finally picked up a scope I’ve been eyeballing for months. The only factor for me is that guns and gun-stuff are expensive, but sometimes less so this time of year.

  44. Not a thing. No lines, no waiting around for NICS to clear, no Sturm und Drang for me. I’ll wait a while until things calm down a bit, and then I’ll strike hard and strike fast.

  45. Sig .22 conversion kit for p226. Because free shipping, and I’d been waiting for them to come back in stock. I don’t have a .22 handgun, and it’ll be useful for introducing young’uns to handgun shooting, if ammo is available.

    I think Ferguson was a factor, but with me it was more a factor in what I’ve been carrying in the car when driving in certain areas last week. Instead of just my little carry Kahr, I’ve been car-carrying a Sig p227 that has a light on the rail and two 14 round mags.

  46. Bought some reloading supplies that I had been putting off. I bought a couple guns but not from stores. I usaually save up through the year and wait for some of my poor planning friends to call with a great deal on one of their beloved guns. It’s amazing how people forget that christmas is the same time each year-like it sneaks up on them.

    As to why so many sold- big thing is that they went mainstream. Have you ever took someone shooting and they said “no, that’s not for me”. More men, women, and families are getting into shooting which means it’s publicly acceptable for even more men, women, and families to spend money on a new found hobby.

  47. I bought pretty much everything (still need a sighting system) I need to build my first AR. Here’s a list of the highlights:
    – 16″ Odin Works barrel in 223 Wylde
    – CMC Flat trigger
    – BCM BCG
    – MEGA lower
    – BCM upper

    Came in about $200 under budget, even factoring in tax (supported some LGS) and shipping.

  50. 2000 rounds of ammo for the range. Why did so many Americans buy guns? Because Obama has only just begun dictating presidential orders, and people are afraid of the post-Constitutional America Obama wants to build.

  51. Hornady reloading setup. The kit was at a discount, but then they also threw in a sonic cleaner free and there’s a mail in rebate for 500 bullets to be picked off a list of options. All in all worth it. Off to start mass producing my ammunition.

  54. I picked up a Pietta 1858 New Army revolver, brass frame. It’s not strictly historically accurate, I know, but it was the cheapest while still having excellent reviews, and it looks like it’ll be fun to shoot!

  55. I haven’t bought any guns yet, but so far I’ve gotten 6 fifty round boxes of .22LR and 170 boxes of Winchester A-A 12 ga. trap reloads. Also, while at Gander mountain, I got some warm socks, gotta have warm feet when I’m shooting.

  56. I bought a dozen new guns (at least, lost count), but then I lost them all the next day in a Tragic Boating Accident. 🙁

  58. 2 pairs or range pants,
    New range vest
    Pistol rug
    assisted folding knife on close out

    Sadly nothing that requires an NICS check.

  59. I bought the high point carbine in .40 S&W. Cyber Monday special. My first foray into the whole modern rifle thing. Figured it was better to give it a try with a $300 pc carbine than a $1k AR.

    • I hate you but I like you at the same time. 🙂

      I’m trying to decide between the USP 9mm and the USP Expert 9mm.

  62. Couple Pmags.
    Some .17 HMR
    A pretty good bit of .38 Special and .357 Magnum
    Some foty-five.
    Some other crap I didn’t need.

  64. I bought a tacticool stock set for the 10/22 Takedown on Friday then yesterday agreed to buy a Saiga 12 from a down-on-his-luck buddy. I have some of the bits to convert it but dropped another Franklin on the rest online last night.

  66. Primos dying rabbit decoy for coyote hunting 20% off at a local sporting goods store. Walmart in mid michigan had savage b mag 17 wsm for $217 out the door, if it wasn’t for the fact I was just passing through and didn’t have time for a 2 hour wait to have the NICS check done I probably would have purchased.

  68. “What Gun Stuff Did You Buy During the Black Friday Weekend?”

    I bought Jack. What (very) few deal there were didn’t interest me. Any deals that were out there will be replicated or improved upon in the next four-six weeks. In my opinion, that is. They don’t let me bring the crystal ball home from work.

    Most anti-climatic Black Friday gun and accessories offerings I’ve ever seen.

  69. Friday I picked up a stripped lower for a song. The next day at another gun shop, I found a CZ40B at a reasonable price.

  70. Two used-by-Italian-police Beretta 92s’s via PSA. Ordered them black friday, and I got the call to pick them up on Monday. Great deal at $259 a pop.

  71. I bought my youngest a Savage Model 10 wood/Nikon combo in .270. What a nice gun. Love the accu-trigger and balance. The Nikon is a good scope and works well in .270. It’s a nice package and the price was too good to pass up.
    Other than that, I bought a “bit” of ammo. All of the .22lr was $.05 per round or less.

  73. Didn’t even leave the house, but a co-worker went to our local Bass Pro store at 5 AM since they had 300 bricks of Winchester .22 LR; for $25.00 each . (one per customer) He was in line when a woman seemed to want to go through the line; he waved her on, and she stayed in front of him. Being in the Christmas spirit, he let her stay there. He ended up being # 301.

  74. A Ruger 10/22 (my first) on Tuesday before. Then found .22 ammo available, for the first time in over 2 years, so got 4 boxes of 325 each of that on Black Friday. Then 6 spare magazines for it on Cyber Monday.

  76. A sub-MOA Savage Mk2 FVSR 22LR bolt + 10rd mag + Accutrigger + threaded barrel for $195.
    Followed up by a serendipitous purchase of a historic Amazon low price for a Nikon rimfire 3x9x40 BDC for $84.

    Then I got some cheap 9mm subsonic at Freedom Munitions with free shipping and I was the one of the first 50 on Sat morning and won a box of 45ACP.

  77. I bought my limit of 22LR ammo on Thanksgiving day. I came back to the store on Black Friday, and they were already sold out. So I bought another thousand rounds online.

  80. Lionheart LH9. For 400 direct from lionheart, I couldn’t pass it up. Plus 3 mags. And 10 AR mags. Couldn’t miss the good deals. I went on a knife buying spree lately as well

    As far as riots and protests, I’m not real worried any of that stuff will last anyway.

    I also just put a light on my 870. For things that go bump in the night.

  81. Didn’t buy anything and stayed the hell away from the stores.

    FWIW, gun sales might have been up over Black Friday this year, but BF sales in general were down 11% from last year, according to Marketplace Radio today. In the context of an overall decrease in BF spending, the increase in firearms sales is even more significant.

  82. A Smith and Wesson 9L police trade with Trijicon Night Sights and 3 mags from Bud’s, which was a steal at $429. Just shot it today, it was manufactured in 2012 and has nary a scratch on it. It ate 150 rounds flawlessly and fits my hand like a glove. It is a shame they are no longer in production in that configuration.

    3 Talon grips for the 9L, a Shield, and an M&P 9c.

    2 Comp-Tac Infidel hosters for the 9L and the Shield.

    A Viridian green laser and pocket holster for the wife’s LCP.

  83. I could not find the guns I really wanted on sale any where. However I did find a really good deal at PSA for a pistol lower, regularly 199.99 on sale for 129.99. Also I got the SIG arm brace with matching dark earth pistol grip off Amazon for 124.99 regular 147.99. now I will wait to save up for a pistol length upper, unless i find a really good deal. I do want to say that the record numbers of NCIS checks were nice to see, but it does not even come close to the total sales of firearms. Many people bought on line and shipped to an FFL, so their NCIS is delayed until they pick up what they purchased.

    • Check out the complete pistols at Primary Arms manufactured by Radical Firearms. Price is $599 shipped. It would be difficult to buy a complete pistol with a Sig brace for less scratch based on my research. When I picked it up at my LGS, the owner agreed that he probably couldn’t build one at his cost for much less than that. I have one in 556 @ 10.5″. Sure, it is a bunch of “mil spec” no name parts but as received it looked great, seemed to be well made with Aero lower/upper and MPI stamped/properly staked BCG. The rail is solid and heavy as hell and will likely be replaced at some some point with something lighter from Midwest Industries. The pistol runs great on steel/brass with no issues. For kicks I threw my scope on it and it was shooting 4-5″ groups at 100 yards seated off the mag as a rest using PPU brass 55g on a cold a$$ windy day. Very impressive for a range toy.

      Black Friday purchase was limited to Warne RAMP scope mount which I got for $77 bucks at Cabelas. I almost the pulled the trigger on a new Leupold scope for my Tikka but my wife put the tuition bill for spring semester on my desk Friday morning and shut that down.

  84. There was a gun show at the civic arena in town on black Friday. I managed to pick up a couple pounds of smokeless powder… a few enbloc clips … 2 spare magazines for the for one of the toys… an AR500 steel pop up pistol target and 1000 124gr FMJ RN 9mm projectiles for reloading.

  85. A lot of parts for several new AR builds including a pistol with the new Sig Tac Brace. There were some fantastic Black Friday deals this year and availability has never been better. Now is the time to buy, buy, buy Gun’s, Part’s, Ammo Etc! You never know who will be in the White House in 2016? Could be Hillary (God Help US!) and the party would soon be over. Scored a Noveske 10.5 inch stainless barrel at Midway for $312 with free shipping and you never normally find those on deal!

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