Record arms sales in the U.S.: Americans bought arms in record numbers in 2020 during a year of unrest

Record arms sales in the U.S.: Americans bought arms in record numbers in 2020 during a year of unrest

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Industry data and background checks on firearms show that nearly 23 million guns were purchased in 2020, according to Small Arms Analytics, a consulting firm based in Greenville, South Carolina.

That’s an increase of 65% compared to 2019, when 13.9 million weapons were sold, according to Small Arms Analytics.

Since there is no national arms register, firearms industry publications and background checks are the best sources for evaluating sales.

FBI background checks on gun buyers have increased throughout the year, but the biggest jumps – March, June, July and December – have coincided with periods of political and social upheaval. Background checks do not correlate directly with the number of weapons sold.

In March, the FBI conducted more than 3.7 million background checks – a month that coincided with the start of pandemic blockades. This represents more than 1 million additional background checks than carried out in March 2019.
During the riots that followed George Floyd’s murder by the police, background checks increased again: to 3.9 million in June and 3.6 million in July. This compares to 2.3 million background checks in June 2019 and 2 million in July 2019.
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And political uncertainty after the presidential election coincided with a jump in weapon background checks in November, by 3.6 million, and in December, by 3.9 million. This compares to 2.6 million in November 2019 and 2.9 million in December 2019.
The jump in arms sales also continued in 2021. In January, as protesters invaded the United States Capitol and a new government took office, the FBI was inundated with 4.3 million requests for background checks – compared to 2, 7 million orders last January. These checks are initiated by arms dealers.

Background check requests decreased to 3.4 million in February, but are still 23% higher than in February 2020.

There have also been notable increases at the state level:

– A record number of Georgia residents have been checked on the history of firearms in 2020:

904,035, an increase of almost 68% over the previous year.

– In Michigan, January background checks increased 155% over the previous January.

–New Jersey saw a 240% increase in January over January.

Ken Baye, owner of Stoddard's Range and Guns in Atlanta, said he is seeing a different type of customer today: new snipers.

‘It looks like we live in chaos’

In arms and distance stores, business is booming.

Syra Arzu, 38, an Atlanta resident, wanted to buy a Glock pistol. But the store was completely sold out, so she chose a Smith & Wesson.

The single mother of three young children says she has never felt the need for a gun until now.

“It seems that we live in chaos and that is giving me some kind of control over that chaos,” said Arzu.

As soon as Arzu got hers, her friend was convinced to buy one for herself. And another friend who accompanied Arzu to the gun shop picked up his new gun last week.

“So you’re welcome, arms industry,” said Arzu.

Ken Baye, owner of Stoddard’s Range and Guns in Atlanta, said he is seeing a different type of customer today: new snipers.

“We see a lot of women coming in, a lot of couples, people with children,” he said. “We are really seeing virtually every path in life.”

Arms sales in January set a new record after the Capitol insurrection
Philip Smith, founder of the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA), says that many of those who buy weapons today are people who, five years ago, would never have imagined they would have a firearm. Covid-19, he says, was the game changer.

“This was something that made people, regardless of color, regardless of their social background, their economic situation, say to themselves, ‘OK, if we don’t have food next week, what are we going to do to protect ourselves and our families? ‘”

NAAGA is seeing steady growth of about 800 to 1,000 new members per month, said Smith.

Industry data and background checks on firearms show that nearly 23 million guns were purchased in 2020, according to Small Arms Analytics, a consulting firm based in Greenville, South Carolina.

Other recent increases in arms sales

It is not uncommon for arms sales to increase when a Democrat wins the White House. The election and re-election of Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 were followed by waves of arms sales.
The previous record of 15.7 million guns sold in a calendar year was set in 2016, when many gun aficionados feared that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would win the White House.
Dabney Evans is concerned with numbers of a different kind: homicides, suicides and injuries. Associate professor of global health at Emory University, she says studies show that more guns mean more deaths and injuries resulting from them.

“If we look at the global picture, we know that we have much higher rates of gun ownership in the United States than in other countries, and we also know that we have even higher rates of violence and unintentional injuries due to gun ownership.” Evans said.

Evans says that if people want to arm themselves, nowadays the best way is to wear a mask, wash their hands and get the vaccine.

Arzu already follows that advice, but he still feels better with a gun in his house, which she keeps locked in a safe.

“It’s like a security blanket,” she said.

CNN’s Chauncey Alcorn contributed to this report.

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