Americans Bought 13.9 Million Firearms in 2019
by Guy J. Sagi
The number of NICS background checks conducted by the FBI in 2019 came in at 28,369,750, the highest mark since the agency began the program in 1998. After an adjustment for the volume of concealed-carry permit applications, renewals and other administrative use of the system, Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting (SAAF) estimates the figure reflects total firearm sales of 13.9 million firearms last year.
“The industry ended the 2019 year with sales of about 100,000 more units than for the whole of 2018 (13.9 vs. 13.8 million units),” SAAF Chief Economist Jurgen Brauer explained in a press release this week. “While unit sales during 2020, being a U.S. presidential election year, may increase again (even absent politics, we estimate to about 14.4 million units), it is unlikely that the industry will return to its 2016 sales high of 16.6 million units.”
Increases in handgun sales are playing a critical role in the market’s improvement. “One trend that will continue, however, is of the U.S. as a ‘handgun nation,’” Brauer said. “Since 2014, annual handgun unit sales have handily outpaced annual long-gun unit sales in 2019 by nearly 2.3 million units.”
Nearly 400 million firearms in the US, and somewhere between 8 and 15 BILLION rounds of ammo.
Refs: American Rifleman, Wiki, Quora
Category: Second Amendment, The Constitution
Freedom!
And somewhere the (D)unce’s heads are exploding.
I hope everyone, from the government on all levels to the rest of the world (along with many in the U.S. itself like Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Robert Francis O’Rourke, and whole slew of several others) are looking at this and taking note of this. I especially hope they are looking at Virginia and paying very close attention. Gun ownership and the Second Amendment in the U.S. is going nowhere and if you don’t like it, I’m (un)afraid to say that is too fucking bad. It’s not our job as both a country and as individuals to please any of you. You can stay on your side of the fence and mind your own damn business if you don’t like it for all I care. Especially those on Quora.
Anymore I’m thoroughly convinced that the likes of Gaffe Biden, Butt-googly and Nanny Bloomers LIKE to show off just how out of touch they are with real Americans, that’ll further insure a Trump landslide, MAGA 2020!!
Well put API. As they say, pride cometh before the fall.
Sadly, I didn’t account for any of these purchases this time around. With any luck, my oldest daughter will get her M1 Carbine this year. If all goes really well, my son might get his as well.
So if any of Eric “Douche Nuke’em” Swallowell’s ilk are reading this: Yes, I am giving my small children semiautomatic firearms and teaching them how to use them!
Imma wid you here also TOW. Still in mourning for the tragic loss, in the quicksand bog, while crossing the lake, during the tornado on my way to tip over island. I did pick up a few boxes of pacifiers in assorted calibers.
Virginia is the next test case for the gunz grabbers. Molon Labe.
Yes Virginia, there is a second amendment.
I see what you did there.
As has been said, with “X” million gun owners, and “Y” hundred million small arms, and “Z” billion rounds of ammunition; if there was a problem with lawful gun owners you’d know it by now.
GOD BLESS our beautiful Nation.
Oops. I may not have contributed my fair share. Somebody said something the other day about a new Sig 320. Maybe I should have a look, or at least hear more about it.
And does it count if you buy more than one of the same thing?? Probably not. Was thinking that it might make sense to buy multiples so that you don’t have to waste time reloading. Ya know – arthritic hands and all. Just can’t reload as quickly as back in the day.
The local gun shop recommends buying a spare magazine or three. Two loaded, two letting the spring rest, then swap out the active and the resting mags occasionally. Used to have some that were always dependable and maintained their stylish figures well past middle age that way.
Wait. What were we talking about??
New sig 320 is sweet…..i mean was….flood loss and all
My Sig P220, tragically lost in the canoe accident, came with 3 mags. When I called Sig with questions about my problems loading the Sig Elite defensive ammo, they sent me another, free of charge, to make sure it wasn’t an ID-10-T error. (It was. sigh)
Made a kydex & leather mag holder, so that with a full load I have a full 25 rounds of “Don’t do that!” if I ever need it.
That was before the canoe accident.
I carry two spare mags for my P320. That gives me 46 rounds. When asked why so much I reply, “zombies, man.”
If you’re talking about carrying multiples of the same gun rather than reloading,n take a look at the new polymer framed, striker fired, 9mm Sig P365. The new P365Xl is 12+1 in a compact package. Mrs. ATC, 5’zip and 100lbs soaking wet, appendix carries the original (10+1) comfortably.
I’m doing my best to start 2020 off right. I purchased a bunch of stuff online, and am waiting delivery. Fun times await!
Those numbers miss blackpowder firearms, which in most places do not require the paperwork. It also is likely a guess for multiple sales on one check. (For example, Cowboy shooters buying a pair of revolvers, or a set or revolvers, rifle, and shotgun)
And those numbers miss all the do-it-yourself folks making their own guns from blackpowder kits and “80 percent” kits.
And the “ammo in hand” numbers seem way low, probably by an order of magnitude.
And then there are the folks with reloading presses …
I know Cowboy Action Shooters that use 10-15 thousand rounds a year, and Trapshooters that triple that count.
Yamamoto was right. There is a man with a gun and ammo behind every blade of grass.
Can we -please- talk the idiots “grabbers” out of starting a bloodbath? Please?
One can convert a black powder revolver to a cartridge revolver quite easily, with no gov’t record whatever.
I’d be concerned about ability to withstand the higher pressures of modern propellants if that were done.
YMMV
Not a problem. The Kirst conversion cylinders are proofed to withstand smokeless chamber pressures. I have shot one repeatedly with cowboy loads. However, I would not push the envelope with a magnum load.
Maybe they’re just buying them to “sell back,” or allow to be “recovered” by “the proper authorities.” Maybe they’re just investing in hard assets that increase in value if the market takes a downturn. Or perhaps their being realized and valued more by Americans as noise making party favors(mind that muzzle please). I wonder. It can’t possibly be that anyone thinks there’s any kind of mischief possibly looming.
Gun buyback? If they were to have one in my locale I’d fire some bottle rockets from a PVC pipe with a pistol grip attached and tell them it IS a Rocket Launcher when I tried to sell it!
Yeah, and they’d probably buy it! I gotta brother-in-law that buys estate stuff, usually some widowed person’s belongings that nobody in the family wants after he’s gone. He has a shit-ton of absolutely rusted out useless Spanish War, and WW1 stuff that are basically door props. Even the stocks are ruined. They’re not even any good for cleaning up and putting above a fireplace. I’d take a pick-up load of those as well. That’d be good for some $$$ and giggles. Me: “yeah, the high-power super capacity magazine-revolver clips are missing, but it’s a workable piece…how much ya gimme?” “Better to get it off the street sir!” “I’m a concerned citizen. These things are capable of violence!” Might be able to use a few as bludgeons. Never been one(gun buy)near me though. Hick in a hick county I guess.
Didn’t purchase any firearms in 2019.
I feel so left out…and lonely.
I’m gonna open the safe for hug.
Did my share. It is going to be interesting with Governor Racist in Virginia and his gang of idiots try to push their agenda further.
I’m all for the leftards continuing to screech for Gun Control, that will insure our side’s victory on Election Day!
The TARDOs on the left say that they are going to start a revolution while at least 98% of them can’t even start a lawnmower or figure out which bathroom to use!
I guess my well-documented purchase of that Walther PPK/S 22LR added to that, as did the purchase of its replacement Ruger SR22.
Decent weather today, may take the grandson shooting some.
I’m hoping that the Virginia debacle will be like the Iraq thing – some blustering to save face by the (D)unces-ragheads and then slink away when the adults show up.
It also doesn’t include all the guns sold at those evil gun shows without a background check.
After being stolen by a band of raging Austinian pygmies I unfortunately don’t have any guns left now…
I miss them too…..
NICS Background Check data actually presents somewhat lower numbers of possible weapon purchases as those in many states (i.e. Texas) who have a LTC permit are not required to undergo background checks to purchase a weapon.
I think you are mistaken. The national instant background check law is federal and applies to all sales by FFL licensed dealers in every state, irrespective of state statutes. State carry permits cannot supersede federal statutes on firearms sales. However, most states do not require any checks on private party transfers. If you have a carry permit and purchased a weapon from a FFL dealer, there was a federal instant background check conducted, you just may not have been aware of it.
Arizona does not do background checks on buyers with a CCL. Form 4473 is filled out and filed away by the shop, not submitted. Your CCL IS the background check.
How is it that AZ circumvents federal law?
I don’t have an answer for that. I only know that an AZ CCL is accepted in lieu of a background check. HOWEVER… AAFES in AZ won’t accept that, everybody gets a background check.
Apparently, several states are authorized to do this.
https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/citation/quotes/7748