Analysis

Data Shows April Marks The 13th Straight Month Of Record Gun Sales

   DailyWire.com
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The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms industry trade association, on Monday released adjusted data on the National Instant Criminal Background Check System’s (NICS) statistics, which provide insight into the number of Americans purchasing firearms. According to the data, April was the 13th straight month of record firearm sales. 

NSSF adjusted numbers pull out the number of background checks used for concealed carry permits and rechecks to isolate the number of checks used for firearm purchases and transfers.

According to the NSSF’s adjusted data, 1.694 million background checks took place in April, a 0.9% increase over April 2020. 

Interestingly enough, there was a 21.1% increase in unadjusted NICS numbers over April 2020. Last month, 3.48 million total background checks were completed, compared to 2.87 million in 2020. That means there was a 21% increase in the number of Americans who are carrying a firearm, particularly with a concealed carry permit. 

The NSSF attributes the sky-high numbers to two factors.

“Americans are buying firearms for concerns for personal safety and for White House and Congressional efforts to limit and deny the ability to purchase certain firearms,” NSSF’s Director of Public Affairs, Mark Oliva, said in a statement. “The continued gun control statements by President Biden, many of which have been fact-checked and debunked as false, are driving sales.”

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, Americans have been purchasing firearms at a record pace, with first-time gun owners making up a large portion of those purchases. In addition to President Biden and the Democratic Congress’ gun control push, Americans are concerned about their safety. When protests turned into riots last year, following the death of George Floyd, some Americans realized they are their own first responder. Having the CHOP zone, where law enforcement, fire departments, and medics were shut out, reaffirmed that need.

Since taking office, Biden has called on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban, make background checks universal, eliminate “ghost guns,” and ban high-capacity magazines.

“I’m the only one ever to have passed an assault weapons ban. I’m the only one that ever got a 10-year ban on assault weapons and clips of more than 10 bullets,” Biden said. “Immediately upon us becoming an office, having an attorney general, I asked him to put together the things I could do by executive order, including dealing with new guns that can be made, you can buy in pieces and put together, and other, and other initiatives.”

“And I strongly support and continue and never stopped supporting the ban on assault weapons and magazines that hold more than 10 bullets,” he explained. “… The folks who own weapons, the folks who own guns, they support universal background checks, majority of them think we should not be selling assault weapons. Who in God’s name needs a weapon that can hold 100 rounds, or 40 rounds, or 20 rounds. It’s just wrong. And I’m not going to give up till it’s done.”

RELATED: What Is A ‘Ghost Gun’ And How Are They Regulated?

Beth Baumann is a Political Reporter at The Daily Wire. Follow her on Twitter @eb454.

The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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