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An increase in gun sales to an all-time was widely attributed to nationwide anxiety due to the pandemic as well as social unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. One year later, gun retailers say firearms sales are on pace to surpass their peak at the height of the global health crisis, even with the US making significant strides in vaccinating people against Covid-19. Eric Wallace owns and manages Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna, Georgia. He said, “We expect to sell more guns this April than any other April we’ve ever had”. The 80,000-square-foot store opened in 1977 and advertises itself as the nation’s largest gun store. Wallace said that one factor driving gun purchases now is the latest round of federal stimulus payments distributed to most Americans.

He pointed out that Adventure Outdoors experienced a jump in sales in March. The increase came after the government started sending out the 3^rd check. Federal background check records and buoyant financial results at one of the Nation’s largest gun manufacturers support retailer reports of a flourishing firearms trade. He also said that some customers have cited what they see as the possibility of new gun control rules following a rash of mass shootings this year as the reason to buy a weapon. He said, “Whenever you talk about taking things away, people want it more”. The National Sports Shooting Foundation also said that around 5.5 million guns were sold in the US in the first 3 months of 2021. It was up 13% from the year-ago quarter and also the most guns sold in any 3-month period since 1999.

It is noteworthy that gun sales this year could slightly surpass 2020 when a record 21 million guns were sold in the US. The number is more than double the number of guns purchased in this country 2 decades ago. Only 8.5 million guns were sold in the United States in 2000. Point to be noted that Smith & Wesson sold more than 600,000 guns and accessories in its late fiscal quarter, which ended with January. It was at least double the same period a year before. An economist at Wellesley, Philip Levin said, “I don’t think we are in an environment where gun sales are going to fall anytime soon”. Gun shop manager Wallace said this year’s biggest sellers are concealed-carry handguns. He said that hunting rifle sales are up as well, although guns bought primarily for personal defense this year account for about 70% of his overall business.