The United States has witnessed an unprecedented surge in firearms sales, with a record-breaking 48 consecutive months of over one million gun purchases, according to the latest data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The figures, released at the end of July, reveal a slight dip from July 2022, but still surpass the numbers recorded in 19 of the 24 years since the background check system was implemented, The Washington Examiner reports.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the industry’s trade group, confirmed that July 2023 marked the fourth year in a row with over one million adjusted background checks each month.
The adjusted figures, which account for likely firearms sales, stood at 1,023,903 for July 2023.
Mark Oliva, the NSSF spokesman, commented on the significant milestone, stating, “This is a remarkable milestone of four continuous years of over 1 million background checks for the sale of a firearm. That’s no small achievement and is indicative of the strong and sustained appetite for law-abiding Americans to take ownership of their Second Amendment rights.”
Oliva attributed the sustained high levels of gun sales to a combination of political factors and concerns about safety.
He criticized the Biden administration for its stance on gun ownership, saying, “This milestone was achieved in the midst of the continuous attacks by the Biden administration, which has demonstrated nothing but contempt for the Second Amendment and has twisted the levers of government to impede the ability of law-abiding citizens to legally possess firearms of their choosing. Americans are sending a clear signal each and every month. The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is not up for negotiation.”
The data also suggests a shift in the demographics of gun owners.
Reports indicate an increase in first-time gun purchases among women, African Americans, and city residents, coinciding with a rise in urban crime rates.
A recent study by Rutgers University, highlighted by Secrets, suggests that the actual rate of gun ownership in the U.S. could be as high as 60%, double the rate typically reported in polls.
The study posits that gun owners often misrepresent their ownership status to pollsters, leading to an underestimation of the true figures.
