Opinion
Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- In May 2019, there were record numbers of background checks in the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) run by the FBI. It bested the next closest May, done last year, by 347 thousand checks, or about 17 percent.
Last May, the total number of background checks were 2,002,992. This year, in May of 2019, they were 2,349,309.
Not all NICS Checks are done on the sale of firearms. A growing number of checks are done on carry permits and carry permit rechecks.
In May of 2018, the carry permit checks were 876,501, and the permit rechecks were 202,011. In this May 2019, the permit checks were 817,967, and the permit rechecks were 494,527. The total of permit and permit rechecks were 1,312,494. The total for May of 2018 were 1,078,512, or 233,982 more than last year.
This leaves the background checks not related to permits or permit rechecks about 114 thousand more than last year. 2018 non-permit or permit rechecks were 924,480. In May of 2019, they were 1,036,815, an increase of 12 percent.
Several other factors complicate attempts to correlate background checks with increases in the private firearms stock. Sale of previously owned guns at a retail store or otherwise though a Federal Firearms Dealer, requires a background check. In that case, no increase in the gun stock takes place. Twenty-five states do not require a background check if the purchaser has already undergone a background check to acquire a carry permit. Carry permits in those states are likely to be a significant percentage of adults.
Outside of New York and California, 8.63% of adults had carry permits, according to the Crime Prevention Research Center, in 2018.
The permit and permit recheck numbers are heavily inflated by numbers from Illinois and Kentucky. Those states account for 38% of all permit and permit rechecks because of multiple checks and rechecks per individual per year.
Overall, the United States continues in a boom of firearm purchasing that started with the election of President Barack Obama in late 2008. In the four years before the Obama Presidency, 2005-2008, there were about 43 million checks done. In the last four complete years, 2015-2018, there were 102 million checks.
The population increase from 2008 to 2018 was about 7 percent.
There is no doubt the number of firearms in the United States has increased enormously during the last decade. There is no doubt the number of people actively carrying guns for self-defense has also increased enormously.
Most of the increase appears to be related to the push for more controls on guns by the politically Progressive in both parties. When there are more calls for restrictions on gun ownership, and what guns may be purchased, or calls for banning popular models such as the AR15, more people buy guns while they perceive they can obtain them legally and easily.
Similarly, when people perceive society as becoming dangerous, fragmented, or ideologically hostile, they are more likely to buy guns, ammunition, or to obtain a carry permit. When society is settled, peaceful, and nonconfrontational, and people believe there is little reason to own a gun, gun sales may drop.
On the other hand, the nation is experiencing a period of incredible prosperity. Nearly anyone who is willing to work can find a job.
Guns are often considered a luxury item. Many are status symbols. Perhaps it is merely prosperity that is driving much of the current gun sales.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30-year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
To remove all the guns in this country is a job bigger than all the democrats put together. I would predict that many of their lackeys would lose their lives by trying to confiscate from a lot of people. Of course, they won’t be doing the dirty work themselves because they are the elite and command stooges to work for them. If you are a stooge or a lackey get smart now and tell them to go do their own dirty work.
Everytime a democrat talks gun control, cost and supply are always affected. We know their goal is to eliminate the Second Amendment by any means possible. This debate will always exist because antigun agendas are purely political and those politicians who support this ideology want to remain in control. We also know that those feel good measures disguised as gun laws are useless and ineffective against a part of society that has no regard for rules, regulations or laws. Politicians who believe that disarming the law abiding will somehow make criminals less dangerous are as equally dangerous to society as… Read more »
But wait! Shannon Watts and her groups are claiming victory in eradicating the ‘cockroaches’ that are pro gun. Apparently the politicians and gun control groups are disconnected from public opinion on the issue and as usual are just pandering for votes.
IMOA someone should tell the gun control crowd when they continually propose gun registration, bans, restrictions on magazines, ammunition or related gun components they cause a run on these items? Never mind don’t tell them, they already know it but are too stupid to stop themselves.
The tighter the liberals, Democrats and the government tighten their grip on guns and ammo with restrictions and unconstitutional laws or the threat of such, the more guns and ammo will be bought and sold, and given the level of future restrictions, eventually used.
Clearly, when gun and ammo controls are proposed, sales of both skyrocket prior to implementation. California being the latest to place restrictions on ammo, as a result, ammo sales increased. Likewise, recently when the Southern District Court in CA found the standard capacity magazine ban unconstitutional, sales of said magazines skyrocketed to the point distributors, flooded with orders, depleted stock. Anti gun, pro control ideologues haven’t figured it out, the more they push their draconian infringements, the more the citizenry purchase the intended target. Now these same ideologues attack the commerce clause, not only advocating banning the sales of a… Read more »
I agree. Priceless. I remember when I received an email from ShopRuger.com, explaining that they were “doing everything possible with suppliers to keep up with the unforeseen demand”.
-and that was just a few months ago, mid March of 2019.
– better yet, they are now fully restocked.
I read an article a year or so ago that claimed if the feds had to go door to door to take away everyone’s firearm that the country would go broke. After seeing what happened in the state of New Jersey with no one turning in their bumpstocks and high capacity magazines……… we are good.
@Richard, I don’t foresee gun confiscation occurring that way. I think the government will use fake cyber attacks to cause electricity shortages leading to fuel, water, and food shortages. The government will then ration food, and if you bring a firearm in, to the the bureaucrats, you will receive extra food rations. They won’t be coming to our homes.
@Wild Bill, I think you have a point. I’ve felt for some time, firearm confiscation would come with conditions. It could be a false flag catastrophe, through the banking industry, or even through health insurance and Social Security requirements. This reveals to me the fact that remaining free and able to defend ourselves has much to do with being prepared for living, and includes many things not related to guns and ammo. A hungry, cold, and suffering individual is more agreeable to unacceptable terms. If you get my drift.
The future of perceived scarcity, adding purchase restrictions and barriers to entry, such as fees, etc. These actions clearly placed in front of Law Abiding Citizens, in aggregate form, is in fact a huge contributing factor in the spike.
– Irregardless of checks and re-checks.
-Many have re-channelized disposable income, specifically since 2008.
-Foolish Politicians whom restrict, create future actions. Some intended, many unforeseen.
-Simply take something away that has been readily accessible for over 150 years, and what would ONE expect?