Opinion
By: Larry Keane
U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- First, they came for hand sanitizer and bleach wipes. Then it was the toilet paper. Now, it’s guns and ammunition.
Americans are lining up at local gun shops taking stock of their safety concerns and stocking up on guns and ammunition. It’s showing that firearms continue to be a desired item and Americans are serious about providing for their safety – especially during times of uncertainty.
FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) told NSSF background check traffic saw a 300 percent increase on Monday, March 16, compared to the same day in 2019. Daily volumes are roughly double what they were a year ago.
Coupled with measures to protect health, including having state-run background check authorities working from home or possibly closing offices, this is testing the limits of NICS. That’s why NSSF and the FBI is alerting retailers that most checks will get an immediate determination (“proceed” or “deny”), although it might take longer to process a check due to the volume. The “immediate” part will require some patience. For checks that get a “delay” notification it’s important to keep in mind that NICS investigations might be slightly delayed and the three business days mandated by the Brady Act doesn’t include days when state offices are closed. FBI NICS has assured NSSF they are working overtime to clear the unprecedented backlog.
Long Lines
Over the weekend, an NSSF employee helped a friend decide on the right gun he wanted for home security and general recreational shooting. He decided on a shotgun. Problem was the model he wanted wasn’t available at his local firearms retailer. They were sold out there and their other location. That retailer called a couple other retailers to see if the model was in stock in their stores. No luck. Checks with three distributors found they were out too. He ended up with a different make and model, not quite what he set out to buy. The ordeal, though, showed the wave of buying wasn’t just rumor.
The Tampa Bay Times reported background checks for gun sales in the Sunshine State were as much as 75 percent above average. Colorado sales doubled in the past week, with 14,604 background checks through Colorado’s Bureau of Investigation. That’s put a strain on the background check system. The Truth About Guns reported delays in Colorado growing to nearly two days and in Washington State, which recently began conducting their own checks, as long as three weeks.
The New York Times, the Associated Press and LA Times were among dozens of news outlets running stories on the run on guns and ammunition. One Los Angeles-area doctor buying a firearm told a reporter, “I want to buy a handgun, I think they call it a Glock, but I’m not sure. I have a house and a family, and they’ll need protection if things get worse. The fear is that civil services will break down.”
If the doctor was planning on walking out with the gun, he’s bound for disappointment. After background checks and registration requirements, California law mandates he’s also got to wait 10 days to take possession of his new firearm.
Ammunition sales are skyrocketing too. Bearing Arms’ Cam Edwards reported Ammo.com’s sales increased 276 percent from Feb. 23 through March 15.
Not So Easy
First-time gun buyers are learning the gun control tropes of people being able to buy guns over the internet just isn’t true. Omaha Outdoors reported they were having to tell many Californians, despite what gun control politicians claim, they can’t sell and ship guns online. Those in even more restrictive states are learning the harsh realities that gun owners must endure to buy a gun and exercise rights.
- In Illinois, Massachusetts, Hawaii and New Jersey, gun owners must get a firearms owner identification card. That’s not so simple when health concerns are causing government offices to shutter.
- California requires a Firearms Safety Certificate to purchase a gun. Buying ammunition in California can only be done with its own background check.
- Connecticut requires an owner to obtain a handgun eligibility certificate. Long guns in Connecticut require their own long gun eligibility certificate. Iowa requires a five-year permit to buy a handgun.
- Maryland law requires a handgun qualification license. Those buying modern sporting rifles, or what the state defines “assault weapons” must obtain a Regulated Firearms Purchase.
- Michigan law states anyone buying a handgun must have a valid handgun purchase license issued by local law enforcement or concealed carry license.
- Nebraska buyers must have a handgun certificate or a concealed weapon permit to buy handguns.
- New York has licensing requirements for handguns that require photographs and fingerprints and the state has six months to process the license.
- North Carolina requires a permit to purchase from the county sheriff.
- Rhode Islanders must complete a two-hour safety class to obtain a safety certificate from the state’s Department of Environmental Management.
- Washingtonians must complete safety training within five years to buy semiautomatic rifles.
- Those living in Washington, D.C., don’t have to get a license to buy, but the District’s registration requirements serve the same purpose as it must be completed and signed off before purchases can be made.
Gun sales were already trending higher before widespread health concerns. Since April 2019, each month of NSSF’s adjusted NICS Reports has been higher than the year previous. Much of that can be attributed to the near-constant hammering by gun control presidential candidates who have made threats of outright confiscation to Vice President Joe Biden’s threats to allow frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry to send it into bankruptcy by overturning the bipartisan Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
The latest drive is showing Americans want to know they can provide for their own safety, especially when those vying to run the government vow to take that ability away.
About The National Shooting Sports Foundation
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 10,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. www.nssf.org
Guess were not the CRAZY gun guy down the street anymore, funny how shit changes ain’t it?
Ayup.
Should have already had a firearm and ammo to go with it. Just like bottled water and canned/dried food.
Before you diss the newbies, keep in mind that tha VAST majority of these panic purchases and attempts to purchase pending governmental interference (i.e., waiting periods etc) are coming from longtime FENCE SITTERS. If it takes a pandemic and a prolonged state of emergency, uncertainty & forced self-reliance to get fence sitters to finally climb down and join US, and NOT the gun-grabbers, well I’ll take it! We need new recruits! These people will have a hard go of it trying to get a decent supply of practice ammo as well as defense loads, but again if this situation brings… Read more »
Will: While I agree with you I also have absolutely no sympathy for these people. They have contributed to and been a huge part of the problem for years. It’s only now that they’re finally having that “oh my god I need a gun because the anti-gun Liberals really HAVE been lying to me all this time!” moment. Tough!
Oh I get the no sympathy part, Vanns. You have to be really inert to not see what’s going on in this country. Some people are just in a very deep ‘sleep’ and take a lot longer and need more of a shock to the psyche to get redpilled. It shouldn’t take a major shock to wake people up to reality… BUT when you look at how the MSM, Hollywood and our popular culture all work together in a coordinated and seamless blanketing way over all of society to KEEP people asleep and unaware, what they’ve done is… they have… Read more »
I’m astonished! Here I am in total agreement with two posts by WF. For these things, Will, sign me up, give me a train ticket. I’ll bring my own ammo. I am about to go through yet another 10 effing day wait period for a pistol. Washington used to be totally pro-gun. Now it’s Californicated.
Yeah I feel bad about how Washington and Oregon have been Californicated by libtards fleeing the sh!thole they made out of CA, so I feel for ya. Truth is, it’s just the big cities where the Leftist Borg collective prefer to concentrate and then use their numbers to bully the rest of the state into doing their bidding. If these big cities were separated politically from the rest of the states and made into city-states like Greece had 2500 years ago, then they could have their sh!thole and eat it too. But then liberals would have to be prohibited from… Read more »
Maybe my state needs an electoral college.
@loveaduck THAT is the smartest thing I’ve heard you say yet!! YES, EVERY state needs an electoral college that functions like the federal! Let every county have a certain number of electors just as the states do. Let the counties, where political power is MOST accountable, represent the people so cities like Chicago and NYC can’t dictate how it’s gonna be to the rest of the people in the state!
John Mark, Youtube’s #1 proponent of Propertarianism, has also suggested such an arrangement. It would solve a lot of problems in our current system. His website is at https://johnmarksays.com
I lived in Vancouver Washington for 5 years late eighties through early nineties, and when I had to move I vowed to Retire to Washington or Oregon however that went out the window a few years ago when those 2 states went totally Californiacation. It is a damn Shame that such Beautiful states have been Ruined by the Liberals!
jfrich; My uncle live in Vancouver until he passed away, he loved it, the worst was that he ended up with Dementia and the neighbor who had control of his estate, I called to find out about his gun collection, which he had quite a collection, I was told that they were all turned into the authorities, and that was only 4 years ago, what a waste!!!!!!! All I wanted was one gun, I have one from my grandfather, and one from my uncle his brother, and it would have been nice to have one from, but such is life!!!!!!!
Vanns, While I agree about the no sympathy, and harbor a lot of irritation for those who’ve help bring us to where we are, I also have to agree with WF.
I see them as acting like children. Uninformed, unthinking and clueless. It frequently takes time and a kick in the ass to get people to act properly. When they do, though, as long as they don’t backslide, they should be allowed to join society.
Makes me happy I laid away another AR pistol in 300BLK. After all the panic quiets I’ll go get it. Not many 300BLK in circulation so ammo ought to be available. I didn’t need to run and buy ammo, Ive got enough for now.
@WRo, If SHTF there won’t ever be enough ammo. Anyone tried to buy online, lately?
USA, That’s why you need to have at least two of each common caliber. Gotta have a back-up.
Two is one, One is none.
@Knute Knute, Roger that.
Absolutely! Common calibers that are carried right there on the belts of LEO and military. Ammo is never in short supply if you get to that belt before someone else!
Best is to have common caliper ammo not odd ball sizes, even if it get real tight you stand a chance of getting some, that will be produced not the odd calipers!!!!!!!
This is what it takes to make the newbies think. Sadly few if any have eaten moose their Dad shot, or elk, caribou or even venison. They also believe the police will be there right after they dial 911.
Newsflash political candidates and gun control groups! Americans like their guns, want more, enjoy shooting them and having the comfort of knowing they can protect themselves and their homes and families. The BS you have spouted doesn’t really represent the American public. If people are willing to stand in line to spend their hard earned earned cash, imagine what they will do at the polls.
Welcome back, all ye returning Americans.
What is not said about NC regs is that if you have a NC carry permit you can purchase firearms freely since the permit supercedes the Sheriff permit for purchase. I am a permit holder in Ohio, but was contemplating a move to NC years ago.
Constitutional carry would stop all the foolishness of unconstitutional gun control laws.
First off I am a long time believer in Smaller Gov., and have been since I first voted at age 18 in 1970. I have been shooting since before age 12, and that age made things easier back then. Anyway, I have Been Party Blind all these years. I would Love to have National Carry, No more Gun Free Zones in most of our so called Government buildings (what is the right and left afraid of?), and we still need The FFL System as our longest running form of reasonable gun control. Yep the FFL is control that works. So… Read more »
How about being pro liberty,right or left is irrelevant.stay out of my bedroom stay out of my wallet.dont go near my gunsafe.if you want to have weird sex between consenting adults it aint my business unless your on my lawn. Im a constitutional libertarian andvthe 2nd amendment is clear. SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED! And if you are too dangerous to have a gun you are too dangerous to breathe our air! And that means any gun
@Eh, You have him pegged! He always begins with a litany of fake conservative credentialing statements. But, there is only one troll that uses the phrase “Party Blind”. He used to go by another name, but this is him.
That’s the way to do it! Watch the chosen wording, plus the favorite phrase, and no sock puppet can fool you. Just like in this case, you’ll pick them up the first thing they post. Now, even their cherished troll farm stands exposed for the fraud that it is.
This insanity needs to stop! People need to WAKE UP TO THE REALITY of WHO and WHAT is behind this craziness. I suggest reading nomorefakenews.com for a starter and lewrockwell.com for more information on this total made up pile of BS from the PSYCHOPATHIC CONTROL FREAKS that run our world. Start forming militias locally and QUICKLY.
That video clip was funny. He clearly was being satirical, the clip started with him stating that everything on the Internet is true, and that the Simpsons predicted his father started the virus.
You mean he didn’t???
I guess I should buy a new Remington 870 since the one I have is more than 60 years old.
Love my 36 years young 870! AKA a gobbler getter.
Keep your 60-year-old Remmy… don’t get a new one. Remington’s QC is really declining and I have heard no small amount of complaints about 870’s in the last 10 or so years. Just a friendly tip.
WF, I agree We both have old 870s. I’m starting to think that the next should be a Mossie. Never thought I’d have to say that, but after the Remlin fiasco, the world’s changed.
Yeah, Mossberg’s been upping their game these last few years. I really started paying attention to their products when they came out with the Shockwave.
With guns, diversity and coexistence is a good thing, not PC
Well nuts the page stretched my pretty little pic all out of proportion.
WF, Don’t sweat it. When you click on it, it shows up right.
I trained on a Remington when I was a kid, I still have that gun and still love it! I have always wanted a larger caliper, have had 3 and all have been a let down, sticking with Winchester, Ruger, Henry, Mossberg, and my Springfield’s!!!!!!!
Yes if you can find one. But never let the old one go. QC not the same
Why not just look for a new older one ? Having more than 1 is always nice. Say a collection. I have never passed up a good deal. Be it a Rem, Moss, Ithica, etc. I hardly shoot them. Not much time for small game anymore. But I do enjoy a good block shoot occasionally. I may have to travel a little to one but always a good time. I have never purchased a NEW shotgun. I purchase deals. I find a lot of old ones just as good of condition as new & cheaper. I rarely haggle on price.… Read more »
My Remington 12ga brot to life in 47. Stocks worn, still eats the food its fed. So if the old boy gives up on me I’ll grab its little brother, my Mossberg 500. I grabbed up more ammo last couple of days, but one always wonders if its enough. I live rurally, so think should tshtf those of us out here should fare decently. Just an observation. Don’t know everything. Still on a learning curve here like the rest.
A few years back I traded about twenty pounds of green coffee beans for a well worn but solid Westarn Auto pump twelve bore, near as I can tell a Mossburg 500 private label, AND the soft case it came in.
I’ll bet that coffee is long gone by now, but I’ve still got the scattergun. It ain’t no prom queen, but it spits lead just fine. The ONLY qualifier of note.
If that gun is actually a “Western Field” brand, it is, indeed, a rebranded Mossberg, in this case rebranded by Montgomery Ward, a competitor of Sears & Roebuck.
Now there’s a guy who knows his shit.
Gunsmith. 35 years.
I Think that when things Calm back down a lot of Used (Never Fired) Guns are going to Hit the Used Gun Market, and I for one am hoping that happens so I can pick up a few more at a very nice price!
You and me BOTH!
I have already informed my FFL dealer (which is also a Pawn Shop) when all of these “bad weather” gun buyers start bringing in all these nice new unused firearms and ammo…I get FIRST RIGHTS TO BUY!
You’ll get Coronavirus handling those nasty things.
😉
@Grigori, That is funny!
@jf, The sellers in Ca will get a nasty surprise because all gun sales in Ca must go through an FFL so that the state gets its cut and the FFL gets a cut.
I knew that the picture was of Martin B. Retting’s gun shop. It is the only one in Culver City. It is just down the street from Sony Studios. I met Mr. Retting once when he brought his boy in for a boxing lesson.
@wjd, AAU in high school. During my first six years in the Army, I was able to squeeze in AAU judo. Then later I got to do Gracie Jiujitsu, and there was a boxing gym trying to start up in Culver City.
Great, more gun owners even if they don’t know what a trigger is. Welcome to the Second Amendment–the more the better!
I chuckle at these people running to get guns, ammo or components now and wonder how many have voted for the gun control measures they’re now facing. I’ll bet some of them are now rethinking that vote now that getting a gun or ammo goes against the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.