(GUNS IN THE NEWS) – Firearm sales in May, at least those reflected in the number of FBI NICS checks performed for a transfer, came in at roughly 1.4 million, according to an estimated from Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting (SAAF). The figure represents a 0.3 million drop in purchases when compared to the same month in 2020.
It doesn’t come as a surprise to most analysts. Last year’s COVID-19 outbreak, urban unrest and newfound interest in home defense drove a record-setting number of people to become first-time gun owners during the same period.
The news doesn’t necessarily ease the concerns of longtime enthusiasts who are still struggling to find ammunition on the shelves or particular guns in FFL inventories. Demand for guns, ammo and gear is still at a scalding pace. “The May 2021 number of about 1.4 million firearms is the second monthly decline recorded in the first five months of 2021,” noted SAAF Chief Economist Jurgen Brauer. “Nonetheless, the overall firearms sales pace thus far this year clocks in at nearly 9.2 million units compared to 8.7 million units for January to May 2020.”
