A sure sign that much of the increased gun sales...

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SaxonPig

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... is due to people new to gun ownership. I know a lot of people are running out and buying their first guns in response to the threats of legal (or illegal, I should say) limitations on firearm ownership. Evidence would be the number of new members joining my gun club. Every monthly meeting sees new members joining. Averages about 10 per month in the 8 years I have been there. In January it jumped to 30. In February it was 59. These are folks who have bought their first gun and now looking for a place to shoot and receive some instruction (the safe gun handling and concealed carry classes are suddenly filled).

Our numbers appear to be swelling. And I am in Arkansas, a state that generally supports the Second Amendment and there is currently NO effort from state lawmakers to restrict our rights. What is happening in states that are under fire from anti-gun politicians? In the long run this will be a good thing as it equates to political power.
 
I know the local indoor gun range has had a 45 to 90 minute wait for the past two years. They have a Sunday morning class for new shooters that is always there. It's good to see, but I don't have any statistics to back up your claim. I hope your experience is happening nationwide.
 
Yup. the way I see it, if people who have sat on the fence forever are now spending hard earned cash to own firearms, they're going to want to protect that right to own them.
I see all this panic buying as just strengthening our numbers.
These people may not have given a damn about 2A rights in the past, but I bet they will now. Hopefully it's not too late.
 
The local gun shop has 3 different instructors that advertise inside the shop, including me. I don't run classes as frequently, but the other two run once a week, and they are full. The last couple of times I have been in there I've had people want to sign up for classes on the spot... Nothing scientific, but I have been seeing a lot of first time owners...or prospective owners...
 
A few weeks ago I was in an argument with an anti that only stayed civil because we were having a few beers and decided to keep it that way.
His message was essentially that even my legally owned guns are the problem because they could be stolen and used in a crime.

Yesterday he texted me asking for advice on buying a gun.
 
Well, I can only HOPE that these newcomers will see the light through their new purchases so to speak. I've seen it myself, people who deplore the private ownership of any firearm minus a double gun who are now either looking to buy or already bought a menacing Glock or AK/AR of some sort. One guy I know at work is one of these; even after buying a Glock 19 he still wants them banned, for the greater good and all that. He just wanted to have it himself before they all go away, whatever strange convoluted logic that represents.
 
A few weeks ago I was in an argument with an anti that only stayed civil because we were having a few beers and decided to keep it that way.
His message was essentially that even my legally owned guns are the problem because they could be stolen and used in a crime.

Yesterday he texted me asking for advice on buying a gun.
Click to expand...

This put a smile on my face ... Thanks.
 
GBExpat - I was tempted to tell him to leave he scary loud guns to people like me and just practice hiding under the bed with his teddy bear and cell phone, but that won't help our cause.

I suggested he get a .22lr rifle and some ammo (if he can find any) instead.
 
It only made sense to me that the frenzie has to be new people entering the market buying their first gun. {or their 2nd}

I sure hope they get some firearms safety training and keep those guns in a safe place locked up.

Our club has had to institute a sign up reservation sheet to take our orientation class for joining the club. We have been swamped with new comers wanting to join.
 
A good pal said back in early 2009...
My club has experienced rapid, unprecedented new member growth over the past year. Before this election cycle we hovered around 800 households and handled maybe 8 new membership applications a month.

Since last summer we've been adding two dozen or more families and individual members each month - one month we processed 51 applications! Our membership is in the mid 900's, which represents somewhere in the order of 1500 people who have access to the Club right now.
Click to expand...

Well, that was then.

As of January this year, he reported:

Tonight was our monthly club meeting - which are open to the public. My V.P. and I drove up to find no parking spaces available. We walked into a standing room only clubhouse. We wondered what the hell was going on when our Membership Secretary walked up and said, "I have over 100 applications to join the club".

...

Once the evening was over, we came away with 142 household - not individual - household applications to join the club. We only have about 1500 households who belong right now.
Click to expand...

So...the club is currently growing at nearly 10% A MONTH.
 
I know a feller from CT. I became acquainted with him thru another gun forum a month or so back..

After a week's correspondence by e-mail, and some spooky new bills recently introduced by over zealous politicians back there, he and his wife came out here last month, spent a week looking at places I had scouted up, bought a place, and will be moving here in May.

So it ain't only gun and related item makers that are on the move. Them what wants to remain Citizens instead of serfs is on the move too.
 
My club is so overrun on Fridays (even for members with preference) that I have actually started going to a public range every once in a while for some "peace" (I know, ironic!). The culprit in my case is the classes - basic firearms training, CC certification, "ladies only", etc. It's frustrating but also encouraging: many of the newbies appear to be taking the nature of firearms seriously and truly want to learn how to use them versus just buying.

The other thing I am noticing is the beginnings of a "buyer's remorse" trend we have discussed on other threads here. There are many consignment firearms at our club that people really couldn't afford but bought at peak panic pricing from LGSs and the last few gun shows here…of course they're asking for the same peak pricing but the stuff's not moving at those points. Feels like housing in late 2007/early 2008.
 
I hope these new members are being introduced to the reasons for 2A as well as safety and range operations. (in a subtle way of course) Also being advised regarding their local congresscritters who's naughty and who's nice!
 
I have to wonder if the repeated supply shocks are causing an organic increase in demand; Clinton-era guys have stocked up, and continue to do so. Obama pt I guys stocked up, and continue to do so. And now Obama pt II guys are either buying their first guns and stocking up, or rebuilding the stash used up since the last scare. Twice as many buyers, ten times the demand increase each cycle.

I hope civvie sales have gotten big enough that ammo manufacturers start to realize who butters their bread, and tell Uncle Sam to get in line behind Joe Citizen during these federally-induced panics going forward. Maybe the feds would be more hesitant to grab our guns if they knew it would impact their defense abilities (which is how it's supposed to work in this country).

TCB
 
goon:
If that former anti-, now a possible "convert" passes soon through Memphis and still can't find any .22 ammo, I'll give him 100 rds.

Stocking up before both presidential elections has worked out pretty well for many people.
They don't wait for a spark to ignite compressed gasoline fumes (Biden, "FeinSchwein" etc), so to speak.
 
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