Americans Stock up on Guns: 60 Million Firearms Sold in 2 Years During COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented changes in every aspect of American life, including a significant surge in gun ownership. According to a report from The Trace, a nonprofit news outlet that tracks gun violence, one-fifth of U.S. households purchased guns during the pandemic, resulting in more than 15 million Americans keeping firearms in their homes for the first time.

Americans purchased nearly 60 million guns between 2020 and 2022, with yearly sales running at about twice the level of 15 or 20 years ago. A NORC survey also revealed that between March 2020 and March 2022, 18 percent of households purchased firearms.

One of the notable changes in the type of guns being purchased is the shift from rifles to handguns, particularly semiautomatic handguns, which are kept in bedside tables, glove compartments, or carried on one’s person. This change in gun ownership reflects a growing trend towards self-defense and personal protection, especially during a time of uncertainty and fear brought about by the pandemic.

Many Americans, particularly first-time gun owners, bought guns to protect themselves and their families against the perceived threat of home invasion or other forms of violence during a time when they felt vulnerable.

This shift towards personal protection is evident in the fact that the buyers during the pandemic were more likely to be women, people of color, and renters, according to the NORC survey. The heightened crime rates that developed during the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd might have also been a contributing factor.

The Hill’s report on The Trace’s data seemed to suggest that the increase in gun ownership has contributed to the uptick in gun deaths that occurred over the same time period.

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