Gun sales
Americans spent more than $2 billion on guns and ammunition in 2005, showing the nation’s fascination with firearms is not fading despite concerns raised by gun-control advocates.
The Newtown-based National Shooting Sports Foundation on Monday touted a U.S. Department of Treasury report that said sales of firearms and ammunition increased by 2.6 percent in 2005, while other federal agencies are finding fewer gun-related deaths and crimes. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Centers for Disease Control have not made statistics on gunshot deaths and firearms-related crimes available for 2005, so the NSSF had to rely on data from 2004 and earlier.
In 2005, Americans purchased 4.7 million new guns, the NSSF said, bringing the estimated total of citizen-owned guns to 290 million. These are legal sales; the number of guns sold illegally is not known.
The U.S. Census Bureau said Monday there are approximately 298 million Americans.
NSSF said handgun purchases showed the biggest gain, rising 3 percent in 2005. Connecticut firearms sales increased by 2.5 percent during the same period, according to State Trooper William Tate.
Gun Sales Rise as Crime, Accident Rates Fall
Be certain to check out their handy chart of significant firearms stats, which notes new CCW states and that accidental firearm deaths are at an all-time low.
June 6th, 2006 at 10:15 am
This is great.
I like to see firearms manufacturers spending their resources on R & D and marketing and not litigation.
This also shows that our sport, hobby, pursuit, etc. is no fringe matter.
June 6th, 2006 at 10:29 am
It would be nice to see this reported by ABC/CBS/NBC.
June 6th, 2006 at 11:50 am
the nation’s fascination with firearms is not fading despite concerns raised by gun-control advocates.
Oh brother.
June 6th, 2006 at 1:33 pm
“In 2005, Americans purchased 4.7 million new guns, the NSSF said, bringing the estimated total of citizen-owned guns to 290 million. These are legal sales; the number of guns sold illegally is not known.”
The number of “illegal” sales would be pretty much irrelevant to the total number of guns unless they want to claim that there are significant number of “smuggled” guns entering the country or that closely watched U.S. based manufacturers are make significant numbers of guns “off book”.
While the numbers appear neutral, the tone of the article seems to be anti-gun.