Gun Sales Surge 80 Percent, Breaking May Record, During Coronavirus Pandemic and Protests

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Gun sales surged in May to an all-time record for the month, according to data released Monday. Sales were driven by Americans seeking handguns in the wake of uprisings around the country.

“The boom in handgun sales has been particularly noticeable in recent months,” said Jurgen Brauer, chief economist for Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting. “Yet again, firearms sales have surged in unprecedented ways. In May 2020, very nearly two handguns were sold for every long-gun.”

Brauer’s firm estimated Americans bought 1,726,053 firearms over the course of the month, an increase of 80 percent compared to May 2019. The figure is especially notable considering many states — including Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, and Washington – ordered gun stores to close during the coronavirus pandemic, though many continued to operate illicitly. In Michigan and New York, stores such as Walmart were also permitted to sell firearms during the period.

According to FBI data, more than three million background checks were processed through the bureau’s NICS database in May, a record for the month. The number of checks is an indicator of how many guns are sold, though the correlation isn’t precise. Licensed dealers are required to run a check in the database every time they make a sale. Checks are also processed when individuals seek a license to carry a firearm.

More than 15 million checks were processed during the first five months of 2020, putting the figure on track to exceed a record 28 million set in 2018.

Gun sales routinely surged to new records during the Obama administration as many purchasers feared a crackdown on gun rights, but fell during the start of President Donald Trump’s first term in office. Sales began to pick up again in 2018 and began rising more significantly in February as Americans prepared for the coronavirus pandemic.