https://www.washingtonexaminer...ounds-of-ammo-a-year



America’s love affair with guns is only getting stronger.

New federal data shows that there are 422.9 million firearms in circulation, or about 1.2 for every single person in the country.

What’s more, despite years of criticism of modern “assault style” rifles like the AR-15 and AK-47, there are a record 17.7 million in private hands, proving that it is the most popular gun around.

And last year alone, the arms industry produced 8.1 billion rounds of ammo.

The figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and were crunched by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry trade group.

“These figures show the industry that America has a strong desire to continue to purchase firearms for lawful purposes,” said Joe Bartozzi, President of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, in releasing the group’s new report.

“The modern sporting rifle continues to be the most popular centerfire rifle sold in America today and is clearly a commonly-owned firearm with more than 17 million in legal private ownership today. The continued popularity of handguns demonstrates a strong interest by Americans to protect themselves and their homes, and to participate in the recreational shooting sports,” he added.

Gun shops contacted by Secrets said that they are seeing more and more purchases of semi-automatic weapons like handguns and AR-15s due to the criticism of them by 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.

“Sales have definitely been brisk, especially of small concealable handguns. We also saw a spike in sales of tactical rifles like AR-15s and AK-47s, for which I think we can confidently thank Beto O’Rourke,” said Justin Anderson, the marketing director for Hyatt Guns in Charlotte, N.C., one of the country’s biggest.

During his short presidential campaign, O'Rourke called for a ban on the rifles.

Other details from the NSSF report, shared with Secrets:

54% of all rifles produced in 2017 were modern sporting rifles.
In 2017, 7,901,218 total firearms were produced and imported. Of those, 4,411,923 were pistols and revolvers, 2,821,945 were rifles and 667,350 were shotguns.
An interim 2018 estimate showed a total 7,660,772 total firearms were produced and imported. Of those 4,277,971 were pistols and revolvers, 2,846,757 were rifles and 535,994 were shotguns.
Firearms-ammunition manufacturing accounted for nearly 12,000 employees producing over $4.1 billion in goods shipped in 2017.
An estimated 8.1 billion rounds, of all calibers and gauges, were produced in 2018 for the U.S. market.

Sigforum accounted for 27% of that. We gotta do better.

Keep the faith, brothers!

Now, if only each of those gun owners would vote like a gun owner, I wouldn’t have to worry about any more infringements of my rights for as long as I lived.

I apologize for raising the average.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
Now, if only each of those gun owners would vote like a gun owner, I wouldn’t have to worry about any more infringements of my rights for as long as I lived.

Let's keep hoping!

18 million “Modern Sporting Rifles” in circulation, and <400 deaths related to rifles of all kinds each year? Safer than cars and swimming pools, maybe ladders....

^^^ Good point, Doc. That should be screamed from the rooftops.

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
18 million “Modern Sporting Rifles” in circulation, and <400 deaths related to rifles of all kinds each year? Safer than cars and swimming pools, maybe ladders....

I'd include 110v outlets as well.

^^^^Don't you be messin with my 110V outlets, now. Them's fighting words.

Over 61,000 persons died from drug overdose in 2017, but it's those damn evil guns they want to confiscate.

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:

Hahahahaha

That’s the first thing I thought of.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ59:

quote:

Originally posted by sjtill:
18 million “Modern Sporting Rifles” in circulation, and <400 deaths related to rifles of all kinds each year? Safer than cars and swimming pools, maybe ladders....

I'd include 110v outlets as well.

What does any sane person need that many volts? We need some common sense voltage regulation now!

quote:

Firearms-ammunition manufacturing accounted for nearly 12,000 employees

Surprised at this number. I'd have thought it much higher.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Firearms-ammunition manufacturing accounted for nearly 12,000 employees

Surprised at this number. I'd have thought it much higher.

Lots of machines. . . .

flashguy

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or about 1.2 for every single person in the country.

I sure fucked that bell curve up.

This thread is full of great news. We gotta get all the gun owners on the same page though.

quote:

Originally posted by Leemur:
Sigforum accounted for 27% of that. We gotta do better.

Did my part. I get to bring a new pistol home tomorrow.

I seriously question the "423 Million guns" number. There are guns in collections in the United States since literally the dawn of the age of the Gun. Many guns made "in ye olden days" are still functional firearms. There were no numbers other than wild assed guesses as to production and current functionality.

That said, I'm good for my share in bumping that average.