Gun sales on track for record year as FBI does 16 million background checks so far in 2021

americanmilitarynews.com ^ | May 20, 2021 | LIZ GEORGE

[PROCON]

Federal firearm background checks have continued to climb in 2021, nearing 16 million in the first fourth months alone and marking a 30 percent increase from the same period last year. The increase in background checks suggests the United States is on track for another record year of gun sales.

According to FBI statistics, 4,317,804 background checks were conducted in January, 3,442,777 in February, 4,691,738 in March, and 3,514,070 in April — totaling 15,966,389 in the first four months of 2021.

The number of background checks performed does not necessarily equal the number of firearms purchased in instances where a background check is not required, or multiple firearms are purchased at one time. However, the increase in checks shows that sales are also increasing.

CBS Miami reported that Clay Ausley, owner of Fuquay Gun and Gold in North Carolina, said he is busier now than he has ever been in his 17 years of selling guns.

“Every time a stimulus check hits, the lines go around the corner,” Ausley told the outlet. “There’s a tremendous amount of people still buying firearms for home defense this year. Also, a ton of interest in concealed-carry classes and in concealed-carry firearms this year.”

Ausley said that concerns about future gun control legislation from President Joe Biden’s administration is contributing to the surge in firearms sales.

[PROCON]

The article mentions that the stimulus had an effect on the increased gun sales, which may be true, but BXiden's gun confiscation rhetoric still is the main factor, in my opinion.

[PROCON]

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[dhs12345]

Ammo availability seems to be opening up a little. Prices are still high but name brand ammo is becoming available again. The manufacturers are starting to catch up.

[Lurkinanloomin]

Things are slowing down.
Our gun cases are filling back up.
We only had 82 background checks yesterday, we had been doing 100+ on weekdays.

[PROCON]

On-line ammo in 9mm and .223 is 50% lower priced than last November and local gun store’s stocks are improving.

[Uncle Miltie]

While the pussification of the military continues, real Americans add more than 10% to their personal armories.

Can you hear us now, Joe?

[marktwain]

Mere numbers of background checks are not a reliable indicator of firearm sales.

More than half of all background checks are now for carry permits and carry permit rechecks.

We are having record sales, but they seem to be leveling off.

Illinois, for example, does rechecks for every permit, multiple times a month. Illinois permit rechecks account for about a quarter of all background checks.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Keep up the good work, fellow Patriots!

Now, once the ammo is better stocked, stock up on that - again. ;)

I hope this news is upsetting to all Socialist Democrats everywhere! :)

[dhs12345]

Yes. I noticed that too. Frustrating that our local store is still rationing the ammo. So I look online.

I might be looking for a 5.56 rifle in the coming months. My 223 is old and it would be nice if it could run both calibers — 223 and 5.56 — in the same rifle.

[T.B. Yoits]

...but BXiden's gun confiscation rhetoric still is the main factor, in my opinion.

Definitely a huge impact but the new gun ownership points toward the Democrat-led rioting and the prosecutors not doing anything about it. These new gun owners were mostly left of center (right of center already owning firearms) and while many support gun confiscation, the exposure of the lie of their safety prompted them to buy guns.

[Magnum44]

223 and 5.56 are the same caliber. The difference is the potential for higher chamber pressure in 5.56. So the gun is supposed to be rated to handle that pressure. .223 is not rated for that. 223 Wylde is rated for both.

The other subtle difference is that .223 is SAAMI specified while 5.56 is not. That is why 5.56 chambers are usually cut slightly larger, so that it will feed the variety of cartridges made by all the different manufacturers world wide. This may result is less accuracy than a SAAMI spec’ed .223 chamber and cartridge, but for combat use and throwing lead down range, its not the priority. Keeping the gun from jamming with an oversized cartridge is a priority.

But from the time the bullet gets to the lands of the barrel and out the front end, 223 and 5.56 are the same.

[dhs12345]

The rule: look at the barrel. If it has 5.56 written on it, then you can shoot 5.56.

The difference between 223 and 5.56 can be significant if your 223 rifle is not capable of shooting 5.56.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK if you chose to ignore the manual and the barrel stamp.

Also, you may be able to “shoot” 5.56 a few times in a 223 rifle however all bets are off after multiple rounds.

[2aProtectsTheRest]

And that failure point can get pretty... exciting.

[Magnum44]

The rule: look at the barrel.

Yes, thats the rule, but you need to understand why.

I have 223s (some Wylde, some not) and 5.56s. If I want 1/4 MOA I shoot the 223. (not Wylde) If I am defensive shooting and 1 or 1.25 MOA will do, I use the Wylde or 5.56.

I reload for both. I use the same powder and reload formula for both. But I only reload .223 cartridges that came from a single manufacturer (I prefer PMC in my case) for the .223. The reason is, while the outer dimensions of the 223 and 5.56 case are the same, the wall thickness and inner dimensions are not. The 5.56 is thicker walled. This leads to 5.56 having less volume, and the higher pressure, for the same load. So any brass I pick up goes into the 5.56 bin, and only my PMC 223 brass goes into the precision 223 bin.

[MtnClimber]

Those little primer thingies are still available only at crazy prices.

[Freedumb]

Illinois, for example, does rechecks for every permit, multiple times a month. Illinois permit rechecks account for about a quarter of all background checks.

That’s seems awfully excessive and a waste of $ and resources. But you can’t argue with the great results they are seeing in Chicago murder and shooting stats and Illinois is flush with surplus cash so I guess the expense for this effort is not an issue either.

[David Chase]

I like to help bump this record year up, if only there were guns for me to buy.

I have various .22s and many 9mms.

Seems to be all I can find locally.

[marktwain]

In April, 2021, there were 3.5 million NICS checks.

Illinois had 890,000 permit rechecks run by the NICS system in April of 2021.

[Truthoverpower]

I’ll chime in with the old statement of America

“A well armed society is a polite society”

[Magnum44]

Also, you may be able to “shoot” 5.56 a few times in a 223 rifle however all bets are off after multiple rounds.

Back to understanding the 'why', you should NEVER shoot a 5.56 in a non-Wylde 223. As stated earlier, 5.56 is not SAAMI spec'ed and the NATO spec is not as specified as SAAMI on many dimensions. Typically, a 5.56 chamber is cut larger than a SAAMI spec'ed 223 chamber to account for the non-SAAMI spec 5.56 ammo that is made all over the globe. If you shoot a 5.56 in a SAAMI spec'ed .223, it is possible that your 5.56 ammo is cut such that it is over sized or over length, and could pinch the round at the throat, leading to extreme overpressure and gun failure/damage.

The opposite, shooting a 223 in a 5.56, is not a problem, but the loose round in the chamber will reduce accuracy.

A Wylde chamber is a compromise in the chamber length but any manufacturer I have ever spoken with advertises they are 5.56 compatible. There are many articles on the subject.