2020 is undoubtedly the most unpredictable time that many of us have ever experienced. With many law-abiding citizens feeling the need to protect themselves and their loved ones in this uncertain time, this year has sparked an unprecedented surge of firearm and ammunition sales nationwide. According to Shooting Industry’s 2020 report, gun sales spiked in June (2.3 million guns sold), a 145% increase in sales from that month the prior year. March, April and May of 2020 saw 85%, 71% and 80% increases over 2019, respectively. Available survey data shows the most popular firearms to be semi-automatic handguns, shotguns and modern sporting rifles.
Another interesting statistic is that approximately 40% of the customers who recently visited gun stores have been first-time gun buyers. Of those first time buyers, 40% were female whose primary motivation for buying a gun was personal protection.
With the increase of gun sales and first-time gun owners comes a greater need for firearm training and concealed carry permits (CCP). A CCP allows citizens to carry a concealed handgun in approved public places and protect themselves and others in situations involving imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. As of January 2020, Tennessee allows citizens to receive a CCP online through state-approved vendors such as getyourcarrypermit.com. In just 90 minutes, gun owners can receive their CCP after successfully completing our video course.
At getyourcarrypermit.com, we strongly encourage and support firearms instruction and training. Our online course is not a substitute for hands-on firearm training. We are NRA and State of Tennessee certified, teaching handgun safety and carry classes on a regular basis. We will talk about our training philosophy as well as our focus on handgun safety and defense in future blog posts. Until then, protect yourself and your family, and stay safe!
(Statistical information comes from Shooting Industry data, shootingindustry.com)