America’s Love of Firearms Continues as Gun Sales Continue to Climb

[shadowrider]

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- The January 2011 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 784,856 is an increase of 9.7 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 715,309 in January 2010.

For comparison, the unadjusted January 2011 NICS figure of 1,312,544 is an increase of 18 percent over the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,112,312 in January 2010.

The adjusted NICS data was derived by NSSF by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Kentucky and Utah for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases.

http://www.ammoland.com/2011/02/07/americas-love-of-firearms-continues-as-gun-sales-continue-to-climb/

[DrDan]

1. I am always astounded ot read of organizations that celebrate killing and label it as a sport

to somehow make it respectable.

And I think that title would be more accurate if "Love of" were replaced with "Obsession with".

just my opinion, of course.

[DonP]

3. And judging by the numbers a very minority opinion at that

I'm not sure how putting little holes in paper targets, breaking clays or knocking down little steel targets is "celebrating killing", unless you have a very active and somewhat twisted fantasy life, but as you said that's just your opinion. Thankfully there are fewer and fewer that share that opinion every year.

Has anybody ever heard a trap, skeet or sporting clays shooter yell; "Die you bastard clay, die, die!" after making the shot?

Maybe my club is just better at hiding all the blood lust.

Obsession, maybe - but at least we're not as bad as those sociopaths that spend weekends ignoring their wives and families and chasing little white balls with misshapen sticks.

[DrDan]

8. of course the sport of "killing" is not related to targets, clays and the like - but you knew that

it, of course, relates to the org mentioned in the article and its purpose. But again, you knew that.

[DonP]

12. Well, then perhaps you can enlighten the rest of us

... on how the national shooting sports foundation espouses killing then?

The rest of us must have missed the in depth research and pulitzer quality journalism that proves they espouse killing.

Or are you worried about pheasants, ducks and that evil bastard Bambi?

We'd welcome input or proof from any source that doesn't originate between your ears.

[DrDan]

18. one of its missions is to promote hunting

"shooting sports" - "hunting"

and I did that with no insults or condescending comments.

[SteveM]

24. So, you are against hunting, too?

[DrDan]

27. not at all - never said that - just not for calling it a "sport"

[benEzra]

36. I'm actually in agreement with that...

I don't consider hunting a sport. A worthy pastime, yes, even an enjoyable one, but also a very serious one.

Having said that, only about 1 in 5 gun owners in the U.S. hunts. Gun ownership is mostly about defensive competency and target shooting, not hunting.

[PavePusher]

15. Lots of people getting killed by skeet and trap shooters lately?

Got stats?

[DrDan]

17. you realize, of course, that I was not referring to skeet and trap

[PavePusher]

21. Then I confess that I have missed your point entirely.

Elucidate, please...

[Atypical Liberal]

9. On killing and obessions.

My family has used firearms for sporting purposes for over 100 years. Now my grandparents and my father were avid hunters, but I have not been very much. In my life I've killed two dear and a handful of ducks. Frankly, it's too much money and work for not much food. I'd rather go down to Kroger and pick out a good steak.

For me, I enjoy the physical and mental challenge of holding very still, despite the impending huge explosion, while trying to punch very precise holes in a piece of paper some distance away. It is difficult, and requires good mental focus and physical control. It's very similar to archery, or even golf. There is no doubt that this is a sport.

Am I obsessed with it? This would imply an unhealthy interest. I don't think my interest is unhealthy. I don't spend money on it that puts my family at a disadvantage. I spend a few hours a week reloading and casting bullets, and maybe one Saturday a month shooting. I don't think I'm any more obsessed than my wife who does cross stitch.

[DrDan]

10. I harbor no ill-will toward hunters - only those that consider killing animals a "sport"

that is the clear purpose of the org mentioned in the article.

What you describe does not sound like an obsessio to me either. However, seems to me that others go far beyond that in terms of never being without a run.

[Atypical Liberal]

20. I'm not terribly hung up on the label.

To me, hunting is about getting food. It is challenging and can be thrilling. It's hard to hit a flying duck or spot a deer. But it's also messy and a lot of work.

I want to get back into deer hunting, if I can learn how to dress and butcher the deer myself, just because I want to save money on putting meat on the table. I don't want to do it for any "sporting" reasons.

Hunting is far, far more humane than any slaughter house, I can tell you that.

[DWC]

22. Why I hunt

I hunt and fish for meat. Yes, I enjoy doing both. I enjoy the hard work of processing game for the freezer. I enjoy providing my family a significant portion of the fish, fowl, and "red" meat we consume for the price of my hunting/fishing license; a few shells & bullets; and little else.

I will not intentionally kill anything unless I intend it for food or it is endangering me or mine.

Semper Fi,

[spin]

28. Welcome to DU. (n/t)

[lawodevolution]

29. Dr Dan, are you a medical doctor and do you hold I'll will toward gun ownership?

Doctors kill an estimated 44,000 to 98,000'people per year through gross negligence. This means that laziness, greed, hate or substance abuse was involved. There are only 700,000 doctors

Guns are used to kill around 30,000 people and there are somewhere between 270 and 350 million guns and 150 million people living in a household with a gun and 80 million people who admit to being gun owners.



44,000/700,000. /. 30,000/80,000,000
0.06286 / 0.000375

167. Doctors are 167 times more likely to kill someone by an immoral action than a gun owner is by either an immoral action, suicide, accident or cop shoot out.

I think docs need to focus on their own dirty mess than to criticize gun owners

[DrDan]

32. nope - not a medical doctor - and agree, there are dirty little messes everywhere that deserve

attention

[RSillsbee]

23. A handful of ducks.

Must have been some damn small ducks

MR Ducks
MR Not
MR2

Mr not ducks

wall all bee MR Ducks

[PavePusher]

14. Well, except for the fact that no "celebration of killing" was mentioned...

anywhere in the article, what evah.

Did you build that Strawman(tm) yourself, or did you have to get help with the heavy parts?

[DrDan]

19. deleted - never mind - not worth the effort

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. More people should donate to the Brady Campaign.

Considering what an abject failure they are in every sense of the word and the fact that they do more to bolster gun ownership than any other organization... I think 2nd Amendment proponents should do everything in their power to make sure The Brady Bunch remains at the head of gun control.

It would be like democrats donating millions to Palin knowing that she'll get slaughtered.

[msongs]

4. black president = skyrocketing gun sales. what a surprise eh? nt

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. Yeah, it has nothing to with:

a) Politicians and political pundits spouting off about magazine bans.
b) Public fears that kneejerk gun legislation usually follows high-profile shooting incidents.
c) A president who had a track history of gun control before he entered office
d) Democrats controlling the Senate and white house backed by the DLC's gun control goals
e) A president who verbally supported the DLC gun control stance in his urban policy proposals.

No no no... play the race card, by all means. :eyes:

[Atypical Liberal]

7. President with anti-gun record = skyrocketing gun sales.

Regardless of skin color.

The fact of the matter is, President Obama campaigned on reinstating the assault weapons ban. It is still there on www.change.gov under Urban Policy - you can go see for yourself. It was also on www.whitehouse.gov until a few months after he took office.

I'm sure someone, somewhere, is buying firearms out of fear of a black president. But most people are simply taking the man at his own word.

[slackmaster]

13. Actually, it's more likely a sign of a strengthening economy, helped by tax breaks

Gun sales are driven largely by levels of disposable income.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SteveM]

26. See #6 below. That about sums it up. nt

[ileus]

11. I've bought several firearms the past few years and...

it has nothing to do with BO....it'd been about 10 years since I'd acquired a new firearm of any type. Two of our family firearms are for the kids, and my wife bought herself an AR. I've bought a few SD firearms, and a few more hunting rifles. I think our next firearm will be an AK clone of some sort just as a fun gun to shoot on family outings. Ammo is back down to somewhat reasonable prices so we can go out and shoot for 150 bucks in an afternoon.

I have bought several magazines in the past month just in case laws are passed.

[YllwFvr]

25. Paranoid!

You bought mags just because they might be banned!11!!1!

Do I really need to add the sarcasm tag???

Mine are all "standard capacity" ;)

[spin]

30. If you ban something it becomes popular ...

if extended magazines are banned, far more shooters will have them than if they were not banned.

Note that I don't anticipate that owners of extended magazines will have to turn them in. If an extended magazine ban passed, it would most likely ban the sale of extended and hi-cap magazines after a certain date. Those that were bought before that date would be legal to own.

The price of such magazines would sky rocket but shooters would buy them like hot cakes. It's just human nature.

[shadowrider]

31. I'd go buy one. I'd never use it, it'd never come out of the box

But I'd buy it nonetheless because some beaurocrat somewhere says I can't.

[spin]

33. Exactly. Millions of other gun owners will do the same ...

It always amazes me just how foolish the anti-RKBA people are.

They seriously believe that banning hi-cap and extended magazines will accomplish something positive. What it will accomplish is more of these magazines will end up in the hands of shooters, which is the exact opposite of what they wish. Plus more Democrats will lose close elections in 2012.

“Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.”
Oscar Wilde

[ileus]

35. Taht's my main reason for an AK clone

Not that we'd shoot it that much, but I do look for them to be banned for import eventually, and I'd just like to have one for that reason.

Get one it's about the right size for women and children, and shoot it once or twice a year...

[ileus]

34. Same here....

well kinda....

I did buy some sub standard 20's for the AR's

I did however.com buy a 20 for my sub 2000, I don't know if there's any actual standard for the Sub2k or not.