If you had any doubts about whether new gun ownership is waning in the United States, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) reported that since the 2020 election, 22.3 million Americans decided to purchase a firearm for the first time. That is a staggering number, more than the entire population of Florida according the 2020 U.S. Census.

Just to clarify, that is NOT the number of new guns sold at retail stores, it is the number of new gun owners.

That is an important distinction, because the gun control lobby wants you to believe that most guns are sold to existing owners as their third, fourth…sixth gun, but who’s counting?

What is Driving the Surge in Gun Ownership?

Several factors drove tens of millions of Americans to local gun stores and big box retailers to avail themselves of their Second Amendment freedoms and buy a gun for the first time.

As the NSSF reported, Chris Cheng – a gay Asian American man and past History Channel Top Shot competitive shooting champion – summed it up in his testimony before a U.S. Senate committee hearing.

“The past year-and-a-half or so with COVID-19 has been a pressure cooker… When you couple that with calls to defund the police and taking law enforcement officers off the street… it makes citizens like me less safe,” Cheng said. “If I can’t have law enforcement there, then it is a rational conclusion that individual citizens like myself would opt to utilize my Second Amendment right to purchase a firearm and use that firearm in lawful and legal self-defense.”
– Chris Cheng, Top Shot Champion

The NSSF is the Firearm Industry’s trade association, and it keeps close tabs on gun sales, trends, and is a leader in advocating gun safety. Meaning, its estimates are the most accurate and credible out there.

Highlights

Some of most revealing data uncovered by the NSSF include:

• Since 2020, at least 22.3 million law-abiding Americans went into a federally licensed gun store and purchased a firearm for the first time. That’s approximately the population of the state of Florida and all were new gun owners purchasing a firearm for the first time.
• Halfway through 2020, first-time gun buyers accounted for approximately 40% total sales, compared to the “normal” level of 20-24%. There were approximately 8.4 million new first-time gun owners in 2020.
• In 2021, the initial surge in first time buyers dropped a bit to about 5.4 million, or about 30% of all buyers.
• In 2022, first-timers totaled approximately 4.2 million.
• In 2023, first-time gun buyers rose slightly to 4.3 million.
• In the first half of 2024, more than 6 million FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) verifications were processed for the sale of a firearm.

Although the industry does not provide demographic data, other sources confirm that women and minorities are increasing joining the ranks of armed civilians.

READ MORE: More Women and Minorities are Buying Guns

New Gun Owners Can Play a Pivotal Role in Elections

New gun owners strengthen the legal gun owning community and can play a pivotal role on Election Day. Crime and neighborhood safety have emerged as top voter concerns, and new gun owners can help tip the scales in favor of candidates at the local, state, and national levels who will protect our individual liberties, including the right to keep and bear arms.

There are several good firearms advocacy groups at the state and federal levels, but the pro-freedom community can ill afford to leave the fight to them. Remember, no matter how powerful the gun rights advocacy groups are, only you have the right to vote.

Self-defense is a human right. We encourage every pro-freedom, Second Amendment individual to get out and vote for candidates who will protect their liberty in every election.

Why You Need CCW Insurance – What You Don’t Know Could Incarcerate You

We anticipate that most of the new gun owners over the past three and a half years purchased a handgun for home defense, and a significant number of them will eventually use their firearms for legal concealed carry. If you match this description, we encourage you to get training and consider the legal ramifications of using deadly force for self-defense or in defense of your loved ones or even bystanders. What you don’t know can incarcerate you.

Not every District Attorney or law enforcement officer believes you have the right to self-defense, and an ideological prosecutor may choose to bring criminal charges against you. Even if you successfully defend yourself in court on criminal charges, an unscrupulous lawyer can bring a civil suit against you from the aggrieved family of your attacker.  These aren’t hypotheticals, people just like you have faced these situations.

Ask yourself these questions, and if the answer is “no” to any of them, chances are you need CCW insurance:

• Do you have an attorney on retainer skilled in defending against criminal charges?
• Do you have an unlimited budget to pay out-of-pocket for your legal defense bills?
• Do you have at least $100,000 in cash to pay a bail bondsman that you can afford not to get back?
• Do you have ready access to professional psychological counseling for post-incident treatment?
• Do you have legal protection against civil damages that could force you to sell your home, cars, guns, and other assets to pay a judgment?

READ MORE: When It’s Too Late to Buy CCW Insurance

Second Call Defense provides a range of services for Members that include immediate access to an attorney, coverage for legal expenses and even psychological support. This comprehensive approach ensures that Members are not only financially protected but also have immediate and expert legal representation to navigate the complexities of self-defense laws.

Join Second Call Defense Today

Second Call Defense has a 100% success rate in defending our members. We ensure that you’re never alone in the aftermath of a self-defense incident and we will never ask you to pay us back for your legal defense. Click here to become a Member of Second Call Defense.