Seven-Million New Shooters...

[Olon]

I think for some it is almost a addiction, and we all know a addict will pay almost whatever to keep going. I think for some the thought of not shooting for a while is unbearable . New shooters usually don't buy 1000 round cases, that is somebody else doing that.

After Sandy Hook I didn't shoot .22 for four or five years until .22 calmed down, seems some can't fathom holding off for a while. Of course I DID stock up before 2020 after that lesson learned

When Sandy Hook happened, I was still getting ammo from my parents and didn't realize the extent of the shortage, so this is my first major one. I'm glad I switched to buying reloading components in bulk (mostly for convenience) when all this went down. Maybe I'm addicted but I also hate to not go shooting for too long because I've worked hard to gain the skills I currently have; don't want them to atrophy. Dry fire has become more of a regularity these days in the interest of conserving what I do have.

 

[GEM]

NPR on new gun owners - not a bad article: https://www.npr.org/2021/04/26/9896...d-u-s-gun-sales-amid-string-of-mass-shootings

 

[CapnMac]

That's a pretty reasonable article.
Further, just because the new owners are, to use a phrase, "non traditional" does not mean they will be uniformly an one thing or another. Some may not change political affiliation, but, they might become more aware of gun laws and restrictions.

 

[gnappi]

If that was intended to be a joke , I'm not laughing.

No joke, you expected what if he was acquitted?

 

[HoploDad]

Seven Million New Shooters...

...Since MAR20 to the end of 2020.

...Times Two boxes (50 rds/ea.).

...is Seven-hundred-million rounds.

Thanks for a positive, logical angle on the ammo situation. That's a reasonable explanation to define the initial "boom" that started an avalanche.

 

[roscoe]

Some significant portion of the new owners are probably leftists. From what I can see, they're arming up as fast as the others.

I can personally attest to that.

 

[Waveski]

No joke, you expected what if he was acquitted?

Alright , now that I understand the context of your comment I present this:
The incident involving Officer Chauvin is but one element in a toxic dynamic. If that one incident had never occurred our current predicament would still prevail.
We are right where a lot of people want us to be. Many opportunities have been seized upon.

 

[TheBruce]

9 MILLION NEW PATRIOTS and shootists to bolster our numbers. Welcome aboard!

I'd be surprised if 10% of that number are "patriots" as it were. The reality is the vast majority of that number are people who up until now have never seen fit to own a gun, for whatever reason, most likely they never thought it was important. Now all of a sudden seeing the Civil unrest unfold all around them, it's suddenly important. Quite frankly it annoys the crap out of me. These are people who fail to plan ahead for anything, and then when the "unexpected" is on their doorstep, it's "oh sh** what am I going to do?" and then have to rely on family and friends to bail them out because they don't have and can't get what they need, and should have had all along.

Most of those people likely vote Democrat and will continue to do so. Now they are even more secure in doing so, since now they have that nightstand pistol so they have what makes them feel safe, to hell with everybody else's rights. I just have no tolerance or sympathy for people like that, and we have some in the family (on my wife's side). The most recent in all this is the husband telling me "I'm thinking about an AR-15 before it's too late." Well guess what, they voted for Biden, and have voted D their whole lives. The wife (my wife's sister) actually had the audacity to tell her husband, in front of us, "see we don't need a rifle, we'll just go to their (our) house!"

Not a chance!

 

[JCooperfan1911]

I'd be surprised if 10% of that number are "patriots" as it were. The reality is the vast majority of that number are people who up until now have never seen fit to own a gun, for whatever reason, most likely they never thought it was important. Now all of a sudden seeing the Civil unrest unfold all around them, it's suddenly important. Quite frankly it annoys the crap out of me. These are people who fail to plan ahead for anything, and then when the "unexpected" is on their doorstep, it's "oh sh** what am I going to do?" and then have to rely on family and friends to bail them out because they don't have and can't get what they need, and should have had all along.

Most of those people likely vote Democrat and will continue to do so. Now they are even more secure in doing so, since now they have that nightstand pistol so they have what makes them feel safe, to hell with everybody else's rights. I just have no tolerance or sympathy for people like that, and we have some in the family (on my wife's side). The most recent in all this is the husband telling me "I'm thinking about an AR-15 before it's too late." Well guess what, they voted for Biden, and have voted D their whole lives. The wife (my wife's sister) actually had the audacity to tell her husband, in front of us, "see we don't need a rifle, we'll just go to their (our) house!"

Boy will they be surprised when in a SHTF situation, they get met with hostility and told to get the f*** off my property!

They are out brothers (and sisters, don’t forget the little misses) in arms now and a powerful new ally against the onslaught of gun legislatures. Don’t be so quick to dismiss them. Don’t forget, they BOUGHT guns and are currently seeking ammo for them. That means they are one of us and on our side. The last thing we need to be doing is discouraging or belittling them.

 

[TheBruce]

They are out brothers (and sisters, don’t forget the little misses) in arms now and a powerful new ally against the onslaught of gun legislatures. Don’t be so quick to dismiss them. Don’t forget, they BOUGHT guns and are currently seeking ammo for them. That means they are one of us and on our side. The last thing we need to be doing is discouraging or belittling them.

I'm not belittling anybody, just stating facts. Most of them bought guns out of fear, not because they are supporters of the 2nd amendment. Too many of them would vote away their own rights, as well as mine, without a second thought. You might be surprised how many of them would willingly vote FOR UBC, magazine capacity restrictions, "assault weapon" restrictions and regulations, and whatever other gun control measures make it to the ballots.

When these new gun owners demonstrate a track record of voting against political candidates who are known enemies of the Constitution, and maybe donate a little to pro 2nd amendment organizations, then they will clearly be my brothers and sisters in arms.

 

[Dale Alan]

I'm not belittling anybody, just stating facts. Most of them bought guns out of fear, not because they are supporters of the 2nd amendment. Too many of them would vote away their own rights, as well as mine, without a second thought. You might be surprised how many of them would willingly vote FOR UBC, magazine capacity restrictions, "assault weapon" restrictions and regulations, and whatever other gun control measures make it to the ballots.

When these new gun owners demonstrate a track record of voting against political candidates who are known enemies of the Constitution, and maybe donate a little to pro 2nd amendment organizations, then they will clearly be my brothers and sisters in arms.

Slow down on the hate dude, and maybe grab a dictionary .

 

[Basura Blanca]

Some may not change political affiliation, but, they might become more aware of gun laws and restrictions.

Ideally, that's what we need.
But more so, we need the RKBA to be apolitical in nature. If that were the case, the conversation over whether all these new owners will vote with gun rights on their mind would be moot because it would no longer be a wedge issue between the dominant political factions. When owning a gun is as mundane as owning a refrigerator, we will have won.

 

[P5 Guy]

My brother owns a few guns and would NEVER vote for a GOP candidate, ever.

 

[mmb617]

When these new gun owners demonstrate a track record of voting against political candidates who are known enemies of the Constitution, and maybe donate a little to pro 2nd amendment organizations, then they will clearly be my brothers and sisters in arms.

My son is about to become one of those new gun owners and he checks the boxes you mention. He's been shooting my guns for some time now but has decided it's time to buy one of his own. He will also be picking up his first carry license tomorrow. I'll bet there are a lot of others in a similar situation.

 

[GEM]

People complain about the 'woke' world. Well, there is a 'gun woke' world of gun political correctness. Unless you agree with the posters' absolute view on everything and plus be a 'conservative' you are not worthy of being a brother and sister in arms. That's a load of baloney.

Perfect, politically correct gun attitudes in your personal absolute and political viewpoints is the enemy of the good. The good being people who own and appreciate firearms and are more likely to oppose absolute bans and restrictions. That they might vary on some ideas is what makes for reasonable discussion. I recall in TX, if you weren't for open carry, you were a communist to some and the open carry folks were willing to sabotage campus carry legislation for their issue. That's my point.

 

[theotherwaldo]

From what I can see, most of these first-time buyers are buying an icon to protect themselves against what they fear.
They are not interested in training, practicing or getting involved in political activities.
They are primarily urban or suburban and likely somewhat left of center.
When they or their significant other decides that the firearm is more scary than the current event that caused the firearm's purchase - and/or if times get a little hard - then the firearm is going back on the market... .

 

[GEM]

Why do we continue to whine about new gun owners?

Closed.