Conservative Libertarian Outpost

2 Responses to “Gun Sales Rise as Crime and Accident Rates Fall”

1. patricksperry Says:
   August 24, 2006 at 10:23

   NEWTOWN, Conn.—New statistics show that firearm and ammunition sales are on the rise, coinciding with steady downward trends in gun crime, suicide and accident rates, in the U.S.

   The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry, has released U.S. Dept. of the Treasury figures indicating that 2005 retail sales of firearms and ammunition rose 2.6 percent for a total volume of $2.1 billion.

   For the year, approximately 4.7 million new guns were sold, bringing the estimated number of citizen-owned firearms in the U.S. to more than 290 million. The number of American households with at least one firearm is now estimated at nearly 110 million.

   Of the various firearm types, the sharpest gains were seen in retail sales of handguns (pistols and revolvers). Handgun sales rose 3 percent while long-gun (rifle and shotgun) sales rose 1.8 percent. Ammunition sales rose 3.5 percent.

   U.S. Statistics Source Last Year Trend
   Firearm & Ammunition Sales U.S. Dept. of the Treasury Up 2.6% to $2.1 billion Up 27.7% since 1998
   Firearms Produced for
   Retail Sale Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) 2,947,008 22.8 million total
   since 1998
   Firearms Imported for
   Retail Sale U.S. Census Bureau 1,845,366 10.7 million total
   since 1998

   Right to Carry Laws National Rifle Association (NRA) Passed in
   2 more states Now in 40 states; 9 added since 1998
   Firearm Crimes Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Down 2.4% to 339,280 Down 7%
   since 1998
   Firearm Suicides Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Down 1.1% to 16,907 Down 1.8%
   since 1998
   Accidental Firearm Fatalities National Safety Council Tied previous year’s all-time low of 700
   Down 19.2%
   since 1998
   Accidental Firearm Fatalities, Age 14 & Under National Safety Council Down to all-time
   low of 60 Down 50.4%
   since 1998

   * Most recent year for which statistics have been compiled; may be 2005, 2004 or earlier

   Full Story at; http://www.huntingnet.com/news/news.aspx?news_id=599

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2. patricksperry Says:
   August 24, 2006 at 10:43

   “Here’s my credo. There are no good guns, there are no bad guns. A gun in the hands of a bad man is a bad thing. Any gun in the hands of a good man is no threat to anyone, except bad people.” —Charlton Heston

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