NEARLY A MILLION GUNS PURCHASED IN CALIFORNIA FROM MARCH 2020 THROUGH APRIL 2021

California Handgun Sales Surged During Pandemic Lockdowns. Here Are The Numbers

 

LAPPL News Watch 

June 2, 2021

Californians bought about 920,000 handguns from March 2020 through April 2021, a 66% increase from the previous 14 months, according to estimates from thetrace.org, a nonprofit journalism organization. 

 

Gun sales have trended up in California for several years but, in the past, surges have been driven by long gun sales, particularly after mass shootings or before the implementation of new gun control measures. 

 

During the pandemic, however, handgun sales rose faster than long gun sales. Eight of the 12 months with the most California handgun sales since 2000 occurred during the pandemic. 

 

Compared to the prior 14 months, there were an additional 365,000 handguns sold during the pandemic lockdowns. There were an additional 183,000 long guns sold during pandemic lockdowns compared to the prior 14 months. 

 

Most Americans who bought a gun during the pandemic said they did so as a protection against crime, according to a recent survey by researchers at Harvard and Northeastern University.