When Americans perceive a threat to home, country and family, the reaction has been consistent for more than 200 years — prepare to defend yourself.
Following the evil act in Las Vegas that took the lives of 58 people and wounded nearly 600 more, gun sales are expected to spike as everyday folks secure themselves and their families. But, this is no the first time Americans have reacted to mass shootings this way…
After the San Bernardino lone wolf terror attack that took the lives of 14 Americans, handgun sales jumped up 62 percent. Firearms sales also ramped up for months following the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that took 49 souls in June of 2016 by more than 20 percent. Even after attacks overseas such as the Paris concert shooting spree, Americans increased their home and personal defense cache, according to experts in the firearm industry.
There’s little doubt that many plan to return fire if an evil-doer endangers their life, and that message has been heard from the heartland to Wall Street. After the horrific events in Las Vegas, firearm companies saw an immediate rise in stock values.
Stock shares for household names such as Sturm, Ruger & Company, the Connecticut manufacturer of prestigious Ruger handguns and rifles, jumped by 3.5 percent on the Monday following the shooting. It got another 2.1 percent bump the next day and has been a riser. This is consistent with movement following other mass shootings. For instance, after the Pulse nightclub slayings, the Ruger stock immediately increased by 8.5 percent, and jumped by 10 percent following the San Bernardino terror attack. Other gun makers have seen similar upticks as well.
Outfits such as American Outdoor Brands, owner of Smith & Wesson, saw stock values inch up by 5.6 in less than one week after Vegas. They leapt up 6.8 percent after the Orlando shooting and a hefty 11.5 percent after San Bernardino. There appears to be a clear correlation between gun sales and a sense of security in America.
During the Obama Administration, gun sales were driven by an ongoing attempt to intrude on Second Amendment rights. The growing fear that Democrats would successfully push through legislation that curbed gun ownership sent sales skyrocketing. In 2015, for example, firearm sales hit a record high and on Black Friday alone, the FBI reportedly processed more than 185,000 background checks and more than 2.2 million during the month of November. More than 19 million total applications were processed that year before the San Bernardino killings.
There are currently about 300 million firearms in U.S. circulation, according to some polls, but industry insiders believe there may be as many as 600 million. Each time Americans perceive a new threat such as mass shootings, legislation aimed at disarming citizens and even anti-gun candidates, the reaction has been to legally purchase firearms for self-defense.
The heinous act in Las Vegas has sparked widespread concern that a maniac could open fire at any time and civilians are readying themselves to do one thing, return fire. We can expect gun sales to spike for good reason.
~ Firearm Daily
