https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/am...jC6?li=BBnbfcL
Just under 423 million firearms were produced or imported for civilian ownership in the United States from 1986 to 2018, indicating that the number of guns currently in circulation remains substantial.
. A new trade group report found that over half of rifles produced in 2017 were modern sporting rifles, a kind of weapon encompassing semi-automatic firearms such as the AR-15. This is a low-end estimate, as it does not include firearms that were produced before the time span studied, although it also does not account for any weapons that may have been removed from circulation post-production.
In addition, a new industry report from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry's trade group, found that over 17.7 million modern sporting rifles—a term that encompasses semi-automatic rifles such as the AR-15—were produced or imported overall from 1990 to 2017.
"These figures show the industry that America has a strong desire to continue to purchase firearms for lawful purposes," Joe Bartozzi, the foundation's president, said in a press release. "The Modern Sporting Rifle continues to be the most popular centerfire rifle sold in America today and is clearly a commonly-owned firearm with more than 17 million in legal ownership today. The continued popularity of handguns demonstrates a strong interest by Americans to protect themselves and their homes, and to participate in the recreational shooting sports."
Despite calls to ban sales of so-called assault weapons, these kinds of firearms are prevalent in American civilian society and elsewhere. In 2017, modern sporting rifles, which overlap with what activists often call "assault weapons," made up over half of all rifles produced in the United States.
Domestic firearms production has fluctuated widely over the past few years. Starting around 2005, the industry experienced steady growth, producing more and more weapons every year, with just one incremental drop in 2010. But starting around 2014, that growth nosedived by 15 percent before rebounding over the next couple of years and then tanking again, by over 25 percent, in 2017.
An interim estimate for 2018 indicates that the industry may be continuing its downward trend, producing just over 7.6 million total firearms, a few hundred thousand less than it did the previous year.
The firearms industry is unusually susceptible to major political and cultural events, so purchases can fluctuate from year to year depending on whether an election is approaching or even the tenor of the national discourse.
The
Connecticut Post wrote that after the 2012 shooting at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School, handgun sales in the state gradually rose. Just before the 2016 presidential election, sales increased dramatically.
The Pew Research Center has estimated that 30 percent of U.S. adults own a gun and a further 11 percent live with someone who does. White men are more likely than any other subgroup to own a gun. Nearly half of them do, according to Pew, whereas just under one-quarter of white women and nonwhite men do.
Followed by :
Virginia State Representative Suggests National Guard Be Called to Force Enforcement of New Gun Legislation
https://www.newsweek.com/virginia-st...rships_related
Virginia representative Donald McEachin suggested Wednesday that Governor Ralph Northam may have to call out the National Guard to enforce the stricter gun laws Northam wants to pass. Northam brought up the new laws after more than 70 places in Virginia plan on declaring themselves Second Amendment Sanctuaries.
In Second Amendment Sanctuaries, cities have the option of not using public funds to enforce laws that could restrict the gun rights of residents.
"If we have constitutional laws on the books and law enforcement officers are not enforcing those laws on the books then there are going to be some consequences, but I'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it," Northam said, according to WSET.
Newsweek reached out to Governor Northam's office for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
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McEachin commented on Northam's statement saying military force may have to be utilized to make sure gun laws are enforced.
"I'm not the governor," McEachin said, "but the governor may have to nationalize the National Guard to enforce the law. That's his call, because I don't know how serious these counties are and how server the violations of law will be. But that's obviously an option he has."
Gaining popularity in Virginia, Second Amendment Sanctuaries do not want to use public funding in order to enforce gun control laws. Getty
McEachin also suggested removing state funding from areas that do not comply with Northam's gun laws.
"They certainly risk funding, because if the sheriff's department is not going to enforce the law, they're going to lose money," McEachin said. "The counties' attorneys offices are not going to have the money to prosecute because their prosecutions are going to go down."
Today, the Virginia National Guard responded to both McEachin's comment and questions from Virginia's citizens.
"We have received multiple questions regarding proposed legislation for the 2020 General Assembly session and the authority of the Governor of Virginia to employ the Virginia National Guard in a law enforcement role," the Virginia National Guard tweeted on behalf of Adjutant General of Virginia Major General Timothy P. Williams.
"We understand and respect the passion people feel for the U.S. Constitution and 2nd Amendment rights," the tweet continued. "We will not speculate about the possible use of the Virginia National Guard. We have not received any requests from the Governor, or anyone on his staff, about serving in a law enforcement role related to any proposed legislation."
Second Amendment Sanctuaries gained popularity in Virginia after the legislature attained a Democratic majority in the last election. Believing their "right to bear arms" as protected under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution would be threatened, some conservatives have turned to the idea of Second Amendment Sanctuaries in order to keep their rights.
There are 17.7 million AR-15 style weapons owned legally in the US. If the DPST's think they will confiscate those weapons without violence - they are sadly mistaken. AR-15 ban will not change the mentally ill who pimarily use pistols in their shootings.
DPST (Kalifornia) Eric Swalwell proposed using nukes on Americans - and is still deadly serious about it. He and the DPST ilk would rather nuke America than permit law-abiding firearm owners to hold their weapons.
DPST's are pushing a dangerous agenda - and the smug, supercilious know what's best DPST's have no comprehension of of the opposition to their confiscate gun agenda.
Americans Own at Least 423 Million Firearms, Industry Report Shows
