Gun sales are on the rise with almost a quarter of Americans saying they or someone in their immediate family has purchased a gun in the past year, according to the results of a new survey put out by Rasmussen Reports on Wednesday.
(Guns.com)- The results coincide with an increase in federal background checks performed – the gun industry’s main trade group, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, claiming a 9.2 percent increase in firearms sales in the first quarter 2016 from the previous year.
Those numbers were adjusted down from a 25.4 percent increase to account for permit checks by states and not actual sales.
While many Americans are buying guns, a majority – 70 percent – did not purchase a firearm in the past year, the survey found.
Further, 44 percent of Americans think it’s too easy to buy a gun and 66 percent believe self-defense is the main reason one would purchase one.
In recent years the firearms industry has set its sights on women, marketing everything from concealed carry lingerie to pink range bags and rifles.
According to the NSSF, more women are actually buying guns and the market is responding. Critics argue that isn’t the case – that the number of women buying guns has remained steady for decades and there isn’t a buying boom among the ladies.
The National Rifle Association, too, has said it has shown an increased interest among senior citizens above the age of 60.