Posted April 2023

A firearm industry trade association recently reported there were some 5.4 million first-time buyers of firearms in 2021.

According to the same foundation, there were an estimated 8.4 million first-time gun buyers in the United States in 2020, a significant increase from the estimated 4.2 million first-time gun buyers in 2019. The report also noted that nearly half of all first-time gun buyers in 2020 were women, and that many of these buyers were from urban areas. What is going on? What is the cause? 

If you are considering or actively shopping for a “first-time” handgun just know that you are not alone. Why today, are so many people looking to buy a handgun?  Here are a few possibilities:

Personal safety: With crime rates increasing in some areas, people may feel the need to arm themselves for personal protection. People are finding it difficult to understand why dangerous felons are being let out of prison. We see brazen street gangs or just unstable homeless people and that feeling of security is gone. 

Political climate: Political polarization and social unrest can lead people to feel anxious about their safety, which may prompt them to purchase a handgun.

Fear of changing gun control laws: Some people may be concerned that gun control laws could become more restrictive in the future, so they may be buying handguns now while they still can.

Police norms are changing: With police departments facing funding cuts and record number of police personnel leaving or retiring it will incumbent on the citizen to protect themselves. The individual is now the first line of defense for the family. We see churches with armed security teams and schools with full-time armed officers and teaches on campus. More and more police agencies are notifying citizens that they will be responding only to emergency calls. So, to them, a life-threatening situation to you is not yet an emergency. It has been said that “when seconds count, the police will be minutes away”.

If you are looking to purchase a handgun for the first time, you are probably wondering where you should start? What kind of handgun do you need? What are the legal and moral ramifications and responsibilities of owning a gun. Especially if this is your first gun. Check out the links below. I'll point you in some directions, and give you some things to consider. 

So come along and browse the pages below and you might find some answers and offer an opinion or two.