![]() "It has dramatically affected the whole industry," said Tracey Fornthwalth, an employee of Morr Range. As of the end of November, 35.4 million firearm background checks had been completed since the start of the year, more than in any other full year since state by state tracking began in 1998. Gun sales have skyrocketed in the United States since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Morr Range, a gun shop in West Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, has seen a high demand for guns and ammunition since the start of COVID-19. "The pandemic has surpassed all of that in sales." Then we had what we call the 'Trump slump," where gun shops lost business during the Trump presidency because people knew he wasn't trying to take away guns. "During the Obama presidency, we had great sales because people were afraid he'd take their guns. "Coronavirus kicked everything off the way it did, I didn't really expect it," Weimann said. He says he has "probably sold more hunting rifles this year than in any of the 10 previous years." He attributes that to the free time people have to hunt because of the pandemic. Weimann has seen a dramatic increase in sales for all guns across the board. "I don't think they understand what's involved in using your firearm when you fear for your life." "We got people who have no idea what they are doing buying firearms," Weimann said. In a typical year, they would comprise 15% to 20% of customers.īut that number also worries him a little bit. Weimann credits them for being about 40% of his customer base. "I tell them, those guys have 450 other accounts to sell that Glock to."Īn increase in first-time buyers was a huge part of the shop's customer base this past year. ![]() "I have people tell me, 'How come these other big gun shops are so (expletive) on the phone?'" Wiemann said. Weimann said people appreciated their customer service over some of the bigger gun shops. The National Shooting Sports Foundation said there have been a record-setting 19.1 million firearm sales nationwide through November.Īccording to a Pennsylvania State Police news release, the state ran 406,151 background checks in the third quarter of 2020 - the most ever in any quarter.īackwoods Outfitters has sold three times the guns they sold in previous years. A worldwide pandemic, a divisive presidential election and civil unrest has left a lot of businesses closed, workers laid off, and small-business owners struggling to keep the lights on.īut those conditions have meant record sales for gun shops such as Backwoods Outfitters. But as long as his shop Backwoods Outfitters in Columbia, Lancaster County, was left standing at the end of the year, he considered it a success.įor many mom-and-pop shops, 2020 was a nightmarish year nobody saw coming. He has seen record sales some years and he has seen sales drop so low that he struggled to keep the doors open. In 26 years of business, Thomas Wiemann thought he had seen it all.
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