Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the shelves of stores have been stripped of food, toilet paper, hand sanitizers and many other essential items. Another item that has gotten less attention, that also been flying off the shelves is firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition. 

Countrywide, many United States gun stores have faced long lines of people wiping out their inventory as fears of social unrest and the need for self-protection rise. FBI gun purchase background checks were up to 300 percent on Monday over the same day in 2019, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun sales trade group. Although the FBI would not verify the exact number, the background check data from last month was up 36 percent over the data in 2019. 

Justin Anderson, the store director of marketing at Hyatt Guns of Charlotte, North Carolina, which bills itself as “America’s Largest Gun Shop,” has seen sale surges for handguns, shotguns, and AR-style rifles bought for personal defense. Standing out especially, Anderson claims that ammunition sales have reached, “unprecedented levels,” surpassing holiday rush buying. 

In a statement to ABC13, the National Rifle Association exposed that our nation sees a rise in firearm and ammunition sales whenever people feel threatened. Additionally, it is said that we are seeing this now during the coronavirus outbreak because during times like these, first-responders resources may be limited making the American’s individual safety fall into their own hands.

A former U.S. defense contractor, Army Ranger and owner of Battleline Tactical, Kris “Tanto” Paronto, concurred that while he had seen “huge sales spike in the recent weeks,” he cautioned Americans against “panic buying.”  “I know there is a general distrust of the government, no matter which party is in charge, since gun control is always at the forefront. Uncertainty can easily turn into panic without positive reassurance,” he said. Paronto also urges the American people to not allow panic to overtake the organization needed to keep up with daily necessities.