In response to the uncertain times that the COVID-19 virus has brought upon the American populace, it seems that many American families have chosen to arm themselves. A Newsy/Ipsos survey revealed that 1 in 20 households say they have purchased some sort of firearm in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In Response to COVID-19 1 in 20 Households Purchased a Firearm

A web developer by the name of Justin Orel said “I got a Glock. That seemed like a pretty reliable … very reputable weapon.” He continued:

“I thought about purchasing a firearm for a while. Never really was sure about it. Also I’m not like, I don’t know, a gun nut, or like, I don’t know, also usually more on the side of like heavier gun controls probably not a terrible thing like better background checks and things like that. … We were just like, well, maybe now is the time just in case, like, something crazy happens or people start losing their minds … Maybe better to have one and not need it than need it and not have it.”

It seems that scares of food shortages, increased chances of civil unrest and other uncertainties have driven people to seek better protection for themselves and their families. This coincides with a vast increase in ammunition sales as well as a record-breaking month for NICS checks in March 2020. Ammo.com has reported a 777% increase in revenue between the end of February and the end of March.

The same survey also showed that although 1 in 20 households did buy a gun in response to COVID-19, an even greater 1 in 10 said that they have considered buying a firearm in response to the pandemic. It just goes to show that in desperate times many people will inevitably turn inward for protection.

Are you surprised at all by these results or should we expect more Americans to continue to buy guns during these uncertain times? Let us know down in the comments.