We talked to a prominent upper midwest firearms retailer yesterday who confirms what this press release from Ammo.com reports. In addition to food, water and Kleenex, Americans are stocking up on guns and ammunition as Coronavirus blooms multiply around the country.

The retailer we talked to said he’s seeing a noticeable uptick in sales as the news of COVID-19 infections expands. But we wouldn’t have guessed that the caliber that’s seen the biggest increase — at least according to Ammo.com — would be .40 S&W.

From Ammo.com . . .

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) hits the US, it’s not just hand sanitizer and flu medications that are flying off the shelves. While Walmart and Target are running out of emergency essentials and “currently unavailable” is popping up on various Amazon searches, the rush to be prepared has also reached the ammunition industry.

Ammo sales soar in response to Coronavirus panic

Recent analysis shows that online ammunition retailer, Ammo.com, has seen a significant increase in conversions and sales since February 23, 2020. The company reports that this surge corresponds with the public concern regarding the COVID-19 virus. According to Google Trends , starting on February 23, American interest over time (the site’s measurement matrix) of the term “coronavirus” has quadrupled, increasing from 22 to 100.

When compared to the 11 days before February 23 (February 12 to 22), in the 11 days after (February 23 to March 4), Ammo.com’s number of transactions increased 68% and the company has seen a conversation rate increase of 45%.

Alex Horsman, the marketing manager at Ammo.com, said of the surge, “We know certain things impact ammo sales, mostly political events or economic instability when people feel their rights may end up infringed, but this is our first experience with a virus leading to such a boost in sales.” Horsman continued, “But it makes sense. A lot of our customers like to be prepared. And for many of them, it’s not just facemasks and TheraFlu. It’s knowing that no matter what happens, they can keep themselves and their families safe.”

When it comes to actual sales, Ammo.com’s increase varied among calibers and brands. Calibers that saw the largest increase include:

Top sales increases in brands went to MBI ammo with a 179% increase and Federal ammo at 176%. Other significant growth included:

Sales also varied by state, with North Carolina and Georgia coming in with the largest increase (179% and 169% respectively). These were closely followed by Pennsylvania (140%) and Texas (128%). Other states that saw a big boom are:

The company also mentioned that the price of gold has started to rise (5.35% in the last 30 days), which tends to correlate with an increase in the sales of ammunition. Interested parties can learn more about the connection through the company’s infographic: Are Guns and Ammo the New Gold? , a 2011 data study.

ABOUT AMMO.COM

Ammo.com is an American retail online ammunition store that offers great prices, fast shipping, and live American customer support. It also uses a real-time inventory management system that keeps the site constantly up-to-date on stock, ensuring no surprises come checkout.