According to results of a recent online survey of firearm retailers conducted by the NSSF, an estimated 5.4 million people purchased their first gun in 2021 – 30% of the 18.5 million Americans who bought a gun last year. While down from the 8.5 million first-time gun buyers in 2020, nearly 14 million people have joined the growing shooting sports community in the last two years.

Among the first-time buyers, retailers indicated women made up 33% with roughly 50% of all first-timers aged 40-years-old or younger. Retailers also reported over 22% of such buyers became return customers in 2021, contributing to the year’s 38.8 million NICS background checks and second-highest annual total ever behind 2020.

Dating back to November 2019, FBI NICS background checks have surpassed 2.5 million for 27 consecutive months – a figure that has occurred only nine times outside the current streak. Further, NSSF-provided NICS-adjusted totals have topped 1 million for 30 months straight as new and existing gun owners continue to buy firearms at historic pace.

For FFLs across the industry, the exponential growth has been a double-edged sword. While business is booming for manufacturers and retailers, keeping up with growing demand has remained a challenge while supply chains struggle amid shipping delays and material and worker shortages. However, after producing over 10 million guns in 2020 – a total expected to be matched in 2021 – firearm and ammunition inventories have improved enough in recent months for distributors and retailers to satisfy eager consumers.