First-Time Gun Ownership Surges as Democrats Push Left-Leaning Policies

“No one likes violence,” she said. “But now it’s the left who is using policy to treat us violently. We need to be able to defend ourselves.”

A customer fills out his federal background check paperwork as he purchases a handgun in Delray Beach, Fla., on Jan. 5, 2016. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

First-time gun ownership has surged across the United States in recent months as gun background checks hit record highs.

According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), as many as 8.5 million people bought their first gun in 2020. Furthermore, FBI data shows that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) processed more than 4,317,000 background check requests for gun purchases in January of this year, the highest number for a single month since November 1998.