We often see firearms or ammunition shortages tied to political elections or in the aftermath of shootings that anti-gun activists like to exploit.
For instance, the 2008 election of President Obama triggered increased sales of both firearms and ammunition.
In fact, some states experienced such a huge increase in ammo sales that retailers decided to ration purchases.
A 2009 Gallup survey found that more than half of gun owners thought Obama would ban the sale of guns while he was in office, along with 41 percent of all Americans.
Plus, shootings like those in Aurora, Colorado have also been shown to increase guns and ammo sales.
Fast forward to today and the coronavirus pandemic. Americans bought about two million guns in March 2020.
It was the second-busiest month ever for gun sales, trailing only January 2013, just after President Obama’s re-election.
The reality is, when you talk about a global pandemic, with millions of people out of work, people become (rightly) worried about civil unrest.
The fact is, desperate people do desperate things and when people have no jobs, food, or way to support their family, some turn to crime.
This is why guns are flying off shelves, but a lot of people are having trouble finding guns at their local store.
For this reason, I want to share with you the best ways to buy guns or ammo during a shortage that we may be facing for a while.
Online. There are many different reputable websites where you can purchase firearms such as Cheaper Than Dirt and Bud’s Gun Shop.
These are both great options, but they will most likely experience similar shortages to your brick and mortar retailers.
However, one website, Gun Broker will probably continue to have guns since they are an auction type website.
Basically, GunBroker.com is a marketplace for gun enthusiasts where you can buy guns and related products online.
The good thing is the website follows strict adherence to gun ownership policies and regulations by using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents.
Local classifieds. In Utah, where I live, we have a website called Utah Gun Exchange. It’s a website for people selling their guns, whether they are retailers or private owners.
This is a great way to buy guns if you are unable to find what you want in the retail market. Perhaps you have a similar online classified site in your state.
Getting your own FFL. One of my favorite options when buying a gun is to obtain your own federal firearms license. Once you obtain your license, you can purchase firearms and other accessories from wholesalers for zero markup.
Basically, you will be getting your guns directly from the distributors, so you won’t be competing with every other person searching on the retail market.
Frankly, we are living in unprecedented times and there is no question people are arming themselves and should be.
If you’re in need of guns, make sure and give the above options a try.
