Handgun sales are alive and well and continuing to outpace long gun sales, with no sign that the trend will revert to historical precedence. Credit the liberalization of concealed carry laws. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s Smith & Wesson’s Firearms Division President P. James Debney [above, right] on the current and prospective state of play via twst.com: “If you take the primary indicator, which is NICS, the background checks performed through the FBI when a consumer purchases a firearm, that number has had very strong year-over-year growth that has continued even after the surge period that occurred in late 2008 and into 2009, reflecting strong growth in the firearms industry . . .
Couple that with trends toward concealed carry, which we believe are driven by the need for self-protection in the current environment, where municipalities have fewer funds available to support the current need.
We believe the result is that people are generally taking responsibility for protecting themselves. This seems to be supported by many states which appear to be much more willing to allow concealed carry of firearms by citizens. I think there’s now only one state remaining that doesn’t allow concealed carry. Wisconsin was one of the latest ones to recently allow concealed carry.
He thinks? He should know! We know. It’s true: Illinois is the lone U.S. state prohibiting civilian concealed carry weapons (CCW)—although there are plenty of de facto gun ban states.
With the NRA’s Todd Vandermeis playing hardball with Illinois pols, it’s only a matter of time before S&W snubbies start selling like hotcakes in the Land of Lincoln. How much time remains to be seen . . .
Meanwhile, anyone want to buy a profit-draining security company? Only one not-so-careful owner.
