By Dave Workman | Editor-in-Chief
January was a slow month for firearms imports and exports, with the exception of shotguns, according to data released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which tracks the information from the U.S. International Trade Commission.
According to NSSF, January handgun imports declined 23.7 percent from the same month in 2019, with only 123,037 units arriving this year, compared to the 161,173 that came into the country last year. This year’s number dipped close to the import figure from January 2011, when data shows 110,922 units arrived. On the export side, they decreased 18.7 percent from 21,487 to 17,459 guns, the trade group reported, putting this year’s exports on par with the 17,494 units shipped in January 2012.
Rifle imports were down dramatically, with 43.6 percent fewer guns coming in (30,511) this year as opposed to the 58,237 rifles that came in during January 2019. On the other hand, rifle exports were up 21.3 percent over January of last year—17,196 units over last year’s 14,177 rifles—providing something of a bright spot.
But when it comes to smoothbores, the data is worthy of the spotlight. This year’s January import figure for shotguns was 40.8 percent higher than during the same month in 2012, 73,077 to 51,895. For exports, American gun makers shipped 11.5 percent more shotguns this year than last, 5,199 to 4,664 units.
Ammunition imports were healthier in January, with an increase of 35.8 percent, with 181.6 million rounds coming in (over last year’s 133.7 million). Ammunition exports declined a bit, with 6.8 percent fewer units (76.3 million in 2019, 71.1 million this year).
Shotshell imports declined 50.9 percent and exports dropped 48.8 percent, according to NSSF.
All of this preceded the coronavirus pandemic panic that ignited gun sales starting in late February and early to mid-March. That much is borne out by the raw numbers from the National Instant Check System (NICS), which showed January’s initiated background checks at 2.7 million, followed by a slight upward creep tp 2.8 million in February.
But then came March, when 3,740,688 NICS checks were initiated.
The raw NICS data does not translate to completed gun sales, but the March spike does show considerable more interest in firearms purchases, a fact acknowledged by gun shop owners across the map who reported a spike in sales, largely to first-time gun buyers.
