The number of NICS background checks conducted by the FBI in 2019 came in at 28,369,750, the highest mark since the agency began the program in 1998. After an adjustment for the volume of concealed-carry permit applications, renewals and other administrative use of the system, Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting (SAAF) estimates the figure reflects total firearm sales of 13.9 million firearms last year.
“The industry ended the 2019 year with sales of about 100,000 more units than for the whole of 2018 (13.9 vs. 13.8 million units),” SAAF Chief Economist Jurgen Brauer explained in a press release this week. “While unit sales during 2020, being a U.S. presidential election year, may increase again (even absent politics, we estimate to about 14.4 million units), it is unlikely that the industry will return to its 2016 sales high of 16.6 million units.”
Increases in handgun sales are playing a critical role in the market’s improvement. “One trend that will continue, however, is of the U.S. as a ‘handgun nation,’” Brauer said. “Since 2014, annual handgun unit sales have handily outpaced annual long-gun unit sales in 2019 by nearly 2.3 million units.”
NICS background checks conducted in December 2019 claimed second place honors in the all-time-record list for the period, although the total fell nearly 400,000 short of the record set in 2015. SAAF estimates that in December firearm sales reflected by the FBI figures totaled roughly 1,671,775. Of those 859,850 were single handgun sales, with another 689,444 reflecting the purchase of a long arm (rifle or shotgun). Other related firearm purchases came in at 122,481, a figure that includes enthusiasts who bought multiple guns at the same time, which requires only one background check.
Since the NICS program began, the FBI has conducted more than 333 million background checks.
A study conducted by the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center of 41 separate school attacks released on Thursday found a common pattern among the killers; they were bullied, got in trouble at school, and were never reported to authorities, no matter how bothered others might have been by their behavior.
New Mexico Department of Game & Fish Game & Fish News
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us
SANTA FE – The New Mexico State Game Commission will meet Friday, Jan. 17, in Las Cruces.
The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road.
Agenda items include:
Rule Making Hearing on the Final Fair Chase Rule
Rule Making Hearing on the Final Trapping and Furbearers Rule
Rule Making Hearing on the Final Licenses/Permits Rule
Workshop on the Departments E-PLUS program
The full agenda and other information are available on the Department of Game and Fish website.
The New Mexico State Game Commission meeting will be available to view via a live webcast on the Department’s website. The webcast can be accessed by clicking here. Webcast participants can listen to the meeting using a desktop computer or mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Comments will only be allowed at the Commission Chair’s discretion and commenting is only available in person. A recording will be available after the meeting at the above link.
The State Game Commission is composed of seven members who represent the state’s diverse interests in wildlife-associated recreation and conservation. Members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. Current members are Roberta Salazar-Henry, Jimmy Bates, Gail Cramer, Tirzio Lopez, David Soules and Jeremy Vesbach.
If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the meeting, please contact Tristanna Bickford, (505) 476-8027. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible forms.
Starting July 1, 2021, California residents will be prohibited from buying more than one semiautomatic rifle per month. And, starting Jan. 1, 2020, California residents under the age of 21 will be banned from purchasing a semiautomatic rifle.
Both measures are part of Senate Bill 61, which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom back in October as part of a larger legislative effort to restrict 2A rights in the Golden State.
“Gun violence is an epidemic in this country, one that’s been enflamed by the inaction of politicians in Washington,” said Gov. Newsom in a statement. “While Washington has refused to act on even the most basic gun safety reforms, California is once again leading the nation in passing meaningful gun safety reforms.”
Prior to the passage of SB 61, residents under 21 could purchase a rifle if they had a valid hunting license. But state Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge), the sponsor of SB61, believed it was time to put a stop to that following a shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, CA, on April 27, 2019.
“These particular violent weapons are not needed for hunting and have become increasingly the gun of choice for mass shootings,” Portantino told SacBee. “We felt very strongly that the hunter’s exemption needed to be removed for this weapon.”
The 19-year-old killer, who did not have a valid hunting license, still managed to purchase a firearm from a San Diego gun store. Portantino believes that although a myriad of existing laws failed to prevent the attack, one more might do the trick next time around.
“Though that shooter did not have a valid hunting license at the time of his gun purchase, that horrible situation highlighted the need for immediate action,” Portantino explained.
Gun-rights advocates disagree. Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, told GunsAmerica in an email that this new law is “stupid.”
“Another stupid anti-gun law. How many criminals use more than one semi-auto rifle when they commit a crime? Like zero,” said Gottlieb.
“This is just to demonize firearms and attack constitutional rights and will have no impact on keeping anyone safe,” he added.
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New Mexico is next guys…..Kalifornia leads the way in stomping on your rights, NM right behind. Election by election, the voters keep voting in idiots. Did you vote for Grisham?
NMSSA and NRA-ILA are hosting a Legislative Strategy Session
With pro-gun legislators and the leadership for both NMSSA and NRA-ILA, we will be discussing the upcoming 2020 legislative session. This is your opportunity to help shape the strategy heading into another difficult session and support the local cause to protect our Second Amendment rights.
Recently the court that allowed Bushmaster (Remington) to be sued seems to have opened the floodgates. Once again, it is the weapon’s fault, not the shooter.
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Victims of a 2018 shooting in Toronto, Ontario, are suing Smith and Wesson, the company that manufactured the shooter’s gun. Their claim is that S&W didn’t incorporate smart technology that could have prevented the shooting.
Background
On July 22, 2018, a shooter opened fire on a restaurant and killed a 10-year old girl and an 18-year old woman. Thirteen others were also injured in the attack. The Guardian reports that the man’s handgun had been stolen from a gun dealer in Saskatchewan, two provinces and at least 1,500 miles away. There were at least 24 handguns stolen that day, according to Global News.
Shooter Was Mentally Ill
Global News reports in an anonymous interview with a former teacher that the shooter aspired to kill someone.
“Ten years ago when he was in my class, and I asked him what does he want to do he said to me, ‘Oh I want to kill someone’ and I said, ‘Are you kidding me? Why? What did they do to you?’ he said, ‘Oh nothing, I just feel it would be really cool to kill somebody. [sic]’”
The police had investigated him 3 times in the past regarding his mental health. His own family released a statement saying he had been ill for a long time.
“We are utterly devastated by the incomprehensible news that our son was responsible for the senseless violence and loss of life that took place on the Danforth,” the family said. “While we did our best to seek help for him throughout his life of struggle and pain, we could never imagine that this would be his devastating and destructive end.” He killed himself during a shootout with the police.
Brother Was A Drug Trafficker With Guns
The shooter’s older brother has been arrested for drug trafficking, according to Global News. He was arrested in Saskatchewan, the same province where the handgun was reportedly stolen. At the time of the shooting, the older brother was in a coma following a drug overdose in Toronto. When paramedics responded to save him, they alerted the police about a suspicious substance in the house.
The police found 42 kilograms (92 pounds) of the extremely potent carfentanil. They also found 33 guns and charged his roommate with 337 firearm-related offenses.
It was easy for the shooter to acquire a firearm to commit the shooting.
But It’s S&W’s Fault
Despite the shooter’s mental illness and easy access to firearms, the class action suit against Smith & Wesson claims it’s the manufacturer’s fault for not making their firearms safer. They say the problem is that S&W didn’t incorporate smart-gun technology that would keep the shooter from firing the stolen pistol.
In a video interview, the plaintiffs argue that firearms without smart-gun tech are like cars from the ’70s that lack seat belts and safety glass. They believe that their lawsuit will ultimately force gun companies to embrace smart-gun technology.
But it’s more like forcing all automobiles to be equipped with interlock devices that prevent users from driving while under the influence. Unfortunately though, whether its interlock devices or personalized firearms, the tech isn’t foolproof.
There are numerous workarounds that allow those with criminal intent to circumvent the block. For example, a drunk could have a sober buddy blow into his car’s breathalyzer to get it started. And, one can easily hack a smart gun with a magnet, as GunsAmerica previously reported.
Point is, crime is a people problem– not a product problem. The perp who killed those patrons at a restaurant in Toronto is responsible for the act, not the gun nor its manufacturer.
Instagram just launched the next attack in the corporate campaign to marginalize gun owners.
The Facebook-owned social media giant will not allow influencers to be paid to promote vaping, tobacco products, or weapons, according to CNBC.
The move comes as dozens of other corporate entities work to crack down on legal gun owners. Companies like YouTube, Citigroup, Shopify, Walmart, Kickstarter, and FedEx have all announced policies in recent years designed to restrict lawful products and impede gun enthusiasts from making money selling and promoting firearm-related items.
Instagram’s new policy will prohibit companies from promoting “branded content” that advertises firearms. “Branded content” is a feature that allows a company to promote a post by an “influencer” (a user with a large following) to reach a wider audience. The social media company had already banned advertisements that promote firearms, but until now companies could “boost” posts from private accounts by paying Instagram to send those posts to more people.
The “branded content” feature was announced in June of this year, and an Instagram spokesperson told CNBC that this is the first time they’ve restricted the types of items that can be advertised using the feature.
Instagram’s “influencer” industry has exploded since the company’s founding in 2010. Today, millions of individuals work in markets from fashion to fitness to firearms to build a following big enough to attract partnerships with businesses looking to promote their products. Some estimate that businesses will spend as much as $15 billion on influencers by 2022, up from $8 billion in 2019.
This latest policy from Instagram will significantly hinder the ability of Instagram influencers to make money by partnering with gun companies.
Another tech company, Shopify, made a similar move last year that forced gun companies to scramble to keep their businesses from closing. Without warning, Shopify announced that it would prohibit the sale of lawful, non-firearm items such as flash suppressors, threaded barrels, pistol grips, and even magazines larger than 10 rounds.
Franklin Armory had to work practically overnight to find another host for their website, and company president Jay Jacobson saw the policy change as a small part of a much larger societal movement.
“History is replete with examples of discriminatory practices employed against various societal segments,” Jacobson pointed out. “In almost every case, our nation has legislated equal protection for those segments to prevent unfair practices and discrimination. If Congress does not act soon to provide equal protection to all businesses, it is not too much of a leap to see how only approved businesses or people will be able to buy or sell in future financial markets.”
OK, this isn’t a New Mexico story, or even directly related. I couldn’t help posting this after seeing just how idiotic gun control is, or in this case, knife control. An employee of the PD was able to kill 4 others right at the PD with a KNIFE. When four members of the PD aren’t even able to protect themselves against a knife wielder, what about a person with a gun.
We think gun control is idiotic, in France you can’t carry a knife without a professional reason!!!!
Four people are dead following a knife attack Thursday at the police headquarters in Paris, France.
The victims include three police officers and an administrative worker, NBC News is reporting.
Authorities believe the perpetrator of the attack was a 45-year-old IT employee for the department, who worked there for approximately 16 years.
Responding officers eventually shot and killed the attacker before he could wound or kill more people. No motive has been established as of yet.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo mourned the loss on Twitter, writing, “Paris cries for its own this afternoon after this terrible attack at the @prefpolice. Heavy casualties, several police officers lost their lives. On my behalf and that of Parisians, my first thoughts go to the families of the victims and their loved ones.”
She added, “During the Paris Council, we will pay tribute to the victims and will salute the unfailing commitment of police forces serving the security of Parisians. We know what we owe them.”
France prohibits one from carrying a knife on their person unless its “for good reason,” meaning it’s directly related to their profession, according to Wikipedia. Police also have full power to declare any knife a prohibited item and subsequently confiscate it.
Do you think you shoot well? Have you competed in competition with others? How about coming out this weekend and join the Sandia Gun Club at their match!
Fear & Loading: Gun Sales—Up Nearly 16 Points in August
National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figures from August indicate firearm sales were up nearly 16 percent in August when compared to the same period in 2018. “Likely single handgun sales (632,415) increased year-over-year by 19.5% while single long-gun sales (430,838) increased year over-year by 7.7%. All other likely background check-related sales (97,294) increased year-over-year by 33.3%,” Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting (SAAF) wrote in a Sept. 14 press release.
The increase comes on the heels of modest gains posted in July, June and May, although SAAF Chief Economist Jurgen Brauer warns it’s still too early to predict whether this year’s total will beat 2018’s numbers. “After sluggish winter, spring, and early summer sales, August sales jumped up to a considerable extent,” he said. “Year-to-date sales still are running about 200,000 units below those of 2018 (8.6 million vs 8.8 million). As the industry enters its crucial fall and year-end holiday season, unit sales will rise but whether last year’s totals will be exceeded remains to be seen, of course.”
The number of NICS checks processed by the FBI in August was 2,366,824, nearly 300,000 greater than last year’s 2,073,296 for the month. The figure set a new all-time high for the reporting period.
Raw NICS figures or even a percentage thereof can be wildly misleading when attempting to gauge firearm sales. Concealed carry background checks conducted through the system last month in Kentucky alone added to the total by more than 300,000.
Hasty calculations recommended elsewhere that are based on a percentage of raw numbers can be significantly off—in the past four months by as much as nearly 9 percent, or short 189,000 guns. In August, SAAF estimates 1,160,547 of the NICS checks reflected a new gun purchase. That converts to a little more than 49 percent. Conversely, in May the 2,349,309 records processed by the FBI included 957,547 firearm sales, according to the organization. That comes in significantly lower, at roughly 41 percent.
