Gun Demand Is Off the Charts in America
- Smith & Wesson, Sturm Ruger rally on consumer buying spree
- Background checks for firearms rise to record in June
Photographer: Eva Hambach/AFP via Getty Images
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U.S. consumers are rushing to buy guns as the Covid-19 pandemic and protests over police brutality combine with U.S. presidential politics to fuel unprecedented demand.
Firearm background checks compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a proxy for gun purchases, jumped to a record in June as street demonstrations spread around the U.S. That extended a surge that began in March as the coronavirus prompted lockdowns across the country.