US citizen has bought more guns last month compared to other periods since the FBI started collecting information more than two decades ago, says an article.

Every day, the death toll of people losing their battle with COVID-19 continues to increase while the majority of the nation is on lockdown.

It seems that many people in the US are looking at guns as a response to the COVID-19 crisis. According to experts, this reaction is not feared to result from a social disorder.

The Statistics of Guns

In March, the FBI conducted 3.7 million background checks. This is the highest total since the 1998 instant background check program.

The results were 1.1 million higher compared to the March 2019 record.

On March 21, 210,000 checks were conducted. It was the biggest one-day record.

The FBI data reveals that there are more than 2 million guns purchased in March alone.

Illinois got the highest number with almost 500,000 gun sales, followed by Texas, Kentucky, Florida, and California.

Running-Out of Guns and Difficulty Meeting the Market's Demand

Shops selling guns across the US reported that they are unable to restock their shelves immediately to meet the demands of the market.

The latest information also tops the former high of 3.3 million. It was set in December 2015. This was after former president Obama raised the likelihood of assault rifles restrictions due to the San Bernardino, California mass shooting.

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Why Did Gun Sales Skyrocket?

According to US gun Industry expert and Law School Professor Timothy Lytton of Georgia State University, the majority of the new gun sales are being influenced by two factors that have been brought by the COVID-19 crisis.

The first factor is the concern with civil society. Police, fire, and health services may significantly "erode" someday. This event may lead to a fall of law and order in the community. In this scenario, guns act as 'self-help' tools.

The second factor is the intervention of the government of the United States on its citizens' freedom, such as restrictions for gun ownership, which the Constitution of the United States of America enshrines, as Lytton explained.

Potential Fears of the People that May Trigger Increased Purchase of Guns

The majority of the public health measures, such as the restriction of the population's movements, shelter-in-place, and limits on what people can buy, increases the public's fears, including the possibility of government takeover and tyranny.

The Two Factors

In other ways, the two reasons provided by Professor Lytton are in contrast with each other.

Some people worry that the US government is falling apart, and some feel that this may be a reason why the government might not protect them. The public is also worried that the government is getting stronger to limit people's freedom.