The Obama Gun Surge

Recently, Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association wrote to his organization’s 4 million members to warn them that they are at grave risk of losing everything they hold dear. Obama, the NRA’s leader wrote, “has spent his entire political career—over 16 years—proposing, promoting, or secretly supporting the most radical anti-firearm-freedom policies you can imagine.” LaPierre said that on Election Day, “Americans will vote either to defend or surrender freedom in the most consequential national decision in U.S. history.” From the letter, one might infer that it’s been a very bad four years for gun owners, gunmakers, and gun rights. Hardly.

In anticipation of a gun control crackdown that never happened, the firearm-buying public has treated the gun industry to an “Obama surge.” Although hard sales figures aren’t available (most gun manufacturers are privately held), one proxy for sales, revenue from the federal firearm-and-ammunition excise tax, rose nearly 30 percent during Obama’s first year in office. Exhausted gun buyers moderated their shopping during the last two years, but overall sales remain higher than in 2008.