Gun Sales Rise as Crime and Accident Rates Fall, National Shooting Sports Foundation Analysis Shows.NEWTOWN, Conn. -- New statistics show that firearm firearm, device consisting essentially of a straight tube to propel shot, shell, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder. Although the Chinese discovered gunpowder as early as the 9th cent., they did not develop firearms until the mid-14th cent. and ammunition This article is largely based on the article in the out-of-copyright 11th edition of the Encyclopdia Britannica, which was produced in 1911. It should be brought up to date to reflect subsequent history or scholarship (including the references, if any). sales are on the rise, coinciding co·in·cide intr.v. co·in·cid·ed, co·in·cid·ing, co·in·cides 1. To occupy the same relative position or the same area in space. 2. To happen at the same time or during the same period. 3. with steady downward trends in gun crime, suicide and accident rates, in the U.S. The National Shooting Sports Foundation The National Shooting Sports Foundation, or NSSF, is a non-profit trade association for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry. Based in Newtown, Connecticut, NSSF's membership includes manufacturers, distributors, retailers, sportsmen's organizations and media. (NSSF NSSF National Shooting Sports Foundation NSSF Naval Submarine Support Facility NSSF NORAD Software Support Facility ), the trade association for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry, has released U.S. Dept. of the Treasury figures indicating that 2005 retail sales of firearms This is an extensive list of small arms — pistol, machine gun, grenade launcher, anti-tank rifle — that includes variants. : Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A
For the year, approximately 4.7 million new guns were sold, bringing the estimated number of citizen-owned firearms in the U.S. to more than 290 million. The number of American households with at least one firearm is now estimated at nearly 110 million. Of the various firearm types, the sharpest gains were seen in retail sales of handguns (pistols The following is a list of pistols, firearms that are normally meant for wielding one-handed and for self-defence, and that differ from revolvers and other singled handed weapons through their semi-automatic action. and revolvers). Handgun sales rose 3 percent while long-gun (rifle and shotgun shotgun: see small arms. shotgun Smoothbore shoulder firearm designed to fire a number of pellets, or shot, that cover a large target area after they leave the muzzle. It is used mainly against small game such as birds. ) sales rose 1.8 percent. Ammunition sales rose 3.5 percent. Combined 2005 sales of firearms and ammunition generated $224.3 million in excise taxes excise taxes, governmental levies on specific goods produced and consumed inside a country. They differ from tariffs, which usually apply only to foreign-made goods, and from sales taxes, which typically apply to all commodities other than those specifically exempted. earmarked for wildlife and habitat conservation To conserve habitat life for wild species and prevent their extinction or reduction in range is a priority of a great many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology. projects, through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. Since inception, the act has raised more than $5 billion for conservation. As NSSF-member companies and conservationists laud the latest sales numbers, their applause coincides with more good news about American society in general. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. figures from government and independent sources, firearm crimes, suicides and accidental fatalities, including accidents among youth, are all trending downward. "Reductions in gun crimes and accidental fatalities have been documented for many years, even as gun sales and ownership in our country continue to rise," said Doug Painter, president of NSSF. "However, today's anti-gun organizations rake in rake in Verb Informal to acquire (money) in large amounts Verb 1. rake in - earn large sums of money; "Since she accepted the new position, she has been raking it in" shovel in lots of cash by perpetuating the myth that more guns equals more bad news. Clearly, there is no relationship between gun ownership and firearm misuse." Painter credited many different organizations and programs working together to ensure that gun owners are safe, active, responsible and aware of their 2nd Amendment rights. NSSF's highlight programs include: --Project ChildSafe. Has provided more than 30 million free firearm safety kits, including gunlocks, since 2003. --Don't Lie for the Other Guy. Educational program to help firearm dealers curb illegal gun purchases, and warns potential violators of the penalties for making a "straw purchase A straw purchase is any purchase where the buyer is not eligible to own the purchased item according to the law and therefore purchases the item through a proxy buyer. Although it usually refers to the purchase of illegal firearms, the term can refer to almost anything bought or ." --Safety Education. A variety of materials in print, video and electronic formats help deliver safety messages to America's gun owners and students. --Recruitment Programs. NSSF responsibly reaches out to new hunters and shooters through initiatives such as Scholastic Clay Target Clay targets also known as clay pigeons or skeet, are discs, made of pitch used in clay pigeon shooting including skeet shooting or trapshooting as moving targets. They are brightly coloured (usually orange or yellow) so as to be as visible as possible. Program, Scholastic Rifle Program, Families Afield, First Shots, STEP OUTSIDE, and others. Formed in 1961, NSSF is celebrating its 45th birthday in 2006. The organization recently reached important new milestones, topping 3,000 members and hosting the largest annual trade show (SHOT Show) in the history of the firearms industry.
U.S. STATISTICS SOURCE LAST YEAR* TREND
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Firearm & U.S. Dept. of the Up 2.6% to Up 27.7%
Ammunition Treasury $2.1 billion since 1998
Sales
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Firearms Bureau of Alcohol, 22.8 million
Produced for Tobacco, Firearms total
Retail Sale and Explosives (ATF) 2,947,008 since 1998
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Firearms 10.7 million
Imported for U.S. Census Bureau total
Retail Sale 1,845,366 since 1998
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Right to Carry National Rifle Passed in Now in 40 states;
Laws Association (NRA) 2 more states 9 added since
1998
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Firearm Crimes Federal Bureau of Down 2.4% to Down 7%
Investigation (FBI) 339,280 since 1998
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Firearm Centers for Disease Down 1.1% to Down 1.8%
Suicides Control (CDC) 16,907 since 1998
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Accidental National Safety Tied previous Down 19.2%
Firearm Council year's all-time since 1998
Fatalities low of 700
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Accidental
Firearm National Safety Down to Down 50.4%
Fatalities, Council all-time low of since 1998
Age 14 & Under 60
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* Most recent year for which statistics have been compiled; may be
2005, 2004 or earlier. Fully formatted, color, hyperlinked version of
this chart available at www.nssf.org.
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