Pandemic Triggers Explosive Sales of Ammunition

By Howard Polskin, September 21, 2021

The pandemic has been very, very good for sales of ammunition.

That’s one of the conclusions of a new study released last week by the online ammunition retailer Ammo.com,based on the transactions occurring on its website.  The site tracked its sales from February 23, 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, through August 23, 2021.

Ammo.com reported a 590% increase in overall revenue and a 604% increase in transactions compared to the 18-month  period prior to February 23, 2020 (August 24, 2018, to February 22, 2020).  Texas, Florida and Georgia recorded the largest increase in sales volume, posting gains of 736%, 586% and 613% respectively.

“There are many factors contributing to this increase but a few of the main ones are political and social unrest and the publics’ leeriness of Covid,” said Windham Taylor, Ammo.com’s Outreach Manager.  “The change in our country’s leadership has also caused more conservatives to purchase weapons and firearms than when Republican leaders are in office.”

9mm ammunition was by far the most popular caliber sold by Ammo.com during this period.  Taylor says it is one of the most popular rounds used  by gun owners for self-defense and target practice (most always in pistols).  The site  offers a detailed history of 9mm ammunition as well as many other in-depth articles and information resources that make Ammo.com a fairly robust content source far beyond its core retail business. (Check out its Resistance Library.)

Ammo also reported a surge in ammunition sales during the contested transfer of power from President Trump to President Biden from January 4, 2021, to January 22, 2021.  During those 18 days, Ammo experienced a 78% increase in revenue led by ammunition buyers in Texas, Florida and Georgia compared to the prior 18 days.  However, the spike in ammunition transaction paled in comparison during the BLM protests and calls to defund the police from May 28, 2020, to June 5, 2020.  During that time, there was a  200% revenue increase compared to the previous eight days, May 19, 2020, to May 27, 2020.

It’s worth noting that Ammo does not ship ammunition to a handful of jurisdictions and states because of certain local laws.  These include California, New York City, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.

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