At least 5.4 million people were estimated to have bought guns for the first time in 2021, with nearly 30% of all guns sold last year going to new firearms owners, according to a recent trade group survey.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) 2021 figures show a decrease of about 3 million from the staggering numbers of 2020, when an estimated 8.4 million people bought guns for the first time.
The firearm industry trade group found that 27% of the new gun buyers were between ages 31 and 40, while 22.2% were age 30 or under.
The third-highest group was those between ages 41 and 50, who made up 21.7% of first-time gun owners, The NSSF found. Almost 47% of the first-time buyers asked about firearms training, while 43% enlisted in training programs, the group found.