On The Relative Size Of The Police And The Civilian Firearms Markets

During 2012, Americans purchased more than 18,500,000 new and used firearms. From all appearances, more than 11,000,000 (eleven million) of those guns were new.

The total number of guns sold to the police and the military is less certain, but some things can be inferred. To begin with, there are approximately 800,000 police officers. If their guns are replaced every ten years, that is a total of 80,000 guns a year. If you add other municipal employees who regularly carry, such as animal control officers and some inspectors, you have a potential market of 100,000 guns a year.

Civilian market 11,000,000 guns vs Police market 100,000 guns

For progressives and other numerically challenged individuals, the police market amounted to just 0.009 percent of the total market for guns. A total that is, in the greater scheme of things, a fraction of the monthly increase in gun sales under Obama.

At this time, almost anything that can be persuaded to shoot will sell, but good times do not last forever. Success in the tough times depends on customer loyalties carefully built during the flush times. A gun company that ignores individual gun buyers in order to sell to police and other State sponsored paramilitaries does so at its own peril.

While the public may well forgive a company that says “we will honor our contracts but that is all;” a company that essentially tells the buying public to go to perdition is likely to be very “lite” indeed. “Lite” of customers.

And no, Byron, that AR we have been discussing will not make a Saturday appearance at the range in the next few weeks. Or ever.

Stranger

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