The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) recently published data for 2021 gun sales. Based on dealer surveys, there were approximately 5.4 million first time gun buyers in 2021. This is on top of the estimated 8.4 million first time buyers in 2020. So in the last 2 years, there are likely over 13 million new/first time gun owners in the US.
Thirteen million new gun owners, exercising their Second Amendment Rights, is a great thing for sure! First, however, those 13 million need to get training. Get training somewhere, from a reputable instructor that has, at a minimum, reasonable credentials. Not all instructors are equal, so do your homework.
Every gun owner has a different “journey”. I started mine at a very young age. I still remember when I got to carry a BB gun in the woods for the first time when I was 5 years old. My dad taught me safety and the fundamentals. 40+ years later, I’ve shot a lot of ammo! Some learn through military service, a friend, or take classes. Regardless of where you are in your journey, all of us, as gun owners, have a responsibility to become proficient in the use of the firearms we own. Additionally, shooting skills are perishable and taking one class does not make you an expert. We all can get better. Get out and practice. Dry-fire at home. Take another class. Push yourself to learn more.
As a side note, 13+ million new gun owners in 2 years….most purchased handguns. Let’s be conservative and estimate they each bought 100 rounds of ammo….that’s 1.3 BILLION rounds of ammo the industry was not really prepared to produce. Add on to that the increase in ammo purchases by “old” gun owners and you can quickly see why the shortages still exist today.