By: Teresa Mull

Americans realize the importance of self-defense during times of crisis and the effectiveness of firearms in protecting themselves, their property, and their loved ones.

The New York Times reports:

Americans bought about two million guns in March, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data. It was the second-busiest month ever for gun sales, trailing only January 2013, just after President Barack Obama’s re-election and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

GPM had reported previously that so-called “emergency” gun restrictions were growing in states and municipalities across the nation. The federal government intervened, however, and declared gun stores as “essential” businesses that are permitted to remain open during the nationwide Coronavirus shutdown.

Teresa Mull is editor of Gunpowder Magazine. Contact her at [email protected].