What the Great Gun Grab Means for Investors

Santa packed a lot of heat over the holiday season.

You see, the two days of the largest gun sales ever occurred in 2011. The first was Black Friday, the second was Dec. 23.

More than half a million names were sent in for background checks.

Indeed, the past few years have seen a surge of gun sales. Why? Depends on who you ask. The NRA suggests that sport shooting is becoming more popular.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, over 15 million Americans pay for a hunting license each year. That makes American hunters the largest standing army on earth. But, the total number of hunting license issuances is on the decline, having peaked at 19.1 million in 1975.

The NRA also suggests Americans are more concerned with self-defense.

Gun dealers likewise indicate the importance of self-defense, but add that fear of future gun legislation may also play a role.

As government services become subject to tightening local budgets, it’s clear why self-defense remains a top concern for both dealers and the NRA. As the saying goes, if you’re not strong enough to carry a cop around, carry a gun. It stands to reason that, if the economy continues to remain weak, more may turn to a life of crime.

FBI crime statistics disagree, showing a falling trend in violent crimes.