As is usually the case with a presidential election, gun control and safety were once again a major topic of discussion. All that discussion of sales, control, safety, and so on tends to set gun owners and enthusiasts on edge; however, we imagine that anyone in the gun sales business is, at least in part, excited for presidential election season to come by again. Yes, the discussion of gun control and safety tends to get very heated, and it’s precisely that attitude that manages to drive firearm sales through the roof. At Rail Scales, we’re always interested in tracking this trend, as the sales of our patented rail handguards and handstops are also impacted. Here’s what you need to know about gun sale trends during elections. The Questions Up For Debate The question over gun sales and ownership will likely continue to be a point of debate during elections until we manage to eliminate mass shootings. This is, in essence, the root of the issue up for debate during each election. The factions tend to divide into two camps; one side is those who want stricter gun control and more limitations because they feel it will cut back on mass shootings and gun violence. On the other side of the debate are those who speak up in support of our Second Amendment, which includes the “right to keep and bear arms.” Of course, the argument is more detailed and nuanced than that, but those are the two points the different sides keep coming back to. Gun Sales and Elections What this means, for those who sell firearms and accessories, is a boost in sales as the election draws nearer. According to Time, the most recent presidential election drove gun sales to an all-time high. The FBI ran more than 22 million background checks from January to October 2016, which is more than were performed in the entirety of 2014 or 2015, and sales were expected to increase between Black Friday sales and holiday shopping. Gun sales in the year leading up to a general election tend to be driven by two things: fear for personal safety and fear that one’s gun ownership rights will be revoked or hampered. Between these two worries, many Americans tend to go out in droves to buy firearms to protect themselves and, theoretically, grandfather themselves into gun ownership in the event that some or all firearms are banned by an incoming elected official. People who wouldn’t normally own a gun buy one, and those who would buy one are stirred to buy two or three. Post-Election Actions Now that the election is over and the new president has been sworn in, the gun-buying furor has calmed somewhat; however, now our country has many more new firearm owners. Now that you have your new firearm, the time has come to outfit it to your preferences. Maybe that means an MLOK handstop or a Keymod rail to go on your new AR 15. For the best rifle handguards on the market, compatible with both MLOK and Keymod rails, shop Rail Scales patented handstops and Rail Scales today!