11/11/2012

AK-47 sales soar, crime rates fall?

I don't think that increased sales of any particular type of gun is associated with crime rates, but I suspect that while gun sales have soared over the last four years, it is the types of guns most likely to be banned by a renewed Assault Weapons Ban that have seen the biggest increases.  Yet, over the last four years we have seen murder rates fall by 13 percent.  The point seemed pretty obvious to me when I saw this article.
 . . . He said: "We're going from normally six to eight guns a day, to 25. I stocked up, I got a stockpile of these AK-47s, we're selling these like hot cakes. Luckily I had an idea of what was going on because it happened with Clinton." 
Mr Bernstein said he normally orders up to 7,000 rounds a week from distributors but could now only get hold of 3,000 because of demand. 
John Kielbasa, owner of Fernwood Firearms in Hankins, New York, told CNN: "Sales are up. I had a guy waiting here first thing in the morning (the day after the election.) He came in, bought two AK-47s. It's going to be good for me for business."

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11 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

John, doesn't the first sentence of your post put the lie to the title of your famous book?

11/12/2012 3:01 AM  
Blogger John Lott said...

How is that true Mike? Could you explain?

11/12/2012 1:35 PM  
Blogger Don M said...

I think he meant "I don't think the sales of any particular firearm are associated with increased crime rates..."

11/13/2012 1:49 PM  
Blogger Harles said...

Erm... Mike, the first sentence in no way contradicts the title of the book. Read the first sentence carefully. It reads "...any particular type of gun..." where as the title of the book is about firearms in general. That is an important difference.

11/13/2012 2:29 PM  
Blogger jeff said...

His book title, as far as I can tell, mentions nothing about a correlation between one model of firearm and crime. I am also confused by Mike's statement.

11/13/2012 2:54 PM  
Blogger Malvolio said...

I think he missed the part about "a particular kind" of gun.

11/13/2012 3:37 PM  
Blogger setnaffa said...

John,

Q: Why does it take more paperwork to exercise your 2nd Amendment rights than it does for a teen to get fatally-injured by a Planned Parenthood clinic without her parents’ consent?

A: Gun Owners don’t contribute as much money to Democrats as PP does…

Q: Why do leftist shills think "gun control" means taking away guns from law-abiding citizens?

A: The people who pay them don't want their serfs armed.

11/13/2012 4:51 PM  
Blogger MaggieL said...

Mike, what he said was "any particular type of gun" was not associated with an increase in crime.

11/13/2012 4:55 PM  
Blogger Magnafan said...

I don't see a problem with the sentence. Mr. Lott refers to a *particular* gun. I would guess that a mugger or rapist doesn't care if he's scared by a Ruger or a Glock. He runs.

11/13/2012 4:59 PM  
Blogger Martin G. Schalz said...

The increase in sales of the AK-47 model are a simple result of cost.

The AK was designed to be cheap, and function in any environment regardless of bad conditions. The American response to the AK was the M-14. An AK copy can be had for less than $700. The American made copy of the M-14 is about $1800.

So in this economy, is it any wonder why folks spend their money wisely?

With regard to crime stats, more guns equal less crime. After all, what criminal wants to face an armed victim? Homeowner has an AK. Criminal has whatever. Criminal gets elected for the Darwin Award...

11/14/2012 11:08 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

"More Guns, Less Crime" was merely pointing out that while Americans have bought more and more firearms, there was a decline in violent crime rates. Thus the title was a statement of fact.

11/16/2012 8:30 AM  

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