Why Gun Sales Spiked on Black Friday

[FNG19]

There is however the not insubstantial issue of the Federal Firearms Excise Tax. That's 10% on every pistol or revolver, 11% on every rifle or shotgun, and 11% on all ammunition sales. That is a tax that is targeted specifically at guns and ammunition, that isn't paid by the purchasers of other items.

You raise a valid, important point, but one that isn't relevant to the discussion at hand. PA State Law can't change that. We need to Feds to act to do it. Personally, I'd like to see that excise tax disappear precisely because of what you say -- most people who buy guns aren't hunters.

Still, this is orthogonal to the point at hand, which is the PA State Tax Holiday bill.

[bac0nfat]

There is however the not insubstantial issue of the Federal Firearms Excise Tax. That's 10% on every pistol or revolver, 11% on every rifle or shotgun, and 11% on all ammunition sales. That is a tax that is targeted specifically at guns and ammunition, that isn't paid by the purchasers of other items.

To be fair the money does go to the Fish and Wildlife Service, which benefits hunters and fisherman and so forth. That said not everyone who buys guns and ammo is a hunter, especially these days.

I propose that first-time gun buyers should be able to buy a gun 100% tax free. The only issue would be proving that you are a first time buyer, without having a registry of some sort. I guess you could just let each person claim it once in a lifetime. You get a receipt from the FFL that you can send in with your tax return to get a refund on the tax.

[aggitator]

That said getting someone a hunting weapon or a kid a .22 rifle seems like a perfectly valid Christmas gift. Perhaps handguns just seem odd.

Yes I am buying my 10 yr old a Rossi 22/410 single shot this year, also I have bought my wife a handgun or 2 for Christmas presents. I know I was happy to recieve hand guns from her as presents also!

[WhiteFeather]

In my opinion, sales tax holidays are horrendous public policy for a variety of wonkish reasons, not the least of which is the fact that generally all they do is impact the timing of purchases. Think of Cash for Clunkers -- people didn't buy more cars because of that program. They just changed when they replaced the cars they already had. Essentially, these kinds of gimmicks cannibalize future sales without any significant benefits. 4-6% reduction in price because of no sales tax? That's not going to get people who didn't need a new car, or wouldn't buy a gun, to get a new car or suddenly want a gun.

IMHO, if the issue is taxes, we need to deal with tax reform. If the issue is making firearms affordable, we need a market solution. If the issue is that we need more first-time owners, we need more grassroots outreach efforts.

Now, if folks want to argue about the existence of sales tax, that's another discussion best suited for other venues. This isn't that discussion.

FNG19 – not that I disagree with what you are saying at all.

I personally don’t believe we should be exercising putting taxes on Constitutional protected freedoms.

Firearms is one of the most heavily taxed & regulated items, that ALL adds to the overall cost to buyer has to pay for the finished product.

The 1938 Pittman-Robertson Act put an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition, and bows and arrows, and a 10% excise tax on handguns to help pay for wildlife restoration.

Then there is the usual taxes of socialism insecurity, property taxes, shipping taxes from gasoline, numerous local state and federal taxes on everything, much like the inside joke of the so called tax free bread has many taxes already paid in multiple forms. That would make the founding fathers roll in their graves that they fought over the tax stamp back in colonial times, on the principal.

As far as adjusting timing of purchase goes, Caleba’s and Gander Mountain (probably Bass pro shop & a lot of other firearm stores) had special black Friday sales of “x” amount of cash this or that firearm, that also might have added to spike in OP.

IF saving 40 or 50 bucks off a new firearm helps someone make a decision to buy a new firearm to add to their bottom line for the big chain stores, even the little mom and pop stores could benefit with added sales if they can advertise that there would be no 6 or 7% state sales tax over on black Friday weekend without costing them anything on the bottom line.

The state of PA doesn’t have a problem in the past wasting our tax money on foolish, stupid, self serving stuff they shouldn’t be involved with in the first place, along with spending more than they extort out of US, and when they over charge us to build up a surplus for the so called rainy day fund you never say here is something back after we over charged you.

Its way past time the government learns to live with less tax money, be more responsible with its use, learn how to be frugal for a change, instead of growing a bigger government. As every time the government adds another tax in whatever form it takes, we get a pay cut.

I believe most people work hard for their money and if a few bucks saving helps them make a purchase of a firearm, even if it’s a adjusting of timing issue the money spent as you correctly point out. Your money is better left in your pocket or the private sector business after a purchase rather than giving more in the wasteful hands of bigger wasteful government, that we can’t afford now.

Maybe if the government did cost so much in taxes to keep feeding, it wouldn’t have chased so many companies overseas to avoid the big government cost, and keep jobs here.


I was just commenting on why there maybe an additional spike in firearm sales numbers over black friday due to several states have already enacted tax free holiday weekend that may have added to those numbers in OP.


Still FNG19 you are also correct the whole taxes and big government is for another subject and another thread.

Maybe one with totally state tax free gun safes, for safety sake which is also another pending bill going no where in PA again.