Virginia, Rhode Island Gun Sales Soared More Than 200 Percent Ahead of Ban

Gun sales in Virginia were 241% higher in June than they were one year ago, and Rhode Island sales weren’t far behind, with a 201% increase compared to June, 2025. 

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reported the staggering figures on Thursday afternoon, with Managing Director of Public Affairs Mark Oliva declaring, “this is what freedom looks like.” 

Our right to keep and bear arms begins at the gun counter and states like Virginia and Rhode Island chose to throttle the Second Amendment rights of their citizens by ending the legal sale of the most-popular selling centerfire rifle in America – the Modern Sporting Rifle – on July 1. Those citizens spoke with their wallets. 

While overall background checks nationally were 11.7 percent higher than June 2025, Virginia saw a 241 percent increase over the same month last year, with 123,699 background checks for the purchase of a firearm. Likewise, Rhode Island had a 201 percent increase over June 2025 with 7,815 background checks completed. 

NSSF is encouraged that the U.S. Supreme Court is finally granting review to challenges against laws that restrict the sale of these commonly-possessed rifles and is confident that the day will come soon when these unconstitutional restrictions will be overturned.”

Before Democrats took complete control of Virginia government last November, there were generally between 10,000 and 14,000 firearm transfers every month. That number started growing in late 2025, and never slowed down. It’s fair to say that Virginians purchased about as many guns last month as they do in a typical year, and a good chunk of those purchases were “assault firearms” that are now banned for sale. 

In fact, just by looking at the NSSF’s numbers going back to January, I think it’s quite likely that there are at least 150,000 more “assault firearms” in Virginia than would have been the case if Democrats hadn’t introduced a ban at all. 

If the Supreme Court strikes down the “assault weapon” bans in Cook County, Illinois and the state of Connecticut next year, the demise of Virginia’s ban will swiftly follow. Then we’ll have another spike in sales as Virginians celebrate by purchasing a newly available rifle, pistol, or shotgun. When all is said and done, Virginia Democrats’ biggest gun-related accomplishment will be juicing sales of the guns they don’t want anyone to own. 

In the short term, and until an injunction is put into place that clearly bars all enforcement of the gun and magazine ban, the gun sales in Virginia and Rhode Island are going to crater. In July 2025, Virginia had almost 21,000 background checks performed on handgun transfers, and another 11,500 or so performed on long gun transfers. Last month, according to the FBI, there were more than 51,000 checks on handguns along with more than 43,000 long gun checks and 28,000+ checks performed on the transfer of “other” weapons, like suppressors. 

I think suppressor sales will remain pretty strong this month, but long gun sales are going to come to an almost complete halt. I suspect handgun sales will decline considerably as well. June’s 241% and 201% increases will likely be followed by a nearly 200% decrease in background checks in Virginia and Rhode Island when July’s numbers are released in early August. 

If Virginia gun stores in June were what freedom looks like, then a visit now is a window into tyranny. The most popular rifles in the country, along with ammunition magazines that are in common use from coast-to-coast, are off-limits because lawmakers say so, and not just because gun shops have been picked clean. 

They claim it’s for public safety, even though these guns are rarely used in crime. They say no one needs these guns and that they’re only suitable for mass murder, while exempting law enforcement from the ban. And they say that these guns don’t belong in our communities, which means that sooner or later they’ll try to come for all these guns, including the ones they helped sell. 

These Virginians didn’t purchase these arms as short-term rentals, and even if the Supreme Court does the almost unimaginable and upholds “assault weapon” bans, Virginians aren’t giving up theirs. 

I’d like to think that the Democrats in Richmond will let the Supreme Court rule on this issue before trying to pass a ban on the possession of “assault firearms”, but I’m not that naive. That could very well be the big fight next session, and I’d encourage every Virginia gun owner to join VCDL and VSSA so that they’re informed, engaged, and ready for the legislative fights to come. 

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