Virginians bought firearms in record numbers in June 2026, continuing a trend of strong sales throughout the year and shattering previous highs that had stood since 2020.
For the month, the state recorded a sales-adjusted* total of 123,084, nearly 50,000 higher than the total from June 2020 and 87,000 higher than the total from the previous year.
Facing magazine capacity and “assault weapon” bans originally scheduled to take effect July 1, Virginians flocked to gun stores this year. Four of the state's top 10 months for sales-adjusted totals have occurred in 2026. The data dates back to 1999.
Comparing Virginia's sales-adjusted data over the past five years reveals a strong and growing response from residents. Every monthly total in 2026 exceeds the average for the same month from 2022 through 2025, for a cumulative difference of 209,600 (see table).The June surge is evident on the national stage as well. Virginia ranked No. 1 in the nation in sales-adjusted figures per 100,000 population, at 1,386, well ahead of No. 2 Rhode Island. Virginia also ranked No. 1 in May and remains No. 1 for 2026 as a whole.
* Sales-adjusted figures serve as a proxy for firearms sales but do not represent actual number of guns sold. For more information, go to guncheck.hub/about.