Fears over the continued lawlessness in Democrat-run cities, President Biden's southern border invasion, Democrats' crusade in attempting to ban firearms, criminal gangs targeting neighborhoods nationwide, and, of course, mounting geopolitical risks with threats of major conflict, could be some of the reasons why Americans continue buying guns. 

According to data from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), unadjusted criminal background checks rose 2.9% to 2.73 million in December, the highest in about eight months. However, compared with a year ago, gun buying has slumped 10% from 3.04 million. 

Seasonal NICS data shows gun-buying remains well above a two-decade average; an indication gun buying remains elevated in a dangerous world where threats of war linger abroad and domestic policies, such as social justice, have backfired in recent years, igniting a crime wave across liberal cities. 

Recall that NICS data is a proxy for gun sales because there is no national database tracking firearm purchases. Also, a background check doesn't necessarily mean a gun sale occurred.