I saw the above play on the ubiquitous automotive rear window stick figure family stickers in Connecticut's Litchfield County in the woodsy, outdoor-sportsy, northwest corner of the state. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Connecticut gun purchases are on track to surpass the total for 2012 by this October. In Newtown, pistol permit applications have already exceeded the number issued in all of 2012.
I don't know if the data exists yet to know whether Connecticut's numbers are reflective of stockpiling by existing gun owners such that gun sales go up while distribution of guns in households goes down. Anecdotally it seems the purchase rate in Connecticut was influenced by an increase ahead of new gun laws that went into effect on April fifth, including the expansion of the banned "assault weapon" designation to the popular AR-15 and more than 100 other guns.
