Virginians are 'buying the living daylights' out of AR-15s and other soon-to-be illegal guns

[Freija]

Virginians are 'buying the living daylights' out of AR-15s and other soon-to-be illegal guns

In May, Virginia recorded 75,376 background checks — more than double the total from the same month last year.

roanoke.com

The countdown to Virginia's new assault weapons ban is playing out at gun counters across the commonwealth.
Customers are snapping up AR-15s, gun manufacturers are rushing shipments to Virginia retailers and store owners say firearms are flying off shelves ahead of a July 1 deadline that will dramatically restrict what guns can be legally sold in the state.
Recent FBI data suggests Virginia gun stores are seeing a huge surge in demand. In May, Virginia recorded 75,376 background checks — more than double the total from the same month last year. While background checks are not a direct measure of gun sales, they’re widely used as an industry indicator.

“They’re buying the living daylights out of ARs,” said Karen Ballengee, owner of Southern Police Equipment (formerly Southern Gun World) in Chesterfield County. "They're buying guns as fast as they can get their hands on them."
Customers are looking for ARs, AR pistols and regular handguns with a threaded barrel to accept sound suppressors, Ballengee said.
"This gun itself would be illegal," Ballengee said, holding a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a pistol grip, "and your grandfather's probably got 10 of them in his closet."

Many gun manufacturers are giving Virginia stores priority shipping to help Virginians get the firearms they want before it's too late.

The surge in sales comes after Virginia lawmakers passed legislation restricting the sale and purchase of certain semiautomatic firearms and magazines holding more than 15 rounds. Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the bill into law last month, and the restrictions are set to take effect July 1.

At New American Arms in Richmond, general manager Tony Martin said sales have been on the rise since January, after Congress eliminated a long-standing federal transfer tax on suppressors and certain federally regulated firearms. The shop on Broad Street is billed as Central Virginia's only full-service gun shop; with gunsmiths on staff, the business provides training, repairs and builds custom rifles.

“We were inundated with requests to purchase and transfer NFA items, particularly silencers,” Martin said, referring to firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act.

Then, he said, Virginia’s new legislation accelerated the rush even further. He estimates sales of firearms potentially affected by the law are up by 30-50%.

Haven't other laws like this been declared unconstitutional? I don't really keep up with this. State I live in has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the country. You can even carry concealed without a permit of any kind, which I will admit to doing on a few occasions.

 

[Bally]

Wow. Just wow. I'd love one (AR-15) but I can't even possess a slingshot here without a lawful reason. Let alone a knife or 'billy club' (baton). Yet, every day/night on the news here, people are being shot or stabbed. Eh????

It's different for sure.

Kind regards,

Bally)

 

[David64]

There are several DAs and Sheriffs that refuse to enforce the ban on grounds that it is un Constitutional. Hopefully, this will make it's way up to SCOTUS and they'll slap it down. Illinois did the same thing and it's making it's way through the courts, but being Illinois, I don't hold much hope. As of 2026, 29 states have Constitutional Carry and I would love to see a Federal Concealed Carry License. That would send states like Illinois, California and New York into fits.