Gun sales surge in America
A Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver is displayed for customers to rent at the Los Angeles Gun Club on December 7, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Gun enthusiasts rent the the weapon to try out before making a purchase at a gun store . Leading firearms maker Smith & Wesson reports almost 50 percent increase in sales revenue.
As the spotlight turns to gun control following the Connecticut mass shooting, the focus is also on gun sales, which are at record levels.
ABC News reported that during the Black Friday sales last month, Americans bought a record number of guns, with the FBI conducting background checks on 154,000 purchases of firearms.
For the month of November, the number surged to 2 million inquiries.
Lawrence Keane, vice president of gun industry group National Shooting Sports Foundation, told CNN Money in November that modern sporting rifles, a term that he prefers to assault weapons, are "the most popular type of rifles being bought today by Americans."
He said they are used by hunters, target shooters, veterans returning from warzones such as Afghanistan, and citizens who want to protect their property from looters in the wake of recent storms.
According to ABC sources, the Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza had bought two hand guns and an assault rifle legally.
Former FBI Agent Brad Garrett said unless a person has a felony conviction, it is fairly easy to purchase a firearm in America.
If the past is any indication, Friday's mass shooting will do little to slow the pace of sales.
According to the Christian Sciece Monitor, it is not uncommon for gun sales to see a boost following a mass shooting, as buyers head to stores mostly motivated by self-defense.
They may also be driven by fears of tighter regulations that could be introduced by President Obama.