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

[AverageOldGuy]

Source: Roanoke VA Times

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.


Read more: https://roanoke.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_6de4b33b-d0f0-52aa-8f50-411f8c111753.html

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I expect to see a surge in shootings and suicides by gun starting in about six months.

[chowder66]

1. What a broken society (if you can call it that).

[OC375]

2. Happens when pretty much anything is going to become hard to get.

In this instance, I'd imagine there are a lot of "Have and not need vs need and not have" purchases going on that will get shot once (if that), and spend the rest of time in the closet.

[The Grand Illuminist]

3. We might need it ourselves.

If the worst come to wear.

[sop]

4. These bans should take effect 24 hours after their passage, so gun sellers can't flood the state with their weapons.

[maxsolomon]

5. It's unlikely to cause a homicide surge

I'd wager 99% of these weapons are going into a hoarder's arsenal to gather dust.

[jmowreader]

20. Either that...

...or to people who wouldn't have bought one before, don't shoot but "needed" one just because Governor Spanberger said they couldn't have one.

[Jacson6]

6. I don't know what people in suburbia will do with a AR-15 long gun.

For the city you need a handgun. There is no need for a long gun unless you plan on assaulting a machine gun position. I trained with a lot of weapons in the US Army and there is no need for a long gun in your home for self defense.

IMHO. IME. YMMV.

[Angrybob2001]

10. Shotgun

I always tell ppl they are going to be panicking and adrenaline spiking. They won't have trained for the one situation they insist they need a gun for. Get a shotgun; it's less likely to go through the entire house and a better chance of hitting a target.

[El Mimbreno]

36. Pump action...

Sometimes the "kachunk" is all that's needed.

[PCB66]

23. I live in a Florida suburb

I have a few ARs.

They are not self defense weapons. In the unlikely event I would ever use a firearm for self defense it would probably be a shotgun or a pistol.

However, I do enjoy going to the range and shooting the ARs. It is a fun thing to do occasionally.

I keep them locked up and they are not a danger to anybody else. I have intentions of using them in a crime.

Besides, they would be great to have if 90% of the population turns into brain eating zombies, right?

[questionseverything]

26. Fix your 2nd to last paragraph, I am sure you meant not going to use them in a crime lol

[Bayard]

7. Hasn't any gun curbs been getting shot down in courts?

I'm suprised to see this.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

8. Lawsuits have already been filed i think

It will take a bit of time to work their way through court though. There is a chance SCOTUS takes an already pending challenge on another states law before much happens on the Virginia law specifically.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. Supreme Court denies challenges to bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines

Last edited Wed Jun 3, 2026, 07:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Edited: it has been pointed out to me that this story is from 2025.

Supreme Court denies challenges to bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines

[Martin68]

9. Good sign. It means they think Democrats will get a majority in both houses.

[slightlv]

12. I tend to agree with you...

it seems this kind of thing spikes whenever a strong democrat is in line for the oval office! And yet, never... not once that I can remember... has a democratic president ever completely repealed our gun laws (let alone, correctly interpret that piece of a line in our constitution! But R's run scared on everything... wink at them differently and you scare them! They're the biggest snowflakes I've ever seen!

[jmowreader]

21. The worst part is...

The guy who they claim is going to "protect my gun rights!" executed the biggest gun grab in history when he unconstitutionally banned bump stocks in his last administration.

Trump not only violated the Sacred Second Amendment Right To Arm Yourself To The Teeth, he also violated the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment by ordering bump stock owners to just hand them over.

[Skittles]

11. gun humping cowards

dime a dozen zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[IronLionZion]

14. There were "Obama's going to take your guns" sales all through his presidency

Yet somehow he never took anyone's guns.

[Polybius]

15. This is classic FOMO - Fear of Missing Out

Many people naturally want something that they know they won't be able to buy soon.

[GenThePerservering]

24. More like classic Being Led by the Nose nt

[kimbutgar]

16. Preparing for a new civil war ?

[bobalew]

17. I suggest a lot sooner than that.

Depending on the mental state of some of the buyers...

[sarisataka]

18. All that gun bans do is cause a surge in gun sales

which seems counterproductive.

OTOH the predictions of blood in the streets fails to appear with notable regularity.

[intelpug]

19. Blood in the streets

Yes, Very notable regularity

[DenaliDemocrat]

29. And cost us votes in the elections

Colorado’s new law goes into effect in August. It literally bans the Browning Auto 5 - along with the Remington 870 its one of America’s most iconic shotguns. My dad, uncles, and myself all had one.

Guns are a losing agenda for Democrats.

[CTyankee]

22. Wonderful! Let's have more guns in circulation....I won't be visiting Virginia any time soon...

[GenThePerservering]

25. They buy a ton of guns and ammo

and then sit their fat asses on it waiting for a tyrant to appear...then vote for him.

[niyad]

27. "buying the living daylights"??? What in the fucking hell does that title

even mean, roanoke news???

[no_hypocrisy]

28. To understand rural Virginia, consider this:

When there are cases of a husband shooting his wife dead, that's called a "Virginian Divorce".

[niyad]

30. Dear Goddess. Yet if she kills him, even if he was an abusive monster, she

goes to prison.

[no_hypocrisy]

31. Hey, it's Virginia, the state that started the SCOTUS ruling that all states

can sterilize you involuntarily. It hasn't been overturned.

[niyad]

32. SMDH

[no_hypocrisy]

33. Matter of fact, I'm going to visit the grave in Charlottesville of

Carrie Buck, on the 100th anniversary of this heinous SCOTUS decision, to place flowers.

She can't be forgotten.

Do a google search. One of the most horrifying cases in American jurisprudence.

[niyad]

34. Thank you for this information. I have only read the wiki entry so far,

out of consideration for my neighbors. Justice Holmes' written opinion was a shocker. And Mark Warner's apology for"Virginia's FORCED (emphasis mine) participation in eugenics.

[Raftergirl]

35. They are really scaredy-cats who think having guns make them seem like manly men. Meanwhile they

are petrified of people of color, LBGTQ+, women and cities.