Pennsylvanians Buying More Weapons

01.18.13 | Sarah Harnisch

Pennsylvania, like much of the nation, has been arming up. Last month, amid the Sandy Hook shootings and President Barack Obama's calls for stricter gun control, the FBI processed 133,241 background checks before a firearm could be purchased in Pennsylvania, a 25 percent rise over December 2011. Last year, the FBI conducted one background check for every 13 Pennsylvania residents. That is the 16th in the nation. Pennsylvania ranks ahead of Texas and Georgia. In Monroe County, New York, pistol applications are three times what they were this time last year.