Guns are selling out across America as experts say safety concerns are fueling a 'seismic shift,' driving more people to buy firearms for the first time

Growing concerns over self protection are fueling a striking surge in gun sales in the US, according to research and firearm experts.

"If you were to walk into any big-box store or any small corner gun store, you would see the shelves are bare, and they are bare because of demand," said Marc Oliva, spokesperson for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. "Manufacturers are working around the clock to be able to keep up with that demand."

Demand for guns started surging in March at the start of the pandemic, according to federal data on background checks, which are required to purchase a firearm.

"At that time, law enforcement was stretched thin because officers were being infected," Oliva said. "Police departments were also saying they had to triage emergency calls and not respond to everything and change their own protocol to take precautions."