Did Operation Metro Surge Lead to Higher Gun Sales?
Last Friday, Isaiah Wallace visited a gun store for the second time in a two-day span.
His trip to Bill’s Gun Shop & Range in Robbinsdale came a day after he’d already purchased a Stag Arms AR-15 at another store in the Twin Cities.
“It’s just something that I’ve wanted,” he said. “It’s also my right to do it, you know? That’s the biggest thing.”
Despite the recent purchase, he hadn’t ruled out buying another gun this trip.
“I’m just looking for some ammo, possibly a new firearm, not sure yet though,” he said. “I’m just going to look around.”
Wallace is far from alone in the gun market. Some dealers have seen an increase in customers and higher sales starting in January.
That’s about the same time Operation Metro Surge came to its peak with thousands of federal immigration agents flooding the Twin Cities.
Increase in Sales
Bill’s Gun Shop, which also offers retail operations and a shooting range in its basement, said it’s doing better business than before Operation Metro Surge.
“There was an increase during the start of that [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] deal,” said John Monson, owner of Bill’s Gun Shop. “But you know, the ICE has calmed down and it really hasn’t changed.”
Monson said he’s not certain if the increase can be tied directly to immigration enforcement. Many customers don’t offer direct of feedback or their reasons for buying a gun during the purchasing process, Monson said.
Likewise, sales had been down in 2025, making the 2026 sales jump feel closer to a normal year.
However, along with an increase in sales, there’s been many experienced shooters looking to renew their concealed carry permits.
Bill’s Gun Shop has also seen new shooters looking for introductory classes.
“There’s no panic buy. There’s no panic, you know, ‘I’m taking the class before I can’t’ kind of deal like there has been in years past, you know during the George Floyd days and what not,” Monson said. “That’s not really happening. We’re seeing a lot of people that are saying ‘it’s time to take that class’ or ‘I’m ready to buy my first gun.”’
Permit Increase
Some police departments have also noticed an increase in the background checks that can be part of the gun-buying process.
In Minnesota, to purchase a handgun or an assault rifle, the buyer must first get a permit to purchase from their local police police department.
A concealed carry permit, which is valid for five years and issued by a county sheriff’s office, could also be used to purchase a firearm.
Rifles and shotguns that are often associated with hunting can typically be bought without a locally-issued permit to purchase.
That said, the Brooklyn Park Police Department processed more than twice as many permit-to-purchase applications in January 2026 than were submitted in January 2025.
“January was definitely up significantly against pretty much all of 2025, all the months of 2025,” said Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe. “About a two-fold increase”
Brooklyn Park approved 80 permits in January 2026. That’s up from 35 the previous year.
“It’s hard to draw a bright line assumption as to why that is, but it’s also really hard to dismiss a lot of the social dynamics that have been going on in the metro area throughout that time,” Rabe said. “I think we have seen in the past that when there is major social upheaval or changing social, societal dynamics, we’ve seen an increase in permit to purchase. The numbers have meted that out both here locally and across the nation.”
Back at Bill’s Gun Shop, Wallace hopes any new buyers aren’t skimping out on practice.
“It’s always something I feel like everybody should get trained on,” he said. “I mean, even if you’ve had your permit for 10 years or six months, I mean, you should always be trying to get better.”
