Gun safety instructor Steve McLaferty of Butler helps Laurie Lemons with her shooting technique at Fenelton Firearms' gun range Friday.

An estimated 5 million Americans became first-time gun owners so far this year and the demand for firearms and ammunition remains strong.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a firearm industry trade association, based that estimate on a retailers survey that revealed that 40 percent of gun sales this year were made to people who never previously owned a firearm.

“Definitely a record setting pace this year. A lot of first time gun buyers and a lot of new women buyers as well,” said Brent McLafferty, manager of Fenelton Firearms in Fenelton.

The firearms seeing the most demand are handguns, but sales of shotguns and semi-automatic rifles have also been brisk, McLafferty said.

Many new buyers are taking classes taught by instructors certified by the National Rifle Association at the shop's gun range to learn how to use their firearms.

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