poppy harlow joins us. poppy? reporter: this is pretty surprising to me, but what we ve seen, in the months following the massacre at sandy hook elementary school, the purchase of weapons have risen. the number of background checks for people who want to buy guns rose 53% from the six months before the shooting to the six months after. i m nancy. hi. how you doing? reporter: she s a grandmother who is about to become a first-time gun owner. this way is easier. reporter: nancy ellis says the new gun laws passed in connecticut, among the toughest in the country, are a big reason why she s buying her first firearm. our rights are being slowly infringed upon, and that this whole idea of controlling guns has come to my back door. in other words, there could be a time when i may never be able to get a firearm. reporter: ellis lived in newtown for 28 years. her desire to own a gun is part
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of a spike in the state. newtown viv newtown, vividly remembered for one of the worst gun massacres in u.s. history, are on track this year to double the amount of pistol permits it issued last year. i m concerned that it can get out of hand. nancy lanza had quite an arsenal, i understand, in her home. you only have two hands. how many guns can you fire at once? reporter: dave ackert and france are on the gun alliance. there is a perception that it will not allow them to purchase certain guns. reporter: this newtown resident owns several guns but did not want to show them on camera out of respect for the victims of the shooting. you went out and bought more guns. why? that was driven by 100% the petition that was trying to be