The tax holiday officially begins on September 8. The initiative arrives as the U.S. gun industry has slumped into a downturn after the pandemic-era buying frenzy; in other words, the industry is just normalizing. 

Gov. DeSantis announced earlier today that the tax holiday on firearms and related items will run from September 8 to December 31. He also confirmed the tax break will extend to a wide range of outdoor gear, including fishing equipment, bowhunting supplies, and other recreational items. Calculated savings amount to more than $8 million for gun buyers. 

The firearms industry is likely celebrating the upcoming tax holiday, as it's expected to spur much-needed demand. This comes at a time when the U.S. gun market has languished in recent years. Just weeks ago, Smith & Wesson Brands warned investors to brace for yet another year of disappointing results.

A common proxy for firearm demand is the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). A NICS check is conducted every time someone purchases a gun from a federally licensed dealer. While not all checks represent sales—some are for permits, renewals, or private transfers depending on state laws—NICS data still provides a snapshot of overall gun demand. 

Seasonality data via Bloomberg shows NICS falling back to a 15-year trend line after robust gun demand from the pandemic era. Historically, firearm demand also tends to soften when a Republican is in the White House, reducing urgency among core gun-buying demographics. 

Florida's current sales tax rate is 6%, which means that Floridians would save around $543 on something like a Barrett M82A1 29" 50 BMG — enough to buy 140 rounds of 50 cal.