WORCESTER, Mass. - In the past two years, gun sales hit record levels in Massachusetts, according to a WBUR analysis of state data.

They found gun dealers sold almost 276,000 firearms from 2020 through 2021. 64 percent were handguns, another 23 percent were rifles.

WBUR said overall gun sales in Massachusetts last year were up 57 percent from 2019 and they doubled from a decade ago.

The Gun Owners Action League in Northborough said the COVID lockdown, riots and the country's leadership played a big role in the purchases.

"You need to depend on yourself a little more” said Mike Harris of the Gun Owners Action League. “On top of learning the skill and doing training, there's gun culture that speaks to self-reliance and taking care of oneself. Part of the American spirit is a feeling of self-reliance and a part of that is firearms ownership and I think that's kind of what feeds into our firearms culture in this country.”

The study also showed more women and people of color are purchasing guns. GOAL said it's something they see as well.

Earlier this week, state lawmakers approved a bill to bring state law in line with the Supreme Court ruling which overturned laws the court's majority felt were too restrictive on licenses to carry.