As lawmakers in Washington discuss how to keep guns out of the hands of disturbed individuals, gun sales are setting records, the New York Times reports.

The National Shooting Sports Federation reported that 2.2 million background checks for gun purchases were performed last month, an increase of 58.6 percent over the same period in 2011.

Considering that the pro-gun control Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence reports that 40 percent of all gun sales do not require a background check, it is impossible to gage just how many new guns are being purchased and how many will end up in the hands of those who are mentally ill.

The push to re-instate the assault weapons ban seems to be foundering in Washington, but there does appear to be growing support for a universal background check for all gun purchases.

At minimum, this seems a reasonable measure to at least begin with.

But the question remains if the sheer number of weapons already out there will continue to provide ready access to those individuals who have neither sport, nor self-protection in mind.