July Firearms Sales Are Up from Last Year and Likely to Continue Climbing

by
posted on August 31, 2019
concealed-carry-permit.jpg (2)

The number of firearms-related background checks from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) are up for the third straight month compared to last year. NICS is a national computerized background system used per federal law in all transfers of firearms via Federal Firearms Licensees. It checks available records on people who may be disqualified from receiving firearms.

In addition to gun purchases, the NICS statistics reflect permit checks and re-checksboth of which have risen dramatically. Thus, the number of NICS background checks does not equal the one-to-one number of firearms transfers.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) adjusts these numbers to remove the permit checks and re-checks to provide a better idea of how many actual firearms purchases took place. The NSSF-adjusted number for July 2019 was over 830,500, up 1% compared to the same time in 2018.

“Firearms purchases have settled into a new normal between the pre-Obama numbers and the highest numbers in the Obama era” said Jim Curcuruto, director of research and market development at the NSSF.

The NICS and NSSF numbers both show that Americans are increasingly exercising their right to keep and bear arms. There were about 12 million more NICS checks in 2018 than a decade ago. Expanding the ranks are women, younger shooters, and urban Americans—indications of a cultural change in the shooting sports.

It’s likely that requests for both permits and firearms purchases will continue to rise.

Latest

Toy Cap Gun
Toy Cap Gun

Now They Want to Use Toy Gun Control as an Excuse for Actual Gun Bans?

Some gun-control “experts” really want to ban young adults from lawfully possessing firearms by citing old state laws that include regulations on toy guns.

This Olympian Has Something Important to Say

Vincent Hancock has a lot to say, but most people just want to know how he accomplished all he has.

From the Editor | The Bullseye

We all need range time, but this day at the range brought more than expected.

Standing Guard | The NRA Comeback

The backbone of the NRA is its millions of members.

What Will 2025 Bring?

The future should hold more victories than defeats throughout the courts.

President’s Column | Sneaky Ways Cities Are Trying To Stop Constitutional Carry

Constitutional carry has taken the country by storm in recent years.



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.